Just in case you’ve been thinking, “I haven’t seen much going on at Real Food Family lately”, I wanted to let you know that I just finished producing a huge full-length musical at a large private high school. This is one of my “day jobs”. I do love teaching performing arts because it is my original career. I don’t know if Broadway will ever call on me again, but I sure LOVE teaching and directing these kids! We did Fiddler on the Roof, and I have to say it was an incredible show! For a blogger, though, the hours and hours of rehearsing and producing, then making sure I meet the needs of my family, can take me away from consistently chatting with my online friends. But, I am back to “normal” (haha- what the heck is normal??) and I thought I’d share what’s been happening on the homestead.
I had my first day off in the last 2 months last week and decided I wanted to get some chicks. This was an act of pure impatience because during this busy time of life we’ve been overrun with eggs- without enough time even to cook some eggs every morning- and I’ve let one of my hens get broody and sit on a clutch of eggs. The problem is I have NO clue how long she’s been sitting on them. Fortunately I knew I could candle them to check, which I did successfully and it looks like we have 8 more chicks very close to hatching! I am planning to post videos and pictures from the whole hatching process, so keep your fingers crossed that it all goes well and you can witness some baby chicks hatching at our place very soon! We decided to get a head start on chick season, though, and purchase 4 little 3-day old chicks. We have 3 white stars and an araucana.
When I got to the little tack and feed store for the chicks there happened to be 4 Pekin ducklings in the store, too. Of course I decided I couldn’t leave without them. I’m sure responsible homesteaders plan and think about what animals they will bring home before they set out to get them, but I sure don’t. When it comes to animals, I am like a kid in a candy store. Okay…I’m responsible when it comes to big animals with specific needs…but I could handle a few more birds! Now that I live where it’s legal to raise farm animals, I’m always thinking of the various animals we could raise. It’s too bad I haven’t just come across an Old World (miniature) Jersey cow at the tack and feed store! That is currently my dream pet.
So after being absolutely adorable- especially when you give them a bath in your tub- ducklings are horribly noisy and smelly. It took 1 1/2 days in an indoor brooding cage to totally destroy my house- a wretched smell and projected crap everywhere. It’s a good thing we live in southern California, because I needed to get their outside home set up ASAP! (I think these guys are about 6 weeks old. They almost have their “big duck” feathers, but I know they’ll be okay in our weather now.) Fortunately I had what I needed to set up their home and they seem to be perfectly happy outside. No matter how much noise they make, nothing beats the incessant crow of my rooster, Maximus.
