August 12, 2013: Barbara is back and laying!

What Annie Really Thinks of the Chickens!

You know we were concerned about Barbara a few weeks ago when she went crazy then stopped laying eggs?  We did our research and learned that she was broody, not an illness of any kind, but kind of like PMS + Menopause = stay away from her, and don't let her near a loaded gun.  Thank God she doesn't have opposable thumbs or we might have been in danger.

During my massage last Friday I asked my masseuse/chicken expert, Zahra, about eggless Barbara and she assuaged my fears.

Anywho she laid her first egg yesterday and another today.  Hooray!!!  She and Mable strolled into the dining room today after lunch to get their daily treat of raisins.  They are getting braver and now come all the way in and closer to the dining table legs.  My sister Karen was here and witnessed the raisin ritual first hand.

Just another anecdote for you:  had my sis and brother in law John over for dinner last night.  John was seated looking out the glass door to the yard.  He asked me a bunch of questions about the girls, talked about how pretty Mabel was and the numerous colors of her feathers, and I noticed him smiling when he looked out at them.  The little hammy hens must have sensed the attention and came and sat by the sliding glass door, preening and being cute, just for John.

I'm telling you chickens are good for what ails you.  They are little stress relievers and bring us such joy in their antics. 

Annie thinks of them as her chickens and watches out for them, just in case some anger arises like a kitten, or blue jay comes in the yard. 

Life is good at the Chicken Wranglers City Chicken Ranch.

August 5, 2013: Barbara Comes Back From The Dark Side.

In my last post I described our adorable hen Barbara suffering from PMS/broodiness.  She was crazy, and confused.   We didn't know what the hell was going on.  After carefully research we discovered what broodiness is.  And she was in it!!

As recommended, we sequestered her from the nest for three days in our large dog carrier, and she is almost back to normal.  She hasn't started laying again, but that is also a part of broodiness.  We are giving her lots of TLC and blueberry yogurt (her favorite).

Meanwhile Mable has been wondering "what is wrong with Sissy"?  She has been so solicitous of her sister and staying close.  While Barbara was in the dog carrier, so Mable could have access to the nest, Mabel would look in and talk to Barbara, and as soon as she laid her egg, we would close the coop and let Barbara out to free range in the yard, they would run to each other and cruise around the yard.

So things are back to normal, well as normal as they ever are.  There is peace in the Kingdom again.  For now.