Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Chickens




We built the outside yard for the ducks and chickens but some of them prefer to stay inside. I put these lovely greens in the pen to entice more of them outside, and it worked for some but not others. Since I'm the Italian mama of the chicken world I brought greens inside for the shy ones. It's so much easier taking care of everybody with a free flowing hose I can drag around. In another couple of months it will be frozen again. Chickens adore their water. I'll have a lot of eggs this fall. The purebred chicks purchased this spring are doing nicely. They are Comets, Buff Orphingtons, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Araucana (only one), Rhode Island Reds and Barred Rock. I'm giving a couple to Sister Grace in return for the delicious relish they've been giving me. The wild barn chickens continue to turn out clutches of baby chicks. One tiny mom is parading around with eleven puff balls following her. I don't know how she is keeping the cats away from them but she is. Chickens are excellent mothers.

No comments: