Chicks first day on the grass

It's been so warm today that Keith thought we should let the babies out to stretch their wings a bit. They certainly did.

Yep, they are in the chicken wire covered goal posts and very happy they were too. Lots of flapping and dashing around, they must have enjoyed the space.

Alden has been cuddling the chicks, especially Boris the brave. He/she has the red ring.

Poor Ja-ja couldn't walk yesterday and was swimming round in circles. We couldn't see what was wrong with him. He wasn't eating, not even the meal worms, so I knew he was in pain. Keith 'flagged' him off the pond at bedtime and caught him, found a half inch thorn stuck in his foot that went up into his ankle, no wonder the poor duck couldn't walk. Anyway, it and another smaller prickle were removed and washed with salt water. Today he's back chasing Pigeons but is limping on the rare occasion he walks. I hope it doesn't turn into an infection, ducks don't like being handled and they are not easy to catch so treating him could be challenging!!

I know it's late, but last weeks egg count -
Chickens - 41
Ducks - 20
Geese - Well Catherine is sitting on about six eggs, she is pinching Zita's and we dare not take any. Keith did candle them and found no signs of life. May well do it again next weekend and if nothing is there take them all away and perhaps put some broken egg shells back. We really need to break of this brooding before she makes herself very unwell, especially if there are no fertile eggs.

I have a carrier bag full of sheeps wool  now. I bought myself some carding brushes and am working my way through the wool but I didn't wash it and now I think perhaps I should. It needs a lot of grass and bits pulled out and theres a lot of dirt in it.