Rooster Coghorn Ostrich Ranch

So I've seen this place dozens of times on my way to Tucson. This ostrich ranch right smack in the middle between Phoenix and Tucson at the base of Picacho Peak. I absolutely despise fowl of any kind--many traumatic childhood experiences that would require an entire blog post of their own (but would be a good laugh:)--but my kids were always asking to stop there sometime. Well...on Friday, I drove the kids down to Tucson to spend a couple of nights at their Grandma Donna's house. We left a little earlier than normal so that we could stop at the ostrich ranch to see what it was all about. I was most pleasantly surprised. We had a FANTASTIC time there! It was a very inexpensive and well worthwhile excursion. For $5, you get a big cup of feed for the deer, goats, ostrich, and donkeys and a little cup of nectar for the Lorikeets.

First, the kids feed the deer--I've always thought deer to be shy but not these ones!!! They were VERY friendly and loved eating out of the kids' hands.



Next were the goats. It was hilarious watching these goats trying to climb out of these holes that we just not quite big enough for them to fit through.



Next was the main event--the Ostrich!!! I'm STILL creeped out by these things!!! We learned that they are actually living dinosaurs. I knew there was something unnatural and very wrong about them:) The kids definitely kept their distance and just threw the pellets at the birds and I barely took a breath the entire time we were there. (Note the signs above Ethan and Carlie's heads:)




The donkeys were next on the list--and pretty boring compared to the others.


Finally, the Lorikeets. This actually turned out to be the favorite of the day. Well Max chickened out at the last minute and decided that he didn't want to hold his nectar cup so that left me to do it. (FYI, I was very traumatized growing up by my best friend's parrot--Fernando--that only spoke Spanish (the bad words) and was always trying to bite us or sit on our heads.) I most certainly did not want birds all over me but I braved it for my kids:) These birds were HILARIOUS!!! I pretty much held my breath the whole time again because it was all I could do to keep from screaming out loud! As soon as we opened our little cups those birds were all over us!!! And yes...Ethan and I got them on our heads--but amazingly no poop:)





Tatum had similar feelings as myself:) LOVE her face here!!!

So as I said earlier, we had a FANTASTIC time and I would highly recommend it to anyone--even those with severe bird phobias:)