I'm glad to report that all of them survived the ordeal of being rescued out of a dustbin! and the little chick (above) that I took out of the egg has turned into a beautiful young lady. I called her Snoodles. She spent many weeks with me in my studio before joining the other girls in the chicken coop.
Snoodles standing on my computer speaker in my studio, taking a peek at what's going on outside
Snoodles, a chick with attitude!
As soon as Snoodles was big enough, we’d go on field trips through the garden and my wildlife pond area, where she would investigate every nook and cranny, delighting in catching the odd insect. Here she hopped on a rock, chasing after a Dragonfly. Good luck with that Snoodles!
Now where did that Dragonfly go...?
Snoodles taking some time out on the edge of Jacko's chair, much to his disgust!
Snoodles still visits me in the studio every opportunity she gets, hopping on top of all her old haunts (desks, counter top, chairs) and doing a good investigation of what's new. She's got this peculiar habit of opening her mouth big, like she's going to start singing any minute, every time the phone rings!
This is Mr. Brown, one of the dustbin chicks that took to following me around the garden ever since he stayed in my house for a couple of days after the rescue and then was put back with his mother. He’s turned into a beautiful rooster, obviously of mixed blood as his feathers are like those of a Silkie. But what makes him adorable is the fact that he talks to me – whenever he sees me, he utters this whole repertoire of cackles and croaks all the while staring me straight in the eye. He’s also very tame, sitting down when I put my hand on his back and then allowing me to pick him up for a cuddle. Normally all Solly’s chicks that turn out to be roosters are destined for the pot, but I’ve asked him nicely to spare Mr. Chook. (Solly is our mechanic/handyman and he has all these chickens that wander all over our smallholding and usually end up breeding somewhere in my garden.)
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