the birds

There are quite a few winged things running (and flying) about at Side by Side Farm. 

Chickens, mainly. I believe Devin gave me an estimate of 50 or 60 total.

There are two communities of hens and roosters. One is nomadic; they get move about to different locations in the fields so that they can pick and prepare the ground. Back in the beginning of June, Devin and I did just that.

Then there is group that lives in what is affectionally called Guantanamo (above). They are let out to roam free during the day. The clan consists of full size chickens and bantams.

Right now there are lots of new little peeps. My favorites are the grey ones.

Then there are the rather elusive guinea hens. I'm not sure of their numbers; maybe a dozen or so.

The turkeys are a new addition. When I started my internship they lived in a little hutch inside the house. They were tiny, white, fluffy, somewhat adorable and chicken-like looking. Now they have come into their true turkey form: they are ugly.

And there are many kinds of wild birds too: blue birds, orioles, indigo buntings (which use the stars to migrate at night). I've seen a hawk or two and Devin tells me that crows sit in the dead mulberry tree and keep an eye on the chickens, guarding them from hawks.


In other bird-like news, I've started to tweet.