Yeeoowwwww!

He's baccckkkkkkkk....

And he was on the hunt this afternoon when I got home from work.

I had no sooner taken this picture and turned around to start giving the chicks fresh water when....

He had silently come clear across the henhouse along the wall, and suddenly appeared almost at my feet... near the trough with the chicks.  The top shield is held down by two boards, the one on the other side is larger and heavier.

I finshed inside chores and went outside to get started, and about 20 minutes later came back in to get something... and literally almost stepped on Mr. Snake in the doorway... he ducked back under the storage cabinet.  Heavens knows there are so many mice in the henhouse, he shouldn't need young chick.

Meanwhile, out in the pasture pen... there's a hen party going on.

That's right, four little hens think they are all incubating the eggs NOW under the mille fleur on the right.  As she is my favorite of the mille fleurs in this pen, I'm cool with this.  In fact, I'm going to ask Keith to please finish the brooder box, because Mama and babies will need to go into it, so that the babies are not hurt after birth by the adults.  Remember, last year we had 21 of 22 chicks killed by other hens.

I'm not sure which of the mamas will get the honors to set the eggs.  They are about two weeks in at this point. 

Here's Aztec, at a year and a half.

Next Wednesday is Llama Rodeo Day, and the matted wool you see on Azzie's back is going to be removed.  She had only a partial shave for her first time last year.