I found some new friends at Horsepower for Kids Sanctuary in late November. The toucan is a fairly new resident and was very friendly (he was surrendered by his owner).
You don’t often see white turkeys.
The ducks were being their usual cute selves in the big pond.
Roosters have a run of the sanctuary. Some are skittish and stay in the bushes and some will walk right up to you.
The big shells were enjoying their breakfast.
This guy was showing off.
Family pictures
All dressed up
“Wake up!”
Creeping around.
Pictures from the zoo in late September.
I hadn’t been to my nearby horse farm since May. It’s just too hot in the summer. The usual ducks were floating around in the pond.
I didn’t know if this one was an escapee or had just flown in for the handouts.
The usual chickens and hens were wandering around.
Mike the camel loves to give kisses. I wasn’t getting any closer.
Waiting to be carved.
Horsepower for Kids was having their annual fall festival fundraiser. I got there early in the morning before crowds. Just stopped in to see how all of the sanctuary animals were doing after Hurricane Irma. They had a lot of damage to exhibits but had mostly recovered.
I’m having fun hanging out with the farm animals. Having not grown up around them, I find them interesting. With that said, it’s fun to watch them for a while and then go home to my house near the city in Tampa. I’m not sure if I would love them if I had to do the chores that go with keeping them. Â These were all from my trip to Sweetfields Farm north of Tampa one Sunday morning in late May.
Linking to Wednesday Around The World
Some very young chickens were out running around feeding on the main path.
A peacock was showing off.
Strutting around.
Creepy but pretty lizard.
I got to pet the “not quite week old” baby goat. Me and the other kids. He was so cute and friendly. I took this with my phone and was sitting on the ground watching him play.
Fun distractions on the weekend at Horsepower for Kids.
It’s amazing how the chickens and roosters all have their  own personalities. I didn’t grow up around them. I grew up thinking chickens came from a grocery store!!! It’s funny to watch them walk around the farm like they own the place.
The eagle’s nest is close by so I stopped to see if there was any babies yet. I saw one adult sitting on the nest but after a few minutes, the adult on the nest flew over to another tree where the mate was sitting.
I didn’t think they would leave the nest empty like that if there were eggs or babies but on a more recent trip two babies were there so I’ll post those as soon as I edit them.
Pretty flowers at Horsepower For Kids Animal Sanctuary.
Eating breakfast, very sloooowly!
Funny faces.
Pretty faces.
Crazy rooster in mid-air.
Color coordinated shelducks.
The prettiest guy there. (He knows it too.)
Spent a Sunday afternoon at Horsepower for Kids hanging out with the fowl.
Funny faces at the Funny Farm (Horsepower for Kids) near my house.
I was watching some of the volunteer kids chasing after a crazy rooster that had gotten free and was driving all of the other animals crazy. Â That rooster was pretty slick and kept them running for a while. It’s always entertaining there.
Linking to Saturday’s Critters
What is it about having chickens and roosters running around that make me want to go live on a farm? Maybe it’s a case of wanting what you don’t have (or didn’t grow up with).
Faces only a mother could love. The first turkey looks like she has a crocheted scarf over her head.
None of the animals were really paying attention to me which is fine.
I spent a recent morning at my favorite neighborhood petting zoo/horse farm. Not much has changed since I was there last spring. No early spring babies there yet. Â HorsePower for Kids, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization who provides a farm and petting zoo for people who would benefit from interaction with animals and horses. They are a wildlife/rehabilitation farm and most of the animals were rescued.
Chickens and roosters were everywhere. Roaming the streets and making noise. We happened to be there during baby chick season. I counted 6 different baby chick families along the streets. They were in empty lots, parking lots, walking down Duval Street. I’ve read several different stories about why they are running amuck around Key West. I was expecting to see more cats. We only saw a few. The dogs in the above were hanging out in a hat store. A lot of stores had pets.I guess that’s part of the charm of this little town.
