Wheaten Ameraucana Chicks have hatched~

I had 9 of the large Wheaten Ameraucana chicks hatch so far... only 8 are alive right now.

Kat sent me 14 eggs. So not a bad hatch so far.

Maran hen kept loosing track of the chicks, so I just brought them into the house.

Not that I really have room with all the bantams, brooding in the house already...

Really did not want to take a chance loosing any more.

The SS hen, still has some eggs under her, and if more chicks hatch, will bring them into the house too.

Maybe when I am better set up, will try to have the broody hens raise them.

They are as big as the bantams that hatched in May, so they should do ok.

Have them in their own little box for a couple of days, then I will move them in with the bantams

These will be Blue egg layers when the grow up.

Sid the goat and an Ameraucana Bantam ~

Thought this was a peaceful looking scene, so I took at photo.
This is Sid the miniature goat and one of the 

Ameraucana Bantam

 hens, before I sold them.

Behold, More chicks ~~

Behold... more chicks. LOL

The tiny grey and yellow fluff balls are the Ameraucana bantams..

Had ordered just the Lavender Ameraucana's,

but the hatch rate at the breeders isn't very good this year.
So I gave the go ahead to add the white Ameraucana bantams to make up the order.

The lavenders have a wonderful gentle temperament, I hope the white ones do too.

Should get some light blue eggs by this coming Autumn.

French Crab Apple tree ~

As you know, the Cherry tree DH planted in this area, died last year due to the hail storm with the fist sized hail.

This is the free replacement tree I ended up with.

Supposed to be a very hardy Crab Apple tree,  

Is called the, French Everest.

Should be pretty, in the future provide shade for the hen house yard and treats for the chickens.

The Hills in VA ~

Click on the photos to see a larger version.

We decided to take a break yesterday and drive up to the Hills...

Got up to 3,600ft if I remember correctly.

Was really nice to be up in some hills...

Even saw some stone and rocks! 

...Even if the trees look really weird. LOL 

Felt like I was in an Anne McCaffery novel.

Another panoramic view... 

think this is the best way to show the scale...

Not very many flowers here, but DH took a photo of one.

Tons of bugs... and they all liked me. :P

Only two picnic areas in this stretch.... 

which kind'a surprised me..

Used to the Pacific NW,, where there are tons of nice areas for picnics.
And, not so many people.

d'Anver Chicks ~

Slowly adding to the latest 

Belgian d'Anver, batch of chicks.

In Lavender, Quail, Blue Quail... 

...and I am not sure what this one is supposed to be.. n

ever seen a Quail color in yellow.

The Yellow one hatched out about 10am this morning and not quite fluffed up yet.

Did get the first batch moved out to the Bantam shed,  and they are really happy with all the free room. LOL   

Chick party anyone!

Will get photos of the ones in the bantam shed in the next day or two.

Going to need another Hen house soon.

More Bantam Chick photos ~

More cute chick photos ! 

The older ones, have full wing feathers,, the slightly younger ones are getting there.

And the can fly.... makes it real fun when I clean their brooder out.

As soon as their body feathers come in, they will be moved out to the Bantam shed.

They love Meal-worm treats. You scream, I scream, we all scream for...... meal-worms. LOL

Dust Bath ~

More Chick photos ~

Baby chicks are growing fast!

 I got the chicks moved over to Nari's side of the house, using a double carrier arrangement.

Nari will have to live in the garage but it will only be for a couple of weeks. 

Not to worried about Nari and the heat, since she has been outside most of the days lately.

Doubled the chicks living space. 

Put a window screen over the top to keep them from 

popping out.

My lavenders and a d'Anver Millie Fleur.

Another d'Anver Millie Fleur, 2 Quail d'Anvers and

 one of my Lavenders.

Lavenders and one Quail.

Well, are you going to feed me or not?

This is the last of this batch of chicks to hatch out.
Is a Ameraucana chick, only one to hatch.

Has a couple of weeks of wing growth before it catches up with the earlier chicks.

Dog Wood~

DH's  Dog Wood tree is doing really well.  

Best set of blooms since we planted it.

As it gets taller, will make a nice back drop to the 

hen house and hen house yard.

Rose Bushes ~

Two of the Roses made it though the bitter winter winds.

One is on its own set of Roots.... and the other is snuggled against the house, later was a cheap $5.00 rose, to use as a test.

Is a major challenge to grow Roses here.

Have a climbing Rose I want to grow along the hen house fence... I think I am going to put it near the base of one of the Leylands... to help with winter protection. Will need to find some burlap, to put over the canes.

Hills ~

There are Hills, in this thar State. Have to go 2 hours away to see them...

But it was really nice.. both DH and I miss Hill Country.

Wish we could of taken some time to see more and explore. 

 However, we needed to 

pick up the baby chicks and get them home.

Baby Chicks, they are sooo fluffy ~

Baby Chicks are fluffed up and looking pretty good.

My Lavenders, are showing nice beards and muff, even with being less than a

day old.

Five of my Lavenders hatched, out of the six I had in the incubator.

I have 12 more eggs under a broody hen, will start checking for hatching chicks tomorrow.

Will bring them in to be raised with this group.

This one is a d'Anver , Millie Fleur color.
Its a Chick-Monk. ;O)

This batch of Lavenders are split for Porcelain.

DH and I went into the VA hills last Sunday to pick up 7 Quail d'Anvers from a well known breeder of quality bantams.
They are the darker ones.

Keep your fingers crossed, I break the Rooster streak I have been having the last two years, 

with the bantams!

Photo of one of my Lavenders, taken yesterday.

Saving the Hummingbird ~

Was a long day yesterday,  with the trip to pick up chicks. Normally I would have DS do the evening chores.

But last night, I felt the need to drag myself out and do them.

Just started walking to the sheds... and I look down, there is a tiny hummer on the ground.

Drop everything and pick it up, was so very cold.  So I ask DS to get some of the simple syrup I make for the chicks, and DH got down the hummingbird feeder, so I could try to get it to eat.

Asked DS to get one of the heat packs, as my hands are rarely warm.

Was uber gentle with him.

It finally got enough food into itself and warmed up enough to get feisty..

Once he was feeling better, he hovered next to me for a bit then flew into the Japanese Maple.

Hope he survives the night. Think the cooler than normal weather is getting to them.