Baby Chicks and Spring Hikes

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

I have an update on my baby chicks.  They are just so precious, and sweet to watch as they happily chirp and play.  Sadly, one of my babies didn't make it.  This morning I went to check on them, and one of them was flopped over in the sawdust.  I picked her up and held her close to the light, and gently rubbed her, and got her breathing and chirping again.  I didn't want to handle her too much, so after she was breathing and chirping, I laid her back down in the sawdust and hoped that she would be okay.  Sadly, she wasn't. When I checked back on her a bit later, she really didn't make it, as much as I tried to rub her and revive her.  My husband and I dug a hole for her out in the yard under a large fir tree and buried her. I'm so sad.  It just broke my heart. Losing a baby of any kind is always so hard!  But I do know that there is always that risk when you get chicks from the feed store, that they may not survive. So far, the other four chicks seem to be doing just fine.

Then, we did had a problem this week with Miss Eleanor. Apparently she decided she liked the taste of egg. We found her in the coop as she was eating an egg that perhaps she had just laid.


So, I had the solution for this problem.  I'd heard about it last year when one of our hens also wanted to start eating eggs.  We filled up the egg with mustard and put it back where it was.


Miss Eleanor came right back to the egg and took a big gulp, and then very slowly, one more.


And then after that... she ran for the water bowl, and the egg eating hasn't been a problem since.  Not a lesson I want to have to teach the hens, but it must be done! And it does seem to do the trick of curing them from wanting to eat their eggs!


The weather turned lovely this week, and we went out exploring on the National Forest not too far from us.  We found this old tree stump, likely 80-100 years old that had been burnt in a large fire that came through this area back in the 1920s.


As the snow was melting, I saw this beautiful design in the snow - a heart!


Beautiful blue skies above the expansive treeline.


Lovely views to be seen everywhere, especially when the sun is shining and the skies are blue!


One night as we got close to home, the sun played peekaboo in the clouds as it was setting, with the most amazing colors forming, twisting, and rolling in the skies.



Another day this week we rode out to the river, and enjoyed the views there too.


We enjoyed the gorgeous views of the mountains reflected in the swirling spring rush waters.




I know this picture above may look like it is of a river... but it really isn't!  It is a large field covered in drainage water.  We have gotten a significant amount of rain here, which has been great, but it also has a lot of fields and ditches holding excess water.

It has been raining at night, and in the early morning, and then the sun comes out in the afternoon. Spring winds, spring showers, but no flowers, yet.  I was looking as we were hiking for signs of the first flowers to bloom, but so far no wild flowers or shrubs have leafed out yet.  It won't be long though before their happy faces will be seen.  I can't wait :)

Has spring really come to your world yet?

41 comments

  1. Someone put a little mustard on the brownies! Please!
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. This post wins a high-five for giggles! Too funny Amalia... yes, I guess you and I both need some mustard on the brownies, lol! :)

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  2. Maybe Miss Eleanor knew there was an issue with the egg/chick? I miss our chickens, we had named them Sara Lee, Lucy, Ethel and Desi. LOL

    It seems spring has sprung here in western NY--today it is suppose to be 71. Something tells me, though, don't get use to it, smiles.

    Have a beautiful day, friend.

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    1. You know I never thought about that, but it is certainly a possibility. We haven't been letting our hens sit on their eggs, but you might have a point there! Oh I do love the names of your sweet chickens! I may borrow Sara Lee, Ethel and Lucy for the new chicks we got. I love the old names!

      So glad that you are having nicer warm weather! Has all your snow melted? I hope so :) Keeping you in prayers still, praying things have evened out for you!

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  3. I have random comments today...I am so sad to hear about your chick. :( I love finding hearts in nature, when you really look, they are everywhere and Amalia's comments made me laugh out loud!!!

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    1. I love random comments... comments always make my day, and so happy to have them! I was really sad about my chick too. I just hate to see any living thing die. Oh yes, Amalia's comment was definitely high on the giggle score! I know I can definitely attest to needing some mustard for things that I love, lol! ... And it is always fun to spot fun things in nature that are shaped in fun ways. :)

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  4. Beautiful photos!! I like to find 'natural' pictures in nature like your snow heart.:-)
    Sorry about your chick, and I've never heard about putting mustard in the egg. Good idea I'll have to remember.
    It's beginning to 'spring' here with daffodils in the gardens, and the cherry bush is about to bloom.
    Enjoy your day! ♥

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    1. I love finding fun shaped objects in nature too. Hearts are especially fun!

      It was tough to lose my little chick, that's for sure. I hate to see any living thing die, especially when I spent about an hour holding it and (I thought) it was okay. It was hard, but life must go on. Then I had to deal with Miss Eleanor and so it was quite a day in the coop, lol!

      I'm glad to hear that spring is there with daffodils, and cherry bush blooming, wow, you are quite ahead of us! There are buds starting to form on the branches, but so far that is about it. It's coming though! :)

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  5. What beautiful pictures of the lake.
    Our hens are starting to eat their eggs too, when we leave them in the coop. How did you put mustard in the egg? Thanks for sharing that trick! If our hens keep eating their eggs, I'm going to try that. :)

    Sincerely in the Lord Jesus,
    Ashley
    creatingpreciousmoments.blogspot.com

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    1. Hi Ashley,
      To answer your question, just take the cracked egg and fill it with mustard and put it back in the coop. You can take it out later after they roost. It should do the trick! Once a hen figures out that if she pecks an egg something tasty is in there, you can't hardly stop them, unless you try the mustard trick. It does seem to work. No more cracked or eaten eggs in the coop since I did this :)

      Have a great day my friend, and I always appreciate your visits!

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  6. It's a very wet spring here too. Hope everything works out with your other chicks.

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    1. So far so good with the rest of the chicks :) Glad you are having a wet spring. I am hoping it will somewhat make up for the lack of snow that we have for the spring run-off! :) Hope you are doing well my friend!

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  7. Hi, we have been getting a lot of eggs. It is so sad to loose a baby chick. Your moisture is wonderful.
    Hugs, Roxy

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    1. I'm so glad to hear you are getting your egg production up again, spring indeed is here :) It was so hard to lose the baby chick, especially since I spent an hour or so bringing her back to life. But, I've learned that such is life on the farm. We are very grateful for our moisture. Wish I could send you some! I know it is so dry there!

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  8. I'm sorry you lost one of your baby chicks. Our son and his wife are planning on getting some laying hens so I'll have to remember the mustard in the egg trick should they have that problem. I enjoyed seeing your photos of the beautiful skies and reflections. I read that a huge flock of robins was sighed about 2 hours away and some red-winged blackbirds as well so I'll be keeping an eye out and ear open for them. We have very little snow now so it may be an early spring for us. Have a lovely weekend.
    Pam

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    1. Thank you Pamela for your sweet words about my chick, it was quite a sad event for me, but I've had to let it go, as life on the farm must go on. And Miss Eleanor and the mustard trick certainly kept me busy in the coop for sure. It did work though! No more eaten eggs, lol!

      I'm glad to hear you have heard that the robins may be in town! Can't wait to see them here too! Not yet, but soon! :)

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  9. So sorry about the little baby chick - that's so sad, poor little thing. I wish I had known the mustard trick back when I had chickens....Gorgeous photos!!

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    1. The mustard in the egg is a pretty useful trick to have when dealing with chickens. I'm not sure why some of them do it, but it has cured every hen I've had that has done it. Thanks for your sweet words about the baby chick, it was quite the day in the coop, for sure! And yes, it was wonderful to get out and enjoy the beautiful day we had this week :)

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  10. I just had to laugh at putting mustard in the eaten egg. I could just picture Miss Eleanor running for her water!

    I'm sorry that you lost your chick. {{HUGS}}

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    1. It was kind of funny watching her gulp the mustard, I'll admit, and I did feel sorry for her... but she is cured now from eating her eggs, and for that I am happy, lol! Thank you for the hugs, I sure appreciate them! :)

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  11. What a great tip about the mustard in the egg. Thank You! I did chuckle about Miss Eleanor running for water.
    Beautiful Photos, thank you for those too.
    Carla

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  12. It is starting to...but not completely as of yet what beautiful photos you have shared - thank you for showing us how spring looks where you are :-)

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    1. It is quite exciting seeing spring beginning to show up, isn't it! Glad that it is coming to your world :)

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  13. Oh, so sad that you lost your little chick. Yes, it is heartbreaking and you tried your best.

    Miss Eleanor sure is a character!I have never heard of them eating eggs before! LOL!

    Wow, what gorgeous views again! The colors in the sky photos are just amazing! I do hope to visit your part of the country some day. It looks so beautiful!
    xoxo
    Linda

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    1. Thank you Linda for your sweet words about the little chick! It quite a day in the coop with Miss Eleanor and her egg eating business! But thankfully, she gave up eating eggs after the mustard, and so I am glad for that :)

      The views here truly are amazing, I never, EVER cease to be amazed at them! Just always so thankful and full of praise to the Lord. I do hope that you can visit someday, I'd love to show you around :) Have a blessed day my friend!

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  14. What a beautiful place to hike.

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    1. Yes, it really, really is! Opportunities for great exercise with amazing views abound everywhere here! :)

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  15. I'm so sorry to hear about your chick. I'm like you, it's very upsetting to see anything die. Very interesting about the eggs. I didn't know that hens would actually eat their eggs.

    What beautiful photos, I wish I lived there.

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    1. Yes, unfortunately if a hen pecks too long at an egg, out of curiosity perhaps, and discovers what is inside is tasty, they will eat all the eggs, so you have to nip them in the bud. I was glad to have found who was the culprit just by being in the coop so often because of the baby chicks. It is a great little trick that really does work :)

      Come and visit Idaho, you're not too far away :) Appreciate your visits as always, and hope you are having a blessed day! :)

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  16. warmed and smiling as I gaze at your little chickies! the miracle of birth displays itself yet once again.

    may your weekend give you more surprises and joys ...

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    1. Thank you Linda... the little chickies do bring so much joy! So fun to watch them run around and chirp. We suffered with a cold bug that got shared with us this weekend, but we do feel much better today, thankfully. Happy that the time has sprung forward! Appreciate your visit as always :)

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  17. I'm so sorry you lost your baby chick. That would have been hard on me too. Poor little thing.

    It's beautiful there though and I'm glad you're enjoying it. Nothing like the beauty of nature to make you smile again :)

    xo,
    rue

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    1. Yes, it was very hard on me, and I grieved. The loss of any life hurts, but I had to let go, and Miss Eleanor, in her naughty way, was a distraction and helped me move on. And yes, the beauty here never ceases to touch my heart and cause me to look heavenward and be thankful!

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  18. Awww...sorry about the chick. :( What a great idea to fill an empty shell with mustard! I had no idea to do something like this. We have a few that have been egg destroyers over the years. Thanks for sharing a simple remedy!

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    1. It is a great little trick, and certainly did the job - no more eaten eggs in the coop! Appreciate your visit, and hope you are having a wonderful day!

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  19. When you see a heart in nature, that's God saying I love you!

    The mustard was brilliant!

    Blessings,
    Laura

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    1. What a nice thought about the heart in nature, and God saying I love you! I do think so too! And yes, the mustard trick works. No more eaten eggs in the coop :) Have a blessed day Laura!

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  20. I'm sorry about your baby chick. We are permitted to have chickens in town and I've thought about having a few here, but the thought of going out one day and finding one of my chickens dead stops me from doing it. I grew up on a farm where animals died all the time, and each time was devastating. I don't even have a pet at this time in my life. Maybe some day, but not now. I love finding hearts in nature. And I agree with Kim. Amanda's comment made me laugh out loud. She is so witty. Your nature photographs are lovely. Isn't God's creation amazing? Although the crocus are in bloom, spring's not here yet. We woke up to snow falling. Hugs, Nancy

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    1. You know, my mom says the same thing. She grew up on a farm and it was quite hard on her, the deaths of animals she grew to love. Having my own animals now... I understand. It was hard when I lost the little baby chick, holding its cold body in my hands and wishing it back to life. I felt peace though, as I buried it under the fir tree, and know that there is a cycle to all life.

      Spring is not here yet, but it is coming. Cold nights still - was 19 degrees here this morning, but warms up to 50s during the day with sunshine, so I am not complaining :) We have had snow squalls too.. but the snow melts, and I'm glad about that! Have a blessed day!

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  21. So sorry to know that your little chick didn't make it! The snow heart was so neat! God bless you, dear friend.

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    1. Thanks Cheryl, it was a hard moment when I realized it wasn't coming back to life. And yes, that snow heart was so amazing! God is so good to us, and I pray He is blessing your day today :)

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