Saddle's Still On!

Orp Roo got duct taped again this morning and she was not at all happy about the experience. I was surprised that there were no pin feathers growing on her back. That look she is giving me says go away! Henny Penny's saddle was loose because she is growing feathers, but not coming off, so I didn't mess with her. Putting duct tape on chickens is not my favorite thing to do. I'm glad Henny Penny is growing feathers, but Orp Roo's back is still bare. At least it is not sunburned anymore. Hopefully, when she molts this year she will grow new feathers. Kristine said she would suspect mites, but the other chickens are Ok and Henny Penny's feathers are growing back so the feather loss must be from something else.

The broody Golden Lace Wyandotte is very happy in all her new straw where she has burrowed down and made herself very comfortable. She doesn't roost and sleeps in the nest box and is always here except when I pick her up and set her down in the pen so she will go eat and drink. Kristine and I keep talking about getting a chick from the feed store and sticking it under her just to see what she would do. But we really don't want anymore chickens. Poor broody hen. No chicks.

Although, there are times I would like a Light Brahma rooster that didn't crow or jump on the hens and make them miserable. Too bad roosters don't come that way. I do miss our big Light Brahma rooster, Brutus, that the coyote got. He was so gentle. My neighbor called us that day and said that a fox had one of our chickens, but Kristine and Tom said it was a coyote.

Morgan wasn't out with the chickens that day because for some reason we were keeping her inside and then someone let the chickens out. Kristine says she sees coyotes come through the yard early in the morning before we let Morgan outside. So, the coyotes do keep checking and hope to get lucky and find the chickens unprotected.

There is the little round plant that Kristine brought home yesterday. I mixed half a bag of potting soil with the dirt I dug out of the hole and used that mixture under and around the plant.I hope it will be happy in that spot and do well. I don't have a green thumb and I rely on plants that are basically survivors. Native plants are my favorites. Weeds do well also.

[13 eggs today]

I think the hens like the new straw!

Smiles

~:>

Found Basket

Here is another find from years gone by. I sewed the fabric insert and the "wings" top for this little basket. There are pockets on the sides and in the top for thread, needles and such. I wish I could have found a chicken basket, but at the time we had ducks too, so having a duck sewing basket seemed a good idea. I think blue must have been my favorite color then.

Kristine brought this plant home to me today. It is called Armeria "maritima Bloodstone" a 6 to 10 inch evergreen perenial for borders. It has sea pink flowers. Well, not now, I dead headed the few that were there and I will plant this in the green garden. It is supposed to do well with two or three hours of sun a day. It is hardy to 0 degrees, so it may not last the winter, but it is supposed to do well in the winters up here. We'll see.

I went out this evening and put new straw in the nest boxes, but when I went to take photos the battery need charging. Phooey. I have to catch the two duct tape hens and replace their saddles. Orp Roo's saddle came off completely and Henny Penny's saddle is loose. I charged the battery so I hope for photos of the chickens tomorrow.

[11 eggs today]

Smiles

~:>

New Window

Looky there!

Tools

I was so glad that Tom found the screwdrivers.

So, I went outside to the chickens coop

to take off the broken window

and

found two eggs out in the chicken pen.

Very strange.

The girls have never done that before.

I put on the new window

and moved the ladder closer

so there won't be much room for them to hit the glass.

When Kristine gets home I will ask her

to take a look and maybe

we will just take the ladder out.

As soon as it warms up I will be leaving

the windows open.

I don't remember if I said before that my brother

built the chicken pen area originally as

two pens for his dogs and eventually

converted one of them to a chicken coop/pen.

Kristine and I have been thinking of enlarging

the pen by incorporating the other fenced area.

We will need to put on an anchor roof on the

other side to keep the critters out.

Another project for the summer.

These girls were giving me a bad time

as I fixed the window

and even as I bade them goodbye.

I thought I would put a photo of this wild plant

on my blog to keep as a record.

The plants grow near the fence line

behind the chicken coop.

There are not many of these plants and

only in a few shady areas.

I wish I knew the name of the plant.

I'm still taking it a bit easy

and haven't started sewing yet

because my eyes still get tired but

I'm better!

Jean sounded pretty good today.

Making jokes and laughing.

She had physical therapy.

Hugs Jean!

Smiles