Sunday Afternoons

Ruby, one of our chicks, is exploring the Hazelnut tree.

The family relaxing after church.

Harvey has been throwing dirt around.

Daphne holding Summer and Ruby.

Zelda (and Rez)

Mo

Zelda trying to hold Summer and Ruby.

And trying again.

That is the look of success!

Zelda is getting pretty good at holding chickens.

Daphne Turns 10

This week Daphne turns 10.

We didn't have 10 candles, or a 0 to go with our 1, but if you add 9+1 it = 10.

She wanted a volcano cake with carmel sauce lava.  

It was delicious.

We had family over for a little get together.

Grandma and Grandpa (Trip's parents) were in town visiting.

And my sisters that live close by came.

Neoma and her family (she has more kids than just the one you see here).

Tora and her husband.

And Carol (with me).

The kids were all playing outside.

Zelda finally got to hold Ruby.

That didn't stop her from chasing her around and 

holding her again. 

She is just so excited to be bigger than someone.  The hens steal her food when ever they can, and she cries when they get near her.  But I think I would too, if they were as big to me as they are to her.

It was getting a little chilly, but Daphne kept Ruby warm.

We all came inside and did the Hokey Pokey.

 Julius and his cousin Rhys love to fight.

I stopped this move even though they were both laughing.

Julius was jumping up and down on his back.

We all had a fun time.

Happy Birthday Daphne!

Chicks and Eggs

The other morning, Daphne came down to find that the chicks can perch.  I don't know if they spent the whole night there or not, but there was a pile of chicken dropping below them, outside the bin.

Summer and Ruby.

I guess it is time to put the wire cover on the brooder.

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You may remember that Fancy Pants has been molting and therefore not laying.

She looks back to normal now and the other day confirmed that she is done.

I found 5 eggs in the nest boxes.  Her's is the smallest since she hasn't laid for a while, but the next one was normal sized.  Welcome back Fancy's eggs.

Ruby & Summer 1 Week Old.

We brought Summer and Ruby outside for the first time on a sunny day last week.  

Here Daphne is helping them out of the box.

At first they just stood there, not knowing what to do.

Then they started pecking the grass and flapping around.

It is amazing how fast they start feathering out.

Summer is looking like a hawk.

Look how well Summer is camouflaged.

Ruby is looking pretty curious today.

So cute.

Daphne is trying to train them like the parakeets.

Spring = Chicks

It is that time of year, Spring!  Yea!  Time for new chicks!

Here, where we live, we can have a total of 8 hens.  We have 6 now, but only 4 of them are laying.  Of the two that aren't laying, Fancy Pants is obviously molting, 

so she has an excuse. 

(Here is what she normally looks like.)

But Lacey looks perfect.  She hasn't been laying since November.  I thought it might be that it was winter, even though we had supplemental light in the coop to counteract the short days, but she hadn't started laying yet, so I was ready to get rid of her and get 3 new chicks to add to our flock.

But she is so pretty, that we decided to keep her.  (Fancy Pants did have a 9 month laying hiatus last year, then started laying again in November.)

Our chickens are definitely more in the "pet" than "livestock" category.  Though I am not ready to put chicken diapers on them and let them run around the house.

We ended up getting two new chicks.  We got a Welsummer and named her Summer after our Welsummer chick that died last year.

And a Rhode Island Red, we named Ruby.

 You have to hold onto them, they are quick!

They are very cute and fun.  I have decided that 2 chicks make much less of a mess than 4 chicks.

We let them run around in the sunshine.