November 30, 2012: Stormy Weather = Morning Egg

Awakened EARLY this morning by a phone call from my Mom.  She broke the early morning call rule to tell me that I did not need to come and get her at NOON today! Then she wanted to chat.

I had been sound asleep, heard the phone stumbled down the hall to answer it, only to have her hang up just as I got there.  Knew it was her, called her back thinking that it was some crisis.  NO it was not. ^%$#%$!  Late night and early morning calls all signal emergencies to me.  This was not an emergency.

You see we are having a series of storms over the next few days, lots of rain.  Ever since she and Dad had to evacuate in 1997, she gets panicky when we get a lot of rain.  So as Doppler Radar last night looked like the storm from hell was coming, I called her and told her we'd come pick her up today to spend the day with us.  Her response was, she had to get her hair done at 10:00am, then go to the store.  Guess she was not panicking this time. I said OK, I'll pick you  up at noon. 

She decided that she did not need to come to our house and felt that 0700 was a good time to call me and tell me that.  OK I know 0700 is not early for working folks, but remember I am retired.  I did my stint of waking up before 0500 to drive 50 miles to work, so I truly appreciate not having to get up early when it is not necessary.

What does this have to do with chickens?  Nothing. I just needed to vent.  I dearly love my 85 year old Mom, but she tries me, yes she does.

The girls got through the storm fine.  All the hatches stayed battened, on our hillbilly coop.  

Our Hillbilly Coop.

The back of our coop, all covered.  The front of the coop faces the sliding doors so the girls have something to watch....us. Like Reality TV.

The girls were eager to get outside this morning, even in the wind and drizzle.  They have perfected the technique of walking real close to the house, under the eaves to escape the rain.  Even got to their dust bathing spot, which is dry, and took their baths.  Barbara layed an egg early this morning, rare for her this early.  Her routine is disturbed by the storm I guess. 

So I am up, drinking Italian coffee ( thank you Kate) in the kitchen.  We have enough eggs to make an omelet for breakfast.  It is a great day to stay in my sweats and read.  Think I'll make a cheese omelet for Cal and I.

Stay warm and dry dear blog readers.

November 28, 2012: Chickens Feet

Got a new issue of "Chickens" magazine.  It is full of great tips and info. about backyard chickens.  There is even an article about how to train your dog to herd your flock.  It gives breeds that are best at this.  Poodles are not on the list!  I was shocked and dismayed.

Our poodle mix Annie must be an extraordinary puppy cause with a few sessions of behavioral training by yours truly, she now goes and " finds the girls" on command. 

She does not chase them, of course they no longer run from her either.  All three are very good at casually slowly moving away, or in Annie's case, towards the chickens.  She pretends she is very interested in sniffing some blade of grass, but I can see that her little brown eyes never really leave the chickens. 

I also learned that chickens can get frostbite on their feet, wattles and combs, but generally only in snowy wet climates.  Another thing to worry about.  Actually I am getting more laid back about them.

However, if you live in snow country, beware!  Lay in a supply of petroleum jelly to use on the exposed feet, wattle and comb regularly.  Of course you will have to catch the chickens first.

Meanwhile Cal and I are planning an expanded chicken pen. The girls need more room and a permanent place to have their coop, and the lawn needs a break.

Here is how we work on a project together:   I usually come up with an idea.  We talk about it, and go away and think.  I come back with easiest, simplest, most effective plan that can be accomplished quickly and cheaply.  Cal, my engineer husband, comes back with the Taj Mahal of chicken pens that will take weeks to complete.  He loves projects.  I see this kind of thing as a job to get DONE. Must be the nurse in me.   He enjoys the planning and process.

Together we are a great team.  I'm learning that not all projects are "jobs" and that the process can be as fulfilling as the end product.  I think Cal has learned that some projects, like the chicken pen for the girls, are time sensitive due to weather, chicken needs and me. We have learned to listen to each other. 

So instead of chain link fence and metal posts cemented into the ground, we're doing a  2X4 frame, with chicken wire, fully enclosed 5 X 12  foot pen, on the west side of the house that we can put the coop in, and walk into, with a slanted top that we can secure a tarp to to keep the girls dry in winter and shaded in summer.   We're work together well. 

November 27, 2012: Auntie Kate comes to visit.

A very lovely lady came today to meet the girls,  Auntie Kate.  She came bearing lovely hostess gifts, sparkling and interesting conversation and lots of laughter.  Three of my favorite things on earth are great conservation, laughing and sharing stories.( which when you get my age, you have plenty of.) 

The stories about Jerry the Genius, the Jack Russell Terrier who lives at Kate and Richard's were so funny and adorable.  That little guy should have his own Reality TV show.  That's the fourth thing I really love, people who truly love animals.  Auntie Kate is one of those wonderful people who see animals as God's loving gift to us. 

Our dog Annie immediately  ( after a treat, as she always barks when new people come to the door to alert us) felt comfortable around Kate and fell asleep on the kitchen love seat while we had our coffee and Cal's scones ( pronounced Scawns -  no clue why?).

Now the chickens:  Well they were a little shy and we had to get Cal and Annie to herd them towards the house. Cal had to do the Senior Citizen vs Chicken Race and finally cornered Barbara who then allowed herself to be petted and loved up.  But her usual 10:00am egg did not appear.  Wanted to proudly show Kate what our several hundred dollars in chicken accoutrement resulted in. NO luck.

Despite the fact that I had a good talk with Barbara and Mabel yesterday about behavior, they did their chicken thing, exactly what they wanted to do.  Again that is the way of the chicken.

Barbara did finally produce a lovely warm egg at 1:30pm.   Mabel was in the coop with her.  She does that when Barbara is laying, yet she does not catch on.  What does she think Barbara is doing in their?

Anyway, had a lovely visit, a great way to start the day with a delightful friend.  Thank you Kate.  We will have to do this again.

November 26, 2012: Sprucing up the coop.



It has started to get pretty cold at night here, which is not quite freezing, but close.  Everything I've read says that chickens are pretty adaptable and can even live in the snow. 

We have made the coop as warm as possible for them and they seem comfortable.  I also read that in the winter chickens need food that stimulates their metabolism to produce more internal heat.  So it's off to the feed store for cracked corn.  We have started feeding them scratch twice a day.  This helps too.

We are using chaise lounge pads on the roof of the coop to act as insulation, as well as closing off  one of the sides, and two of the others during the night.  The nesting box is well filled with pine shavings and I cover the outside of it at night too.  This all looks crappy, but if it keep the girls warm, I'm on it.

Using a heat or light source is highly debated in the articles I've read, especially since we rarely get below freeing and have no snow.  I know egg production is supposed to go down as hours of daylight decrease, and I think  Barbara deserves a rest, so will probably not add a light.  Still nothing from Mabel.  All she has going for her are her looks and personality.  No eggs.

Tomorrow morning the girls will get a visit from our friend Kate who is interested in meeting them.  I am going to ask them to behave.  They will do whatever they want.  That is the chicken way.  We will have home made scones and coffee and hope for the  best.

Perhaps Barbara will even produce an egg on cue.  She usually gets up, runs around and eats scratch, then heads back to the nest about 10:00am to lay her precious egg.  Such a gift.  Each time it is like a miracle.  We still get excited over each little cocoa brown egg.

Ciao Amici.

November 23, 2012: Chicken Visitors

Before Thanksgiving Dinner yesterday at my sisters, Jill, Ben, Laura and Judy all wanted to walk down to our house to meet the girls.  Karen and John only live 8 doors from us.  It was a truly beautiful late afternoon, with fall colors just bursting with vibrancy. 

When we got home the girls had already gone into the coop though it was not even close to dark yet.  It had gotten chilly so they may have cooped to be warmer.  Both girls performed beautifully by letting us pick them right up and making those sweet little chicken sounds.

Laura took some great pictures of the girls, then we headed back to Karen's house for a wonderful dinner, lots of laughing and sharing of stories.

We also talked to Cal's son Kevin in London.  He and his wife Katya host a dinner on Thanksgiving for all their American friends living there.  Kevin had baked the turkey and our granddaughters Lydia and Mila had performed Swan Lake for the guests.

Then we talked to Cal's daughter Kristine in New Mexico with he husband Rob and his family.  His nieces were playing with the 200 hundred chickens they have on their ranch. 

Then we called Carl, Cal's brother, who has a small farm in Michigan.  Guess what, he also has chickens, but he reports that his chickens do not climb up on his lap, or eat out of his hand like ours do.  We dazzled him with stories of our pet chickens.

It was a wonderful chicken -filled day.  We had ham.

 

 

November 22, 2012: Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is a day to reflect on the many blessings in our lives.  We know that God loves us, yet sometimes we may not even recognize our blessings until after the fact.  It may even feel like a punishment, or a painful experience.  The difference is how we discern the experience.  What is our perception of it; blessing or punishment?

Example:  Cal and I drove down to Vallejo and took the Ferry to San Francisco, checked in to a lovely hotel,  had a nice dinner,  and saw a wonderful play.  When we left the theater at 11:00 pm it was pouring down rain, I mean buckets.  All 2,000 of us were trying to get a cab.We had forgotten our umbrella, as it was not raining when we left the hotel.  There were no cabs. 

Cal dragged me down into the  subway, BART, where most of the 2K were heading.
We were soaked, dripping wet, I was scared, and really did not know how to even get a ticket.  When I get scared I get mad.  Seems a more functional defense then weeping. 

We came up out of the subway about a block from the hotel, still raining like hell.  I had a choice of how to respond.

I have to admit that usually when something bad happens I go right to punishment.  Why oh why is this happening, what did I do wrong?  Once I have racked myself over the coals so to speak, I start to step back and plan my response.  One thing I have never ever done is blame God.  I feel grateful for that.  After all, who cares whose to blame.  (However, I enjoy seeing someone held accountable for the bad things they do to others.  Instant Karma, that's the ticket!  Love it.)

Back to the rainy night in SF.  I decided to make this  a good experience.  I mean I was wet but warm.  I was not headed to sleep in a doorway as many of my brother and sisters. I was headed to a nice hotel.  I was not alone and scared, my husband was there and led the way.  I had not spent the evening trying to find food and shelter.  There was some threat as it was in the Tenderloin ( bad area of SF.), but no one was shooting at me.  And remember when I get scared I get mad, and I can be a formidable woman. 

I just started laughing.  Thank you God for all my blessings. 

Blessings come in very tiny whispers, and in huge ways.  I believe they are all around us every day, even in the most horrific experience, a blessing may be present.  My family, animals and friends are a source of endless blessings.

Today I count this blog as a blessing in that it has given me a way to express myself, my feelings, my experiences both boring and mildly exciting.  It is still about chickens.

When it rains they run for their coop, Usually with Barbara in the lead.  They eat anything,  They are excellent foragers.  They play with us, and seem to enjoy the simple things in life.  They don't seem to feel guilt.  They just live.

Mabel and Barbara are blessings in my life too.  They make me laugh and give us eggs. well Barbara does anyway.  Breakfast today is on Barbara, four of her lovely brown eggs.

May the God you worship bless you all today.

November 19, 2012: Friend Wtnesses Seniors vs Chicken Races

Mabel

Our friend Linda came for a visit from the Sacramento area. She wanted to meet the girls so out we went to the back yard.  Oh the girls were so cute pecking around in the leaves that have fallen from our multiple trees.  Mable is almost the color of the leaves. 

I wanted to show Linda how sweet they were, as she had a bad chicken experience in the past.    So Cal and I demonstrated how two Senior Citizens can bob and weave with the best of them, and run like the wind ( almost, if it's a small wind) trying to grab a chicken to hold so Linda could pet it and see how gentle they are. 

We told her it was our form of aerobic exercise, cause I'll tell ya those girls can move.  We started laughing so hard seeing through our friends eyes how ridiculous we looked, trying to chase down about 9 lbs. of chicken on the run.

As is usual brains won over swift and wily, and we cornered the girls in the usual corner and were able to pick them up.  Linda got to pet Mabel as I held the little feathered girl in my arms.  I was sweating from the exertion.

Why do they run from us?  They know by now that we aren't going to hurt them.  It was embarrassing.

So this morning I go to let them out into the yard.  Barbara comes out and lets me pick her right up.  NO chasing, no sweating!  I said to her " why couldn't you have done this when Auntie Linda was here?  You made us chase you all over the damn yard.  We looked like we don't know what we're doing?"  She said " put me down " and ran off. 

November 18, 2012: The Girls Survive 2 NIghts Alone

Actually they did better than survive, they thrived, and Barbara gave us two eggs. 

You see this was the first time we had left the girls in the coop, with the attached outdoor covered chicken patio Cal made, for more than one night, and there was a big storm expected. 

I am learning that chickens are hardy creatures, and already know how to weather a storm as long as they have a warm dry nesting area.  However, being the anxious, fairly new chicken wrangler that I am, I devised a nifty tarp cover for the entire coop and enclosed chicken patio. 

Under the plastic tarp were our 2 chaise lounge pads covering the roof, especially the nest area, a towel over the actual outside of the nest boxes which protrude from the end of the coop, to doubly ensure warmth and a towel over the window and door into the actual nest area which I feared might leak.  I used big rocks and other stone garden art to hold down the tarp in case of strong winds.

To make it even more ugly, I added huge gray plastic bags on top of the patio and hanging down the sides in case the rain came in sideways.  Turns out it did and the plastic bags were worthless, but the interior of the coop stayed dry.

It was not the way I imagined my darling coop to be, all charming and bucolic.  It looked more like Ma and Pa Kettle had moved in to our yard and were crouching under a tarp/towel/ plastic bag tent.

New plan:  Move coop under the patio when we go away for a day or two and rain is expected.  Face the coop door towards our house so the back of the coop takes the brunt of the rain.  It is almost all solid wood, and what is chicken wire can be covered with a piece of plywood sheet we have handy.

Still will need the chaise lounge pads, and the chickens will have a limited view of the sliding glass door into the dining room,.  But  I should not have to hang plastic bags or towels.  I'm thinking the big blue plastic tarp could go up to the cabin to cover the firewood.  Dang it's ugly.

Then we could by a smaller, more attractive water-proof tarp, camouflage patterned?  No.  Pink?  No
Something more charming.  I'll have to look at the local  feed and farm store.

P.S.  No eggs from Mabel yet. 

November 13 2012: No egg yet from Mabel.

Is it possible we have a rooster disguised as a hen?  She has not comb, has a vent, does not crow, and plays second fiddle to Barbara.  Or, as an Ameraucana do her eggs gradually turn to be blue, starting out light brown?  Or, is she younger than they told us, or do hens ever just not lay eggs? 

The are questions Ask Jeeves cannot answer.
They are both growing, but Barbara is twice as big as Mabel.   She also bullies Mabel, so I am keeping a close watch to make sure Mabel gets her share of scratch. treats and feed.  They both seem to be happy, not nervous or skittery.  They groom, take dust baths, jump up on us fro time to time for some petting, and  have a peaceful existence, as far as I can tell.

Last night we heard an owl in the up in the big redwood tree in the yard next door.  I was worried the girls would be scared, but checked on them and they were sleeping in their coop, snug as two bugs in a rug.  Boy that dates me, huh?

We are leaving the for 3 nights this weekend.  That will be a first.  I think I'm going to separate them so Mabel can grow some tail feathers back, and not have to deal with bully Barbara.  We have devised a plan for doing this that should work fine.  Meanwhile I am trying to teach Mable to not turn her back on Barbara.  So far my attempts have failed. 

On the success front, dog and chickens now pretty much ignore each other.  Annie tries to eat their feed, and scratch.  So I threatened to give them some of her food.  Quid pro quo.  Oh she did not like that.

A storm is coming, but today is warm and partly sunny so yard time has been great.  Annie is now sleeping on the chaise on my right and the girls are grooming them selves on my left right next to my chaise.  Ah farm life!

November 12, 2012: Keeping Chickens Warm

Even though we are in California, it still gets cold in the winter.  I've been worried about the girls keeping warm.  Cal keeps reminding me that chickens are hardier than we think, and intellectually I know this, but.....It's cold out there! 

They get back into the coop on their own now in the evening, and are up bright and early wanting to get out and get their scratch.  Me, I'd run right back into the nice warm coop with the think layer of pine shavings.  Like getting back under the covers.  They do not do this.

I can assume they are not feeling the cold like I am, their water is not frozen, they have plenty of feed, though they eschew this in favor of foraging and scratch.

BUT, I think if it gets really cold and rains, I am going to put newspaper and shavings in our big dog carrier and bring them into the kitchen.  Cal says that if I do this they will never want to go outside again.  Probably true.  It's so toasty, sunny and warm in there. 

Next step, Chicken Sweaters.

November 10, 2012: Chickens Love Coffee

My friend Sally sent this too me this morning. I love it.  Ya think it is photo shopped? 

Now I have the answer to why the girls constantly hang out by the back door,  They want coffee!!  Who doesn't!  I know this is a rooster, but everyone knows hens are smarter ( yes they are).  Any way, I also think they know there is food in the kitchen. 

When Annie chased Barbara into the house, she ran right into the kitchen, which is not a direct route from the dining room slider.  Barbara had to run around the dining table, the end of the sofa, into the entryway then hang a hard right to get into the kitchen.   That is where she headed. 

Thank goodness she chose the room with the hardwood floor .  She did not "leave a calling card", but as she seems to be a prodigious  pooper it could have happened.

It is pretty cold today, not freezing, but pretty near in the early morning.  The girls wanted out of the coop early today, but dashed out to peck and get scratch, then ran back up into the roosting area.  We just replaced the pine shavings and it is toasty in there.  Gotta watch heir water and make sure it doesn't freeze. 

As for the picture, I'm sure the girls could learn to do this, but that pot is way to small for the coffee drinking folks in out house, and I truly do not want either of them standing on the kitchen table.

Have a good weekend my fellow chicken wranglers.. And thanks again Sally.

Novmber 8, 2012: Chicken Wrangler Serious Moment

I feel compelled today to write about something that is on my mind and in my heart.  The girls are doing just fine, so I want to talk about something else. 

Our nation and the entire world is going through such a difficult time.  Here in America our economic crisis, political rhetoric and national disasters are played out before the world by a carnivorous Media that thrives on painting the worst picture of life it can. Honesty and integrity in the media has been lost to greed, hunger for power and political agendas.

I can do little about that except, cast my vote, and further withdraw support of any kind for entities and individuals who espouse the ideals that are contradicted by our Constitution.  I am not greedy, power hungry and have no political agenda other than to live my life as a good person.

What I really want to tell you about is my small community in Northern California. Like many small communities all over the world who reach out to those who truly need help every day..  Here is what we are like: 

During the cold winter months our churches participate the the REST Program ( Regional Emergency Shelter Team).  From December through March homeless people are cared for.

Through a local grass roots organization, we provide a warm safe place at each church in rotation, to sleep, give hot meals prepared by the church members, at their own cost, sleeping bags, transportation and other assistance for homeless women, children and families. 

My small Episcopal Church of 25 members made it our Mission to "Feed My Sheep"as God asked us to do, and put in a 11,000 square foot year round vegetable garden, which we plant, tend and harvest, and then deliver the produce free of charge to the local food banks, food closets, churches that provide meals, homeless shelters and the Salvation army.  Last year that totaled over 8,000 lbs. this year almost 6,000 lbs.  And we are not alone.

Our friend Jim, who is himself dealing with a health crisis, takes a small portable kitchen down where ever people are in need and cooks a hot meal for them, for free several times a week.  He often uses our vegetables to prepare these meals, sometimes the only nutritional meal they will have that day.

And just so you know the truth, there are not thousands of homeless people in our community, in fact there is enough housing available for every homeless person, there are enough food programs provided by non governmental agencies so that no one need go hungry.  For some, the choice is to live "rough" as they say.  Jim and others provide for those folks too.

We, just us, just the people, Me, Jim, Cal, Zelda, Rick, Pat, and hundreds of others reach out every day in some way to take care of our fellow man.

Local groups such as Rotary, Kiwanis, Soroptimist and Lions provide coats, blankets, eye glasses, rides to Dr's appts. help with utility bills, refurbish homes for the elderly, and do many other acts of kindness to numerous to mention. 

Everyday citizens, who are struggling them selves to deal with a depressed economy, reach out in hundreds of ways to extend caring hands, for nothing more than the privilege of helping others. 

My friend Fotine who owns a small local restaurant is doing a 'food drive to provide Thanksgiving meals for needy families.  And this is only one of the ways she reaches out, while struggling herself to deal with the economy.

What you may read or see sensationalized in the Media, where ever you may live, is not the truth of what goes on in my country.  Yes we have all the social ills of every other country in the world,  but we have something else. too.  In most people I see in my small community an inherent desire to help each other. not just write a check, really help. 

I think where ever you live, what ever country, that we all all more alike than different, when you get away from the politics and greed, out to the average person, we want to help each other however we can.

I am me, I live in a rural area, I love my country, I love my family, I have worked hard for every single thing I have, and have devoted my life to helping others first as an RN, and then as a Family Therapist.  I tell the truth and value my integrity more than anything.  I work for justice, yearn for peace in our world and pray every day to God the help me do the right thing.

I am your typical American citizen.  God bless you today and everyday.

Nov. 6, 2012: Mabel The Sweet

Here is our Mabel.  She is the sweetest little girl.  Her little voice is just a gentle little brrrrrrr, or coo with an occasional Cluck,  She still has not laid any eggs, so I'm not sure when that will happen.  She may be laying off in the bushes, so we are starting to hunt for little blue eggs.  She is barely 6 months old so hopefully she will bless us with blue eggs soon.

Frankly though, if she never laid an egg that would be OK too.  She is starting to stand up to Barbara, who tries to bully her.  Barbara has also started pulling out  Mabel's tail feathers.  I caught her in the act and picked her right up, told her NO, and put her in time out in the coop. 

Oh, she did not like that at all!  She paced and made a lot of noise, but I did not give in. Meanwhile Mabel blissfully cruised around, pecking at bugs.  Then yesterday, Barbara tried to bully Mabel, and Mabel rose up, spread her neck feathers and charged at Barbara. She did not peck at Barbara, just rose up on her tippy toes.  I was delighted to see her assert herself.

We are deciding whether to keep moving the coop around, or to just devote an area of the yard to the girls, and fence off a larger area for them for when we are not home.  They could still be out loose when we are home, but have more space than the "enclosed patio" Cal built for them,which is perhaps a bit too small. 

Overcrowding can cause chickens to get aggressive with each other , just like humans, so that may be why Barbara has been pulling Mabel's tail feathers.  I've been trying to tell Mabel to not turn her back on Barbara, but she forgets.  Or it is just the proverbial pecking order and Barbara is the Alpha, BUT she needs to be nice to her sister chicken.

I am going to spend part of the day, out on the chaise, just watching the girls.  And maybe hunting for the hidden blue egg somewhere in the yard.

God Bless.

November 3, 2012: Annie the Chicken Herder

It is a beautiful morning and the girls are up cruising around the yard.  They often go behind the hedges, but this morning, Annie went and found them and slowly herded them back towards the patio.  I did not know she was a herder.  Must have some Corgi in her somewhere along with the poodle and the unknown.

The girls now ignore her and she has stopped chasing them,  They seem to have made their peace and can now co-exist in the yard, though we still separate them when we leave home, mostly because we don't want the chickens to fall prey to any wandering predator. 

Annie is disgusted because they don't want to play with her.  She came back up on Cal's lap and showed her feelings quite well.  I can here her saying, " first they get those damn chickens and now those girls won't even play with me Mommy.  Why don't they like me? They make ME sick!"

I explained to her that she is the sweetest most precious baby to us, and that it is just the nature of chickens to be a little standoffish, and in fact they are probably just jealous of her beautiful blonde curly hair.  Then I gave her some of my peach yogurt and all was well.

Now the girls have wandered back up into the coop, and it may be egg laying time.  Lots of wiggling and brrrrrrrring going on in there.   Later, friends.
 

Nov. 2nd, 2012: The Chickens Survived The Storm.

We hit the road for a wine tasting overnighter and left the girls alone in their coop and extension.  We had a hella rain and wind storm, and really battened down the hatches for them before we left.  I worried about them getting wet and being cold.  

Got home this afternoon and they were warm and dry and so happy to see us, running right to us.  Yes it was largely for scratch, but, after they had their treat they hung out around me as I read the paper out on the chaise lounge.  Very chatty little girls, apparently a lot happened while we were gone and they did not want me to miss out on anything. 

They took turns coming up next to me, looking me in the eye and talking.  Heads bobbing up and down, nodding, cooing, chittering, no clucking though.  My original goal was to do the NYTimes Crossword Puzzle from today's paper, with my favorite pen.  But I tell you it was so much more fun to chat with the girls.  Barbara did peck at my pinkie ring once, I think it was for leaving them cooped for over 24 hours, or, because it is sparkly. I continued to watch them cruise the yard, and they kept an eye on me too, running at full speed back next to me several times. 

Oh I forgot that Barbara gave us another egg during the night. Found it when we got home.  No blue eggs.  Mabel is approaching 23 weeks old so we should see something soon.  And she has forgiven me for the digital exam and sitz bath. 

Life is good here at the Chicken Wranglers.  Ciao Bellas.