MY CHICKENS

When my kids were young, we decided one Easter that we would get a few little chicks. They were adorable and the kids loved them. They grew to adulthood and started laying... at least the hens did. The roosters made it to a pot of chicken and dumplings. Well, all except one and his name was Homer. He was beautiful. My neighbors liked him, until he woke someone up at 4am with a few crows. It really wasn't his fault though. The dumpster lid woke him up and he was just trying to alert everyone of danger. Too late, the police knocked on my door and told me Homer had to find a home in the country. 

About February, I was thinking about those hens and decided I wanted to have a few. I thought maybe 3 would satisfy my want of hens. I learned that Tractor Supply has Chick Days in late February. After work I would stop by TS, but there were none left by 5:30. This went on for over a month. Then one day, my mother said she would go and get chicks for me. I sent her with a list of breeds I wanted. She went down one Tuesday morning (that's when they got the shipment) and called to tell me that there were none of my preferred breed available. I asked what breeds they had. She went back inside and said they had the Amarucana. I didn't remember much about that breed, but told her to get four. They were so cute. 

I had a big box from an online order. That was their home for the first six weeks. At about four weeks, their dander was more than I could take in the house. At six weeks the weather was warm enough to move them to the finished Chicken Coop.

I had started on the Chicken Coop long before I ever got the chicks. There was a perfect spot behind my garage for the coop and run. I calculated the size needed and drew up plans.... and then modified them many times. The materials used were mostly scrap lumber gathered from two boxsprings from the alley, furniture, plywood scraps and pallets. 

R.I.P Abner

After 8 weeks, I suspected two were not going to be egg producers. And I was correct. Loco and Abner went to Freezer Camp. In the city limits of Lubbock, you cannot have a rooster. If it's due to the crowing, the dogs in my neighborhood are a lot louder than my roosters were. I did silence the roosters before the police were called with a complaint. Loco was... not right in the head, but Abner was so pretty.

At exactly 21 weeks, I received the first egg. It was what is called a Fairy Egg. The first few eggs are usually small, thus the name Fairy Egg. In the first five days, I received seven eggs. The last one was full size.

My hens do more than produce my breakfast, they are my entertainment. They run to the fence to greet me when I come in the backyard. I enjoy sitting with beverage in hand and watch them peck and scratch. They are fun.

Eleanor

Henrietta