Chandler Chicken Farm

I haven't written much about our oh-so-fabulous chickens lately. I always feel a bit embarassed when I explain to people just how wonderful my chickens have been in helping us to giggle or smile since the death of Jeff. It seems too simple. But really, it's better than cable. Watching the girls strut around, interact with each other, find bugs, eat from your hands and follow you around the yard. I, honestly, have to remind myself to get back inside after my morning visit to 'the girls'. I could hang out all day....

Now that our roosters are 'gone', it's high time I introduced our old and new cast of chickens.

Stella - We got her as a chick from B&P's farm with Rosie. She's a bit stand-offish but a good layer. Stella's more of a chicken than a pet.
One of our new girls, Minerva Louise (or Minnie Lou) - I like this girl alot. She's pretty mellow and has a quirky little head tilt. She always seems to be saying, "And WHAT are you doing NOW???" Minnie Lou's 'twin' (to the untrained eye you can only tell them apart by their leg bands), Freda - She's pretty sweet. Not as mellow as Minerva, but still great.

Sarah, our lovely little girl - Sarah's a bantam Barred Plymouth Rock. We LOVE this chicken. SHE is a pet. The kids cart her around like a doll and she runs on her tiny little feet to the gate when you arrive in the morning for a cuddle. She's suddenly gone 'broody' and now refuses to come out of the hen house. She's so tiny but would insist on sitting on the big girls eggs attempting keep them warm - like sitting on an exercise ball! I took pity on her and bought her some fertile eggs of her own to hatch out....I have a chicken addiction.....

Briar's newest chick, Jeesah - Not much to say about 'her' (hopefully). She's white and has hairy feet.
Soleil, Charlotte and Frizz - the other three chicks that Lucy hatched out.
The star of the coop, Lucy - She's lovely, big and warm. Gentle, cute and mothering. I love this girl. Don't tell the other chicks, but if I could only keep two, it would be Lucy and Sarah. I love them to bits!!!!! *Notice Fuckles staring at the chickens through the fence. No fatalities lately but he sure hangs out a lot at the fence licking his lips at the tender morsels of chicken nuggets inside.
Antarina, the dreaded bitch - This is Briar's chick that hatched out in the Spring. She's nasty and mean. She never bites us, but she chases the cat, terrorizes the chicks and causes general discord in the chicken yard. I have mentioned to the kids that Antarina looks mighty appetizing to me, but they are appalled. The only thing that has saved her thus far is that she is 'supposed' to lay blue eggs like the one that she hatched out of. I want blue eggs. But the blue egg thing is wearing thin as I repeatedly have to rescue chicks from the attentions of this meanie.

There already was a picture of this chick above, but I love this chick. Frizz is a 'frizzle'. I am worried that it's a boy, but we'll have to wait and see. He's cuddlier than the rest and is stinkin' cute! He's tiny in comparison to the others and just...needs me. He reminds me of Lola, sweet little Lola.