"One attraction to coming to the woods to live was that I should have the leisure and opportunity to see spring come in." Henry Thoreau - Walden

Let the Sun Shine!

We are all quite excited to have the sun shining.  It seems like spring is finally here to stay.  Even Mr. Bumps, the turtle, has partially emerged from hibernation and my son advised us that we should trust the turtle more than any weather man - (smart kid) - so we are trusting spring has truly arrived.

Freshen the Coop

Some of our herbs were in flower or just in need of a good trim.  Rather than sending the extra herbs to the compost pile, I like to put them into the chicken coop.

Not only does this provide a pleasant smell as they dry and a midnight snack for bored chickens, it also has microbial properties to keep the coop clean and free of mites.

Once the herbs are dry and mixed in to the shavings and droppings, the coop is cleaned out and then all refuse is composted. The herbs serve triple duty before becoming soil again.

Paying homage to our Rooster

Our rooster, in his knightly splendor, was a valiant hero.  He risked his life, and sadly lost it, to save his flock against the attack of a raccoon.

 In the meantime, his legacy will live on through his offspring.  We only have two chicks that hatched and we are doing everything to ensure their safety.

We believe one of the two is a rooster, so he may have a successor after all.

Rumors in the Hen House

The snow is melting, but I keep hearing rumors of more to come.  Time will tell.  I'm over this long winter and ready to see signs of spring.  I've spotted a few robins, but I want to see green shoots pushing through the muddy earth and the smells of spring.  The girls in the hen house are sick of being cooped up (literally). We open their door daily, but they have no desire to leave the roost when the ground is snowy and I don't blame them at all.

And despite the freezing temps this winter, our 5 little hens have been good to us.  We collect 2-3 eggs daily which is pretty good for winter gathering.  We don't use lights on them, but let nature do it's thing. I bet they dream of scratching through the dirt and leaves for grubs.

Doing what they do best

The meaning of life here on earth might be defined as consisting in this: To unfold your self, to work what thing you have the faculty for.  It is a necessity for the human being, the first law of our existence. - The Wisdom of Thomas Carlyle

Awkward Teens

Remember these peeps?  They are now awkward teens.  I love seeing how their feathers change.  I can't wait to see what they will each look like as adults.

Mama Hen update

On Easter morning, the first of the eggs hatched.  This was our first little Easter peep!   

She hatched a total of six, and mama and chicks are doing just fine.

I will try to get pictures of all of them, but she is quite protective.  I hate ruffling her feathers.

Yard Ornaments

Some of our chickens are so pretty. I really love the black and white lace one.  Both of our roosters are super fancy as well. One is quite classy the other a bit rock-n-roll. They make great yard ornaments.  My only complaint is that they are always digging holes in the front flower bed.  Apparently the perfect place for dust bathing.

Mama Hen

This Henny is what they call a "brooder". She sits in the hen house day and night. She gets very upset when you take her eggs.  She wants to be a mama hen.  So, we decided we would let her do what she was created to do and hatch a clutch of eggs.

It's funny, because not all the hens have attachments to their eggs.  In fact, she seems to be the only one that cares.  We took a few eggs from some of the other hens and added them to hers because it's nice to have a little variety.  She currently has the entire small coop to herself.

We are counting down the days (about 21 in all) before they start hatching.  Then we will move mama hen and chicks to the shed where we have the brooding box with a heat lamp.  The chicks we currently have in there are quickly out growing the space and will welcome the smaller coop and run for their new domain.

Our little Bantam hens lay the cutest eggs.  They are so white and very tiny!

 I think the chickens are just as anxious for spring as we are.  They are ready to peck at some tender greens and scratch for bugs galore.  I'm still trying to figure out the whole garden situation.  I'm pretty sure they will eat our seedlings all up.  I really wanted to avoid fencing around the garden, but it might just have to be.  

Peepers

Our new peeps.  They are cute and chirpy.  I can't wait to see what they look like when they are adult chickens.

Growing Chicks

 A recent visit to my sisters house brought about a great surprise.  Fertile eggs were in the incubator and were just starting to hatch!  Before we knew it, loud peep - peeps were heard.

 I find it quite strange that they have to give birth to themselves.  After hours of pecking and squirming, they finally free themselves in exhaustion.  They are left in the incubator until their feathers are all fluffy and dry.

They are then placed into this temporary home where they will stay until the weather is warmer and they are big enough to be introduced to the rest of the flock.

They are so cute! It took all of my willpower not to sneak a few into my pockets to bring home.  A few of these will join us eventually, once they are old enough.

Winter Chickens

Many Colored Days

I used to read that book so often I had it memorized, Many Colored Days, by Dr. Seuss.  Our days are filled with color.  Sometimes  in hues so beautiful it nearly tickles my soul to know such color exists.

Chicken Love

These two are the fanciest - they like to show off their lacy feathers

Mr. Puffy Cheeks with his ladies

Our frizzle/silky mix - quite the rock star and our mini rooster. 

Chickens

The chicken's egg production has started to decline. The cooler weather indicates to these gals that egg laying is optional. We were getting about 4-5 eggs a day. Production is down a bit. That's ok though, we love them anyway. 

I'm loving the cool mornings and evenings with a bit of warm during the day. The intermingling of the seasons are my favorite. The best of both worlds.