I haven't been musing much lately. Well, not in a calm structured manner, anyway. I tend to let myself get all frazzled and then I run around looking and feeling incredibly busy, but not really accomplishing anything of real worth. It has been on my mind to do some personal blogging, so I decided to run around and accomplish something I can post on my own little blog. Today, I am posting a few pictures of some of my newest little pets.
First of all, I would like to introduce THE LADIES. At least, I hope they are all ladies. I have my suspicions about one or more of them. . .
This year, for Valentine's Day, Rob got incredibly creative. First, he brought home these little items to get me interested.
Next, he took me to Battle Ground to pick out my first little flock.
I had looked over Chick Days and had a pretty good idea of what I wanted. Sweet tempered little egg layers, of course! My choices were narrowed down to about five breeds: Austrolorp, Orpington, Americauna, Brahma, and Silkie (just for fun). Three of those breeds were available at Wilco on Valentine's day. I chose two Buff Orpingtons (known for extremely soft feathers and sweet temperaments), one Austrolorp (which should grow up to have black green feathers and lay a good many eggs) and two Americaunas (a smaller chicken famed for laying pink, green, and blue eggs).
They grow astonishingly fast!
The first to be curious and brave about the world around her was the darker of the Americauna's (lower right). I named her Meridah. Since there is only one Austrolorp and I got them on Valentine's Day, i named the black one on the perch Valentine (NOT to be confused with a psycho cat we once named Mr. Valentine). One of the Orpingtons would jump right up on the watering thingie (nice technical term, don't you think?) and I exclaimed, "Whoa Nellie!" Since they are still fairly difficult to tell apart, the other is named Ellie. Nellie -n- Ellie. Has a nice ring to it. I decided to let Rob name the last little Americauna (which are also known as Divas around here on account of eye-liner markings around their eyes). She has been the sweetest little thing. She is the one who comes to us before anyone else will. Whenever we clean out the container they are in, someone has to protect my head which is where she apparently likes to be. Eventually, Rob called her Indiana (as in the adventurous Indiana Jones) and it is Ana for short.
Sadly, I suspect we have a rooster. That would be the one sitting on the watering-thingie closest to me looking all protective and scary!
About a week after Rob took me to Wilco for the Ladies, he took me back to see what else was in. To my surprise, they had Brahma chicks. (These are sometimes referred to as gentle giants because the hens get up to 10 pounds!!! And they have the cutest little feathered bell bottom feet.) For some reason, I chose three. I couldn't have told you why at the time. Maybe to keep my numbers even? In any event, now I am glad I did, because I think Henny Penny might just be Hardware Hank! Although I am not sexist in any way, there will be NO roosters in my flock as long as we live near the city limits.
More?????
Well, can you blame me? We just stopped by Wilco to ask the "Chicken Lady" about a strange thing several of my ladies had been seen doing. A little yawning stretch. I was worried they were choking. . . or maybe trying to crow???? (Please. . . don't be roosters. Don't be roosters. I am already getting attached.) After I was assured that chicks will simply behave in, well, chick fashion, we took some time to examine the newest chicks to arrive. I came away with two of the last in my list. . . Silkies. "But there are four!" you say? Well, I was introduced to another cute variety of chicken called the Frizzle. Their wings curl up as you see in the above picture. CUTE!!! Now, these were all straight run which means I have a 50/50 chance of getting a rooster. By now, it should be clear that I do not intend to keep roosters. I am hoping I won't have to find a good home for any of my 'gals'.
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