Here Chick-Chick

Chickens are very curious animals.  They want to be helpful, especially when you are trying to clean up their messy house.  And when there are 20+ of them, that's a lot of help! 

Mr Cocky

Mr Cocky wakes us up most mornings with his happy crowing.  Actually I think he is just glad to still be alive.  We were warned by Dy that he is very old, so if we find him dead some morning, just put him in a bag in the bin.  Please don't die on our watch, Mr Cocky!  The morning crowning becomes something of a blessing; one more day with Mr Cocky; one more day without a dead rooster in the dust bin!

There are four young hens, who are just learning to lay eggs.  When I arrive at the house in the mornings, I have to be careful where I step.  You see, hens who are learning just seem to drop the egg where ever they are.  "Oh my!  Did I do that?"  Also, their eggs do not have a hard shell, more of a thick membrane, like a balloon, except it might break when you pick it up. 

The chickens are fed pellets, oyster shells, to use as scratch, and kitchen scraps, but not meat products.  They love the kitchen scraps.  Since there is a large garden and greenhouse, all of us are eating well.  In the mornings, I turn over bits of ground with a shovel so they can have the worms and grubs that show up.  There is quite the competition to see who can grab them first.  I always make sure Mr Cocky gets at least one worm.

Molly the Chicken Herder!

When I went out to close them in for the evening, one of the hens was outside the fence.  I tried coaxing her back inside; she really wanted in there!  But no luck, until I added Molly "herding" her from one side, while I dropped bits of pellet to entice her, from the other side.  Success!  Now Molly can add chicken herding to her resume!