2017 chicks

I have Frizzles on order again through Houle's, like last year. They are supposed to be in on May 19.

But I saw via Twin Cities Chickens that True Cost Farm had some Egyptian Fayoumis and Black Minorcas available. They were two weeks old, and I got three.

What a difference between day-old and two-week-old chicks, though. These chicks are so flighty. It may be the breed. It may be lack of bonding when they were tiny. Anyways, they're breeds I've never had, so I'm excited to have them. Since they're exotic breeds, I decided to give them plain names.

So, here are Donna, Barb and Linda enjoying their first day in the sun and their first worms.

Some losses, one find

This year, I lost Smirnoff, one of the Gandalfs and the CC the Barred Rock. I know it's probably strange to take photos of hens who have died. But I want to remember their whole lives. So I do.

Maggie is a nice hen I found a few blocks down. My friend Maggie told me about her. She's done a good job joining the flock and is beautiful. Right now, she's helping my daughter plant a vegetable garden. By helping, I mean hanging out and watching the overturned dirt for worms.

Rest in peace, Gandalf 2.

Found: I call her Maggie.

Frizzles, no frizzles - 2016 chicks

Spring of 2016

I ordered three Frizzles from Houle's yet they never arrived. The hatchery bought new incubating equipment and was having trouble actually having it work. 

So after work, I played a little game with myself. I said If the light's green, Ill go through it and stop at Egg Plant to see if they have chicks. If they have chicks, if they have an Australorp, a California White and a Barred Rock, I'll get them. 

The light was green. 

They had those chicks. Plus, an extra Auracana. 

So, here's Yuki Noguchi, Sylvia Pogiolli the second, CC and Kidderfriend Carmel.

Kidderfriend Carmel is named after a coworker. There's a thing going around that your first pet's name and the street you crew up on would be your porn name. His would be Kidderfriend Carmel. Mine would be Starr Starr. 😕 I know.

Lots to catch up on

It's been a long time since I've posted and that's because I've started a new job as a Copywriter at Patterson Veterinary. Its a $5 billion company in Minnesota that nobody's ever heard of! It is mostly a B2B company and has been chirning along now for 140 years. Who knew? Anyways, I really like it there, and I love being in the animal health field.

I've had hens come and go. A donated some of my older hens to a working farm that was trying to get up and running. They needed some animals to keep their status as a working farm. I donated Huff and Puff, Squirt, Peach Freeze and the two Buff Orpingtons left from the coyote slaughter at my neighbor's flock. Huff and Puff turned out to be one of the noisiest hens ever. She also had rooster-like spurs on her legs, leading me to wonder if she really was a her.

The Buff Orpingtons, being such a docile breed, starred in a video at work, along with Nina Totenberg. Since they all look alike, the idea was to substitute in one for the other throughout the filming process, so none of them would get overly stressed.

The idea - not mine, but one of the director's idea of a jokey sales incentive video to recreate a scene in which Rocky chases a chicken as part of his training regimen - was that the CEO of our company tosses down a chicken for the President of our company to chase around.

What happened, though, was that the Buff Orpingtons were so happy in the arms of our CEO that when they'd get tossed down, they'd just sort of stand there wishing they could be back in his arms.

We got it to work, but ended up never running the video. CEO's decision.

It was a fun way to spend a work day, though. Who knew a year ago that I'd be bringing hens to work and handing them to our CEO.

And from a breed choice standpoint, if you're looking for a calm breed, a Buff Orpington is definitely the way to go.