I've got to get out of this place...

Our baby chicks aren't so much babies anymore, they're getting huge! They're starting to loose all their baby feathers and develop their adult ones. This has actually been happening for some time now, so I really don't know why I brought it up. Sigh...

We got all the little meeps out last night and let them run around, all the while eating lettuce and noodles. They loved being out of their cage and stretching their legs. We tried to do just two at a time, but that wasn't even remotely working, so we get the entire flock out. It still amazes me how simple chickens can be. Every time one of them would poop, here would come someone else trying to race the others to eat it first. 

I got I believe 3 or 4 different videos, but only uploaded 2 I believe. Those, of course, will be below.

I have some slightly exciting, slightly depressing news... Sadie has another joey IP. I noticed it Thurs. evening when we were feeding treats. It's very, very small so I'm guessing she had it earlier that day or the day before. I told her, "This is your last shot at being a mom." She just looked at me like, "Eh, whatever. Just give me another treat." I'm really hoping she keeps this baby. I don't want to have to get Pip neutered - he and Sadie have such sweet joeys - but if we have to, we will.

I'm still partially recovering the electricity being off. I still remember how creepy everything and how much I wanted to murder someone. The day after the electricity came back on, the lights would flicker every little bit. Like little heart stopping reminders. I think there were still some people that didn't have electricity. All together, there were 6500 people in the dark. 

The day the electricity did come back on, we went to town to stock up on a few things. And considering ice was still everywhere, I knew the drive to town would be beautiful! Well, I was absolutely right about that part and so happy that I decided to bring the camera. I started driving very slow so that LaVaughn could take pictures. Just as she pulled the camera out and started to snap one of what looked to be a winter wonder land, the damn batteries died. The entire time, I'm screaming, "Nooooo, why must the batteries be dead today!? Of all days!" The rest of the drive to town was beautiful, as expected. And no, I didn't get one picture. I'll be so glad when our new batteries get here...

I completely forgot to mention, I have an interview to go to tonight. I have to be there at 8PM, which is really creepy, but whatever. I'm not going into details, because I don't want to jinx myself, so I'll leave the details out until I know more. Wish me luck!

I suppose that's all for now. I need to go shower and prepare my interview speech. Don't forget to check out the photos AND videos below...

Love & Peace

-Megan

 The only picture I got the day after the storm.

 And here's my awesome little candle wax horn thing that I constructed.

The following pictures are of my neighbor's dog, Fletcher. She was out of town, so we decided to let him in for a while so that he could stay warm. 

And now for the picture of the meeps:

So many adorable little chicks!

Now it's VIDEO time!

I think I will call you... Mabel!

Believe it or not, our little chick is still alive! Around 1 in the Am, LaVaughn and I decided to start force feeding. We had just been dipping the tip of her beak in the water and gruel, but that wasn't doing much for her. After I read online that you actually can force feed, it was on!

We sat with her for over 40 minutes trying to get her to eat. We would alternate soggy bread and her chick feed gruel. We got a really decent amount down her and decided to leave her alone for a while. An hour passed, then we decided to start again.

The second time around, she seemed to actually have some energy and was even starting to peck around at food on the floor! We were ecstatic, but still wanted to hand feed her. We didn't do it as long this time, but still managed to get a decent amount of food down her. We were also making sure she would drink in between if possible.

We fed her once more before we decided to bed down for the night.

When I woke up today, I was scared to walk in the room in fear of her being sicker or worse. As soon as I opened the bedroom door, I was greeted with lots of chirping! I walked over to her box, only to find her walking around and eating! I couldn't believe it was the same chick! Just last night, she couldn't even stand on her one, let alone eat on her own! I offered her some water and she ran up to it and started drinking!

I sat with her for a while and watched her. She walked around, ate and even went to the bathroom like a normal little chick. She's still weak and wobbly, but there's been such an improvement (knock wood). I just hope that she continues to progress and only gets better from here.

This is where the name, Mabel, comes in. That was my grams name and she was one of the toughest ladies I had ever met. She was always such a fighter and never had the will to give in. She had a lot of ailments towards the in, but never let that slow her down. I think Mabel is actually the perfect name for this little chick...

Love & Peace

-Megan

Sick as a chick...

Unfortunately, one of our little Aracauna became sickly yesterday and went downhill very quickly. LaVaughn made some gruel out of chick feed and warm water and tried to get her to eat that. The first couple times were successful, but her health just kept decreasing. I honestly thought she was a goner around 4 this morning, but kept hanging on.

When I woke up a little while ago, I was sure I was going to find a dead baby chick. To my surprise, she was still with us! I sat down next to her box and got her out. She's still very, very weak, but seems to be keeping her eyes open a little more than yesterday. I stuck her little beak down in her water so that she could get a drink. After I did this a couple times, she took a couple drinks on her own! I tried to get her to eat, but she wasn't having it.

If this little girl makes it, she's going to be one tough little broad!

I honestly wish I could say that I think she's going to make it, but I just don't know right now. I don't even know what happened to her! I mean, I know it's kind of hit and miss with baby chicks, especially if they're under a week old. I know she didn't get cold -- there are two different heating lamps on her -- and I know she had food ans water. It's just one of those freak things that happens.

It's really starting to pull on my heart strings. I almost lost it last night when I was holding her and her tired little head kept dropping. It's killing me and there's nothing I can do for her...

I have to get off of this subject.

I wanted to talk about the rats, but I just feel so bummed now... We've pretty much stopped tent time with the rats -- it's just so taxing to get the tent out every night -- and started taking them in the bathroom, like we used to do with Evan and Jonah.

Sally has a blast, while Emilie hides in my shirt. She's worse than a glider when it comes to getting in your shirt! I didn't take many photos of them, unfortunately. If you've owned rats before, then you know just how hard it is to snap a good photo! I recorded a little video of Sally that I think will make up for the lack of pictures, though. It's great!

I suppose I need to go check on the baby chick. Wish me luck!

Love & Peace

-Megan

 Rats make a horrible mess...

 Emilie in my shirt.

 This cute little rat SITS in LaVaughn's hand while she's eating. 

Video

I'm ready for my close-up...

I didn't have time to take individual pictures of the chicks last night, so as soon as I got home from town, I did. They're only 2 days old today -- they were born Sunday night -- so I want to preserve as many young photos as I can. I'm a sucker for any kind of baby thing and believe that my head will explode if I don't capture their youth.

Out mealies also came today. We ordered them last week and should have got them Monday, but didn't. I checked the tracking and they were just sitting in STL, so close... I hate waiting on mail, always have. I'm unbelievably stoked to have them, though. It seems like forever and a Day since the gliders have had mealies! We get them yoggies all the time, but not them.

LaVaughn and I are also on our last FOUR episodes of Supernatural season 5. I'm dying, I'm dying, I'm DYING!! I can't wait to see what's going to happen. The Four Horseman have been introduced and I'm drooling to see just how awesome Death is going to be. I'm know he'll be stunning, I just know it. I seriously live, eat and breath Supernatural at the moment. I'm mildly obsessed!

Okay, I need to go -- time to feed the gliders some mealies!

Love & Peace

-Megan

Plymouth Rock/Barred Rock Chicks

Aracauna Chicks

All The Baby Chicks

 Pretty awesome shot of a train. Very apocalypto! Nice catch, LaVaughn.

 Another awesome one that LaVaughn gets credit for.

 This would be my child. Isn't it lovely? lol

 It's so sad that I nearly squealed when I saw the Live Worms sticker on the box. And not from disgust, from excitement. There's something off about that, isn't there?

They're snuggled up nice and tight in their box. Definitely a good worm shipper.