2 weeks old

When choosing turkeys, we choose three different breeds. 

We wanted to try out a variety to determine what breed works best for us.

Certain breeds grow larger than others and we'd ideally like to find a personable breed.

This one of our slate blue turkey chicks.

This is a Cambridge Bronze turkey chicks.

This is a of the Norfolk Black chicks.

Standing in the sunshine.

Can you see the Bronze chick?

Doing his little look at me dance.

I'm guessing he is male.

If you'd like to find out more about turkey breeds, this website does a great job of defining breed standards. 

http://www.turkeyclub.org.uk/

Hatchling comparison pics

I am often told how alike the hatchlings are.

Who does he/ she look like?

I've even bizarrely been asked if two of them are twins.

Here they are age 4 - 6 months.

What do you think?

The ears are certainly a match.

White flag

Life with hatchlings is resplendent.

A technicolor experience of emotions.

It is exhausting to work all night,

and wake up to well slept hatchlings.

It is humbling,

this is my front door... complete with crayon markings and grubby prints.

It is rewarding,

 to watch their personalities develop.

And I am very, very thankful, for each day.

How ever tired and headachy it might be.

Bounce your cares away!

Bounce your cares away,

worries for another day,

so let the music play.

In his Jumperoo.

Dumble Duck

Lunch with the beloved 'Dumble' duck:

It is better,

to have been loved 

and soiled,

than to never have been loved at all.

Love is a messy business.

Sunday afternoons

are best spent in a secret hide out.

Whitehall bay

Off we went

to Whitehall bay.

Up 

and

over

to the beach.

To dig

and dance,

in and

out

of the water.

It is still and peaceful,

to have the shore all to ourselves.

You can just make out North Ronaldsey across the sea.

A smile,

and a kiss,

before planting rock wishes.

A picnic,

and then home for ice cream.

An apology

My hatchlings are very good at trying to be helpful. 

They are always wanting to vacuum, or help trim hooves.

Hoovering up plastic bags, and shoelaces is super helpful, and doesn't ever contribute to more hoover failure....

Regardless, their pleasant disposition is a real joy.

Recently, they have been helping taking the laundry off the clothes line, and bringing it into the house. 

When 200 clothes pegs became only 40, and then I found clothes pegs turned puppets, I grumbled.

You know the usual mama grumble. 

Those are not toys, we need them, blah, blah, blah...

They insisted, they only took a few.

Imagine my embarrassment, when this morning I went out, and found the goats, plucking the clothes pegs off the line like cherries off a tree...

So, to my helpful hatchlings, I apologise. 

Mama was wrong.

I'll buy more clothes pegs, and perhaps some apologetic smarties.

Corn fed chickens

At last, I have

some - birdie who enjoys corn on the cob,

as much as I do!

Strawberry tarts and slow days

The week seems to start with a bang.

Monday is the start line of the race, we take off sprinting, and start to slow down, panting, into Wednesday.

Wednesday is for pottering, just getting on through the list of chores, or more realistically not getting through chores as the teething baby cries need soothing, and older hatchlings say, 'Please can take out all the paints and glitter and beads?'

Wednesday is a day to have a treat, a water break along the course.

This week we made strawberry tarts.

We use this recipe for shortcrust pastry if your interested.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2983/basic-shortcrust-pastry

Then top with well what ever takes your fancy.