The Wallflower

Inez is such a pretty chicken.  She should be out strutting her stuff but no she is always on the outskirts of everything.  A loaner.

And you can always count on her to be the last one in at night.

She's Doing Well

Her split beak doesn't seem to be bothering her at all.  Yesterday I caught her on the nest!

I think I am doing a pretty good job helping them get that little extra layer of fat to keep them warm in the winter.

Another Stinker

She's got that kind of mean look.  She, Keithetta Renetta, and maybe even Susie are the main ring leaders.

I love the small downy feathers on her backside.

She's The Strong Silent Type

'Look me in the eye and say that'.

 She's loud and proud!

 

And the white legs!  She's my chocolate colored egg layer.  I think I have one egg from her already.  Those chocolate ones seem to be taking longer to make.

Esthelle, The Quiet Type

Caught cha'.

I love it when they fluff all up and shake it all out.  Hard to photograph though.

She has become a 'petter'.  I read that if when you go to pet them, they lay down that means that they are laying hens.  Some one of the brown eggs belongs to her.

Strutting Her Stuff

Keithetta Renetta is developing a little stinker streak.  Maybe close to being the bully and I don't like that one bit.

She definitely has an attitude.

I'm going to say that she might be one of our 'plus size' birds.

But she sure is pretty.

I think she might be my Dad's favorite bird.

Have An Idea

I have worried myself sick over this silly chicken that can't figure out where to lay her eggs.  And they are good large eggs.  I just hate to have to put them in the compost pile.  So I have messaged with someone that has chickens.  I have gotten ideas from other 'chicken farmers'.  I have read all my chicken books.  I decided that before sunup this morning I would go out to the coop and shew everyone out of the roost so I could put a piece of cardboard over the roost entrance.

 

Picture This....I am in my Marshall Kelly green hoodie with my bright red garden shoes (and I did have on pants but they weren't anything special).  Flashlight, piece of cardboard, and bright pink, almost glow-in-the-dark pink duct tape (because it will fix anything) in hand.  I go and open the door at the bottom of the roost.  There to my surprise were only three chickens.  I checked and the other three were out in the run on a high roost.  Simple to move three chicken out while you have a flashlight in one hand and a 'chicken stick' in the other...NOT!  They won't budge.  Not one inch!  It is like they are made of concrete!  I go in up to my armpit!  They still don't move.  Plan B...give them something good to eat to entice them out.  I cut a spaghetti squash in half and toss it in.  No movement.

 

So I am thinking they will be out soon, the sun is going to come up soon.  I have to go back in the house to get Doodles up for school. I get busy and forget all about my big plan until after the bus comes.  Now back to the problem I head.  By now the sun has been up for a little while and all chickens are out and clucking happily still eating the squash.  I check, just, knowing I will find another crushed egg...but no egg in the bottom of the roost to be found.  I check the nesting boxes and find one of the biggest eggs I have ever seen!  Perfect as can be!

 

I mean ONE OF THE BIGGEST!

According to my fancy dancy egg scale...she comes in as an extra large egg!

 

I thanked whatever chicken it was...hoping and praying our little problem has been solved.  I'll keep you updated!

 

The Learning Curve For All Of Us

We have developed a little problem...one of the chickens lays eggs in their little roost room.  It must drop and land on the wire shelf under the roost.  This is the result...

A dented egg that has to be tossed in the compost bin.  So far day two of broken eggs.  I need someone to give me some guidance!  In other words, HELP!

Check out these beauties!  Pink, beige, green, and brown.  We would be getting five eggs a day now if we could figure out what to do with our slow learner.  Now to try to figure out who it is and what to do about it.  I think it might be Dixie because she was the first to lay but she did it in the box.  Now there are no brown eggs in the box in the morning.  Something is not right!

 

Okay.  I've been doing some research on our little problem.  So tomorrow morning before it even looks like it is going to get light, I will go out with a flash light and check to see if there is an egg on the floor of the roost.  If not half the battle has been won.  I will then get all the Little Girls out of the roost and close off the door.  So the only place to roost will be in the run and on the ladder up to the nesting boxes.  I'll keep an eye out.  I have it narrowed down to four chickens.  I'm still thinking Dixie might be the one who is a little mixed up.  Just a little training for a few days and we should be good.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Green Eggs!

What a shock!  I found a green egg in the little girls nesting box!  And RayJeana is the proud depositor!

 

And it gets better...today there were two green eggs!  Guess I need to hang out around the coop and listen for the laying clucks and see who comes out.  We still have one silly bird that hasn't figured out there is a comfy nesting box to lay in.  Need to figure out a way to help her understand that.

First To Lay A Green Egg

I was shocked the other day when I went out to find a green egg.  I heard a ruckus in the Little Girls coop like nothing I had ever heard before.  Then when everything calmed down....a green egg in the nesting box!