The Daves

Just an assortment of pictures of Dave, Not-Dave, and the Davettes (only four now--one went missing during all the rains.) And Buck-Buck--the father of the family.

 

Waiting for Miss Birdie

Several people suggested Miss Birdie might have a story to go with the old house in yesterday's post. I asked her about it and she allowed as how they were an ordinary, uninteresting family. 

'''cept for Elroy," she said. And I waited. I hope she'll tell me more before tomorrow.

I went down the hill to work on the barn quilt but had to go see Justin and Claui's incredible Stargazer lilies. The sweet-spicy fragrance is amazing.

And I had to check on Dave and NotDave and their chicks,

Dave has three.

NotDave has two.

Here's the barn quilt in progress. The phoenix is awaiting a third coat of yellow and then there will be some red over parts of the yellow. The masked off white hollow square will be a light golden brown. All those coats take a lot of time. Maybe it'll be ready to hang in another week.

 

BuckBuck, Dave, and the Davettes

 

Not Not-Dave's Chicks

                            

This is Not-Dave. She is sitting on some stolen chicks. She looks a lot like her mother Dave (Josie did the naming.)  Dave is  part Banty hen and she raises a gang of chicks almost every year. Dave refuses to stay in the chicken coop and generally makes a nest amid the hay. Which is probably where she was when I took these pictures of Not-Dave.

                            

Evidently two eggs hatched before the rest. And Not-Dave has the chicks while Dave continues to sit on the rest of the eggs. 

Not-Dave seems very happy as a foster mother. Who knows, some of the eggs Dave is sitting on may have come from Not-Dave--it's not unusual for hens to share a nest.

And below is Buck-Buck (Josie again.) He is the putative father but is not especially involved in chick-raising.

Déjeuner sur l'Herbe (Free Range Chickens)

Justin and Claui's laying flock are really enjoying themselves. Look at that little banty wading in the water.

 The area beneath the willow tree is like a chicken playground.

They'll go back to their chicken house at dusk, to be closed up safe from predators -- reasonably safe at least.

The banty, believe it or not, is the mother of a couple of these hens -- but I don't think they remember. (They never write; they never call . . .)

I don't remember ever seeing chickens playing in the water like this.

Lucky biddies!

Three Little Biddies

Mama's Had Enough

Remember the banty hen and her one chick? She is trying very hard to cast off the mother/child relationship. That large  white bird at the rear is the chick. The banty is the little one on the right, looking harried,

Trying to make an escape while baby is eating . . .

"Wait for Baby!"

'

 "Hey, Ma, whatcha doing? Where ya goin'? Can I come too?"

Baby gets distracted and joins the other chickens. That's Baby's dad on the right -- you can see the resemblance. 

Meanwhile the little mama tiptoes away . . .

Downstairs Chickens

Remember the little chick that Justin and Claui's hen  hatched out? 

He (or she -- opinions differ) is near grown now and Momma has gone off, possibly to raise another brood. I think she got tired of this giant following her everywhere

Meanwhile, another hen, inspired by the banty, has hatched out three chicks -- 

It seems to be a case of the toner running out . . .

Justin tells me that this momma has a nest deep in the hay -- here's hoping these babies make it.

I love seeing the chickens running free -- but we can't let out ours (the upstairs chickens) till the garden's done.

This one below is a young Sex Link -- a handsome biddy...

With a compelling gaze.