The Chicks!

With this post, I am sending a special wink to Pee Wee who asked to hear about our chickens.  *wink*

The Chicks

Part of the fun on this one acre farm just happens to be chickens.  We have seven hens.  You can see from the photos we have a mixed flock.

In the above photo - Ruby is the soft buff red hen.  Lily is black.  Rachel is red and black.  Sunshine is black and white.  Aren't they gorgeous?!?!

They are such sweet girls!  'Kind of like dogs, but with feathers.  The ladies all have names and distinct personalities. 

Here is Sunshine.  She has always been very friendly.

Ruby, the Matriarch of the Flock.  No one messes with Ruby, not even the dogs!

Lily is one of the younger hens.  Her feathers shimmer green and purple when she is in the sun.

  Violet is an interesting smoky gray with red on her neck.  She almost looks blue.

 Scarlet is the same soft buff red color as Ruby, but she's not as heavy or as bossy.

 Daisy is a lovely bright red hen.  She is very shy.  Can you see her behind the old redbud tree?  Lily and Violet are so pretty posing for the camera!

If you're wondering about having chicks of your own, here are some benefits:

1.  Fresh Eggs - On average, a healthy hen will lay about five eggs per week.

2.  Japanese Beatles don't stand a chance against a chicken.  'Just sayin...

3.  Chickens are so dern CUTE!  They make great pets.  When we arrive home, our five dogs come racing to the fence with a wonderful welcome.  Well, right behind them are the "dogs with feathers" clucking another welcome!  It's nice to feel so loved! 

In this photo, Mr. Big Stuff is feeding Rachel, Violet, Daisy and Ruby.  It's funny how they follow him around.  This is a much better photo of Daisy.  Can you see her bright red feathers? 

If you're now sold on getting yourself some chicks, here are some warnings:

1.  They need protection from predators.  In our neighborhood, that means house cats and a pesky hawk.  (We have a pen that is completely enclosed in chicken wire.  That's where they spend the night in a nice warm house Handsome Husband built.  During the day, they are loose in the back yard with our dogs.)

2.  Chickens are not allowed in all municipalities.  Please check local city codes.  It would be terrible if your local dog catcher became the local chicken catcher!

3.  They can be messy.  For a while, ours wanted to sit on the table on our patio.  ACK!  Hens train easily though.  Consistently shoo them and give them plenty of room elsewhere.  Everyone is clucking happily now. 

Handsome Husband calls our dogs "The Other Children" and he calls our hens "The Other Dogs".  I don't think our Stone Cottage Adventures would be complete without them!  They fill our days with happy clucking and lots of joy.