Yesterday, we had all sorts of excitement here on the farm. In the soap studio, we created two new soaps; You Are My Sunshine and Literary Lover… I'm not sure about that name. I'm excited about both of these soaps. It took every ounce of self-control not to unmold and cut a loaf of You Are My Sunshine. I began cracking a loaf and was quickly scolded by one bib overall wearing fun killer. "Patience and Prudence!" is all he kept repeating. Sigh...
As is a regular occurrence every spring, one of the baby goats fell or was knocked into the watering trough. Fortunately, The Bibbed Wonder was able to rescue her. Of course, the baby who fell in the water was Joy, a little spotted female who has already been spoken for and will have a wonderful home with a sweet little girl. It makes my stomach feel queasy to think about explaining to a sweet little girl that the baby goat she chose drowned. This time of year, the kids are becoming more independent, playing more roughly, and not being cautious. They sneak under the electric fence into the pig's pasture or jump and play on a tree stump near the road. I will be happy when they are too big to fit under the fence. They are like naughty adolescents right now.
We also discovered Mean Martha, a beautiful but temperamental hen, successfully hatched a little chick. The Bibbed Wonder thought he heard a chick peeping in the barn while doing the morning barn chores, but he could not find it. Mean Martha had the little chick outside the barn pecking about. When we put the weanlings in for the night, Martha sat near the barn door with her little chick underneath her. I was able to scoop her and the babe up and place them in the safety of the little green coop near the garage. I have two bruises where Mean Martha pecked me. She is not a nice chicken at all. However, she gets a pass because she has a little one to protect. I can forgive her for going "mother hen" on me. Martha and her little one will remain in the coop until the babe grows. I am praying the chick is not another rooster.
Speaking of roosters, the peaceable kingdom in the chicken coop has come to an end. Romeo, our little Icelandic rooster, who struts around like Napoleon, is now being challenged by the two roosters that hatched when I incubated eggs last year. They have gotten along for more than a year. I was foolishly hopeful all three could remain here at the farm. It has become evident there is a power shift. Romeo is all alone except for one little buff hen. We have named her Loyal Lorna. I know it is a matter of time until they kill each other. Romeo has become the outcast. My sassy little fellow is almost pitiful in his defeat. I plan to rehome the two large white roosters who do not have names. They are lovely creatures, but I am not willing to displace little Romeo for one of them. My dear friend Jenna might have a surprise rooster in her chicken coop. It makes me giggle to think about the look on her face when she finds a rooster in her coop. Unfortunately, she will recognize him and know exactly where he came from. I'm sure she would waste no time in returning him to me. It would be a good joke, though. Until I find good homes for them, they will all remain separated. After being pecked and bruised by Mean Martha, I can think of no worse death than being pecked to death by a chicken.
Those are the happenings here on the farm, dear reader. We are quickly approaching our busy season and have much to be thankful for. On this chilly spring morning, stay safe, be smart, don't get pecked by an angry chicken, and keep washing your hands.
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