Some overdue Introductions

Meet: Mabs- full name: Mary Angela Beyonce. She is every bit as special as her name implies

Meet: Pepper- aka Pepper head, Peppy, Goose Goose.

Meet: Pickle. Pickle Pants, Pickle Puff, you get the idea.

Meet: Olive. This was her awkward phase. Or so i thought. I'm beginning to think this poor chicken's whole life is her awkward phase.

Drama has subsided- and it's been lovely.

In an extreme reader's digest version recap:
I have some new residents in the scratch shack. We said a farewell to Ina and Raffi after they proved themselves unwilling to be hospitable to Gesine's babies. So out with them and in with Lucy and Mabs. Only Lucy was really a Ricky... so now we have Olive. Everyone gets along- and all is well. The drama seemed to mess with everyones laying cycles, and between that and Gesine and Claire being broody every other week- we were getting an egg (ONE!) every other day from Paula. Now we are back to two or three a day, and the other 4 girls are coming up on laying age quicker than I can imagine! Pepper, a light brahma, is a BEAST. She easily outweighs everyone and is still growing. Her BFF, Pickle, the lone silkie from Gesine's hatch is looking like a permanent addition since we are almost sure she is a girl (as sure as you can be with a silkie) and the two newest gals have officially outgrown my "old ladies" Paula and Gesine. So there. Consider yourself filled in. In case you were interested ;)

Now I'm hatching eggs?!?

Okay, actually- Gesine is hatching eggs. But I swear I'm more nervous than she is. And this is just day 1!!! I suppose I'll try to be more diligent, as always- since I feel babies should be shared with the world (who doesn't love a fuzzbutt?) but we'll see how it goes. Gesine is diligently setting on three sweet silkie eggs. I feel lucky to have gotten some nice eggs from a great breeder- so the birdies should be gorgeaux when they grow out. My plan- keep three- see which ones grow up to be egg layers- and adopt out the handsome lads to some lucky breeders. But you know what they say about the best laid plans... ;)

Hey! Leave me alone! I'm workin' here!

Spa Day!

Oh doesn't that luxurious pile of dirt and feathers make you swoon? What? You were expecting warm water with glistening suds and some candles? No, no, no! This is a dust bath! The girls LOVE to partake anytime they can find a pile big enough to hold themselves :)

The process is to get as much dirt under and around their little bodies as possible, and then shoosh their wings around to fluff in all in between their feathers. Rinse and repeat. Apparently it's cleansing.

Can't a girl get a little privacy?

I'm really terrible at this- but trying to get better!

For who's sake I'm not sure... I love the idea of blogging. I just need to get into the habit. I always to have a fun tid-bit or so to share.
Here's the latest-
The "Scratch Shack" is now officially open for business!!! The girls have all moved into their new coop, just before Thanksgiving, AND we now have......................................
wait for it.....................................................................................
WAIT FOR IT............................................................................3 pullets giving us eggs!!!  Gesine, Raffi, and Paula have all made their way to the nest boxes and deposited their "rent." Claire and Ina are still being free-loaders, but they still put on a show for me :)

The Scratch Shack...just before move-in day

 The sign on the coop- Left to Right:

Gesine, Paula, Raffi, Ina, and Claire

My favorite girl, Gesine

(shhh!, don't tell the others!)

Our Goddaughter, Makena, falling in love with her "eggy"

laid by Gesine

That's the latest and the Greastest! This season is crazy, no?

What a BIG day!

Yesterday was monumental. I was at school yesterday, frying donuts like there was no tomorrow (which, of course, there is...because that's today) and I get a text from my hubby who is holding down the fort at home. "Guess who's a big girl and made it up the ramp by herself!" It said. Now- this is a condensed saga- but our silkie chicken, Claire, will come DOWN the ramp every AM...but simply refused to go UP the ramp in the evenings. She runs to us when we walk outside after dusk and stamps her little feed and makes her little cooing tribble noises! She really is adorable :)
So we pick her up, and put her upstairs with the big girls every night so she can snuggle with the others. But! Andy came home to all 5 chickens residing happily on their roost. How nice is that? Most everyone is getting along better today. Gesine must have taken her chill pill, but now Paula is being a goose and chasing the new girls around. I feel sure they will all be fine in a few days. Claire is Switzerland. She is neither peck-ee or peck-er. She's the best.

The shack is crowded :(

We picked up two new pullets today- a beautiful blue rock, and a muffless blue/wheaten ameraucana. I'll have to post some pictures of the lovely ladies tomorrow, but it was dark by the time we got them loaded into the ark. No squiking, so I hope everybody gets along but they are nighttime drunk right now...
Hopefully no damage in the AM. Tomorrow we get our delivery of dirt etc. to make our "Mel's mix" for our SFGs. We have so much to plant! Lots of pics tomorrow