Scored some laying hens and a New "NICE" Rooster on craigslist yesterday! We have had quite a few different hens through the years. We started with a pair of Old English Mille Fleur for my son to show
at 4-H.
That was fun so we quickly added a few Standard Cochins, Rhode Island Reds, and Barred Rocks...Our first batch of clucking hens in the garden! I loved hearing them....All great hens, and lil Roosty the Old English kept them all in check and was sooo sweet!....but as things go, we lost Roosty after a good 4 years and replacing him hasn't been so easy! We tried another Old English soon after, but he was..well....just Vicious, naaa just plain ferocious really!!!!!! Wow the damage that lil Cock could do to a leg in just a few minutes! He didn't last long around the homestead as he took the husband on straight away, bad choice on his part :(
Most of my beloved birds were not caught on film, but a few were inspirational to me in my art...here are a some of those pieces.
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| Chicken Little |
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| a friends "roosty" |
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| the original Roosty! |
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| The inspiration was the different shades of eggs, brown, white and green! |
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| My first pencil drawing! |
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| The evil Rooster! |
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| a study of white eggs.... |
.....Soon our first set of Mail Order chicks were purchased :) Amercaunas....25 five beauties! the post office called at 6am one morning..they were ready for pick up....how funny is that...going to the post office before dawn to pick up 25 chirping chicks! They were adorable! Raised um up and sold half off, not sure much of a profit was made...WOW they eat alot!
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| The Americuanas! Easter Eggs Chickens! |
At that point we had a variety of birds, some born here, some bantams, some very tame, and some strictly for eggs, but all loved and enjoyed. Then the heart breaking day......I let them out to free range one Sunday and while we were at church our neighbors Dogs got in the fence and took out the majority.....it was devastating.....the next thing you knew...the chickens coops became our dog kennels instead and it stayed that way for a few years....until just this past spring, when we got the itch again for fresh eggs.
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| Stitch and her babies! Our only hatchlings! |
This spring we got our hands on our very first Sex Link Hens...and Can they ever lay some jumbo eggs! We purchased 2 hens and a rooster...but he was a large aggressive rooster, he did his job well, but neither me or the kiddos could walk by without him flying at us spurs in spearing mode...the only thing that saved us was the chain link coop/kennel....but retrieving eggs and feeding was quite a chore and no one but the husband cared to do it!
So yesterday when I read the free listing for
"Bill" and his girls...I was intrigued!
Bill, you could tell by the posting must be a sweet Rooster, the favorite bird in the bunch really....Finally another Nice Rooster and a few already laying hens...what could be better than that! And we needed a few more layers, since our Sunday after Church breakfasts are growing around here!....And did I mention they were FREE and can you believe SEX LINKS! YEAH!!! just what we wanted! (JUMBO EGGS) OH and the great parents sent FREE food with them too! It was a great day in the Clark hen house! Well except for that aggressive rooster, he is now safely at freezer camp. Our very first home grown meal...well other than veggies and fruits!
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| BILL! |
Bill is taking to all the other ladies just fine....and just as he was described is is very sweet! I look forward to having a long future with
Bill in charge out there! And the new girls...well they each laid an egg today! So the move didn't even stress them out! and they are fitting in beautifully! Thanks to the great couple who let us adopt their
Bill and his girls...they are a great addition to our garden!
Psalm 91:4
He shall cover you with his feathers, and under his wings shall you trust: his trust shall be your shield and buckler
A friend once explained this scripture like this.....when a mama hen takes her chicks out for their first walks...they wonder all around the yard. When she feels danger is near...she clucks a cluck that only her babies know...they hear her voice and run crazy to hide under the refuge of her wings.....so it is with us and Jesus....the trick is to not be the lil chick that wonders away the furthest...as he has a harder path to safety and is at the most risk of predators....
So as I always say.......Spread some seed! I just did!
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| In memory of lil Roo.....who passed last year |
Cinnamon was the next in line and she was due within days. It was a scramble to remake and redo nesting tunnels and boxes. I removed the nesting tunnels, and created new removable nesting boxes with wire bottoms for better air circulation. Then Buck had to be moved to a new smaller resort and Cinnamon settled into Buck's quarters, where she had been staying as of late because of some abuse she was taking from the other Does...I Got the new nesting Box in at about 9:00am on Friday March 1st, and by 11:00am she had kindled....shew that really cut it close. We have 7 little popples all checked and appear very healthy! The craziest thing happens when you uncover the kits from Mom's fur in the nest.
