A New Day...

The most exciting thing happened while I was sleeping last night... the first baby Dorking chick was born on the Crazy Dog Farm! Yesterday, I told mama bird that she had two more days, and I was taking her off the nest. I guess she believed me! The baby is a female, I'm pretty sure. Hopefully, more will be born in the next few days! I put out a saucer of water and some chick starter, for when the baby starts feeding.

I have sooooo many questions, though. Like, do I leave the babies with mama for her to raise them? Or will the other chickens try to hurt the babies? Should I be removing Bully from the coop? Will he leave them alone? I guess all I can do is try it. I'd just hate to lose the baby now that she's actually here!

Will post pics later today.

I learned some things about turkeys last night. With chickens, they put themselves to bed at dusk, and then I can go close the coop, and keep them safe from 'coons and such. I just assumed turkeys would do the same. When I went to close the coop last nite, it took me several minutes to find them, all bundled in a pile in the grass. I got worried that a 'coon would get them, so waited until I thought they would be asleep, and tried to catch them. I caught the first few ok, and put them in the coop, but then one of the Bourbon Reds attacked me! Flew, screaming into my face. It was terrifying. I screamed like a little girl. EEEEKKK!!! At that point, I decided that if the 'coons got them, it wouldn't be so bad.... I ended up with 5 birds inside the coop, all safe and sound, and 3 outside all night. Dumb birds. Tonight, I will just leave them where they are, and hope for the best. I wonder if this is normal behaviour? I thought they would want to go into the coop and roost up high. Now I am REALLY worried about catching them for when they go into the freezer. Chickens sleep like the dead, and are easy to catch in the middle of the night. If turkeys are not... I could be in deep, deep trouble.