I took six tiny newborn chicks away from their mother this morning. I left two with her so as not to distress her more than I had to. I figure she will have an easier time defending two babies from the cats than eight. The new babies were doing fine until I decided I better get in the bath tub and wash my hair. I've been going native on the farm this past week but duty calls and it's back to work tomorrow. As I was relaxing in my giant tub, contemplating the fate of the universey, Miss Holly accidentally knocked over the water container and all the chicks were drenched. The newborns were shaking and the bigger chicks were not happy either. Now they are dry and warm in their new, bigger, tub with the newborns in a box directly under the 100 watt light. None of them keeled over dead yet. My bathroom has a baseboard heater which enables me to make the room quite warm. Chicks have no mass to them and rely on their fluffy dry feathers to keep them warm. Holly says she's sorry. I taped the bottom of the water container to the pedestal which keeps dirt from getting in. I'm totally enthalled with the little songbirds - they are totally distracting from what I should be doing right now.
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