Genevieve and the Chicken Farm

 Poor ol' Jenn just can't resist these chickens in the garden - I wonder whether we will ever be able to let her off leash while the chickens are "free ranging"?

Not quite there yet...

Our very first little chicken eggs have hatched and the poor dog is fixated with them, drooling over these delicious creatures with intense focus on her face. Quite mini feathery snacks...

 

 Meet Ping... :)
One of the little ones unfortunately didn't make it :( despite efforts to revive it. I put it in the oven (No, not for eating), but the poor little critter was all cold and not strong enough, it was so sad - was such a beautiful little fluffball. Hunny will have to adjust the coop somewhat so that it doesn't get wet inside the nest anymore. After I finally decided to throw the little corps in the dirt bin I couldn't help myself but to have a look every few minutes to see whether Lazarus perhaps miraculously revived, but alas. I must have peeked into the bin about 5 times throughout the afternoon and once in the evening :(

... and Pong <3

 

 

Funny how we people are... I couldn't help but notice the contrast in my perspective during the rescue attempt. I was so determined to save the little chick's life, and while little Laz was in the oven (on low) to try and save its life, I was cooking some soup with meat in on the stove top... Luckily it wasn't chicken ;) that would have been just a tad too much for me for the day ;) But there I was, trying to rescue the one little insignificant newborn, while preparing to devour parts of another life that was killed (and bred) for the sole purpose of providing me with food. The lines blur a lot more when u actually keep food items as pets! :p It's funny how most of us split our conscience into 2 (sometimes 3) in order to live as natural human beings. I am by no means a hippie that tries to kid myself into thinking that people weren't evolved to eat meat - we were/ are - humans are omnivores, just like pigs, who have no shame in fighting over a chicken wing or duck leg if they ever manage to catch one. It is actually contradictory to our nature to keep animals that we don't eat - we consider it barbaric to eat dogs and cats, but that's only a social norm. In less primitive cultures (according our Western judgement that is) there's nothing inhumane about eating "pets", but it's just not what we're used to. The humanity comes into play in the method of deleting the presence from the body of our victims. Yet again... I found the difference in perspective of judgement between one animal and another a rather uncomfortable reality, but I'll get over it ;)

Katrien has been banished to the garden, outside the coop, because she's a "geniepsige" little cow and has been pecking at the new babies... I saw the little fluffs  flying in all direction and then I lost it - so I tossed her out of the coop and I don't give a sh!t if the cats eat her up. Funny enough the other 2 silky chickens haven't been bothered by the new babies at all. At least Katrien isn't all helpless, I saw her roosting up in the tree later the eve ;) very interesting - she's not at all helpless it seems.

On the garden front: sheesh! the place is looking more neglected by the day. Our gardener only arrives back from Zim today, so he will (hopefully) be back at his station tomorrow. I asked him to come Friday as well, 'cause there's just way too much to do!

Oh yes - and Jenn's "Charlie" has been ripped to shreds and she clearly has no more fear/ respect of it... so much for some form of backup discipline... guess I'll have to resort to the water spray bottle again?