He'll Do Just About Anything

He will do anything to get out of doing fractions!

They come running when they see us!  I love that!

The Big Girls have ventured way over in the other side of the yard.

They found where the rabbit was today.

Michael found them a new toy.

But Inez just ran right by it.

Checking for eggs...none tonight.

My Little Girls house.

 

Keithetta Renetta doing what she does best...running around like a chicken with her head cut off.

Esthelle strutting her stuff.

Made a new roost for when they are out in the yard for a long time...like during the day.

Sunny

Gave it a shot.

Hey you guys, lookie what I found...another thing for us to play on.

 

Michael checked for eggs one more time and then put the chickens to bed.  Ella helped herd them tonight.  And now he is up in his room working on those darn fractions.

Peep And Stitch Visit

I got a call from my dad a little before noon today saying that he was on his way to see the chickens.  I was in the middle of cutting the grass and the poison ivy.

 

First things first...a little soak in the hot tub to relax all his muscles.

  (That's why he has no shirt on in the pictures below)

And then he got to meet the girls.

 

He and Susie are best buds!

Tricks with the blueberries.

He had then jumping all over the place.

Susie and Stitch don't like each other.  Stitch is scared to death of them.

A little peck on the nose was all it took to for Stitch to learn that you don't bother chickens.

And look who found an egg!

 

And then we took him to The SchoolHouse Restaurant for dinner.

They Say Don't Let Then Get Bored

I'm going out on a limb here by saying chickens are like a bunch of two year olds.  Leave them alone with nothing to do and they are bound to get bored and they maybe into some trouble.  I had made a chicken swing out of some rope and a stick but they were on it so much that it kept falling apart.  Mark has promised he would buy the girls a real chicken swing...still waiting on it to come...  I have given the all kinds of treats that they have to work at to eat.  Things like hanging cabbage, watermelon halves, and lettuce leaves in a suet feeder.  But today with the help of the yahoos (Pappy can never tell them no) we bought two chicken treat holders.

 

I had visions of then chasing these treat balls all over the yard.  Instead they just pecked at them for a little while and then they were on to bigger and better things.  I put the treat balls in their runs tonight when they went to roost.  I'll check on them in the morning to see it they finally figured them out.

 

In Case Anyone Is Keeping Count

That makes a grand total of 5 eggs and one half shell in 8 days!

Luke was the lucky chicken farmer tonight (After I had already checked a few more than a few times).  He is as excited about these eggs as I am.  And I think he has a secret goal to catch and hold every one of the girls.  I think he is looking for chicken #3.

 

Wondering how you figure out which one of the ladies is laying the eggs.  The only one that I will be able to pick out for sure is the Marans because they will be Hershey chocolate brown.  Guess I might have to sit one day and see who goes into the nesting boxes.  Not going to get much else done that day!

It Works!

On my second trip out to the coop I found this egg.  Just like this...in the nesting box, on the herbs, and beside the wooden egg (which freaks everyone out).  I almost did a back flip!  And Emmy didn't find it first.

 

Now on to more reading!

 

Egg Production Prep

Didn't get too much accomplished yesterday. Spent most of the day researching nesting boxes, egg laying, and egg storage.  And of course checking the nesting boxes for eggs.

Looks like I might be planting some new herbs.  Maybe another raised bed close to the coop.

Basil - antibacterial, mucus membrane health
Catnip - sedative, insecticide
Cilantro - antioxidant, fungicide, builds strong bones, high in Vitamin A for vision and Vitamin K for blood clotting
Dill - antioxidant, relaxant, respiratory health
Fennel -laying stimulant
Garlic - laying stimulant
Lavender - stress reliever, increases blood circulation, highly aromatic, insecticide
Lemon Balm - stress reliever, antibacterial, highly aromatic, rodent repellent
Marigold - laying stimulant
Marjoram - lay stimulant
Mint (all kinds) - insecticide and rodent repellent
Nasturtium - laying stimulant, antiseptic, antibiotic, insecticide, wormer
Oregano - combats coccidia, salmonella, infectious bronchitis, avian flu, blackhead and e-coli
Parsley - high in vitamins, aids in blood vessel development, laying stimulant
Peppermint - anti-parasitic, insecticide
Pineapple Sage - aids nervous system, highly aromatic
Rose Petals - highly aromatic, high in Vitamin C
Rosemary - pain relief, respiratory health, insecticide
Sage - antioxidant, anti-parasitic
Spearmint - antiseptic, insecticide, stimulates nerve, brain and blood functions
Tarragon - antioxidant
Thyme - respiratory health, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-parasitic
Read more: http://www.grit.com/animals/nesting-box-herbs-chicken-aromatherapy.aspx#ixzz3CAaAQUeq

wooden eggs...check, rose petals...chick, lemon balm...check

My marigolds were wet so I think I will wait to pick them on a dry sunny day.

And Emmy threw in a little pep talk.  I have a video but I thought it best not to post it here.  Maybe check on Instagram if you want to hear it.

Need To Read...

Since the Big Girls are beginning to lay I need to read to see who to teach them to lay in the nesting boxes.

 

But it looks like Susie already knows what to do.

Mark and I rushed to Michael's to get some wooden eggs.  You are supposed to put them in the nest and the chickens are then suppose to realize that this is the sweet spot in the coop.  So I got six eggs, two for each nesting box.

Well someone didn't want it that way.  Somehow one of the chickens moved one egg to another box.  I think I might just have the smartest chickens that ever laid eggs!

And look what happened next.  Esthelle decided she might try sitting on the wooden eggs.  We checked several time but no luck.

But lucky Emmy again...found another egg.  So grand total in tow days...3 eggs and 1/2 an egg shell.  I think I will probably be wearing a path to the coop.

Sunday Evening With All The Girls

Tonights treat not so good...just some of Pappy's birdseed.  But they like sunflowers.

Some of the girls weren't too thrilled with sunflower seeds.

Some didn't even care.

A few even flapped their wings in distress.

Others said hey, it's a free meal guys.

The little girls sometimes need to hide to keep all their feather.

Between the dog and the chickens it is hard to believe that we have any tomatoes at all.

 RayJeana

 

Dory

Another tomato thief.

Sunny never causes any trouble.

 

Dory, RayJeana, and Judy picking for bugs.  Looking forward to those pretty 'Easter eggs".

Mark and I built a little ladder for the girls.

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!!! (Say it like Goober from The Andy Griffith Show)

We have been having this a heated discussion about when the 'girls' should start laying.  I first said at the end of this month...have had my heart set on it.  Mark insisted that it would be the end of October, around my birthday.  Which would be nice.  Me, being the big reader/researcher got out my Chicken Notebook that contains important notes from everything I have read...

 

(6 month old laying schedule)

Big girls in October  (hatched 4/7/14)

The Three Stooges in November (hatched 4/30/14)

The Little Girls in December (hatched 5/8/14)

Emmy and I go out to show off the chickens.  We always just check the nesting boxes, well, just because.  Emmy looked up with her eyes as big as saucers and yells that there is an egg.  Well it once was a whole egg but sometime this morning someone laid an egg and someone cracked it open and ate it and half the shell.  I know that it sounds gross but that happens.  We are so excited and send pics to everyone in the family.  Then get busy doing other things.  Don't think too much about it.  It had to have been a fluke.  A few hours later I go out to dump the compost bowl and I see TWO more eggs (whole ones this time) under the coop in two dusting holes the chickens have made.  I literally run as fast as I can on these old legs and yell for Emmy.  Se comes tearing down the stairs and tries to beat me back to the coop.  I had her the camera to take pics.  Above is what she got.  For some reason she didn't want to step foot in the run (chicken poop I guess).  They are so far back that I can't reach them so I have her get the extension rake that I use to clean out the run with.  Perfect.  We finally get them out and we are just beaming like we did something special!

 They are just a little dirty.  But they are EGGS!  From my girls!  Do we have to call them ladies now?

 

Here they are in my eggs basket!

I'm not going to be able to sleep a wink tonight wondering who is laying what eggs.  The only one of the Big Girls I know for sure will be Ethel, the Marans, because she lays dark chocolate eggs.

 

Pondering two questions:

How many eggs will I find in the morning?

Who will be eating scrambled eggs for breakfast?

 (I know it won't be me because I am not an egg fan unless it is deviled or in egg salad.)