They Are Not Thrilled

 To get them to come out I have to give then sunflower treats.  Seems Ella Bella likes them too!

But first I have to shovel them a path and pack down the snow.

 I know...they are just a little spoiled.

'Wildflower' Prep

Our 'wildflower' area is coming along slowly.  Today there will be a delivery but I have my doubts about it.

It is not at all what I envisioned.  It is huge and heavy.  There is no way on God's green earth that we will get this baby into the backyard where is is supposed to go.  It is too heavy for us to move, even with lots of muscle.

The guy who built it suggested we got a lawn tractor and pull it into place.  Great idea but.....

...the ground is soaked due to rain so it is going to dig into the grass and leave deep ruts

...there is a 90 degree turn that has to be made in a really tight spot

...it has to move clear across the entire back yard around the clothesline

...we don't own a lawn tractor

I am betting it doesn't fit and we either hopefully can return it or we find someone to buy it and go with Plan B but I'm not sure what that is yet.

Chickens and Fun

We had a birthday in Wammyville on Friday.  And the chickens were invited!  They like cupcake crumbs!

The chickens have taken over our chicken watching bench.  They think it is their personal backyard roosts.  Nope girls we gotta share!  Mark was going to build them a roost but we thought we might try the old wooden ladder first.  We got Sunny up on it with some sunflower treats.  No other takers just yet.  They need to get use to something new in their favorite scratching spot.  I think once the burnning bush comes out they will be on there like white on rice.

Makes Me Laugh!

Usually Emmy is the one that gets all the mail around...and I mean A LOT of mail/packages but Friday was my day to receive a very special package fro a friend i WI.  My Joy Bresson.  I love me some Bresson's.  Miss those crazy people.  But when we talk on the phone it isn't like ten years have gone by.  We tell remember the old stories...funny and sad.  We keep saying one day...one day we will get together.

So back to my package...I got the coolest chicken calendar!  You need to see these chickens!

Thanks a million Joy, I LOVE THEM!!

Cluck-Thru Open This Morning

This is how trained/programmed these chickens are.  They now know what time we usually eat during the day.  Esthelle is usually the first one to start pecking on the window.  They don't even wait to be called anymore.  This morning Dory beat Esthelle to the punch.  I was pushing in the chairs so the yahoos could get through to the window...all of a sudden the yahoos are yelling something and I turn around to find Dory doing this!

They LOVE bananas!

Finally Madi...AKA...Rapunzel...started feeding them.

Inez,  you better hurry up and get her out of the way before she eats them all!

Sunny's Molt

Sunny got off easy with her molt this time.  I wonder if that means next time it will be hard or is it just how it will be for her.  I noticed her new bum feathers coming in.

The pic looks a little gross but when you really get past that it is amazing.  You can see the shaft that the feather grows out of.  I feel sure that she will be glad when she is covered again.  It has been a cold winter to have your bum all exposed!

They Found The Compost Bin

Well, maybe with a little help.

Yesterday evening I introduced the girls to the compost bins.  Figured they could earn their keep by scratching up some of the dirt and move things around.  Dory was the only taker at first.

Dixie Joins The Molt

Poor Dixie.  She hides in the nesting box.  I think these two are having an issue with their internal clocks.  Why would you have a molt in the middle of winter?

I think this is the best that EffieGrace is going to look until her next molt.  I am giving her extra everything to help those feathers pop out and come back to their full glory.  Nothing is working.  Mother Nature is at a standstill.

Doing A Little Better Today

The girls are really starting to cope with the snow.  They  are so funny.  They want to come out but they don't.  I figured out if I put down straw and then add a little treat to it, they will come out to scratch.  Just gotta be smarter than the chicken.

Or maybe they are working me for extra treats?

The Animals Are Coping Well With The Snow

I am still getting a few eggs.  On a good day I will have three.

EffieGrace is still hanging in there.  I fixed her a little spot in the corner under the plastic in some straw.  And I gave her a pretty big helping of sunflower seeds this morning.  But looks like Esthelle  found them.

Binker buries himself in the straw and seems quite content.

Buns could care less.  She never seems to get cold.  She eats me out of house and home.  She tends to eat her straw rather than snuggle in it.

And then we have another poor molting chicken.  Dixie is losing feathers so fast.  Why on earth would you be scheduled to molt in the middle of winter?