Friday’s Quotes for the Chicks
Sometimes you just need to be held
“Friendship is not a big thing …. it’s a million little things.” anon.
Even with all the snow on the ground, it’s time to start thinking about chicks. People and groups are starting to ask me to present information on how to get and care for those little Easter-card-worthy balls of fluff.
Last spring we added 12 new members to our flock and only one of them died. Those are pretty good odds when you purchase a slew of chicks from store bulk batches. We currently have a flock of 27 birds (provided we can make it to the other side of winter without any losses.) A good-sized backyard flock.
I shouldn’t want or need any more chickens.
But when I was recently at the Northeastern Poultry Congress I was reminded of how lovely Salmon Favorelles are. When I stopped by a Favorelle’s cage, the owner came by and she and I went on and on about how gentle and affectionate the birds were. Honestly, if we had had baby chick photos of the hens in our wallets we would have shared them with each other.
I told her that I had a Favorelle once. Her name was Morganne and she had the funny little bread so characteristic of Favorelles. Morganne was my chicken chicken and initially, I had to hold her all the time because she was so frightened of the other flock members (yes, this is what mama hens do for their babies.) Eventually she got so comfortable that when she saw me, she’d hop into my lap and have me to stroke her back until she fell asleep.
We all loved that bird.
And then one day she simply went missing. We called, we searched the woods, we looked everywhere, but we never saw Morganne again. I suspect the adult Red-tailed hawk we saw a lot of that summer had something to do with her disappearance.
There are a few standouts in my flock – those who have touched my heart and Morganne is definitely one of them. I still miss that little one.
I’d love, absolutely love to get a pair of Favorelle chicks this year and with the snow starting to melt and with spring (at least on the calendar) bring not that far away, perhaps now is the time for me to start looking.
Stay warm, my friends.
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Wendy Thomas writes about the lessons learned while raising children and chickens in New Hampshire. Contact her at [email protected]
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