Life with Chickens

This year we also decided to get some chickens, 5 to be exact. They were hatched on June 14th. We've affectionately named them Tender, McNugget, Bar, Be, & Que. They'll be good egg laying hens. We have 2 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Black Australorps, and 1 Welsummer. When they begin laying, The Rhode Island Reds will lay an average of 250 large to x-large brown eggs each bird per year, while the Black Australorps will lay an average of 250-300 large to x-large brown eggs each bird per year, and the Welsummer will lay an average of 200 large dark reddish brown speckled eggs per year. They are all quiet, affectionate breeds. Matter of fact, there is one, Be, whom we have added to her name, she is now Princess Be, that is very attached to Jewel. We added Princess to her name as Ken and Jewel had forgotten to cover the brooder box (now that their getting bigger, it's a big deal) and Be had hopped up on the waterer, and out of the brooder box and found the blue velour pillow atop of the bucket we usually sit on. She was all snuggled in napping when we found her. She also likes to sit on Jewel's shoulder and give her kisses. Spoiled rotten bird. :-)

When you look at the pictures, the Rhode Island Reds are Reddish to blondish red in color as chicks, "Bar" is the blonder of the two RIRs and "Be" has a darker red. The Welsummer, "Que" has the wide strip down the head and body. The Australorps are black and creamy, "Tender" has the more blond beak & "McNugget" has the black beak. :-)











After the chicks arrived, Jewel really didn't want to leave her little chicks alone and was being quite broody, then the next morning and was up bright and early again. I went looking for her one morning and sure enough, there she was with the chicks, sound asleep with them surrounding her hand as it lay down in the brooder box. When I first found her, her hair covered her face, then I uncovered it (she's a VERY sound sleeper) and took another picture so you could see her face. I just couldn't resist. It was just so cute and so very sweet.