Mrs. Speckles Chick

Winter is still lingers in the high desert. Some snow this week and the high winds of spring. But overall, winter was dry and warm, meaning high in the forties and sunny during the day. Mrs. Speckles, a ten month old banty, hatched one chick three weeks ago. It better be a hen. She sat on three -- one was a blank and another one which was hers, one of the hens ate. We butchered two excess roosters in the last month. They are so pretty and I hate to eliminate that beauty, but then again they are food and for that they are useful. We now are down to three roosters for 21 hens --- George, his son Jack, and Mercury, a feather footed banty and a cocky little guy who chases Jack around. We still have the three ducks. Harriet still may or may not be pregnant. We'll know this month. Snow geese have been sited at the Refuge. Spring migration has begun.