Our mornings begin in the big cedar rocking chairs on the front porch with a fresh cup of coffee. From this vantage point, we can watch the turkeys and chickens that Willy has already turned out to free range. Occasionally we have the privilege of watching the deer make their morning stroll through the pasture and into the pine trees that border our farm on the west side. It is here, in the peace of the morning, that our day takes shape.
Chores on a farm are endless but, for the most part, not unpleasant. Many days, as we go about feeding and watering our various birds, we see chicks hatch. It is nothing short of a miracle that in a set number of days, a chick forms within an egg. This same chick instinctively knows it must break into the air sack of the egg and then punch a hole in the shell to get more air. This is known as "pipping". Once the chick accomplishes this, it can breathe and take it's time "unzipping" the shell. It does this by carefully punching through the shell in a circle around the large end of the egg. All the while, it is absorbing the yolk and blood supply from the egg to use as nourishment for it's first few days. The chick will then push the shell open and break free. The yolk it has absorbed will sustain it for two or three days if need be. It's always like Christmas on hatch days. With some of the breeds, we know what the chicks will look like. For instance, the Jubilee Orpingtons will be predominately yellow to golden in color.
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| A Serama hen with her tiny chicks. |
However, our Serama eggs are "like a box of Chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get." Sometimes the Serama chicks aren't any larger than the end of your thumb and it's amazing that they are even able to "pip". We raise all sizes of chickens, from Serama (the smallest chickens in the world) to Belgian Malines (among the largest chickens).
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| A mama Maline and her babies. |
We also get to witness the different personalities and watch their "preferred friendships" develop. This becomes abundantly clear if a bird is separated from their "friend(s)". They will call each other from wherever they are all day long, or until they are reunited. Roosters will find food, and instead of eating it, they will call to their hens and let them eat first. We frequently give the birds dried meal worms as a treat. To a chicken, this is chicken crack! Still the roosters will take the worm, lay it down and call to his hens. There is absolutely nothing cuter than the "dance" chickens do as they scratch for food, or the dance of a rooster trying to impress a hen.
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| A Chicken Condominium |
Often days are filled with building pens or free range areas for certain groups of birds, such as the turkeys or peacocks. Our chickens live in what the neighbors fondly refer to as "chicken condominiums". There are fans in the coops, automatic non-freezing watering systems, feeders and other "options" that take a lot of Willy's creativity and time. He spends a lot of time caring for birds who are "under the weather" or injured as well. We have a hard time "culling" and only do so as a last resort.
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| A Fairy Garden |
There is also much landscaping to do to make the place prettier for us and for those who visit as friends or customers. I love old farm implements and rusty old chicken paraphernalia so these things are incorporated whenever possible. Willy and Tristan, our youngest son, are always kind enough to build me arbors and trellises from cedar limbs gathered from our land. Some of my gates are made from the cedar as well.
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| My Arbor and Gate from Cedar |
Farm life is extremely demanding and extremely rewarding. We feel so blessed to be able to witness the everyday miracles of this lifestyle. Hopefully, many of you will have reason and opportunity to visit with us one day. We love to share the beauty of our little farm. However, you must keep in mind, it seems to always be a work in progress.
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