Chickens Archives - Page 21 of 25

Bzzzz October 3rd, 2008

I don’t want you to think living here in the country is all about frolicking in the wildflower fields, looking winsome and thin while petting the animals who obey and adore us.

Without being too graphic, I want to let you know that country living occasionally has its hardships.

Okay, one example. Finding a king snake eating a mouse under your stove is a good way to ruin a perfectly good Sunday morning.

One more example, just for fun: Giving $750 on Monday morning to a 5’3 tall man with a handlebar mustache and alligator skin cowboy boots to crawl all around and under your house with insulation foam and hardware wire.

Okay, that’s the ugly part of living in the country. When you’re surrounded by woods and acres of hay fields, you have to expect, to some extent, that critters happen. You just don’t want them to happen so closely, if you know what I mean.

On the other hand, my chickens continue to delight and amaze me. The baby chicks are no longer babies. I can’t introduce them up-close-and-personal with the trio of big girls yet, but we do put their playpen outside next to the big girls’ run and have had a few meet-and-greet sessions.

And during their free-range time before sunset, the big girls have learned that they can walk onto the porch and deck and look through our French doors to see what we’re doing inside.

Minnie Ruth and Olive are still rather, uh, homely. I expect they will grow into their lovely chicken-ness. Because, you know, chickens really are quite beautiful, funny and entertaining.

This weekend we should complete construction on the Palazzo di Pollo, the new chicken house with its own porch and loft.

Until next time, here’s wishing you a critter-free weekend. Unless they are critters you like, that is.

Posted In: Chickens

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Bzzzz September 21st, 2008

Harry was hard at work today with his post-hold diggers. Pretty soon I’ll be able to share the results of all his work—the chicken run of the Palazzo di Pollo. Yes, that’s the name of their new chicken house, thanks to the brainstorming of my Plurking friends. Credit for the final name goes to Mr. McGregor’s Daughter Leslie at Growing a Garden in Davis.

My sister-in-law jumped in and even made us an official Palazzo di Pollo logo! I believe I may have to open my own Cafe Press store so I can sell t-shirts and other fun Palazzo di Pollo goods. What do you think? Don’t you need a Palazzo di Pollo apron? A Palazzo di Pollo ballcap?

Just to test the marketability of our chickens, we did a brief (VERY brief) photo shoot this afternoon to see how well they work as models. Maxine did fairly well. I, however, probably could use some work.

I only look a little tentative because we had to catch Maxine not once, but twice in order to get a photo without shadows. Let’s just say she was not amused.

And so, there we have it for today’s chicken story installment.

Next up: wild blueberry muffins (and not a word about chickens, I promise.)

By the way, you can follow me on Twitter at BumblebeeGarden. Chicken stories all day long!

Posted In: Chickens