Hawk

I got Hawk and Casper from a barn auction and thought they were a pair. It turns out they were both roosters.  I don’t know why I bought them, I just thought they were pretty and colourful and hoped they would find a pleasant home on my junkyard. I got more then I bargained for when we were woken every morning at dawn by their alarm. Even the neighbours asked me about my new arrivals, one fellow across the creek told me he liked my new roosters. He was always late to work and now he’s up a few hours early. I think he was being sarcastic.

After about 5 years we no longer heard their call. Like living next to a railroad tracks, surprisingly, after a while you no longer hear the trains go by. May-be you still feel the house shake but the sound becomes so familiar that it isn’t annoying anymore.  

Casper developed curly toe paralysis and despite my research, he died. I think that curl toe was the beginning of a stroke.  Hawk who I thought was a lady, turned out to be an aggressive boy. Alone he took on the character of defender and is very possessive of his territory and chickens. Misty, Mary and Serena, I purchased  Mary and Serena at the same farm auction Hawk came from. That day at the auction, there were cages full of chicken and one man was buying them all, filling them into a potatoe sack after purchased. In one cage was 2 large regal black chicken that looked so proud. As the actioneer came to their cage the man followed with his bag ready to load and was surprised when he wasn't the lone bidder. I over paid for these birds but spared them from the fate in the bag. Today, they follow Hawk aound and toss me the occasional egg.

Misty, a silky. She is so precious!

Family reunion!

I have kept the five babies penned in the garage while the two younger babies of Chippy are kept in the house at night. During the day, I have been releasing them. Their mother is so glad to have babies. After hatching 9 babies, two has (so far) survived that long effort and I think she is finally done with her nest and has taken to caring for those babies. Just during the day.

I released the mother "Mama Goose" McCloud and her five babies yesterday. The pen needed cleaning and is an impossible job with an attacking goose. McCloud is Chippy's mother so her two babies are actually McClouds grandchildren.  

It is had to explain the exhilaration seeing the McCloud’s come together. Like a big family coming together at the reunion or a wedding with a fanfare of greetings and hugs. Excitement reigns. It brings tears to my eyes. The geese are showing such emotion and happiness. Once together and every body is acquainted, the five adults form a circle around their 7 babies and everyone is chased or attacked. They are so incredible in their organized protection. The babies set the course and the McClouds follow keeping an alert watch for strangers. Lola is still the odd gal out and wants to prove her worth. She loves a cat coming near so she can prove her loyalty and give the feline chase.

It takes me a long time to get to the pen as I can’t leave the babies, they are so cute! At dusk I invite my friend Mark over and when he arrives he helps me catch all the babies and lock down the pens for another quiet night…Quiet except Lola. She won’t go to bed or shut up. Some people tell me that peacocks are loud, after having 4 peacocks. I know that Lola has all four beat.

Macleod and Macleod is a name that I chose.

Describes my boys or girls I can’t tell,

Graceful and tall, though soft spoken; Not at all.

With a voice that’s a honk, can rival those honky Tonks.

Babies, Babies, Oh Baby!

We all spent the night at the Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls; One of our last nights because my friend has lost her room comp. Had a great evening esp. knowing the babies were safe. While out, I got a call from Mark, Chippy had more babies. Great balls of fire!

Chippy had another baby last night. I only saw one when I fed this morning. But there is still eggs around her. WOW! It has taken her over a month to hatch those eggs.

First she had three, they were killed. While i was in Florida she hatched one and it was killed. Then she hatched two and they too were killed this last Friday night Saturday morning Mama Goose finally hatched five babies, I immediately constructed a pen in the garage for these babies. No more risk in the yard. For a few days we let them loose to go to the pond but it is too much trouble to fight off the parents to capture the babies at night. On Monday Morning Chippy hatched 2 more babies and these ones were captured and have become house pets and spent the night with me at the casino.

Friday morning we had 2 babies. They were 8 days old and every night I brought them in the house until this last Friday when I went to a party with some friends. When I came home, Mark had already locked the pens with the babies inside. It was late and real quiet. I should have let them out and even went to the shed for the drill but seemed to think they would be okay for one night. I was tired and went to bed. They were gone the next morning, I called Mark. He came right over and he found a beak with not much else. This has destroyed Marks theory that is was the pig eating them. I was devastated and so guilty. Mark felt bad too. We loved those little babies and had just watched them chase away the ducks. I now wonder if it isn’t the rats killing them. I gave the rats a new diet and have been finding their dead butts, all over the place. One thing is for sure. Something out there is killing my babies. It was the coyote and I solved that problem by locking them in at night but something is still out there. Small, limber and hungry. Though I can not get near the babies, The geese are very agressive and will attack, This thing, this killer walks right by the big boys and walks off with their babies. If they are locked in the barn at night they will be gone come morning.

Daisy & Only

These best friends were part of the welcome committee to see 1 day old MacCloud & MacCloud. I'm so excited to have babies again. Born to Chippy but stolen by MacCloud & MacCloud, Who took them and guards them. They left one alone and I scooped it up. It came right to me. I couldn't resist and picked it up. It chirped and Papa MacCloud came running. I set it down near the charging goose.

Daisy duck is one of the last four females and the only duck that has attracted no attention from the other males. She hangs close to Only who is also a small mixed breed. They both fly and Daisy has flown as far as the corner store, No free food there so she always comes back.