I ordered chicks from Murray McMurray Hatchery in Webster City, Ia and this year I ordered a fancy assortment of 15 and an additional 10 turkens. Turkens are a specific breed that are meant to resemble a cross between a chicken and a turkey. Sometimes they are referred to as “naked necks”. You can see a baby turken in this picture – no feathers on her little scrawny neck. People always think there’s something wrong with them but there isn’t and they are excellent brown egg layers.
Sometimes the stress during hatching and getting their little systems working creates a problem called pasty butt.
The manure sticks to their little butt and I have to soak it off with a warm wet cotton ball. If I didn’t, this chick and her sister would surely die. There are 2 of this breed of chick and they are the only ones with pasty butt.
I took them back to the barn, set them in their little pen and they immediately squatted and pooped! Success! They will live!
And here is what I’m reading – after finishing “Me Before You”, I immediately ordered “After You” but before it arrived I read “Carrying Albert Home” by Homer Hickam.
“Carrying Albert Home” was a lighthearted delightful story about a pet alligator owned by a woman whose husband wanted her to find him a new home. It was a series of adventures that reminded me of a situation comedy tv show – I am not a big fan of such shows but this book was recommended to me by a blog reader so I did want to finish it. It is not my favorite type of story – I want something with more “grit” but it was a sweet story all in all.
Thank you again for all your prayers for Ben and his family. Now that he’s home I imagine they will learn their own routine of life with leukemia. I’ll bet Ben was glad to sleep in his own bed and in his own jammies last night. When there’s anything to report, I will do so here on the blog. Everyone has been so kind and we all know who is ultimately in charge.
Happy Easter to all of you! Our 5″ of snow is nearly gone but I don’t think I’ll be wearing any spring sandals to church tomorrow morning.
I think I’ll take a few days off from the blog.
Have a Happy Easter…rest up…we will miss you.
Oh, the things I learn from Miss Mary! Pasty butt! The skills and knowledge you have acquired in your lifetime are staggering!
Blessed Easter to you, your family and friends. It is hard to accept that He knows what He’s doing when you think about our Blog Buddy Ben, but we’ll just have to. I’m sure the family is happy to be home and all together.
MAYBE TOO MUCH INFO. LOL
Mary I received the rug book and DVD and finally watched the video. Very good and you and Connie should do more of them.
Prayers for Ben and his family. Good it was caught early but difficult for everyone.
Happy Easter
Good luck with all those chicks
And yes my 3 grandkids are here in NV.
Rhoda
These things do bring back memories. My first memories are going to the brooder house with Mom. She couldn’t leave me in the house alone so my delight in chickens started. I don’t remember her putting their beaks in water so they could drink, but I do remember her checking each chick’s butt and wiping off the poop. A couple years or so it was wiping the chicken crap out from between my toes with a leaf when I was running around barefoot all the time.
Another very interesting thing is watching the Decorah Eagles Ustream. The eggs are about ready to hatch. You’ve all heard the saying “don’t crap in the nest”? Well, they don’t even when newly hatched. It’s amazing.
Happy Easter and especially to little Ben. Kids are so resilient. We are all watching his progress.
Happy Easter! Thank you for making my day every day with your gardening, quilting and animals. All the things I love!
Glad to hear Ben is back home. Such a scary thing. My prayers are with them.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Mary, I just love your blogs! I’m so glad little Ben is home and pray for him and his family.
I wanted to recommend a book that I have just read: The Girl On The Train. Kept me guessing till the end.
Hope you enjoy your Easter, glad your snow is about gone. We will be having temperatures in the 70’s. That’s great for Ohio this time of year. We’ll take it!!!
I have read Girl on the Train and loved it!!
Have a wonderful Easter and enjoy the day.
So glad Ben is home and doing well.
Easter Blessings to you, Ben and all of his family.
Happy Easter, Mary. I love reading about the chicks and their pasty butt. Cracks me up! Thank you for sharing all of your adventures. So glad that Ben is home with his family. Keeping them all in my prayers.
I have been enjoying the chick adventures lately. It gave me quite the giggle…you spent your day cotton-balling chicken butts! But I’m very glad the little chicks are okay!
Happy Easter Mary. I am so glad that Ben is back home. Felicia
And Happy Easter to you, Mary.
Your chicks are adorable. I have Ben on my prayer list; I’m glad to hear he is home. I was looking at your post from March 22. I have one of those rug hooks or whatever they are. It was my grandmother’s. I have always wondered what it was used for. Happy Easter to you and your family.
Get on to The Nightingale. It has enough grit to make up for the last one. : )
Oh..chicks. My absolute favorite. I love baby chicks. I did grab Me Before You and am almost finished. At this point I’m sure it’s going to make me cry. Thanks for the recommendation. Happy Easter to you and Rick!!
Your chicks are adorable and made me smile this week. Question: was After You as wonderful as Me Before You? Yes, Jo, it made me cry and I never wanted it to end. I kept checking to see how many more pages I had left, and that’s tricky on a Kindle!!!
Interesting about the chicks. I enjoying reading Me Before You