The Chickens that Reside Here

The chicks that we received via that United States Postal Service in May, are now almost fourteen weeks old! Some days it seems like such a looong time since they were little peepers, and yet at the same time it seems like it was just yesterday that they were so very tiny. We've been fortunate in only loosing four chickens so far and at last 'head count' we have a grand total of forty-one chickens residing in our former dog pen! Oh yes, our flock is comprised of twenty-six hens and fifteen roosters! It appears the the hatchery sent us mostly barred rock roosters as we only have four hens from that batch!! :o)

When the gate opens....
Most every time someone walks into the pen this is what they will quickly encounter. The chickens have learned that a human beings entrance into the pen usually means that they come bearing treats or food! They love any and all scraps that we send their way, but watermelon is a definite favorite.

We prefer to drink out of the mud puddle...
The Barred Rock roosters are by far the most friendly of all the chickens. The roosters are usually the first to arrive at the gate and are always first in line during feeding time. There does seem to be one particular rooster that follows me around from time to time, but I have yet to confirm that it is the same one each and every time (they all look alike at first glance and I have investigated deeply enough)

Speckled Sussex
We have three or four really pretty Sussex roosters that are something else to watch strut around. The hens don't even begin to have the color contrast the the roosters do. One of these guys has been working on his crow a TON and is sounding quite good! I think he's most likely the top dog out there as no one really seems to mess with him.

We prefer to stay here for the night...
Every evening we have to get these Sussex hens out of a tree/tall bush and it can be quite the event! They are loathe to let go of the limb so some wing flapping and squawking always accompany this 'ritual'. They are having an influence on the rest of the flock as the numbers in the 'tree' have grown to five of late. It's only the Sussex hens, though.

Eating a tasty treat
I am really enjoying our chickens!! There is personality and antics that make tending to them so much fun! They are not very keen on being held but they sure do enjoy gathering around your ankles, pecking at shiny stuff (like camera's), investigating your feet, and if you stand still for long enough some of them will take a cat nap nearby! Tending to the 'chick-y-doos' is one of the highlights of my day!