Wednesday, April 6, 2011

We have happy hens

The hens have been happy because of our Springtime weather.  At last they can go out of the coop and scratch to their hearts content.


This is Little Sue.  She use to be a sweet little chick but in a year she has become quite bossy.  She hangs out with the three red hens and seems to be the ring leader.  Little Sue lays tiny green tinted eggs though not very often.


When I found the four of them together I noted that one of the red hens had her neck stuck under the black drain hose.  I was just about to reach down and help her when my Love told me not to worry that she would get her head out just fine on her own.





I didn't see how she could but then she did!  The three red hens are not too smart.  In fact I wonder if Little Sue told the one red hen to put her head there.  Only the red hens are molting right now and they look pretty scraggly.  They lay large brown eggs and they have to be the best layers ever.  It doesn't seem to bother them if it is cold or hot they just keep laying.


This is Blackie and Dotty 2.  They seem to be best friends as they are always together.  Blackie was given to us by a family who thought they wanted chickens but realized it was more work than they wanted, plus they didn't have a coop and they didn't seem to want to build one.  She is very sweet and loves to be petted.  I came up to her and she sat down, pumped up her feathers and I stroked her softly.  Dottie 2 is shy and doesn't let me get too near her.  Our first Dottie was killed a number of years ago and when I saw another one at the feed store last year I just had to bring her home.  She is so pretty with her black and white feathers!


This is Little Joe with my Great-nephew last summer.  Little Joe was nowhere to be seen today.  We have had her the longest and she has seen some terrible hen killings of her past hen family over the years.  We have been amazed that she survived.  The other hens don't like her and pick on her most of the time.  She too lays tiny very pale green eggs, when she lays, which is rare.  She loves my Love!  When she is out of the coop and sees him she will come running to him talking the whole time.  She loves to be picked up and he puts her on his shoulders and walks around.  He is the Chicken Whisper....the Chicken Man! 

Now for some chicken dancing as I call it......



Blackie and Dottie @ from Ellen F. on Vimeo.

2 comments:

Ms. Moon said...

As I read this, my chickens are lined up in the coop wanting out so that they too can go dance. I love your chickens! I love my chickens! I love chickens! The picture with your great-nephew is awesomely great.
Is there anything more grand than happy chickens?

Ellen said...

Mary....Chickens are such a source of entertainment. I do feel bad when we can't let them out. These days they run as fast as they can when the coop door is opened. Scattering all different directions!

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