Barnyard Characters

Now that I am sharing a barnyard with my generous host, Louisa, there are many surprises that greet me when I arrive to milk the goats. In the past couple of weeks there have been two: The white chicken pictured here has been "broody" for what seems like at least two months. This means, she has been sitting on her nest, patiently keeping her eggs warm, expecting babies. Every day I go into the coop to gather a couple of eggs, there she is. Now, there is no rooster, so the eggs will never hatch. A couple of weeks ago, I went into the coop--and there were two baby chicks with her! Louisa had purchased chicks and so wisely put in a couple for Miss Broody to mother. And mothering she was. So attentive to their every move, just like, well, a Mother Hen. For a week or so they just kept to the coop, but now they are out and about the chicken yard, and it is such a sweet pleasure watching the three of them roam around, dig in the dirt, and peck away. As common and classic a barnyard scene of a hen and her chick is, I actually had never experienced that--it is absolutely so heartwarming.

The other surprise that greeted me recently was the unexpected arrival of a two-month old Nigerian Dwarf wether (castrated male) goat. He is absolutely so small and stout, and makes the cutest bleeting noise--he sounds just like a baby. It took a bit, but he is now completely a part of the herd with my girls, and though he serves no purpose (much to Louisa's chagrin), I think he serves quite well as comic relief, jumping about like a jumping bean, butting heads with the girls who are easily three times bigger, and just being in the way in general.

Such fun!