Sleepy Time

Backyard Poultry

Another Nap

These birds look even more tired here than the last naptime photo! They’d just flop down anywhere and go to sleep. And no wonder, with all those wing feathers growing out, as well as little stubby tails. Of course, they quickly put their wings to use, launching up to the feeder and water tops, and the edge of the box!

First Perch

Backyard Poultry

Little Climber

Would you try climbing up on a ledge twice your height when you were only four days old? It’s a new adventure for these chicks! As admirers stand by, Snowflake the Barred Rock hops bravely to the top of this little wood roost—and soon others follow the example. What little acrobats!

Cute Baby

Backyard Poultry

Acorn Eyes the Camera

Here is Acorn, the star of the show. Sporting a little brown cap, this cute Araucana chick had a very friendly disposition. The curious acrobat would climb up our arms whenever we reached in the box and fly up to perch on the feeder top! Acorn didn’t seem to notice it was the odd one out, as the only other Araucana was all yellow.

First Treat

Backyard Poultry

Dandy Greens Snack

At the start, these chicks seemed to double in size every day. At least in terms of housing! By the third day I’d made the first of half a dozen expansion boxes for the growing chicks. The feathers came out even faster, displacing lots of powdery down, which somehow settled all over the living room . . . It was worth it to watch the miracle of those tiny chicks though! They loved nibbling these chopped dandelion greens from our hands, which has given them a life-long love of all green plants.

Naptime

Backyard Poultry

All Tired Out

It didn’t take long for those babies to tucker out and pile on the floor for a nap. I can’t get over how cute they are in this picture!! The brown, chipmunk-striped chicks are Rhode Island Reds, a hardy winter breed, and the black ones are Barred Plymouth Rocks. I also got two Araucanas that are supposed to lay—yes!—blue eggs. That seems like a long time from now!!

New Arrivals

Backyard Poultry

First Meal

The ten fluffy balls in this picture are the beginning of one of my favorite hobbies: raising chickens. Little did I know what was ahead that chilly day in April of 2010 when those little chicks arrived! In this photo, they’re checking out the salad bar in their new home: a small cardboard box with a light bulb above for heat. I’ve just given them each their first drink from the water (and had my first experience holding a chick!!).

Buckeye Lake

Ohio History

Clouds over the Lake

The picnic supper spot for this trip was Buckeye Lake, conveniently close to I-70 which we were taking home. This is a beautiful lake and even sports a cruise boat taking passengers for a ride. As you can see, stormy clouds were forming and it started to rain just as we left.

Flint Arrowheads

Ohio History

Flint Cores and Arrowhead

Here are some fine examples of the flint once it's been removed from the rock. These are the cores left over from large pieces of flint that have been chipped off to make tools. The arrowhead in the insert has been napped down to a razor-sharp blade on each side and tied to the stick with deer sinew (yuck!!). What is your favorite color of flint? I like the beautiful pinks, as well as the unusual deep blue you sometimes find.