Weed Eating Chickens

With recent rain and new mulch, the chickens have become the yard weed-eaters and earth tillers.



The red golden pheasants have laid their eggs for the season. I also have an incubation going that is into the last week's stretch. This year presented its challenges. The mixed bag of early Spring weather caused the hens to get out of synch. Eggs began to appear however they weren't sat on until after the cold snap was gone. Have one peep from a live hatch, and looks like five developing in the the bator.

Pearly the Buff Orpington, mysteriously came up lame, not being able to walk. I put her in isolation for three days. Her appetite was unaffected, her general appearance had not diminished, no bumble foot or other signs of any open cut or wound. She even laid two eggs, during her three days of r & r. By day three she was itching to get back with the flock. Still do not know what happened to her. She thankfully still remains my faithful morning greeter.

The Country Chicken Wellness Clinic



This old kiddie play house worked out perfect to keep the cats and others away while Pearly convalesced. Had to make sure all the shutters were closed including the ones on the back.





The garden is coming along. The Stonehead cabbage is very hardy. The Yukon Gold potatoes are doing well. The tomato and pepper plants from the neighbor are coming back strong. (Shortly after planting, the starlings came along and snipped the young plants close to the ground).




Looking forward to seeing how well the acorn and straight neck yellow squash will do this season. The starlings even went after the young cucumber plants which had to get re-seeded. The squash was planted in a different spot in the garden.

Early Autumn

Here it is early Autumn.  Where did the Summer go?  The mixed flock of Barred and Buffs are doing well.  Today all 17 hens were moved into the block hen house.  It offers larger accommodations with more protection from the elements.  After they are allowed to identify their new digs as home, they will be allowed to free range.  At least one of the Buffs has started to lay.  The egg being much smaller than what the Barreds are now laying.  It is amazing to see how these hens have grown.  They have such gentle personalities making them even more enjoyable.  I never seem to tire watching them scratch around and how they interact with each other and me.

 Here is one of the Barreds figuring out where she wants to lay her egg.  So many choices . . . what is a girl to do?

The Barreds at six months are laying consistently.  We have been getting anywhere from 5-8 eggs a day.  Some of the people I work with have been buying eggs.  So there are always fresh eggs with good turn over.  Last weekend was the first batch of deviled eggs I made with them.  Yummy!

Another Scourger of a Day

The temperature feels more like late Summer. Here's a picture of a future egg layer. She is almost 5 weeks.

# 6 and # 9  and #C Red Golden Pheasant eggs appear to be pipping when the peep works a hole into the shell for it's inevitable emergence. The next step will be zipping which can take upward of 24 hrs after pipping. At a quick glance you wouldn't notice the small tiny crack, but if you look carefully you can see a raised bump or tiny crack.

#6 egg obviously was the first egg to pip. 

I'll be documenting this hatch as I can. #6 and #9 are more oval eggs.  # C is a rounder egg.  Hopefully more of the eggs will begin pipping.  I'd like to get worthy hatch.