Chicken Daze

Well, a lot has happen in my crazy chick world in the last month and a half. My 4 Barred Rock Roosters that I loved found a good home with my neighbor's mom. It was a sad day but I knew it was best. That left me with 10 chickens. By the end of May beginning of June all my chicks moved outside into their new coop. It seemed like they started to grow so fast after that because of all the yummy bugs and plants they were able to eat. It amazed me and still does how they can free range all day and then by 8:30 p.m. they all go back into the coop.

About two weeks ago Jay was sitting outside in the morning before work. He heard from inside the coop a cock a doodle do. I was so sad b/c I thought I had gotten rid of all my roosters. I thought it had to be Shan Shan, my silkie b/c it was not sexed when I got it. Less then a week later I let my girls outside in the morning and right in front of me Beauty, cock a doodled. I was taken back then it started to make sense because I knew she was the head of the girls but I thought she was the head gal, not a rooster. I bought her as a pullet, grr. I can tell she is a he now. I still call him Beauty. Hmmm... I am going to wait a little bit before I get rid of him.

On July 6th, my boy's b-day, I followed through with my itch to get some more chickens. I went to Fayetteville and bought 5 more. Two Black Australorps, one White Rock, one Silver laced Wyandotte, and a what we think to be a White Crested Black Polish. I spent extra for that one. They are 5 weeks old.

Now here is the run down of my birds:

Ameraucanas
1. Beauty
2. Marissa
3. Girly

Barred Rocks
4. Chloe
5. Gwendolyn

Silkie
6. Shan Shan

Black Stars
7. Pretty (I think she is just a Barred Rock but I bought her as a Black Star)
8. ? No name yet. She is very pretty with a black body with a shimmery green around her back and brown around her neck.

Production Reds
9. Lucy
10. Little Red

Black Australorps
11. ?
12. ?

White Rock
13. Sky

Silver Laced Wyandotte
14. Dot

I think a White Crested Black Polish
15. Fancy


I have let friends and family name a bunch of my chickens so they can feel apart of this fun venture. I am going to let my readers name the other gal (if anyone is reading this :) . Let me tell you that I want easy to spell and easy to say names. So give me your ideas for the ones with question marks.

Today I noticed Shan Shan had metallic blue ears. I had to read to see if this in normal and it is, so very cool. Also I caught her and got a comb and combed her down. She loved it. I told Jay that she is the closest thing to getting a cat I will ever do (not a big cat fan).

My two big Barred Rocks are probably my favorite because they are the most friendly I pick them up all the time and they seem to like it. I can't tell them apart so I might be picking the same one up all the time and not realizing it.

My next blog will be a picture blog of the coop and my gals + boy :(.

Don't forget to send me your name chooses!

A few things...

A few things I've learned about chickens by reading:

1. They aren't noisy! Unless you have a rooster!

2. They aren't stinky! Unless you don't clean their coop!

3. They are sweet! Unless you mistreat them!

A few things I've learned about chicks by observing:

1. They aren't noisy! Unless I drop 10 worms in there brooder box, then they go crazy!

2. They are a little stinky, cause they are in my house and in a confined area. I do clean their box a lot and that helps a ton.

3. They are so sweet! I just had one chick that I know is a rooster now, fall asleep in my lap. I didn't want to move.

A few things I look forward to:

1. Getting fresh eggs
They are better for my family
Not having to go to the grocery store for them
Forcing me to find new recipes to try
Hoping that I can help others in need with them

2. Entertainment
I have heard that watching chickens can be better than TV.

3. Fulfillment
Knowing that I am caring for and helping these little gal.
Teaching my kids about responsibilities, working hard, and animals
Giving me something to look forward to each day

4. Seeing my gals grow up
Hoping that my dog, Peanut doesn't chomp on them. So far so good!

Wild and Crazy Chick!

I have found a new venture/hobby/passion! "What is it?" you ask! Chickens!
Yes, living in Arkansas it doesn't sound that crazy to have them and the more I read about them the more it sounds like a good idea.

I don't know maybe a year or more ago I got on a kick, thinking I would love to live on a farm. I kept on telling Jay what a good idea it would be. He wasn't buying it. But then I got on a chicken kick not that long ago. I had heard of some people having some in there backyard and thinking that it was cool. About a month ago everything went into hyper-drive. My thinking about chickens turned into researching about them. I told Jay I was getting some and on our Anniversary dinner at a very fancy restaurant we talked about chickens most of the night. After the dinner we went and bought a book on them that a friend had suggested to me. I devoured the book and spent tons of time on the computer.

I wanted chickens to lay eggs, to have as pets, and to teach the kids responsibilities. I decided to start with chicks so they would be more friendly to us. Jay and I built a brooder box to keep them in while they are still little. On May 12th 2011, I got my first 3 pullets (female chickens under the age of one) they were 1 or 2 days old. I got Americanas. Olivia names one Marissa, Ike named one Girly, and I named one Beauty. We got them from the local feed store. Then four days later I went to Siloam and bought 6 straight run (nonsexed) Barred Rock that were 3 weeks old. I was hoping to get three hens out of them but it is looking more like two. I will have to give the cockerels away. City Ordinance, plus I don't want them. I also got one Silkie, she is a Bantam, which is a small beautiful fluffy chicken. I named her Shan Shan, after my good friend, Shanon that went with me on that trip. I haven't named the Barred Rock's because I know some are going and once they leave I will give the ladies their name's.


Well, today I just had to do it, I knew that the feed store had some Black Sex Link hens (a mixed breed that are really good layers) and I wanted some. I know some of my Barred Rocks were going to hit the road soon and I just hated the idea of not having very many chickens. So I got 2 blacks. So cute but I didn't check their vents and one had "pasty butt". Not fun pulling off a hard large poop off of a 4 day old. Hoping it will be fine..

I looked at tons of different coop styles and picked my favorite and Jay drew up the plans, he is such a smarty. Oh, he said he would build the coop but wants nothing to do with the chickens, that is all my job. I happily agreed. The coop is about 6 by 6 feet and about 6 foot tall. It is going to look like a shed but a little dolled up. The studs are up and roof is on but not the shingles. The run is going to be about 6 by 15 feet. There has been so much rain that I don't know when we will be able to finish it. I hope soon. My oldest chicks will be old enough to go outside in a week. I am ready to have some outside. 12 chickens in my house is a little crazy, once I think about it! Oh, I can't wait to post pictures of the finished coop and my happy girls.

Found a shirt at a thrift store a few days ago that I just had to get that said, "Wild and Crazy Chick" I think that sums it up pretty good!