Biddies & "Babes"

It has been awhile since I gave you an update on the biddies hatched out by Big Mama last month. They are growing like weeds and have become very active, scratching in the litter, turning over their feeder so they can scratch some more, exercising their wings with flights to the top edge of the box to perch on it, rough-housing in the small area they call home, did I day scratching like crazy and eating like there is no tomorrow. I do not remember my first chicks being this active at only 4 weeks. They seem larger in size too. I guess home grown is always a good thing. Or it maybe the genes from their father, Fred. He is a very tall and stately rooster and sorry I still do not have a picture of him to show.

Checking out the scenery from the laundry basket while housekeeping was cleaning up their room and delivering room service of Chicken chow and fresh water. With this rate of growth their living quarters will be outgrown real soon. We are beginning to see the evidence that we may have a young rooster in the making. As one of the gang is demonstrating some rooster like qualities. We had hoped that out of the hatching we would get one roo, that would take after their father, Fred. Looks like we might get what we wished for after all. Here's hoping the rest are pullets.

We finally settled on the name Rusty for our rooster. He is doing a great job of protecting the "ladies". Sending them scooting to hide in cover with just one call every time he sees a hawk flying nearby. So good in fact that he has felt threatened twice by our 2 1/2 year old granddaughter to the point of going after her. Both times she was traumatized by his behavior, with the last time leaving marks on her face. She loves the "girls" and has always felt safe around them. Petting them frequently before the "bad chicken" came to stay. Now she if fearful of being out in the yard. So we have decided to keep him penned up when she is here and let him free-range with his ladies when she is not. Yesterday was the first day of his confinement sentence and he expressed his displeasure by crowing none stop. Oh, what a racked he made. I was fearful the neighbors would complain about the noise. But the safety of a specific little redhead is more important to us.

Last Saturday we made a trip to a town about a 2 hour drive from our home to buy some more pullets. We wanted to add to our flock of layers and had hoped to get some Silver Laced Wyandottes that were about 20 weeks. Unable to reach their owner that day, we instead purchased 5 Black Sex-links from an individual that lived in the same area. We came home with 6 as the man wanted to make sure that we had what we wanted and gave us one for just in case. While at his place we noticed he had goats as well. His doe had just given birth to 2 doelings back in January and we discussed buying them from him when they are weaned. It was a nice trip and a good connection for livestock for our future homestead.

The new "Babes" were placed in a pen by themselves for their quarantine time. They were not used to being handled, or having lots of open spaces and have been afraid of us for the most part so far. But I am hopeful that given time and some extra loving and feed they will come to see us as someone they can trust. Right now Rusty has not given them much notice, but I am sure when the new Babes enter his harem of ladies he will take notice real quickly. They are between 16-20 weeks old, so it should not be long before they are laying as well.

Our customer base for eggs seems to be growing each week. Which is a good thing considering the number of eggs we will soon have available. Just yesterday we were gifted with 12 beautiful brown eggs from our soon to be 1 year old hens. Another sure sign that Spring is not too far off.

Deborah