Would you believe that to my dismay, out of 23 little chicks that I have fed, watered, nurtured, and cared for for nearly 5 months . . . only 6 are hens! I have learned that my prowess as a farmer is miserably failing. I mean, the chickens are alive and the roosters, well, they are huge... but for the longest time I thought I had 11 hens.
But now I have all the roosters but one quarantined in the hen Hilton (a 4x8x7 wooden box complete with nests and a perch) until they can be sold or butchered. They are not real happy about that. Today when I watered them they attacked my hand. I shouted at them.
Question: For people who are animal rights activists, do they consider me yelling at my roosters, "cruelty to animals"? And does a chicken really understand when I call it stupid?
So we are getting about 4 eggs a day and man are they good; big and brown. One of them has burgundy speckles on it.
The hen who was close to death is now doing fine. She lays a light brown egg and most days when I am in the coop she will fly down onto my arm. Just call me the chicken whisperer. That's a post for another day.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Walk'n Tall and Lay'n Low
Well! My efforts as Chicken Rescuer has paid off. Today as I went out to feed and water my prize (only in my mind) chickens I was pleasantly surprised that the one hen I had freed last night from the perils of rooster ravage is looking much better. She has eater well today it seems and even laid an egg!!!! Eureka! She is walking tall and must have laid low. Get it. Laid low. Pun intended.
The other chickens seem to be doing better to now that it is drying out a bit. Maybe they don't like all the water? Water . . . chickens on the water . . . makes me think of ducks... I wonder if ducks lay eggs regularly like chickens? I will have to find that one out and let you know.
All in all we got 4 eggs today making me feel very good about myself as a chicken farmer. I mean, I saved one's life, got 4 eggs, and didn't have to kick any rooster for attacking my head.
I think I may move another hen or two to the separate cage and see if they begin to lay eggs too. And if you are wondering will chickens will lay eggs with or without roosters . . . well maybe we can cover that tomorrow. I have found there are many a plausible answer to the plithera of chicken questions rousing the coop.
The other chickens seem to be doing better to now that it is drying out a bit. Maybe they don't like all the water? Water . . . chickens on the water . . . makes me think of ducks... I wonder if ducks lay eggs regularly like chickens? I will have to find that one out and let you know.
All in all we got 4 eggs today making me feel very good about myself as a chicken farmer. I mean, I saved one's life, got 4 eggs, and didn't have to kick any rooster for attacking my head.
I think I may move another hen or two to the separate cage and see if they begin to lay eggs too. And if you are wondering will chickens will lay eggs with or without roosters . . . well maybe we can cover that tomorrow. I have found there are many a plausible answer to the plithera of chicken questions rousing the coop.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Always root for the underchicken!
Oh my lands! I am now a bonified chicken rescue worker! That's right. I can now add to my long list of possible functions in life, chicken rescue worker. It isn't like I had to do mouth-to-beak or anything but it was close. Let me tell you the story.
Did you know? That if one chicken begins to bleed or have a sore that the others will peck on it until it dies? Well they do. Chickens are not only stupid but a little evil to boot.
So I go out to feed, water, and gather the eggs and one lone hen look like she has been wallering in the mud and was all beat up. The father, protector, fight for the underchicken in me rose to the surface as I dove into the coop and began fighting off the other chickens. Two roosters wanted a piece of me, but only for a little bit. My poss able thumbs and Popeye like forearms proved to be too much for their feeble feathered necks!!! As I shielded the poor hen from the wielding pecks of the obstinate roosters I could barely hear her say thank you.
I quickly cleaned her up and put her in a cage all by herself. Within the hour she was eating and drinking. I bet she lays the best eggs ever now!!!!
Did you know? That if one chicken begins to bleed or have a sore that the others will peck on it until it dies? Well they do. Chickens are not only stupid but a little evil to boot.
So I go out to feed, water, and gather the eggs and one lone hen look like she has been wallering in the mud and was all beat up. The father, protector, fight for the underchicken in me rose to the surface as I dove into the coop and began fighting off the other chickens. Two roosters wanted a piece of me, but only for a little bit. My poss able thumbs and Popeye like forearms proved to be too much for their feeble feathered necks!!! As I shielded the poor hen from the wielding pecks of the obstinate roosters I could barely hear her say thank you.
I quickly cleaned her up and put her in a cage all by herself. Within the hour she was eating and drinking. I bet she lays the best eggs ever now!!!!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Note to friends, April 30, 2009
The following was an entry to some friends a few months back when I lost (using the word lost loosely) the initial 12 chickens that I feel worthy of adding to this story.
April 30, 2009
It is with great sorrow and much regret I inform you that sometime between the hours of midnight at 6am this morning all 12 of my bigger chickens were annihilated, consumed, and spread throughout the yard. Myself as well as neighbors have confirmed the suspicious activity of one of the distant neighbor’s dogs and said dog is being brought in for questioning. Up to this point he has kept quiet...apparently the cat now has his tongue.
While not totally traumatic for the Hudson children this latest travesty has proved to be a great trial of my personal fortitude. Not that each of the dozen were named but upon picking the head of the rooster up with a gardening tool I did feel the tingle of a tear well up in my left eye. I had planned on something eating those chickens . . . I had just planned on it being me!
In loving memory of the beloved Rhode Island Reds and Buff Orpingtons (6 of each) I will be seeking solitude in a chicken meal today and ask that you would join me. So, wherever you eat lunch and at whatever time, please order chicken, the real white meat!
Memorials will go towards building a stronger, better coop. Checks may be made to the Paul's Chicken Farm Fund.
April 30, 2009
It is with great sorrow and much regret I inform you that sometime between the hours of midnight at 6am this morning all 12 of my bigger chickens were annihilated, consumed, and spread throughout the yard. Myself as well as neighbors have confirmed the suspicious activity of one of the distant neighbor’s dogs and said dog is being brought in for questioning. Up to this point he has kept quiet...apparently the cat now has his tongue.
While not totally traumatic for the Hudson children this latest travesty has proved to be a great trial of my personal fortitude. Not that each of the dozen were named but upon picking the head of the rooster up with a gardening tool I did feel the tingle of a tear well up in my left eye. I had planned on something eating those chickens . . . I had just planned on it being me!
In loving memory of the beloved Rhode Island Reds and Buff Orpingtons (6 of each) I will be seeking solitude in a chicken meal today and ask that you would join me. So, wherever you eat lunch and at whatever time, please order chicken, the real white meat!
Memorials will go towards building a stronger, better coop. Checks may be made to the Paul's Chicken Farm Fund.
Friday, October 9, 2009
It is amazing how much you can learn about life from watching chickens. It is rainy and wet here today and the coop is mainly a puddle of muddy stuff. All 17 chickens were up off the ground until they saw me coming. In this life of business I can count on them needing me. ha ha
As I approached the coop they began to cluck more and more. You know I like to talk to them. I don't call them by name or anything, that would just be silly. But I do talk to them. I read somewhere that me talking to them calms them down. What I need to know is what to tell them to get them to stop pooping so much!
Anyway, as I got near they all crowded the doorway. When I stepped in and began to put the food out in the dry corner they bunched up and left me. All but two of them. Two of the hens I feed out of my hand most days. They stay on the roost and I will talk to them as they eat scratch out of my hand. Wow! Isn't life sometimes like that? There are those in life who only are near us because they want something from us and then there are those who are close because they care. Yes, I realize the absurdity of claiming the two hens care for me but follow the bouncing ball. There are also those who care for us who remain close no matter what we go through.
15 of my chickens usually fight over the scratch . . . two of them eat right out of my hand. Isn't favor a matter of being close to those you care about? Oh wow, way too deep to just be talking about chickens.
As I approached the coop they began to cluck more and more. You know I like to talk to them. I don't call them by name or anything, that would just be silly. But I do talk to them. I read somewhere that me talking to them calms them down. What I need to know is what to tell them to get them to stop pooping so much!
Anyway, as I got near they all crowded the doorway. When I stepped in and began to put the food out in the dry corner they bunched up and left me. All but two of them. Two of the hens I feed out of my hand most days. They stay on the roost and I will talk to them as they eat scratch out of my hand. Wow! Isn't life sometimes like that? There are those in life who only are near us because they want something from us and then there are those who are close because they care. Yes, I realize the absurdity of claiming the two hens care for me but follow the bouncing ball. There are also those who care for us who remain close no matter what we go through.
15 of my chickens usually fight over the scratch . . . two of them eat right out of my hand. Isn't favor a matter of being close to those you care about? Oh wow, way too deep to just be talking about chickens.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Welcome to the Chicken Coop!
I would like to welcome you to my near daily experiences of chickens in the life of Paul.
To date we have purchased 35 day old chickens and the count as of today stands . . .
12 - Eaten by neighborhood dogs
5 - Butchered after a maniac rooster went crazy and pecked me causing a fury of feathers. We ate Chicken and Dumplins for 3 days!!!
17 - Still alive and kick'n. However, after 30 weeks we are only getting 3 eggs a day...sometimes 4, but I am hoping it picks up soon. If not, we will be having Chicken Dumplings again real soon.
And if you are doing the math, yes, you are correct, that leaves 1. One little ole chicken that, well, I'm not sure where it went. And to be honest I am not even sure if it was a rooster or a hen. That discussion of monumental proportions is a whole other topic (hens and hims(ha ha, I made myself laugh. Get used to it, happens often.))
To date we have purchased 35 day old chickens and the count as of today stands . . .
12 - Eaten by neighborhood dogs
5 - Butchered after a maniac rooster went crazy and pecked me causing a fury of feathers. We ate Chicken and Dumplins for 3 days!!!
17 - Still alive and kick'n. However, after 30 weeks we are only getting 3 eggs a day...sometimes 4, but I am hoping it picks up soon. If not, we will be having Chicken Dumplings again real soon.
And if you are doing the math, yes, you are correct, that leaves 1. One little ole chicken that, well, I'm not sure where it went. And to be honest I am not even sure if it was a rooster or a hen. That discussion of monumental proportions is a whole other topic (hens and hims(ha ha, I made myself laugh. Get used to it, happens often.))
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