Farm News
Sunday morning, after chores
Somerset Twins Retire, Return
Ting and Ling, the Somerset Twins had heard of the horrors of egg slavery from the bantams. “Locked up in the chicken house are hens with nothing to do but lay eggs,” the bantams whispered. Then, as Spring approached, the Somerset Twins actually met some of the hens from the chicken house. By listening, the Somerset Twins learned that the hens had heated water in the winter and all the food they wanted all day. The bantams, on the other hand, have to scrabble for what wild seeds they can find with just a small feeding twice a day.
Now, the Somersets can't lay golden eggs but they can spot a good deal, so they decided to move into the chicken house and try egg slavery. Late one evening, after all the other chickens had gone to bed, they slipped into the chicken house to spend the night.
They woke up early and had a great breakfast of layer mash, followed by a drink at the indoor water fountain, and hopped out to the chicken yard. The chicken yard is about 18” deep with old hay, wonderful soft stuff chickens love to scratch in. Those two girls thought they were in heaven. Then the old hens started coming out.
Old hens will tolerate a lot of nonsense from a lot of animals, but they have no tolerance whatsoever for young pullets. Ting and Ling bounced up to an old hen and said, “Good morning, old hen,” only to be pecked soundly on their heads. They turned to run and another old hen, who was standing behind them, pecked them again. Everywhere they turned, there was another old hen ready to peck them.
“Don't worry about it, they'll quit in a few days,” said the young red pullets. The Somersets, though, are not the kind to tolerate mean bullies, and they wanted out. Horrors! The chicken yard gate was closed! I had shut it after they sneaked into the chicken house the previous evening.
Finally, after a horrible day of being pecked and bullied, the Somersets saw me coming out to do evening chores. “Please, please!” they cried, “Save us from this!”
I'm a sucker for sad chicken tales, so I opened the gate and let them out. They were so grateful that Ling sang a little song while Ting pecked out the rhythm on my ankle. Ting is convinced that she is supposed to peck me on the ankle whenever she has an opportunity. “That was terrible,” said Ling. “If laying eggs makes you act like that, we are never going to lay eggs,” said Ting, whose understanding of biology is somewhat limited.
The Somersets are living in the barn again, and Ting is constantly underfoot trying to peck my ankles. They follow me around the yard telling me how grateful they are for their release while Ting keeps trying to peck my ankles. Whenever I go through a door or gate I have to be careful not to shut the door on them, because they are always just behind me. Ting and Ling Somerset are two of the most useless, stupid chickens I have ever encountered.
FOR SALE: 2 Golden Polish Crested pullets known as Ting and Ling, the Somerset twins. Very tame but not housebroken. 25¢ or best offer.
Bebe Broods
Toulouse geese tend to lay 30-40 eggs and then to 'go broody', to start incubating the eggs. Bebe produced a dozen or so eggs, most of which I stole for custard pies, then stole the eggs from Beth's nest and went broody. She might have six eggs under her, but probably no more. Reaching under her to feel around and count would be a good way to receive some very painful pecks.
Gosling hatch after about 32 days of incubation, so we can start looking for babies in about four weeks. Last year Bebe hatched a brood of ten and they were terrible nuisances but very cute.
Mammalian Reproduction 314: Martha and Dumb Brother [2]
I thought Martha was pregnant but she obviously wasn't because she came into heat this week. Dumb Brother is sticking around to play his part in the reproductive dance, as we would expect. Martha has been receptive for about four days, which seems to be a bit longer than normal. Maybe she has come to the end of her reproductive life; I hope not, she always has nice kittens.
E-mail Subscribers: Subscriptions are free until 2036, when they will increase to $5 per year. To subscribe, unsubscribe, contribute stories, complain or send a gift subscription, send an email to FarmNews@GeezerNet.com . The editor reserves the right to steal ideas submitted, rewrite submissions, and sign false names to them whenever it strikes his fancy to do so.
Sunday morning, after chores
Somerset Twins Retire, Return
Ting and Ling, the Somerset Twins had heard of the horrors of egg slavery from the bantams. “Locked up in the chicken house are hens with nothing to do but lay eggs,” the bantams whispered. Then, as Spring approached, the Somerset Twins actually met some of the hens from the chicken house. By listening, the Somerset Twins learned that the hens had heated water in the winter and all the food they wanted all day. The bantams, on the other hand, have to scrabble for what wild seeds they can find with just a small feeding twice a day.
Now, the Somersets can't lay golden eggs but they can spot a good deal, so they decided to move into the chicken house and try egg slavery. Late one evening, after all the other chickens had gone to bed, they slipped into the chicken house to spend the night.
They woke up early and had a great breakfast of layer mash, followed by a drink at the indoor water fountain, and hopped out to the chicken yard. The chicken yard is about 18” deep with old hay, wonderful soft stuff chickens love to scratch in. Those two girls thought they were in heaven. Then the old hens started coming out.
Old hens will tolerate a lot of nonsense from a lot of animals, but they have no tolerance whatsoever for young pullets. Ting and Ling bounced up to an old hen and said, “Good morning, old hen,” only to be pecked soundly on their heads. They turned to run and another old hen, who was standing behind them, pecked them again. Everywhere they turned, there was another old hen ready to peck them.
“Don't worry about it, they'll quit in a few days,” said the young red pullets. The Somersets, though, are not the kind to tolerate mean bullies, and they wanted out. Horrors! The chicken yard gate was closed! I had shut it after they sneaked into the chicken house the previous evening.
Finally, after a horrible day of being pecked and bullied, the Somersets saw me coming out to do evening chores. “Please, please!” they cried, “Save us from this!”
I'm a sucker for sad chicken tales, so I opened the gate and let them out. They were so grateful that Ling sang a little song while Ting pecked out the rhythm on my ankle. Ting is convinced that she is supposed to peck me on the ankle whenever she has an opportunity. “That was terrible,” said Ling. “If laying eggs makes you act like that, we are never going to lay eggs,” said Ting, whose understanding of biology is somewhat limited.
The Somersets are living in the barn again, and Ting is constantly underfoot trying to peck my ankles. They follow me around the yard telling me how grateful they are for their release while Ting keeps trying to peck my ankles. Whenever I go through a door or gate I have to be careful not to shut the door on them, because they are always just behind me. Ting and Ling Somerset are two of the most useless, stupid chickens I have ever encountered.
FOR SALE: 2 Golden Polish Crested pullets known as Ting and Ling, the Somerset twins. Very tame but not housebroken. 25¢ or best offer.
Bebe Broods
Toulouse geese tend to lay 30-40 eggs and then to 'go broody', to start incubating the eggs. Bebe produced a dozen or so eggs, most of which I stole for custard pies, then stole the eggs from Beth's nest and went broody. She might have six eggs under her, but probably no more. Reaching under her to feel around and count would be a good way to receive some very painful pecks.
Gosling hatch after about 32 days of incubation, so we can start looking for babies in about four weeks. Last year Bebe hatched a brood of ten and they were terrible nuisances but very cute.
Mammalian Reproduction 314: Martha and Dumb Brother [2]
I thought Martha was pregnant but she obviously wasn't because she came into heat this week. Dumb Brother is sticking around to play his part in the reproductive dance, as we would expect. Martha has been receptive for about four days, which seems to be a bit longer than normal. Maybe she has come to the end of her reproductive life; I hope not, she always has nice kittens.
E-mail Subscribers: Subscriptions are free until 2036, when they will increase to $5 per year. To subscribe, unsubscribe, contribute stories, complain or send a gift subscription, send an email to FarmNews@GeezerNet.com . The editor reserves the right to steal ideas submitted, rewrite submissions, and sign false names to them whenever it strikes his fancy to do so.
posted by The Geezer at 9:26 AM
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