Wonderling

Wild Dogs

With it being a holiday week work is a bit slow, but I've found ways to entertain (and educate!) myself oneline. This flickr group about wild dogs is pretty awesome. Here are some of my favorites

Simon's Cat

for anyone who has a cat this may be all too familiar...

[via BBlinks]

cute overdose, seriously.

This tiny little ball of cuteness was delivered via c-section after his mother was hit and killed by a car in the UK. He is currently being loved and adored at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Buckinhamshire and now by millions online. article here.

Migaloo isn't the only white humpback

 

According to the BBC news Migaloo, the white humpback whale, isn't the only albino whale anymore. Apparently there were sightings two years ago of a white calf swimming closely to it's normally colored mother. This new albino whale, which has some darker streaking near it's head, is thought to be that calf and there is speculation that it could be the offspring of Migaloo himself. 

The Golden Girls

So last night I dragged my friend Gary down to Keizer to pick up two Buff Orpington pullets. This was when I learned that pullets are young hens and hens are grown hens....anyway, I know the picture is pretty bad, but it was really late! I was a bit nervous about just releasing them in the coop with Cheeky and Pinto in there. I wasn't sure how they would all react. At first Cheeky and Pinto made a fuss and (this was really cute) Cheeky was actually protecting Pinto by making sure he was inbetween her and the new hens. Other than the initial ruckus they seemed to get along wonderfully.

The new hens are about a month older than Cheeky and Pinto and they are both the same golden color so I started calling them the 'golden girls'. I figure I'll name one of them Blanche and the other Rose!

This was a great releif since this week has just been full of animal crisis. First the sick kitty (Feobe), then the TWO roosters and yesterday my other cat, Bear, started sneezing and was congested. So now TWO sick kitties. But Feobe has been much better in the last 24 hours and if I keep Cheeky shut in the coop he wont crow until I let him out. So I'm thinking my uphill climb is coming to an end!

flying the coop

Now that the chicks are outside and in the coop full time I've been reflecting on my ramshackle cabinets-turned-coop. It would have been easy and probably cheaper to have just bought a couple of sheets of wood and made a simple box. But why do things the easy way? Anyway, my point here is that before the chicks start laying this fall I am going to make a new, simpler, coop. So I spent some time today looking at coop designs.

Amongst the typical chicken coops I found some really interesting ones...thought I'd share them.

Old car turned coop

Carnival-ish truck coop

 

a tall coop in Zululand

a Brazilian coop

just a very lovely picture of an old coop.

No more school and the chicks are outside!

So after 5 weeks of peeping, molting and stinky poo the day has finally come to put the chicks outside permanently. Yesterday was sunny and warm so off they went into the coop and there they stayed. It was kind of hard though...when it got dark they all ran to the corner of the coop and cry-peeped cause they wanted to go "home" (AKA the tiny wire cage they've been living in). I shut them inside the coop and they seemed to quiet down. When I went to let them out this morning they were fine and came outside to peck at the ground. Hopefully it will start acting like June here, I do NOT want to have to bring them back inside.

the coop in all it's glory

all nestled in. Mel Gibson/Miss Sophia, Cheeky and Pinto. so cute!

I also finished my final paper for school this year. I'm really excited to have the summer off, especially because when I go back I will have to work 10 hour days to make up for missing fridays for 8 hours of school :(

The Chicks Grow Up!

It seems like I just got them, but they are already teenagers (awkward and mostly feathered). sorry these are with my phone so they're all blurry.

































 

The sun returns!

This weekend was absolutely lovely. The first real summery days here in Portland (95 degrees!). I spent most of the weekend outside with the chicks and Bear. Here are some pictures.

The chicks love being outside! Instead of fighting each other they peck at the grass.

Bear likes to roll on the cement path. He also likes to eat the corn in my garden....

He's got the posturing down for hunting...but not the speed. The little birds in the yard seem to know this and tease him. It's pretty fun to watch.

more chicks

here are some more pictures of the baby chicks (with my actual camera). It's  hard to get good pictures because the red heat lamp makes everything look yellow and if I use the flash they all freak out.....but I got some good shots anyway!

the half-a-chick is 'Cheeky', 'Pinto' is in the back behind 'Sofia the Hen'

Bear often gets  his nose pecked. The chicks have no fear. They have started to dive bomb each other. In the morning they're all wound up and feisty.