Cuteness-n-stuff

AWwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

Don't worry, I didn't get all crazy with empty nest syndrome and get a new puppy and a pig. These both belong to my friend Chanin, but they were so cute I had to share.
Today Carl Sagan (the ram lamb, not the man) and Titan left for their new home.
Sagan is going to be a flock sire...which, if you read my last post, you know will make him very happy. Titan (minus a couple of body parts) will be a companion sheepie.....I am not sure that Titan will be as happy with his lot in life as Sagan will be with his, but he couldn't ask for a better home or a nicer family to live with. Thanks Janna, Jim and Connor!
I wanted to do an update on some of the chicks that were raised by foster mothers earlier this summer, so I set out to take some pictures this afternoon after the rammy lambies were safely on their way. When I was in the chicken barn, I heard a little peep coming from up above my head and when I looked up, I was surprised to see that the barn swallows that I was so worried about during the infamous "skunk incident" had, after several unsuccessful attempts, finally been able to hatch out a brood of babies.
And, apparently, they thought that I was going to feed them. It looks like there are three in the nest, so hopefully they will all make it to adulthood.
As for the chicks, the Mille Fleur Leghorn chicks (the first chicks that pawned off on an unsuspecting hen so that she would raise them for me), have been off on their own and incredibly independent for quite some time......so independent, in fact, that I can barely catch the little boogers! They do come into the coop at night, but otherwise they roam the property and are pretty darn wild.....note to self- Don't get any more chicks with "Leghorn" in the name.The later batch of chicks still rely quite heavily on their adoptive mother for protection and security. I must say that their mama, Black Chicken, does an awesome job at protecting them. She strikes fear into the hearts of any and all chickens that so much as give her babies a sideways glance. I am not sure how much longer she will tend to them, they are getting nearly as large as she is!

The Barred Rock chick is getting some really nice plumage....and unfortunately, is looking a bit masculine.

My favorites are still the Blue Cochins. This is the little pullet (female) chick. I love the lacing on her feathers.

This one is going to be a little rooster, I don't normally keep roosters, but seriously, how cute is he???
And look...bunny bum??? No, it's the little rooster's tushie.
Now that these babies are all nearly grown and doing so well, I think I need to get a few more chicks so that they will be laying by next spring...really...I NEED some, I do. Don't judge me.