Don't Go Grocery Shopping Hungry

Y'all know the saying that you shouldn't go grocery shopping hungry? You know, because you'll come home with a bunch of things you didn't plan to buy? I also advise that you not go to the humane society "just to look". That's how we ended up with Oscar. And don't go with someone else to get a kitten. Greg and Tess love to tell the story of how I "stole" Zillah from them and they ended up with Rat the evil devil kitten instead.

On a related note, don't go to the feed store tender-hearted. Y'all will remember how we only had one chicken left - our hardy black sex-link, Dixie. Dottie and Gidget passed away last summer and fall, and we're frankly amazed that Dixie made it through the winter all by herself. But she's plump and happy and laying eggs again, and now that it's spring, it was time to go get her some companions (chickens hate to be by themselves).

We headed to the feed store to get two more pullets (that's a female chicken that is less than one year old, which is when you can officially call her a hen) for our flock. The place, Coastal Farm & Ranch, was a great adventure for the family. In addition to pullets of many breeds, there were also baby turkeys, quail, pheasant, and chukars. We had planned to get a barred rock and a Rhode Island red, though I was also rather taken with the golden sex-links. Unfortunately, the araucanas and Buff Orpingtons were straight run, which means they aren't sexed (and we're not allowed to have roosters in the city).

I came back from walking Elliot around the store to find Thomas staring at these two pals:


Yes, that's a duck. It was the only duck left in the store, and no one buys just one duck (they cry pitifully when alone). They had put a little bantam chicken (that's sort of a miniature chicken) of unknown sex and breed into the tub with the duck (also of unknown sex and breed) to keep her company. They also told Thomas they were going to "dispose of" the duck soon if no one bought her. Needless to say, these are the two birds that came home with us. We are such suckers.

Apparently ducks and chickens get along famously, as you can see here.


You can keep a duck right in the chicken coop and feed it the very same things. You just have to have some water available for head-dunking and occasional swimming for the duck. And we're learning that ducks make fantastic pets. They imprint easily on humans and will follow you around like a dog. Thomas is absolutely in love with the duck, who we've named Joey after the character in Friends (you Gen-Xers will remember that Joey and Chandler kept a chicken and a duck in their NY apartment). Here's another shot of Thomas cuddling the fluffy buddies.


We've named the chicken Pippin, because whatever breed of bantam she (hopefully she!) is has feathers on its legs, which reminded us of furry-footed hobbits. There's a darn good chance that Pippin will be a girl, since she's a few weeks old and is showing no signs of rooster-ness (no comb, in particular). Hopefully she won't be a rooster, or we'll have to find her (him!) a new home, and we'd hate to break up this adorable friendship (though we found out at the check out stand that they had only been pals since that morning, not the days on end we had been led to believe...).


Joey (or Lonesome Joe, as we like to call him) and Pippin are currently settled in a tub in the guest room for about 60 more days until they will be old enough to move to the chicken coop and meet Dixie. We hope she likes them as much as we do. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to have company after a dreary Portland winter all alone! Here are some videos of the birds in action.



Peep peep quack quack!