In the first two weeks of January we received two feet of snow. Light, fluffy lake effect snow, but the birds did not wish to venture out and freeze their feet. So they made up games like "let's build a swimming pool in the barn"!
And drinking from it, which is really kind of gross because it's so muddy and full of, well, you can just imagine.
During this inside time it has become increasingly obvious that the Labor Day chicks are roosters. Drat! This is going to be a big problem and I know I need to address it sooner rather than later. But maybe not today.
And don't you know their Mama is sitting on a new nest already? I have no idea how many eggs she has under her. She's fierce, and I have enough trouble with Egglebert stalking me right now, I don't have to go looking for a chicken to peck me!
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After all of this cabin fever, we had a lovely warmer day and the snow melted enough that I could lure the hens outside!
All their colors glow in the soft winter sunshine. One golden girl jumped up on the ramp just as I snapped the photo -- camera shy, I guess.
Eartha Chick just glows in the sun. Look at the green irridescence on her back. Incidentally, and this is no offense meant to the other hens, Eartha has the softest feathers. She's not keen on being stroked, but sometimes I just can't help myself.
Evil Egglebert came along to keep track of his hens. OK, he's a gorgeous rooster, but looks aren't everything. He's jealous. See the red hen looking right at the camera there? He chased her back calling "don't go over to Johanna's side, Red Hen!"
No surprise that Ari enjoyed the puddles in the chicken run. That duck just lives to be WET! And not only that, she encourages the others to join her!
And sometimes they do. It's the Busy Solitude Polar Bears Club!
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After all of this cabin fever, we had a lovely warmer day and the snow melted enough that I could lure the hens outside!
Here they come! First one hen, then Ari, constantly talking. Look at that blue sky -- who wouldn't want to come outside on a day like today!
10 comments:
LOVE the pics of your chickens and the stories! My girls don't get out much in the snow either. Your rooster is a beauty! Too bad he is so fierce. Our's can be a bit troublesome at times too.
funny we all live around the world and are all suffering from thecold and snow together
What a cute post!
I love the pictures of Ari by the creak.
Wow! That hen got in that icy water. Very convincing duck! Lovely chickens! Great photos!
Bummer about the Labor Day chicks all being roosters. Great photos! Thanks for sharing.
except for the piles of snow, all of the snow melted here over the weekend - just up the coast from Busy Solitude Farm. we can see the grass again and the squirrels were all out running all over the place. unfortunately a couple forget Ranger Rick's Rules on how to cross the road and will not see Spring. :(
Love the photo's and hearing about your feathered friends.
Evil Englebert is a georgous rooster.
We ended up with 4 roos. We put them in separate dog kennels and they behave a lot better now that they are away from the hens.
the photo of "the red hen looking right at the camera" is like something out of a Monty Python skit: she seems to be saying "and now for something completely different" upon which a giant mallet drops from the sky and squashes the rooster.
Just a little clarification -- the duck is not in a creek, that's their outdoor pen. My property "retains water" quite a bit, so right now with the deeper ground frozen the water is just sitting on the surface. Wait until I post the little video I took today of the duck in the mud!!!
Beautiful hens!
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