Marjorie

Saturday we played running of the grape. Above is Eeny, she ran up the hill hoping for grapes and without competition, a lions share of them! Quietly I allowed her to feast alone before we were mobbed by the rest, and the game began. So glad Miny spent her final days with grapes on her breath.

Rest In Peace Miny

One should never assume anything! After running to the coop this morning to see if it was indeed Eeny that had been taken I gasped! It was hard to tell, it was early and the girls were still perched on their roosts, but on the highest roost I spotted who I thought was Eeny! I thought I must be wrong! she was the under chicken! Fearing that I would be late for work I left with uncertainty. Upon my return I let them out for a supervised run which they appreciated. Among the living was indeed Eeny. I reexamined the feathers that had been savagely  plucked from my girl, they were darker, Miny is no longer with us:(

A Sad Loss

Sadly the head count came up one short this evening. There is a risk when you allow freedom, but freedom is worth it still. However if you began to clutch your heart in grief, I will tell you there is no fanfare in the chicken world! When I did do the final head count, they were more interested in their position on the high roost than for their poor fallen sister! I guess today's lesson from Cackle Berry Coop is; Don't take yourself to seriously! Respect life and live it richly. We have an allotted amount of time here and we really don't know when it ends. It would be wise to live each moment as if it were our last because some day it will be! Life will go on and the impact you had on it will live on as well, unless you are a chicken, they waste no time on grief, they just reposition.

Heater In The Coop

Put a heater in the chicken coop to keep the girls happy and their water from freezing. When I went to close up the hatch they were all huddled around happily cackling. Kinda looked like a party down there! I felt like I should have brought down some beer and a deck of cards for a spirit game of poker! Not having thumbs would have been a problem but it had a party feel.

The Clever Shall Enjoy Grapes

While others show off their glossy feathers and bravado the strugglers just get more clever! Part two: Eenie of Eenie Meeny Miny and sadly no Moe, and the grape.

I emerged like the holy one from my back door, my flock spotted me. Combed heads suddenly craned in high alert from behind boulders and bushes, I had grapes! Heads down and wings held in a stealth like position to make themselves more aerodynamic, they ran to my feet. Carefully scanning the flock, I noticed Eenie on the perimeter looking right at me with Penny, (apparently second from the bottom of the pecking order) nervously pacing at her side, could she be recruiting? As the others pushed and shoved Eenie and Penny went long to play outfield! Sylvia in an attempt to get as close to those grapes as possible flew to my hands trying desperately to remain airborne, but sadly dropped like a rock. As I tossed whole grapes to the pushers and shovers who who took turns playing “Grab Grape Run” I ripped off beak size pieces for Eenie and Penny who calmly stood in outfield and enjoyed their feast. Oh how I love the clever among us.

How To Outbluff The Bullies

Now being to able to breath out of both nostrils, see out of both eyes and hear out of both ears I thought I would toss a few grapes out to the girls, a favorite! Let me tell ya no doubt who the under chicken is! It's poor henpecked Eenie of Eenie Meeny Miny and sadly no Moe because of the unfortunate coyote incident last year. I was forced to do a little chicken bluffin! As I toss the grapes she was pushed out of the way so many times she started to give up the moment anyone started getting close. Trying to be one percent smarter than those chickens I taunted them all with a grape, waving it around wildly like it was the best grape ever grown, they went mad for the grape, then I pitched it, far. As Eenie stood behind in defeat I slipped her a grape! I hope we all get a chance to bluff the bullies, it feels so good!

Unconditional Love

So the doc says I have about 36 hours left to go before the antibiotics drag me like a dead fish out of the dregs of this crud, this is after weeks of it before I surrendered to medical care. I don't look good. I have sought out the comfy lounge wear that one should really toss. Back and forth conversations to the doc's office to determine if I now have pink eye or it's another avenue for the crud to escape, the latter proved to be the case. I still look pasty, and my hair, well we won't even go there. Noticing the sun was out and it's been a while since I had checked the chickens I make a bold decision to go out side! I am thinking it might still be gushy outside so I put on my work boots, which you can imagine look great with the ratty lounge wear! Not wanting to get chilled I threw on a big down jacket that is not following the color scheme and slipped out my back door. The neighbors driving by slowed enough to wave and let me know I had been seen, I think I saw them mouth HOLY SH*@%#T did you see that? I plodded my way down the hill where god bless their souls I was still greeted like a rock star! I feel beautiful!Either my chickens are blind or they really do possess unconditional love!

Parliment

Sweet Jesus! Just went down to secure the chickens and do the nightly head count. Sounds like Parliament in there!There must be a new roosting order, I walked in on some spirited negotiations!

An Uptick!

Sees an uptick in egg production and roosting time is later this week! I wouldn't get out your spring clothes just yet but I see a light!

Alone Time

Thinks playing hide and seek with a chicken is a cruel game!!! The head count came up 10 this evening and it sent me jogging all over the property with a flashlight shouting chick, chick, chick! I have been trying to will away a cold that has settled in my chest so it wasn't pretty! After 6 head counts I feared a memorial service was next. Before concluding that one of my Rhode Island Reds (maybe Marjorie!) had been snatched by a predator I made the bold move to walk under them with a flashlight ! Always a risky decision because they are loaded, let me tell ya! Anyway, there she was crammed in the corner shooting for a little alone time, hope that's workin for her! (((Cough-cough-cough)))

The Land Of Milk And Honey

I decided to bring the dogs in while I went next door to my brother's today. I opened the back door and shouted, alright guys, let's come on in! Begrudgingly they started heading for the door but behind them Marjorie and her gang went airborne behind them working on a pass before I had to intervene! They have begun to hang out near the house where they have come to believe it is the land of milk and honey! They have witnessed treats emerging from said door and I fear they have plans!

No power In One If You Are A Chicken

Apparently there is a disagreement on the new roosting time! 6 chickens roosted around 4:30 with Marjorie running a renegade group of 5 hens up the hill. Well, I had things to do so I played the Jesus card much to her disapproval. I said lets go roost girls! 4 followed me to the coop. I figure I only have to be 1% smarter than those chickens to maintain superiority! No power in one if you're a chicken! Squawking all the way up the ramp she paused in the hatch, turned and just gave me hell! I listened to her say her piece for a while ( tick-tick-tick) then said “good night Marjorie” and closed the hatch.

Liberation

After giving up all hope of free ranging they hit the roost a little after 4:00pm. In an unheard act of liberation Marjorie, Penny and Lucy flew out the hatch flapping madly as they heard me enter their secured area. Well you can imagine the surprise! If you are a chicken and roosting has begun, it's a done deal in every know case I have witnessed since becoming a chicken mama! I had to open the door so they could have one last shot at the land of milk and honey! They scratched and pecked like they were on speed! I opened the door to the coop so the nine remaining roosting hens could see how liberating it is to go off your flippin schedule now and again! The chicken logic here is, if you are given a chance fly with it

Cooped UP!

Went to deliver some warm rice to the girls and discovered Charlotte breast deep in the snow making a run for it! Apparently they have been cooped up too long and there are now issues! Poor Peanut has had most of her feathers pecked off her neck and a few off her tail in a fight :( I carried her up to the deck and gave her a special bowl of rice and checked for blood. Looks like she is okay but I'll have to keep a close eye on her!

I Can't Turn Water Into Wine

Anyone know of a good chicken shrink? What usually is a quick jog down the hill to open the hatch and a jolly “hello girls!” greeting, turned into an hour long bitch session and a refusal to leave the coop! It was pretty harsh! If you claim the glory of Chicken Jesus, at some point your crown will slip! Mine fell off!!!Apparently they think I brought the snow, truth is I cannot turn water into wine (A skill I would give anything to have!) and I can't stop the snow!

White Food And Snow

My chickens have a strange attraction for white food. White rice, Plain white yogurt and sadly the Styrofoam (or the chicken crack incident!) When they woke to a light dusting of snow this morning they looked at me like I had given them the world!

The Sermon

Thinks that Miney (out of Eenie, Meenie, Miney, and sadly no Moe :( ) gave a sermon today! Not sure what it was all about, but it was delivered with so much passion that I felt compelled to stay and hear her out for a while. At one point I shouted “TELL IT SISTER!!!” so she did! Apparently she thinks she is an evangelist! I left her madly cackling in the coop. It was over the top.

Cleaning The Coop

Good lord! Just came in from the Saturday coop clean out which has become a big social event for the girls! They will go at a dead run for an acre to attend! It's really hard to remove the old straw with chickens perched on the rake let me tell ya! Spreading fresh straw is a Scratch-O- Rama! I now know where the term “Hay Day” came from! The closest thing to a barn dance I'm going to get!

Julie

Jesus On A Salad Shooter

Was greeted like the Jesus with a fresh bag of chicken food this afternoon! The girls live a pretty sheltered life, as far as they know (((I AM))) the big kahuna! I should probably be wearing a crown around or something. I spent about and hour and a half on the salad shooter, the lawn wasn't even that fluffy, just gave in to a beautiful afternoon and my 11 groupies.

The Girls Don't Sleep In!

Had a rough start to an otherwise beautiful Saturday morning. In an attempt to sleep in (something that I rarely do) I forgot, the girls do not! They expect their security hatch to be open in a timely fashion! Opening one eye the digital numbers pointed out that I was 45 minutes past the scheduled hatch opening!!!!!Realizing that my messiah status was in jeopardy I slipped on the only shoes by the door without tread, I was heading down the hill at a clip when I realized everything was frosted over and I was now wearing skis! In an elaborate attempt to seek footing I did a shuffled scramble down said hill, I believe I was on one foot at some point! Reaching the coop, now fully awake, I opened the hatch door and they all fell out like a fat lady out of a girdle! I will give them bread later to win back my messiah status.

No Pounding During Laying Hours!

I'm going artsy fartsy with the chicken coop. We used shakes left over from our home construction for the siding but ran out near the top. I decided to make some rusty tin shakes to finish it. I can't pound them in until Dorothy gets off of her darn nest! Jack started nailing them in this morning and we quickly realized that it was a poor idea during laying hours! We must have delayed things. Tick...tick...tick..... Still waiting!

Julie

The Salad Shooter

I've been putting off mowing the lawn but decided tonight it had to be done. Although I have always considered this to be a job, the chickens seemed to be saying “The big chicken mom is on the salad shooter again! It's going to be a salad shootin bug-o-rama night tonight!” You should have seen it, chickens doing pirouettes in the evening sky retrieving lawn moths, running, wings out from one glorious spot to another! The truth is, what means one thing to you may mean something entirely different to another.

Really, I have been surprise by my chickens! To observe simple instinct and personality is more amusing than I had expected, it has slowed me to a pause. We as humans move quickly through life, we have no patients for inconvenience. I work with children who have disabilities, they may be considered inconvenient to some, but I love them, every one regardless of their abilities or lack there of. I have in some ways been their student. I have been taught to wait. This is a gift they have given to me. If not for this long training period I may never have been able to simply walk down the hill into the chicken zone to enjoy the simple pleasure of laughing openly sitting on my butt in the grass mobbed by chickens.

Julie

Pixie Land Gone Wrong

I accidentally created a pixie land for my chickens yesterday. A pixie land is what my husband and I refer to as somebodies idea, usually thyme oriented that has gone horribly wrong. You see them along the road sometimes and nearly squeal to a halt shouting(((Sweet mother of God, what was that?)))

It went like this: The inclosed garden is now a larger secure area for the chickens, I am going back to work soon, since the loss of one I want them to be safe. Humm I say to myself, they will need a place to huddle and keep warm during the winter. I have two huge dog kennels in the barn, YES! I'll put straw in them, there....ugly! Even though this area is hidden from view it was nonetheless troubling. To make a very long story shorter, I tried to hide them, it was like tying a bow on a turd. Today I kind of undid the damage by tucking them behind some old garden gates, the jury is still out though.

I am going to let you imagine it. We had the largest chunks of wood left from the tree we had to fall. I lifted them like a man and did a log arrangement around the kennels, (I know) I thought it looked pretty bad but it almost killed me getting them down there so I thought I would make an arbor of sorts out of some small alders on the property that I needed to get rid of anyway. I removed them, stripped the leafs, braided and twisted them into a sorry looking arbor, (I know) and crapola was created. Today I undid it, less of an eye sore, but let me tell you, everything on me is sore! The chickens are safe and happy witch = orange yokes and hard shells and hilarious pets.

Tragic Loss

I lost one of my girls to a coyote the other day. I thought the rest of the girls would have experienced a little grief for their fallen sister, I thought that one no lay day would have been appropriate, but I would be wrong on that one! Six eggs were gifted to me the next morning! I guess there is more room on the perch, and if you're a chicken it's all about the high roost! We have now been trying to wrangling them in before their chosen roosting hour, witch has become a kind of sport. Apparently it was not Crazy Clara that was taken, she has me chasing her all over the property with brief periods set aside for negotiations. Don't get me wrong I could use the exercise, but it is eating into my wine sipping time and you can imagine how I feel about that!

Julie

First Eggs!

I experienced the first victory in the coop after some very suspicious cackling with Virginia refusing to get off the stack of straw I had carefully placed in the corner of the coop. We had built lovely nesting boxes that I had been checking regularly but her choice had been made! This is apparently how it works; after you lay the egg, you get bragging rights! I had always thought the mad cackling was during the laying process, no! Apparently you get big time bragging rights after the deed has been done. Let me tell you it's an announcement of epic proportions! All hens now want to be the girl in the hatch announcing the delivery of glorious eggs! I hauled up five eggs on my first run!

They looked a little distraught when I robbed them like a common thief! Have you ever tried to talk down a chicken from hysteria? Well I have, and frankly you feel a little foolish! After tapping my friends brains on facebook a solution arrived! Fake eggs to replace the stolen ones! Somebody suggested golf balls with much success! Rotating and mothering those golf balls helped with the loss and I could snatch them all up guilt free!

Julie

Chicken Logic

I have property and like eggs so I decided to get chickens. When got them I didn't have a clue I would end up with a collection of comedians, I just wanted fresh eggs, Knowing nothing about chickens observing their logic became a fascination. Really it's quite profound because it's primal, they are built for survival! Apparently humor is necessary as part of the survival package! Facts are they are the only pet that has made breakfast for me! Too many eggs? no problem! Sell them, throw the money in a jar and decide what they are going to buy me!

My husband and I had talked about getting a few chicks, it makes sense, we eat a lot of eggs and feel uncomfortable about the inhumane treatment of the little egg makers. I can buy free rang eggs, but why not just let them range right here? And so it began........

As chicks I began to notice that there was a perfect order. I had heard of it before, the pecking order! It's brutal at best and I had to use some restraint not to intervene! But here's the thing, when it got cold, they set it all aside, bunched together and did a very clever rotation so that they all got an equal amount of heat. They had a job to do, so that's where they put their focus, they got it done. Congress needs to take lessons.

My fascination grew and I started posting my daily findings on facebook, my friends have been trying to get me to start a blog for a while now. I plan to go back through what I have learned thus far from chicken logic, primal knowledge is amusing and sometimes profound. If you have chickens you will know what I'm talking about perhaps through your own observations. What will follow will be past observations of my own from this past year.

Julie