Bantams Galore

My Brookfield neighbor, Mary Liebau (google her and you will be amazed at what this woman has accomplished in the equestrian world) gave me a crate full of chickens. I stopped in to say hello and visit her litter of Border Collie pups (Mary runs a BC rescue and competes with her own dogs). Mary had just been given a flock of Bantam hens and roosters by someone who just didn't want them anymore. It must have been an ordeal just catching them, so I guess they were serious about not wanting them. Mary asked if I would like some...could any real bundaflicka say no to more chickens? Not this one! So they came home with me.

I have a flock of Murray McMurray's "ornamental package" chickens, who have been faithfully laying eggs for me since last Christmas, when they were six months old. They started laying at the darkest time of year, when chickens are supposed to stop laying, and haven't stopped. I don't want them to think they have been replaced by this group of little chickens, who resemble mourning doves more than chickens. They are so big and buxom and lovely. I just adore them. The new girls, along with their very handsome, very feisty, rooster, are residing in the hen house while the resident chickens have the run of our 20,000 square foot barn. This does not make egg retrieval easy, as the girls have many nooks and crannys they like to hide their eggs. I am hoping the new group will use the nest boxes provided in the chicken room where they live. I can't imagine what the new eggs will look like, as the chickens are so very little, and so adorable. Right now they are checking out their new digs, scratching around and making curious little cooing noises. Chickens are so very cool...