It's 9 p.m. and part of my nightly routine is preparing the coffeemaker for morning duties by dumping todays grounds in the compost on the back deck.
When I stepped through the door, it felt as if I'd opened the door to our oven instead. Once back inside, when I looked at the Weather Channel app on my phone, I saw that we're under a heat advisory until 9 p.m. tomorrow night. It said between now and then the index would be just slightly less that 110 degrees at times...but let me get to the point.
Mother Nature can be a cruel taskmistress. The evidence is here in my chicken pen. Snowball, had the urge to fulfill her procreative duties during the hottest days of summer.
Three weeks ago, I couldn't find Snowball, our young hen, running around in the yard pecking beetles, ants, and worms. I looked around before looking inside the pen where they roost at night. She was on the nest.
I assumed she would lay and egg, launch off the nest cackling as if the world were ending and then get back to thinking about what's on every chicken's mind, "Why do we cross the road? And why do people care?"
But when I went back that night to close the gate to the pen after all the chicks returned to the roost, she was still on the nest. Bless your heart, I said softly.
This morning when I went out, pieces of eggshell were scattered near the front of the nest which means one of the little ones has hatched.
I'm not sure how many will make it through the heat, but I should know something in a day or so when she let's them climb out of the nest and peck around the yard.
Last batch only one survived. A varmint got them over the course of a week. I put out live traps, and before the varmint could get the last little one, he went for the sardines in the live trap instead. That possum now lives in another zipcode.
I hope you've have a great Friday. I plan to lay sorry a good bit tomorrow.
When I stepped through the door, it felt as if I'd opened the door to our oven instead. Once back inside, when I looked at the Weather Channel app on my phone, I saw that we're under a heat advisory until 9 p.m. tomorrow night. It said between now and then the index would be just slightly less that 110 degrees at times...but let me get to the point.
Mother Nature can be a cruel taskmistress. The evidence is here in my chicken pen. Snowball, had the urge to fulfill her procreative duties during the hottest days of summer.
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| Little mama on the job - who cares about a stinking heatwave? |
I assumed she would lay and egg, launch off the nest cackling as if the world were ending and then get back to thinking about what's on every chicken's mind, "Why do we cross the road? And why do people care?"
But when I went back that night to close the gate to the pen after all the chicks returned to the roost, she was still on the nest. Bless your heart, I said softly.
This morning when I went out, pieces of eggshell were scattered near the front of the nest which means one of the little ones has hatched.
I'm not sure how many will make it through the heat, but I should know something in a day or so when she let's them climb out of the nest and peck around the yard.
Last batch only one survived. A varmint got them over the course of a week. I put out live traps, and before the varmint could get the last little one, he went for the sardines in the live trap instead. That possum now lives in another zipcode.
I hope you've have a great Friday. I plan to lay sorry a good bit tomorrow.
So Snowball is a new mom again. I hope the chicks all survive this time. Stay cool. I know I am staying inside as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteI do hope all Snowball's young make it. Yep the heat can be terrible, but it always has been. I asked a mason how he could lay block at 115 degrees, he smiled thru the sweat, "$8 a block sir." Back in NC I was paying $.50 a block, so I could see how he was laying 'em. He wasn't 'laying 'em as hard as Snowball though. (smile) Go ahead and 'lay sorry'. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe are under a heat advisory here. I like your description about opening the door and feeling like you are walking into an oven. It surely does! Take care !
ReplyDeleteI think Snowball will be fine. She looks like a smart one staying in and out of the oven. No pun intended. Cant wait to see pics of the chicks soon.
ReplyDeleteLisa
Mazel tov, Grandpa!!
ReplyDeleteI hope the chicks survive the heat; I hope you do as well.
ReplyDeleteWe're under a heat advisory here also but I'm not laying any eggs and don't have any chickens so I might make it OK! I do hope Snowball and babies are good and do survive. I have friends who have chickens and it's always a battle with the critters running around. One of my coworkers said she went to the coop to find all the chickens dead except for the rooster. I hope it cools soon down your way. I keep thinking that in a few months I'll be whining about the cold again!
ReplyDeleteBless her heart is right! I hope the chicks survive! This is one of the hottest summer's I ever remember, with no rain! Not good!
ReplyDeleteKeep cool Rick, I do hope the chicks will be okay... I am not sure I could handle that kind of heat xox
ReplyDeleteIt is way too hot and I wish it would rain and get. Cooler. I hope the chicks will be ok with the heat and now that the varmint is far, far away.
ReplyDelete