0141

I awake around 2 am. It's raining outside, and cool in the house. The chicks are crying in their box upstairs. I go up, scolding myself, and turn on their lamp for warmth, then back to bed.

Upon rising for the day, I check on them again. Don't know if it was the chill, or if something else is wrong, but one chick is dead, and another very weak. What a lousy mother hen I make.

It's still cloudy, but has stopped raining, so I bike to 10:30 Mass. After Mass, Larry and Linda want to chat over refreshments. I excuse myself after just a brief conversation, explaining that I have a sick chick at home to look after. Linda raises her eyebrows, and I have to laugh when I realize what I just said. Assuring Linda that I'm referring to a literal chick, I take my leave.

It's sunny & warm by now, and I let the new chicks run outside in the grass to peck and scratch and get some sun & air. I even feed them some cut-up earthworms, which they devour. Try to nurse the sick one, too, but it dies mid-afternoon. My only resemblance to a mother is that I'm not getting much rest with all this. Well, the remaining four seem vigorous. I'll leave their lamp turned on full-time from now on.