stinky.

Must confess, my office stinks, yup stinks to high heaven.  As I write, there is a large tub containing seven ducklings, it is separated at one end to provide a safe place for four bantam chicks the littlest of whom has not gown hardly at all since it hatched. It is sooooo incredibly tiny.  There is also a double sized galvanized tub housing two turkeys and seven chicks.  These are growing rapidly and as soon as I can get the fence finished (Monday, come hell or high water) they will be going outside with the other hens. 
Right now the turkeys are running through the house like little velociraptors, their feet thunking in bizarre little patters as they run across the wood floors. We obviously have a male turkey chick since he has already been trying to puff up his chest, drop his wings and perform for the other chick, who seems oblivious. It is hysterically funny to see him doing it too.

The bees have been working very hard. The comb they are drawing out is a beautiful clean white, amazing stuff. They have already been capping honey stores in the combs. I am so delighted with them.  We find them fascinating little creatures.
This week Joshua and I gathered up a wild swarm, help collect another thirty feet up in a tree, (damned inconvenient of them to swarm so high) and Josh's friend and I took another swarm off somebodies back deck. 
It was such an easy swarm to collect I didn't use any gear at all. Should have used some gloves though since I did get stung on my thumb joint. As I brushed the bees into a box my hand came in contact with bees under the edge of the deck. I may have crushed a few since it could not see them, they did not appreciate it.  My thumb swelled like a balloon, so next time I may not treat a swarm quite so casually and at least wear gloves.
Sadly we did not have an extra hive box so we gave the bees to other bee keepers. Next year I will be better prepared and have an extra hive ready.

OOooooh I can hardly wait to get these birds out of my office.