It's September, the time of year when the weather starts to cool down, the air is crisp, the leaves are changing, and the birds are starting to molt. The leaves are beautiful shades of red and orange and brown on the trees, and pumpkins litter the stores. Corn mazes are ready to be used, and children are planning their Halloween costumes.
And, apparently here at Owl Creek Farm, it's also the time of year that all the female birds decide to hatch more chicks.
We should be done with this. Spring is the time of new growth and renewal and babies, not Fall! But alas, I guess my birds did not get the memo. I have two buff orpington hens on nests, and my pekin duck - a breed that's not supposed to go broody, mind you - is going for round two after her first nest was broken into shortly before the hatch a few months ago.
And, most perplexingly of all, my roman tufted goose, Lacie, is also trying for babies. It won't work out for her because I don't have a gander (I slipped her some duck eggs instead), but that's not why it's so surprising. Geese are seasonal layers, and most lay in the spring, hatch a clutch, and that's it for the year, no more eggs and no more goslings - or ducklings, in this case.
But for Lacie, apparently this isn't so. When I first stumbled upon her sitting in the corner of the coop and not out and about with the two juvenile buff geese I bought this summer to keep her company, I was worried. I was worried even more so when I stroked her head and was getting no response. She doesn't mind being petted, but she will normally attempt to nibble my fingers or chew on my hair while I do it. But this time she was sitting still and not moving or reacting at all. I was reaching under her to lift her up and check for injuries when I felt an egg.
Sure enough, she had a clutch of three recently laid eggs under her, and she was trying to hatch them.
So, here in the season of Fall, as the year winds down into Winter and most birds are molting and fattening themselves up for the coming cold, I instead have four broodies, two of whom shouldn't even be thinking about brooding at all.
Oh well, chicks and ducklings are adorable any time of year!
And, apparently here at Owl Creek Farm, it's also the time of year that all the female birds decide to hatch more chicks.
We should be done with this. Spring is the time of new growth and renewal and babies, not Fall! But alas, I guess my birds did not get the memo. I have two buff orpington hens on nests, and my pekin duck - a breed that's not supposed to go broody, mind you - is going for round two after her first nest was broken into shortly before the hatch a few months ago.
And, most perplexingly of all, my roman tufted goose, Lacie, is also trying for babies. It won't work out for her because I don't have a gander (I slipped her some duck eggs instead), but that's not why it's so surprising. Geese are seasonal layers, and most lay in the spring, hatch a clutch, and that's it for the year, no more eggs and no more goslings - or ducklings, in this case.
But for Lacie, apparently this isn't so. When I first stumbled upon her sitting in the corner of the coop and not out and about with the two juvenile buff geese I bought this summer to keep her company, I was worried. I was worried even more so when I stroked her head and was getting no response. She doesn't mind being petted, but she will normally attempt to nibble my fingers or chew on my hair while I do it. But this time she was sitting still and not moving or reacting at all. I was reaching under her to lift her up and check for injuries when I felt an egg.
Sure enough, she had a clutch of three recently laid eggs under her, and she was trying to hatch them.
So, here in the season of Fall, as the year winds down into Winter and most birds are molting and fattening themselves up for the coming cold, I instead have four broodies, two of whom shouldn't even be thinking about brooding at all.
Oh well, chicks and ducklings are adorable any time of year!