Broody Buff

It is really unseasonably cold here in Massachusetts. Today's high is predicted to be a whopping 26 degrees. Brrrrr.

The chickens are managing quite nicely despite the frigid temperatures. Their water keeps freezing overnight, so I make sure to give them nice warm water in the morning. We need to buy a heated waterer for our birds, but when I last went in to Agway, they were sold out. I need to trek up there, but just haven't had the time. The heated waterer is a kind of like a hot plate. You place the water on top of a heater base and through the power of electricity, your water never freezes.

When the weather is this cold, you need to collect eggs a couple of times a day so that they don't freeze. (Frozen eggs, NOT good eats.) When I checked the laying boxes, a nice Buff Orpington was sitting on a clutch of about 5 eggs. I felt a bit mean stealing them from her when she was doing such a nice job keeping them toasty, but now is not the time of year to be raising chicks. I suspect they wouldn't survive the cold New England winter if they did manage to hatch. Charlotte has also reported over the past few days that she has seen a Buff sitting on the eggs. My guess is that it is the same bird. This has me thinking ... if I have a broody hen, and several roosters, then maybe I will let her raise a clutch come spring. I think the kids would absolutely love it, and who can resist a few fluffy little chicks running around the yard?

Not me!

Chicks with Chicks

I stumbled across this great picture earlier this evening from a lovely catalog of awkward family photos.

Once I stopped laughing, I started to wonder if maybe one day ... about 10 years from now ... Charlotte and her friends would want a quick pic of them on prom night with the chickens they have all grown to love.


Seriously! I want to know what this picture is all about. Any ideas?

You Lookin' at Me?

Charlotte wanted to get some pictures of the chicks to take into her kindergarten (we wanted to bring them in, but her school said no way!), so we took three of the chicks outside today. I thought a nice outdoor photo would make a nice change from that kiddie pool blue backdrop.

The birds didn't quite know what to do with themselves. What was that bright thing up in the sky. What was this brown mushy stuff under our feet? Oh my god, sensory overload, must sit down and stay still!



Google, being the manly explorer he is (come on, we're not kidding ourselves anymore, he is a rooster!) eventually did get up and look around. He even snatched some tiny gnats out of the air.



Well I hope they get used to this because starting Saturday, they are heading outside to the big house - permanently!

THE Cake - Part 2

We just returned from a very successful birthday party. Fun was had by all, and my eight year old was extremely pleased with his birthday cake.

Mmmmm, cake...

Let Me See You Shake a Tail Feather!

Yesterday, Charlotte was the first one down to see the chicks. As quick as can be, she came running back up the stairs yelling "Guys! Guys! You just gotta see this -- the chicks grew tail feathers!" And sure enough, the little peeps popped out tail feathers overnight. It is amazing to see how quickly my little guys are growing up. Just brings a tear to your eye.

Strangely, it also makes me kinda want to dance to a little Ray Charles/Blues Brothers...

Dominique? Perhaps Dominic...

So we're starting to wonder whether one of our Dominiques is a male. When I ordered my chicks, I purchased only pullets (females). The chicks are sexed at birth, and usually they are pretty accurate, but sometimes males do slip through.

The kids named the biggest and fastest chick Google (go figure!), and she/he is really the only one we can distinguish from the other Dominiques because of both size and the markings on his head. While all the other Dominiques have black heads with a fairly distinct white or yellow spot, Google's spot is less distinct and more scattered -- almost as if he has gone prematurely gray.

I then started reading about sex-linked characteristics of Dominiques and found out that the head spot on the cockerels (males) is larger and more scattered, while the pullets' head spot is smaller and more compact. Not only that, but the cockerels have yellow shanks (legs), while the pullets have a grayish or blackish coloration on the shanks and toes. Well guess what??? All the other Dominiques have a blackish coloring on their legs, but not our Google, who as you can see in the picture has nice yellow legs. Hmmm....

Dominique or Dominic? Only time will tell!

Secretly, I'm excited about the possibility of accidentally getting a rooster to throw in mix. Unfortunately, I'm not sure our neighbors are going to feel the same when the crowing begins at sun up...

Panic...

...and not at the disco!

Just got a call from the post office that my little peeps have arrived! Very exciting, but I wasn't expecting them for a few more days and I am heading to NH to attend my neice's first communion.

The chicks are going to have to wait until tomorrow. I hope they are all right.

I could hear them chirping in the background. They sounded very cute!