(You may want to set aside lunch until later.)
I have to apologize to my mother and my sister. Back when I was a smartass teenager and my sister was a new mother, I complained that every time I found them chatting together, the main topic of conversation appeared to be poop. The baby’s poop was dissected for its consistency, its frequency, and its quantity. It was like tuning in to the All Poop All the Time channel, and I loudly decried it as gross and disgusting.
That was before (way before) I became the mother of an elderly dog with chronic diarrhea and a clutch of baby chicks.
I actually called Rick outside the other day to show off one of Bronco’s poops. We were proud of its shapeliness and near-normalcy. We talked about it over oatmeal yesterday morning, almost without irony.
And then I started wiping the chicks’ butts.
Apparently it is quite common for newly arrived chicks to have what is called in poultry world “pasting up.” If the chicks get stressed or chilled on their trip through the U.S. postal system, they can get a little digestive upset that causes their poop to stick to their tiny chicken butts, and if it is not removed, it can glue them shut and eventually kill them. Meanwhile, I would guess it must be fairly uncomfortable to have one’s pooper stuck shut.
Soooooooo someone has to clean up those little bottoms. And that someone is me.
And again, Mom up in heaven and Sis in Phoenix, I am sorry for mocking you. I didn’t know that being a mother is mostly about poop.
And now, chick photos! A couple of points. Rick accuses me of liking the black ones best. I am a mother, and I love them all equally, even if the black ones are extra soft and extra cuddly and extra sweet. Also, yes, thank you for asking, that is my “TRAILER TRASH HICK FROM HELL” t-shirt. I wanted to dress up real purty for Easter Sunday, didn’t I?
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Congrats to the new chicky mama! They are very cute and who knew they came with such a wide array of needs, this was a new one on me. I can say with some certainty that I will not be adopting baby chicks any time soon (but I never say never) so for now I will live vicariously through you
Killer tshirt too, love that
Ahhhhh!! The joys of Motherhood!! I can attest to the fact that raising children is ALL about poop! I will (as I am sure you will too) be glad when they are all old enough to worry about their poop themselves!!
Your babies are adorable! My chicky baby, with the black hair, is fluffier too!
Had backed up 3 posts.. I am now so impressed with how you handled the last few days.. That I made my kid come into the room asking “what is so funny?”
I think my favorite is the hypothetical handling of Rick in the kitchen.I hypothetically have that same conversation alll the time.
And I have learned ( not just laughed): No Spring Cleaning And Organizing.
Yep! That’s all the talk we hear with the kids! If we aren’t dealing with cleaning it, smelling it or seeing it with toddlers, we are hearing them talk about it as teens! Does it ever end?
P.S. I agree with Rick and think you favor the black ones. I can only see you holding the black ones!
Ahh the joys of caring for others…poop all the way. Darn sute pics
They seem to have outgrown their pasty butt problems now, thank goodness! I’m sure there will be more poop problems ahead, though.
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