Our sweet Doris died an unexpected and mysterious death late last week. She was our favorite chicken - sweet and friendly and a daily layer of beautiful blue eggs. We miss hr greatly, even if she was "just" a chicken. We hope she's finding all sorts of great things to eat in the great chicken yard in the sky.
Yesterday afternoon, one of our girls woke up from a nap and couldn't get up. Over the course of the day she kept trying to get up and eat, but her little legs wouldn't hold her. While the others were out playing in the sun, we moved her to a separate box and heating pad, and tried nursing her back to health. It was clear last night that she wasn't going to make it. Gunnar went into the craft room and came out with some small fabric squares and wool batting.
"Mom, can you please help me make a pillow for her? I cut out the fabric, I just need to sew it." Together, we stitched up a pillow that he brought to her with a tiny sheet and blanket.
Sadly, the wee one didn't make it and the mommy and daddy were out last night in the dark, digging a hole in the flowerbed for her along with her pillow and blankets, per Gunnar's request.
While we know from past experience that mortality is a part of chick raising, we're finding that the loss of an innocent little life doesn't get easier. I don't know that I want it to be easier. I love that my 11 year old will take the time to make a chick comfortable in her last hours and that he will grieve for her. I love that my kids told me this morning that she is buried in their hearts. I hope that they always carry forward their compassion and move through the world with grace and concern for others. I'll take the tears that are shed, and the pain that we all feel at these losses, so that we always remember that every life matters. Even the life of a little sickly chick.
A leaf hat, that is. There are two of them. One for our peanut and one for a friend. The yarn is Sundara sport merino in grass over lime, which is a sadly discontinued yarn. I'm using up the last of mine on these hats and some baby legwarmers.
I'm going to participate in NaBloPoMo again this year, in order to try and get my blogging mojo back. You know how it is to not blog, and get in the habit of not blogging? Yeah. That. It needs to stop, because I miss being here.
In other news, we've added on to our little chicken flock. We lost a bird over the summer, so we are down to three, which doesn't provide enough eggs to our egg-loving family. Especially when one of them (ahem, Daisy. I'm talking about you) decides to not lay for a while. So, these girls arrived in the mail on Friday.
arrival day
Today out in the grass for the first time. I'm amazed at how much they've grown in 2 days. We ordered Welsummers and Barnevelders, both of which are heritage breeds that lay dark brown eggs. We are keeping four of the chicks, and our neighbors are taking the others that we ordered to meet the minimum. Right now, one of the girls is feeling under the weather, so we're keeping a close eye on her and hoping she pulls through. Be prepared for plenty of chick photos this month.
I have lots more to tell, but with a post a day coming up, I'd better save some for tomorrow. Happy November!
ahem. my very dirty kitchen windows. Here's Bailey, waiting to be invited in for some iced tea. She waited for a long time without any luck. The iced tea is mine.
Annika on chicken duty, which apparently includes carrying a chicken around. That cobra snakey "personal mister" has made our chickens so much happier. Too bad we didn't get it sooner - we'd probably still have poor Vera. It keeps the whole area around the coop cool, and the crappy threading means that it leaks at the joint, making a nice pool of water for them to soak their feet in. Much better.
So much affection. I really need to move that tub and the pool toy. Yikes.
All three girls are laying eggs most days - we nearly always get two and sometimes we get three. We need to bump our flock to six girls to have the production we want. Also, it'll be way better once it cools off. Heat stress is not good for laying.
In other news, I have been sewing. I made a dress that I should probably photograph. It's the third in my Trapeze Dress series (none of which have been shown - shame on me). The pattern is from Weekend Sewing and I highly recommend it if you live in a hot climate where you don't want things like waistbands touching you. It's easy to make, other than the very fiddly bodice facing attachment, and a quick project.
School starts next week for Gunnar, which we are not ready for at all. Lindsay moves into her apartment in Tucson this weekend, which we are more ready for. She's taking her bedroom furniture and really moving out, unlike dorm living, which is kind of strange. Now we have to decide what to do with that room. I'm thinking sleeper couch because I really don't want to buy another bed. We're seeing music room/library/guest room. Thoughts? Am I being cruel in taking over her bedroom? She's only here for about 3 weeks a year anymore, so I think it's a waste of space. How did you feel when your parents did something else with your room?
Okay. I think I'm really back now. Off to clean the studio so I can produce pretty things in a room that makes sense. Happy Wednesday!
We're in week 17 of chicken ownership, and I have to say that it's going just swimmingly. They're happy and healthy and funny as heck. And, since most birds start laying between 18 and 20 weeks old, eggs could be imminent. In fact, I'm fairly certain they're going to start laying next weekend - right after I leave for my long summer vacation.
Okay, that was a long weekend. When we weren't taking care of fun social obligations, we were all about getting the coop done. The girls are currently living in Lindsay's room, which I'm sure she would not appreciate when she comes home this weekend. Not at all. So, the big push took us to here on Saturday morning.
I disappeared for the last few days - sorry about that. We went to Tucson on Friday to see Lindsay and explore a bit and I forgot my camera. So much good stuff. No photos. I was bummed.
