March 12, 2014: Happy Hens in the Sun

 

We had a terribly windy day yesterday with strong gusts.  I was worried about the girls being blown down the block, or across the river to Marysville.  They stayed close to the house hunkered down, under the patio cover out of the wind most of the day. 

BUT today it is sunny with no wind and they are delighted to be out running around as usual.  I walked out to our loggia to see them together just enjoying the sun.  They always greet me with their sweet little voices. 

March 4, 2014: 1.5 years of Chicken Wrangling and Still Love My Girls

Hi All,
It's been a while since I posted.  Still working on my children's books about Mabel and Barbara.  Been procrastinating about the publishing part. Reading how to self publish etc. I need a big kick in the butt. 

The girls made it through a pretty cold December, but so far the weather has been milder  and they are doing great.  During the day, when it rains, they gather under the patio cover and sleep on the door mat when not scouring the yard for tasty tidbits.  When we move to the bedroom they follows us so they can be a part of the family, standing outside that sliding door.  I never knew they were so social.  No chicken coop for them, they want to see Mom and Dad and their sister Annie.

I love that about them.  This afternoon I went out and sat on the patio chaises.  Of course they immediately ran around the hedge from the west side of the yard to see me.  We chatted and they expressed an interest in some raisins.  We shared a few stories and they ate raisins.  It was so peaceful to just sit with the girls.  Sometimes I think that hens are natures Zanax.

BTW:  A few weeks ago I noticed a wet looking spot under Mabel's chin.  Brought her in the house and sure enough she looked like she had a weeping sore area.  Cal cradled her while I washed it with soap and water then applied Neosporin.  She was calm an let us pet her and talk to her during the process.  What a trooper.  She has always been so sweet.  Anyway it worked like a charm and completely healed in a few days.

December 7th 2013: Chickens move into the kitchen.

 

Annie wants to check it out before we move it back into the kitchen.

The last 3 nights have been well below freezing here which is an anomaly, and flies in the face of the proponents of global warming.  Today it snowed...in Yuba City....central California....Valley floor!

With Mabel so naked, having finished molting but not anywhere near fully feathered yet, I have been worried about both she and Barbara out in the coop at night.  Cal is exploring chicken sweaters, and I tried to fashion a chicken coat of sorts made out of small scarves.  Mabel looked like a gypsy and did not like wearing them. 

So again we resorted to the large dog carrier, filled with pine shavings, in the kitchen.  The girls seem to like being in here, and readily go to sleep as soon as we turn off the kitchen lights.  When I told the women in my book club today about bringing the girls in, I think they thought I was nuts.  Do you think I am spoiling my chickens?  It's only going to be 22F tonight, and Mabel is nude!

11/29/2013: Molting is Revolting

Happy one day after Thanksgiving, chicken lovers.  What is it about the holidays that bring out the worst in some family members?  Drama is truly overrated.

                                                   Mabel at her fully feathered best.
Speaking of drama, I have begun to notice large amounts of feathers on the back yard door mats.  At first I thought the chickens had had a fight.  But no signs of same on either girl.  Then notice Mabel has stopped laying.  Barbara is still  happily laying one egg a day, but it's been several days since we've seen a pale greenish blue egg. 

Today, after several days of flying feathers everywhere. Mabel is looking pretty groddy.  Poor little thing looks almost naked, and in the winter too.  Is this right?  I thought chickens molted in the Fall, not mid-winter.  Our sweet little pretty Ameraucana is bald in patches. and looks hideous.

We don't mention that to her, but I thinks she knows cause she looks at her self in the sliding glass doors.  Barbara is strutting around like "look at me, I'm the normal chicken, Mabel is the mutant."  Kindness is not a big part of Barbara's character.

So, to make it up to Mabel, I give her extra raisins, and yogurt, and tell her that this too shall pass and she will be our pretty little hen again soon.  Then it will be Barbara's turn and Mabel will have the last laugh.

October 16, 2013: Mabel and Barbara Missed Mommy amd Daddy

It's been a while since this chicken wrangler has posted here.  Since I got my Smart phone I spend less time on my laptop.  I have missed writing about the exploits of our girls.

They remain the delightful little critters they always have been, and we miss them when we travel.  (That God for our surrogate chicken wrangler, Jim, a neighbor who also has backyard chickens and helps chicken sit when were gone.) We discovered this past week that they miss us too when we are gone.

After a 5 day trip to the San Juan Islands, we returned late last Friday night.  We checked on the girls who were cooped up and asleep.  Come Saturday morning, I got up, went to open the chicken run, and feed them their scratch.  They were still in the net.  Didn't even notice I was there. 

After a book club meeting later that morning,  I dragged myself home, opened the back sliding door to let Annie out, and collapsed on the living room couch, leaving the door open so Annie could come back in at her leisure.  I was just dozing off when I heard a familiar cococoing sound, only it was not in the yard, it was right next to me.  I opened my eyes to find myself eye to eye with Barbara who had strolled on in the house, Mabel right on her tail.   Barbara began chatting with me, while casually pecking at the carpet.  Mabel followed suit.  I believe their message was "where the hell have you been"?

Still it warmed my heart to see these girls who were so afraid of us when they arrive a year ago, that we had to chase them all over the yard to get them in the coop, fearlessly walk into the house, through the dining room and into the living room to find Mama.  We had a nice talk.

I did say a small prayer that they would not poop on the rug, and sure enough they didn't. 

Aside:  Earlier this summer we had a lovely green granite-like patio poured and added new garden furniture, umbrellas and even an outdoor area rug, flower pots, and garden art.  It is lovely, like an Italian loggia.  First time a chicken stepped on the new rug, she pooped big time!  Only ten minutes of sheer bliss looking at my lovely new serene patio before the deed was done.  I knew it was inevitable, but only ten minutes?  They have the whole dang yard to poop in and Barbara has to go and poop on the rug first thing.  Good thing I love those girls!

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.