Kids and chicks growing up fast—Poor Dave in cat hospital for a week

We have named Lucille's kids Tony and Rose, for 2 of my Irish relatives. They have chosen this as their favorite place to hang out—under the hay manger. The first time I found them there I almost panicked, thinking they had somehow escaped. When they are not hiding in the shed, they are outside bouncing around and being adorable. More pics to follow...

Unfortunately, I did not post on the day that Able Abe came back to be with Helen, so I don't remember when she is due, but it is very soon. She looks to be having 2 kids as well, which will make for much fun and frolic in the pen.

The 3 Buff Orpington and 7 Araucana chicks are now a month old and getting big, except for one who is still a little peeper. They were supposedly all born on March 25, but one of the Araucanas doesn't even have her tail feathers yet. She is only about half the size of the others.

The Orpingtons won't change color much at all, but the Araucanas are changing fast. It is fascinating to see all the different color feathers coming out, and still hard to figure out what they will look like as adults.

About 2 weeks ago, I moved them all from the bin in the bathtub to the big Woody dog crate in the basement. More than a few times some little brave one jumped from the bin into the tub, and the bathroom was getting completely covered in dust. Some of the basement still needs clean up from last year's flood, so I figured that was a better place for them. I put screening all around the crate to keep in the dust and keep out the cats. So far so good.

Poor Dave the cat has somehow managed to get himself sick enough to be hospitalized for the past week. He has bronchitis and a urinary tract infection. He was so dehydrated they had trouble drawing blood, and couldn't give him one of the stronger antibiotics for a couple of days until they got some fluids in him. He had been hiding in the back of my closet for a few days, but it is not unusual for him to find a spot and make it his own. I had no idea anything was wrong until he came and sat on the stairs by the kitchen and just stared me down. I could tell he was breathing funny.

I am hoping to pick him up tomorrow. I don't even want to think about what kind of bill he has run up...at tax time...when we're hurting for cash...