Chicks!

I've really gone and done it now.  

My history of doing stuff that makes me feel like that (oh boy, now I'm in for it!) actually makes me all eager and happy.  I've had ups and downs, but mostly ups after taking on a new responsibility, whether it's a job, a big project, or ...

Chickens.  Again.  Yay!

We have seven chicks.  Supposedly I got four Ameraucanas (the kind that lay blueish and/or greenish eggs) and three Silver Laced Wyandottes.  They told me they were sold out of Buff Orpingtons.  I really wanted one.  Now that I've got them home, though, I think one of them might be a Buff Orpington after all.  She looks an awful lot like a Buff Orpington chick, the classic yellow fluff ball ....

Not that I really care what breed they are, as long as I get good eggs.  I hope at least one of them is broody--I'd like a hen that raises her own chicks.  I'd heard that Orpingtons get broody, hence the desire to have at least one.

They're all adorable and regardless I know they'll be good hens, except the one that keeps pecking everyone--she'll be naughty and nice.  Assuming it's a her.  We ended up with a rooster last time, which was a happy accident.  I wouldn't mind having one again.

For our first day I got to be a hero.  One of the chicks had a partially blocked vent.  I probably wouldn't have taken her home if I'd noticed.  But I didn't notice, and I did buy her, so I had to make due.  I cleaned her bottom under warm running tap water, and then blew her bottom dry while fluffing around the vent with a Q-tip.  She didn't like it much, but aside from a few missing pin feathers, she's no worse for the wear, and far less likely to die or end up getting injured from her flock mates pecking her exposed, irritated skin.  Chicks (and chickens) are notorious for pecking at anything imperfect, and if the chick had gotten an actual blood spot from their attention--yowza.  They really go to town on anything red, to the point of murder.

Anyway, it's a good thing I got these because that's the last batch the feed store will order this year.  Besides, there's never anything to do around here.  I needed one more thing to keep me busy.  Yay cuteness!  Yay chickens!  Yay future eggs!