Which Chicken Are You?

Stretchie - and I wish I could get a shot of her long neck when she telescopes it up - is an ugly duckling that grew into a swan. When we first adopted her, she had no feathers on her neck, and was picked on by the others. She would peck at me, peck at you, peck at anyone because she was just tired of being pecked on. She was Bitter Chicken.

I decided to mix up a tea tree oil blend. I figured it smells bad, and might stop the others from pecking at her. And it has healing properties, so it might get those feathers growing again.

It worked!

Now, look at her. Mother to be and the first to commit to laying on those eggs. She is patient with the chicks when they hatch, and readily shares her mom duties with Lulu.

However, she still has a dark side.

The value of older hens

Coco, Stretchie and Lulu are the oldest hens I have. Stretchie and Lulu took on the task of hatching the eggs we sprung on them. I've learned since that putting in a few decoy eggs is a good way to get the hens broody. Then switch the decoys out for real eggs.

I like having a mixed crowd. I know they aren't egg layers, but they're darn good mothers, and I think the first to co-parent as well.

Hatching eggs

Mary brought over some beautiful hatching eggs. She just picked up some Sussex chickens, and they are really a nice looking chicken. If these hatch, they would be a mix.

We marked them all with Xs, and put them in the nesting box. There was almost immediate interest, with CoCo the first one to sit on them.

Next, we saw the Brown One sitting on them.

Then Lulu.

Now Stretchie.

And, for some reason, we've gone from 12 hatching eggs to only 10 hatching eggs, even though Marcy biked all over the neighborhood trumpeting the news. Whoever took the eggs with the X didn't know us or the flock. Maybe the O'Possum family that moved in next door?

No Camp Cous Cous

Well, spring is here and Hedwig is laying her beautiful green/blue eggs again and Stretchie is laying her little whities. Legs laid her biannual egg. Life is good. Freeranging is good. Not having to deal with freezing water is good.

I forgot, my chickens are pets that happen to lay eggs, not egg layers who happen to live near my house. That's how it felt all winter, but now I am able to enjoy them again.