Ugly Ducklings and Other Goings On

Remember these four ratty looking chicks? These were the four Sultans that I ordered when I ordered the layer chicks. NOW look at them...they are three months old now..and really filling out. They still have some growing and filling to do...but what a difference a couple of months makes. Here they are now...I have named the cockeral "Rod", and yep...thats after Rod Stewart...he he...well...I just had to didn't I? I mean look at that head! ;)

 

I haven't named the pullets yet. There are three...one is still questionable. It has me puzzled as to what it is for sure. It doesn't crow, but the wattles and comb are redder than the other two, but not developed like Rods, so the jury is still out on that one. Here are two of them.

 

Summertime has really put me into busy times...and that is why I have not made entries every morning. With the daylight hitting just after 6 a.m., it prompts me to get up and get moving. I have to get outside and beat the heat of the day with any chores that are beckoning. Already this morning I have fed the Seramas and the layers. Boy, ever since the new layers have joined the old layers for breakfast the food is going fast. I have to remember the young ones are still growing and have not mastered the art of going out away from the pen and house to forage for bugs and fresh tips of grass further out. They will catch on eventually.

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Tuesday I called the lady that ordered 26 chicks hatched for her. I told her that her chicks were ready for pick up save one or two left to hatch. I told her I would call her at lunchtime on Friday to confirm and give directions and we would set a date for her to come pick them up. She said that it would be Sunday more than likely. 

Friday came, I called, no answer. I have two numbers for her...I left messages at each. At 2 pm I tried once more and her husband answered the phone. She was not in, would be back around five. I told him fine, gave him the directions, and asked him to please have her call me when she made it home. He said they would leave out about 10 a.m. on Sunday morning. I told him that was fine.

No phone call Friday evening, no phone call on Saturday...tried to contact her, no answers, nothing.

Sunday rolls around...I call...no answer. The hours tick by. No phone call, nothing. By 4 p.m. I was mad. 

It may be a big joke to some folks, but I am trying to do a little bit of business here. I need these birds OUT of the brooders. I have many more to hatch. I realize that things happen...but couldn't she at least pick up the phone for two minutes to call and let me know they were not going to be able to make it? I guess that is asking too much out of people these days.

Monday....I call...FINALLY I get her at 1 p.m.

"Oh I was going to call you, we had a kid get hurt, I watch kids you know...and well one of them got hurt on the FOUR WHEELER (????? If I was in charge of someone elses kids, I sure wouldnt let them ride one of those) so we weren't able to come." (DUH, I figured that out...eventually)  

Me: "Well I understand that things happen." (Biting my tongue til it bled to keep it from wagging at her uncontrollably) "So when are you going to come and get them."

Her: "Well, I think I can come on Wednesday or Thursday"

Me: "Wednesday would be better for me."

Her:"Okay, I will get these kids up and be headed out by 8"

(These kids??? Great, she will have her whole bunch in tow)

Ian said her birds would be GONE. He would have moved on down the line and sold them to the people waiting on chicks to be hatched. He is probably right. I give people too many chances and let them get under my skin. After Wednesday, if she doesnt show, they will be gone.

Had one Serama chick die, it had been out of the egg for a good 6 days and got weak, just didn't make it. I hate that because I was saving one Serama chick in particular to keep for myself out of what has been hatched recently, but now it will have to go with the order of the lady coming Wednesday to make the amount she ordered. Thats alright, I got plenty more coming out.

I need to take some pictures of this batch before they are gone. I will try to get to that today.

Ian put in a new video card, into the new computer. Well, it doesn't have any drivers, and don't ask me why, cause I don't have a clue why. So he took the flash drive to work (they have a fast connection there, we are on dial up here) and loaded up the drivers off the internet. Got it home, loaded it into the computer...then...nothing, and I mean nothing. The screen is blank now. No picture. So he has taken the whole computer to work to try and work on it during breaks. I am on the old one upstairs now. At least this one doesn't sign off all the time. It still has its quirks. All of my pictures are down on the other one though...the only ones I have recent are on Flickr. The ones I showed today.

Enough complaining about that.

I finally got to sit down and have a nice chat with Sherry. Hopefully she will be coming up in a couple of weekends. I am going to take her to Collinsville Trade Day and we will have a blast.

My younger sister is having some medical problems. She is only 32. She has led a troubled life as it is, much of it brought on herself. Tragedy seems to follow her around.

She thought she had fibroids in her uterus, which is bad enough, but now after an ultrasound the doctor is saying her ovaries are covered in them. She was supposed to get definite results back yesterday. Mama says she has already said she will seek a second opinion.

So far I have been blessed with very little in the hereditary ailments. Our grandmother was the one with fibroids. We have everything in our family from heel spurs to high blood pressure. I do have the BP issue, but take meds for it.

We may have Teddy, Adrian and Matthew over this weekend. Shelby and Matt have always played together, but I think it is getting awkward for them now. They are both growing up. I pointed out that they still have things in common. Video gaming being a big one. The pool is always a big hit. Maybe I will take Matt over to see the Runnin Wild farm. He would like that.

Oops, Phoenix, the late sleeper is up, so I better go see about getting his breakfast and getting him out on the porch...everyone have a great day!