It is still cold here, Puxawhatis Phil aside. This morning, it was frozen. The poor spring plants, crocus and daffodils were frozen. Again. Mom said it looked like it had snowed. The deputies were telling me about a few crash areas that occur, because the road never sees sunlight, and is icy.
But...
Oh, yes. There is the fine evidence that the season is getting started. I have now surpassed my first dozen eggs from the girls. It is now that I have to be a bit more careful what I feed them, so the flavor doesn't get imparted to the eggs. (Read: bananas are OUT.) They are getting out and wandering now, at least when it's warmer during the late part of the day. I wasn't pleased to see they had dug up a bunch of my daffodil bulbs I had planted, but that is a hazard of chickens... Sigh.
But they are starting off slowly. I am hoping to get a few more chicks this year, because I am now getting a few folks wanting to buy eggs from me, and so I will need to have a few more hens. Some of the girls are getting... older, and aren't as productive as they were. Aren't we all... Cough.
It's fun to watch them go out and wander around the pasture. One will pull up some lawn, and gobble it down. Another will walk, then spot a bug, and the chase is on. Which, quite often, will lead to a couple more chasing the first, to see what she's chasing! And Marshmallow, he's become quite a handsome rooster. He insists on crowing at about 5AM, but I think he's far enough away from the neighbors that I won't get anyone upset. He doesn't seem to crow all that loudly, but then, it doesn't bother me... I might have another rooster. Pepper's getting large and lanky, with turned down tail feathers. Salt, however, is looking like a tiny, plump version of the other hens. With moxy agogo. I have to be careful, she is as bold as brass tacks on black silk. She wants food, she will just up and fly to my arm, or if that isn't handy, hang onto my jacket, and peep loudly at me while flapping wildly and hanging on. (I say peeping, because she still isn't clucking... Yet.) I forgot to mark down how old she is, but with the way she's filled out, I wouldn't be surprised that we'd have eggs from her this season...
So, spring, while still in the thinking about it stage, is most definitely making an entrance!
4 comments:
Ah, spring. let's hope one of your hens gets broody and hatches some hens. Poor Pepper, the second rooster usually gets put in the pot, since you can't have them fighting over the hens. Unless, of course, you find a way to keep two separate flocks.
Fresh chicken eggs! Nothing like them! Yum!
Messymimi: I will probably help this year, and get some chicks at the feed store. I won't have too much of a problem with the roosters, I don't think. I have found that with a large number of hens, they tend to sort themselves out, and not fight much. NOT always, that's why I had to give that one pretty boy away, but generally, I haven't had a lot of problems with fighting...
Cat
Retired Knitter:
Yes, I didn't like eggs, until I found out what the ones from my hens are like, I always thought eggs were bland and tasteless... Love to use them for baking!
Cat
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