Farm Diary · May 20, 2023

Another Cold, a Week of Driving, and Chickens Outside the Net

Watch the episode (in Japanese)

Good afternoon from Chicken Paradise Hawaii. I’ve caught a cold again! So today I’m going to tell my sad story to the chickens and let them listen. Purin, big sister Purin, will you hear my sad tale?

A cold, again

I have no idea where it came from. Two colds in a row? I hate it! A home coronavirus test came out negative, so I think I’m OK. Out here at the farm I don’t meet anyone anyway; it’s just me and the chickens, having a party.

Star, your T-shirts went on sale! Want a tiny one of your own? Wakame has a lump on one cheek. And Purin seems to be the only one actually listening to me.

Driving on my own

It’s been a little over a week since I started driving my own car and could get around freely. So far, no problems, and I enjoy driving. Lately I’ve even been taking a friend to the local shopping center, trying to do something a bit more human. And then I caught a cold. Maybe that’s a sign I should stick to looking after the chickens!

Around the flock

Ilima has a bald head but doesn’t seem to care. Chobi is molting again and looks ragged. Kinako used to be a wild chicken in a parking lot, and is now settled enough to bite me. At the feed store I saw about three chicks of Kin-chan’s breed, all identical. I’d never tell them apart, except that Kin-chan’s beak is bent from an old injury. Nuts is sitting in the nest again, and Blue 1, Blue 2 and Sumiko all look so alike, and so fluffy.

It’s spring, so the roosters are busy. Piccolo, stop chasing! Namonakimono is turning into a little old lady, and her toes have started to curl. Chico’s comb has gotten huge. After heavy rain there are muddy puddles: fine for long-legged chickens, but short-legged ones, watch out.

Basil is actually a Mallard. When he’s bullied, brown feathers that look like a female’s come in, as if to say “I’m a girl, leave me alone!” So if those appear, it’s a warning sign.

To earn money for chicken feed, I raise and sell mealworms. Deliveries now go smoothly; I contact each store and ask how many they need.

Escape artists

For weeks, chickens have been getting out through a hole in the net: six hens and a rooster, and now Chako too. Every time I fix it, someone tears it again. They don’t go far, but eggs laid outside could hatch, so I have to collect them. Please come back!

Thanks for watching. See you next time!

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