Monday, January 20, 2014

A Little of This ...

...and a Little of That

So, for the 'keets', yesterday was the big 'move' day. So far all seem to be settling in pretty well, Mr Greenburg seems the most put off, he just does not like being low in the cage.

The Keets' day starts with breakfast:

That's corn, sugar snap peas,grated sweet potato, broccolli, chopped boiled egg, romaine, and carrots.  No grated apple today.
 
The chicks by contrast seem to be adapting well. Hard to say for sure because when they were in the nest box we rarely saw them.  But much wing flapping, hopping around, poking at their new seed tray, and they seem to like roosting on the perch, though for sleeping they still huddle and lean into each other for warmth.  We did have one amazing revelation at last night's feeding.  I have come to realize that we will be 're-homing' these chicks soon, and given Chick #1's predispositon for biting and squirming, and fighting, I have been trying to follow the book advice, giving her 10 minutes of low stress contact twice a day.  Since feeding is fairly stressful, I do this handling before feeding.  It went sort of OK:  I had her perched on my finger and all seemed well until ... she flew away!  And then today in the big cage she flew clear up to the top of the cage, several times, with several crash landings along the away.  Flying is the easy part, it's the landings that are going to require a little more practice.  She was able to coax a snack out of Mr Greenburg while she was up there. The other three have not yet even ventured from the little box we put together for them.
#1 up in the air
 
 I took a break from the "all keets all the time" show and made some bread.  This is a two day prodcess, three actually if you count that the sour dough starter must be fed the night before.  Any way, I made up the dough and loaves yesterday, so today was bake day.  They were slightly over proofed, I should have refrigerated them sooner.  I blame my lapse in attention on a TV distraction, .... you see there was this football game on.  Not my best work but I give these away and so far no one has ever complained. 
 
That done an amazing thing happened, the sun came out in Oakville!  I heard a strange noise coming from the garage, I peeked out and it was the big horse saying "TAKE ME FOR A RIDE!"  And so I did. We rode out the southbank road, stopped for a glam shot on the Chehalis river bridge,

nice looking bike!

then rode on out to the buffalo ranch.  The buff were out grazing, the calves were looking good if a bit wary.  Those buffalo eyes always look to me as if they are keepers of ancient wisdom.
 
 
 
On the home stretch all the more domesticated critters were taking the airs as well.
 
 
 
 
Shadows getting long better head for the barn
 
Chick #1, the precocious survivor.
 

1 comment:

  1. All keets all the time -- I'm finding it hard just reading the updates -- I found this morning that I had missed one or two along the way -- kudos to you and Mrs. Dr. C for keeping up with, or usually ahead of, the keets.

    Interesting keet food photo. I like the sourdough, even if the loaves are not perfect.

    ...Martin

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