What's All This White Stuff And Can I EAT It?

We've had a very mild winter this year--at least when it comes to actual white stuff falling from the sky.  So this was the first day that last year's chicks have been able to experience snow!

Even if it *was* just a dusting.  Groot thought it wise to observe for a bit first...

It took a minute or so of me calling 'Chick-chick-chick' to get even a *couple* of them to venture out.  Finally Strychnine was bolder and led Pele (who thought there might be food in it for her), Kotori and Bowie out.

The girls were not entirely convinced and there was much staring.

Strychnine and Olivia in full 'I dunno, man...' mode.

Eventually the snow was tasted a bit but NOT walked upon, thank you, and they grumped their way back into the coop until it melted.

Bowie In The Bathtub!

...and I *don't* mean the singer. 

This Bowie is a naughty little bantam Cochin hen who insists on scratching around improperly in any mud she can find, until it coats the tips of her toes & claws and forms these weird little hard balls the size of peewee marbles.  Then she walks around with little rocks on the end of her toes angling to land at the vets' with some funky new dumb chicken thing I have to stand there and explain to my poor bewildered vet.

Ha ha, NO.  The kid hauled her into the house, where Bowie walked around the dining room floor, her toes clicking like castanets when I ran some warm water into the bathtub.

Time to soak a chicken.

We just put her in a few inches and closed the tub enclosure door and waited for the warm water to work it's magic to the tune of indignant cackling.  We stood outside the tub with arms crossed, yelling back at her that maybe now she'd learn not to make mud castanets on her toes.  Took about 20 minutes.  Mind you, this is the second time Bowie has done this.

After that, I got to scrub out the tub.  As you can see, Bowie was kind enough to jump up on the tub edge several times to really spread the filth.

Criminy, the dumbest things happen around here...