4.23.2010

Cat, meet chickens. Chickens, meet cat.

Oh no.  I am wondering what I have done.   Yesterday was the first day with the chickens.  It was a great morning.  Sam and I went out and fed them and talked to them.  I realized that they really poop alot in 12 hours!   I decided to get Biddy out and hold her and feed her from my hands.  I hear you should handle them a lot.  So I opened the door and waited.  Here she comes.  Grab her.   Oops, I missed.   There she goes.   Sam and I chased that chicken for a half an hour.  She was fast and curious.  I finally called Sharon (who laughed at me) in a panic.   As I was standing there feeling failed, the chicken came and sat down right under my legs.   I GOT HER!   Phew.    So Sam and I put her back in the coop and did the high  5.

Later, Sam let the cat into the yard.  Maggie was over checking out the chickens.  The neighborhood kids were screaming and wanting in to see them and the cat started pacing on the fence.  Carson's big chicken saw the cat and started squawking.   I don't mean she was clucking.  She was screaming.  It was the most horrifying sound I have ever heard.  We finally got the cat inside and the chicken stayed on her perch branch for the rest of the evening on the lookout.   She really is the Boss Hen. 

All night I kept asking Sharon, "What have I done? I am not a chicken farmer!"   And after tossing and turning all night long with worry about the chickens,  they are safe and snug and still sleeping this morning.  

It is a new day on my backyard farm.

4.22.2010

The Chickens are here.

We drove to Washougal, Washington last night to the Corbitt's house to get the chickens.  I cooked dinner and dessert in exchange for some chickens.  Good trade, I think.  I was shocked to see how many chickens, roosters, and turkeys they had.  There was a tom turkey that was REALLY talkative.  
We knew we didn't want brooder chicks that we had to keep under a light, so we went for the adolescents.   Carson picked out a 5 month old Black Gold Americauna who she initially was going to name Shimmer but soon decided that Boss Hen would be more appropriate.  Her chicken will rule the roost and lay before the other 2.   Sam picked out a Delaware hen (we hope it isn't a rooster).   She is white with brown feathers and she puffs her neck feathers out.  Her legs are greenish and she should lay green eggs.  Sam named her Spidey-Worm.    I chose a speckled Maran who will lay dark maroon eggs.   I named her Biddy.    We brought them home in the dark and put them in their tractor last night.  I had terrible premonitions of raccoons getting them their first night here.
Boss Hen

Spidey-Worm
Biddy Hen

4.20.2010

And I shall name her Biddy Hen.

My chicken tractor was delivered by my friend, farmer Sam, today.  My Sam and I went out and did our final preparations for the chickens.  I got them chicken mash to eat, pine shavings to sleep on, and a galvanized water fountain.   Our friends live on a "farm" in Washington and have offered to share their pullets!  They are 5 weeks old and ready to go outside.    I am getting a Cuckoo Maran!!!  We are also getting a Wyandotte and an Americauna.  Carson's only request is for hers to be black and shiny.   HMMMM??   I took Sharon to the urban feed store and showed her the adorable little chicks.  How could she resist?   I don't think she knows that ours will have feathers not fluff.
 This is the Chicken Tractor.  I will take suggestions for how to paint it. 



Sam is well versed in chickens as he has chickens at school.  He is hoping to feed his many spiders and worms because he knows they are a favorite treat.    I will post pictures of our very own chickens as soon as we bring them home.
A pair of Marans