Our new chickens

Well, it’s been awhile since I’ve blogged. Towards my last blogs I spoke of being a better mom, and hence, I got much busier “being” with India. We have gardened and swam and now have 13 chickens. She loves to hand feed them, her “Grandma Bernadette,” as she calls her, taught her that. The produce manager of our health food store didn’t want to free range her chickens anymore because of all the planting they done around their yard. So, we inherited 10 more chickens!!!! They look really rough and there was some fighting w/ the rough rooster that did not join the pack. I guess they’re also molting, so they’re kind of ugly right now.

From what I can tell, this is what we have:

Little Red Riding Hood

2 Barred Rock, we named them Victoria and Little Red Riding Hood, can you tell who named who?

They are so soft and fluffy, like a Victorian woman with her corsette’s and hoops. I bet Victoria the most while we feed her. She seems the least bothered by our stroking her smooth, black and white lacy feathers. They’re in the heavy breed family.

Victoria

2 Red Star, one is Red and the other one is still unnamed. They are unimpressive. Once their feathers come in and they’ve had enough greens, they may look prettier, I don’t believe they’re know for there beauty though.

 Red

 Red's Sister (she's kind of dull)

Golden Polish, 2 Roosters and one adorable hen.

Long Talon

Oh, now, these are FUN. The roosters are a bit rough as there was a third rooster they kept as a guard dog, he sounded MEAN. He’s no long here to beat up on the must be brothers. They seem like nice roosters, but if you’ve read my past, you know I’m ALWAYS leery of roosters. One has only 1 LONG spurr – the other looks like it’s been torn off or something. The other has a cloudy eye and even, shorter spurrs. They have a shorter, lighter crow then our Black Cornish. It took them a few days to start crowing, and now…5am, if I’m not sleeping deeply, which I RARELY do, I am AWAKE!!!!

Cloudy Eye

The hen is a DOLL. Maybe that should be her name, Dolly. She’s tiny w/ a big wig on her head and blue feet. She’s been the hardest to pet (only because I haven’t tried to pet the roosters – they seem pretty shy as far a petting. Fine by me!). She was over by the nesting box eating and I easily grabbed her and put her inside. She didn’t seem to mind being picked up at all. I can’t wait to hold her! I’m sure she’ll soon become my favorite if she let’s me hold her on my lap.

Dolly

Our golden honey birds are hard to figure out – they’re molting. They might be Welsummer’s. I’ve spent way to long on the internet trying to figure them out. Nope – they ARE Buttercups – willow green legs. Yes, my time has paid off! I’m not sure why it’s so important to me, I guess it’s like knowing someone’s name. I want to know who these chickens are, their breed is part of who they are, just as much as the name we give them.

Golden - above (I'm really having trouble w/ these pictures today!)

Honey

We named them Golden and Honey. (Buttercup would be a good name…) They are very shy, but I did manage to pick both of them up and put them in their laying box. They didn’t stay, but at least I picked them up.

Chiquita

Our local Hawaiian girl is Chiquita and she is a tuff tita. There will be 7 of the 10 up roosting, and one by one, she pecks them all down!

Pecking order. If you name your chickens, then you might agree that it’s hard to see them determine their pecking order. I know my mom has seen some terrible things in her coop. It’s HARD to introduce new chickens, as they pick on the weaker, smaller ones.

In this new bunch of chickens the roosters are NOT at the top. I believe it’s a combination of the local, Hawaiian girl, Victoria and Red Riding Hood and a close follow up of the Red ones. Then Dolly and the roosters and the Golden Girls are last. I noticed as they free range the Golden Girls and the cloudy eyed rooster will often go back in the pen and eat. I try not to get too involved in their business, as it is mother nature. I just wish everyone would be nice to each other.

We have a roaming dog that took one of the Black ones and got the tails of the rooster and one hen. We’re going to the beach today, so I’m not sure about having 2 different groups together without me here and the threat of the imposing dog lurking near by.

Jonathan’s had enough of the poor black hen and rooster being cooped up in their little pen. We’re going to see if the roosters all get along, as he really is such a nice rooster. The girls always eat before him, so, we’ll see. Lola, the one that escaped from under the metal roof never went back in the pen. I know from past experience that if I keep trying to get her in, the other two will escape and it was most important for me to get that rooster in the pen.

The wife...

So, Lola has been living the free life. She roosts in the Avocado Tree and comes down and mingles when she feels like it. She was in the big pen as soon as all the chickens were out. I’ve seen her chased away from a group a few times. Once, when they were all penned up I saw her banging her chest against the wire and I think it was Dolly inside doing the same thing. The hens seem more aggressive than these roosters. The roosters haven’t gone near the ones in the black pens.

This is Lola, on her way to check out the new chickens. She's such a lucky, free girl!

A Gift of Chickens (Part 1)

OK, some of you have been waiting for this story. I hope it doesn’t disappoint, as I’m sure it was MUCH funnier to watch. If you want the short version, go to the next post: Chasing the Chickens.

It all began a year ago, we arrived on the Big Island April 27^th. I feel like I will always remember we left Las Vegas on April 23^rd, spent 4 days in Honolulu (at the beach, except I was sick and couldn’t maintain a fever to kill the…, so I shivered and wore sweats and ate hot soup) and arrived on the Big Island April 27^{th –} a dream come true.

We were house sitting in HPP for a friend’s sister and they had chickens, see the posts from April – July in “chickens.” We had to say Good Bye to Penny and Lacie and it’s been over 6 months since we’ve had chickens or fresh eggs.

A neighbor, Keith, said he was tired of his chickens and do we want them with a house and everything. Yes! They were adult hens already laying and a rooster. I still need to check again what kind they are – if you recognize them, let me know. Keith talked about what “meaty” birds they are and that they can be eaten when they’re done laying. “They’re a heavy bird – they’re as heavy as they look. There’s no fluff.” I trust him, after Buff, the rooster, I’m chicken shy. (Again, see previous posts for that story.) The hens are 3 years old and Kieth acted as if they had several good years left in them. I’m not sure how long these lay, but I supposed a book from the library would teach me a great deal about them.

Keith kept is more permanent structure, but gave us this one. We moved it everyday and they have fresh grass and grubs to eat along w/ corn feed and chicken scraps. What DON’T chickens eat again? I know onions, garlic and citrus, I don’t remember the rest.

This is a mellow rooster as the girls got the scraps of bread and he just stood by. It’s funny to watch them “go for the bread.” He also was the last to eat the corn when we feed them late yesterday. I told Jonathan, even with everything I’ve been through with roosters, I think he’s going to be my favorite chicken. He’s regal. Keith says, you don’t want to befriend the rooster. You want him scared of you. I agree. I want them to leave me alone – they have those nasty…things…talons sticking off the back of their leg. I remember what that feels like.

OK, on with the story. After the first night of the chickens and the rooster slowly warming up his lungs @ 4am, in full gear @ 6:30 and silent @ 6:45 (after I got out of bed) I noticed that one of the hens was OUT! Yes, OUT! How can she get out? The metal roof is not light. I did hear a clang at some time during the night. Apparently someone lifted their head high on the roost and made an opening for her to slip out. I don’t know if she did it or if it was a group effort. It still is hard to believe. The roof was on and sealed in the morning like nothing happened. Her chest was a bit bloody or scrapped bare. How I know that is next.

Keith told us to keep them in the pen for about 10 days until they got used to being here and then we could free-range them. Well, the animal lovers we are (animals lovers as opposed to wise farmers) we let them out. They were so happy. Scratching and making little beds/nests. Kicking up dirt baths and I guess keeping themselves clean. What good little chickens.

OK, part two is next.

Chasing Chickens (Part 2)

This is part 2, if you have time, part 1 will help this one make more sense.

I think Jonathan went to get some work done. I was keeping an eye on where they were. And then, they were gone! Jonathan came home while I was looking for them and he found then down our long driveway. By the time he got a broom to shoo them home, they snuck into the dense brush between properties. It was a struggle, but we got them up the driveway. That wasn’t so bad. They weren’t in the pen yet, not did they want to go in. Well, it started to rain. It can rain for a while in the spring, so we decided we’d need to catch them. That’s when the fun began. I don’t think I can explain the entire running around and being out smarted by 3 hens and a rooster.

Jonathan got the rooster in and 2 hens. The 3^rd was QUIET. She’s the smart one. We finally left and went inside. She was hidden for a long time and then she went and hung out near the pen. We decided to go down and shoo her in with the rest of them. I tried to stay far enough away from the door opening so she’d want to go in. Doing so, made it so I couldn’t see what was going on INSIDE the pen. The rooster and other 2 hens got OUT!

The mayhem started all over again. The chasing, the dodging, the looking foolish in the presence of these scared chickens. It was still sprinkling and their feathers were wet. The Rooster and Lola (isn’t there a movie called, “Run Lola, Run”?) had bare breast spots. I’m thinking from her escaping and him running through the grass and brush. I felt bad for putting them in such a traumatic position.

Well, I don’t know how it happened, but my “garden hero turned farm hero” caught them all and hand delivered each one to the pen.

Needless to say, they have not been out for two days. They are NOT happy and I am NOT a fool!

Good Bye to Penny

It was hard, but we left the chicks @ Melaree’s house. We really wanted to rescue them, but hopping between 3 homes before we land in our rental August 25 just seemed too much to handle. 

 

If I could get my hand on Penny, she would squat down, stick her wings out and freeze – then India and I would pet her.

 

 Jonathan left the chickens un-penned, so Lacy got to sleep in her tree, I took my drying rack and dog carrier, so I’m not sure where Penny roosted.

 

One of the homes lost their 4 chickens to stray dogs. I imagine on the patio furniture.

 

 Good luck to Melaree trying to catch and cage Lacy!!!!

New Heights

Yes, this is a nice tree. You can see cane grass surrounding Gimpy's dog house...

Look a little closer. Do you see a small roundish thing in the middle of the picture?

Lacey! This is where she's been roosting at night!

 

We were eating dinner and India said, "I see Lacey!" 

It was dark, there were only trees in front of us with HIGH branches.

 

 India was right!

 

Penny's Story

Ok, this is Penny's story.

Penny is a serious bird, she doesn't mess around. She knew early on that she wanted to lay an egg in this chair. I felt sorry for her on this slippery lawn chair, so I put some newspaper down for her. She scratches and she claws and she turns around and howls at anyone walking out on the lanai near her. I apologize to her anytime I go in and out of that screen door right next to the chair.  After she eats a bit of the news paper there's a LOUD song and dance and she celebrates! (or declares that she has LAID an EGG!!!!)

 

She lays just about everyday.

 

India knows that after she hears the "song" she can go get Penny's egg.

 

 She loves to feel how warm it is, "from Penny's body".

Where does Lacey lay her eggs?

Lacey...our independent, skiddish hen. 

 

We would always see her running through the yard, determined to get somewhere.  Penny would sit and sit on her lawn chair for hours, laboring over her egg.  Lacey would just come back and be cool as a cucumber.

 

We could NOT figure out where she was laying.  Jonathan said one day he was going to follow her.  

I walked around the house by the front door for something...

And this is the stash I found!

 

Lacey!  Good Girl!!!

Does she stay out too late at night?

 

At first I thought maybe Lacey was sick. 

 

She was just laying around on the carpet. I've never seen a chicken lay down before.

 

Oh! She's responsive. I scared her a few times when she saw me looking at her or taking her picture.

 

I think she must not be sleeping well, wherever she's choosing to roost.  She should sleep with Penny, she knows a good spot!

This chicken can fly!

 

Poor Lacey. There were 2 dogs on the property behind us that we were unaware of. All I know is that Lacey was at the bottom of the property and she flew up over the catchment tank, about 30 feet in the air and 500 feet! (I'm not great with distance, does that sound reasonable?) I think her chest hit the roof before landing on top - there was a dent in the roof! She stayed up there for awhile and made sure it was safe to come down.