We have eggs!!

 Our little Phoenix chicken, Cleo has been laying eggs since last Thursday. It took us a few days to figure out who the mystery layer was but yesterday Daddy caught her kicking around in a nesting box and making a lot of noise. A few minutes later she'd laid an egg and continued to make a lot of noise. She was so proud of herself! She has laid about an egg a day...5 little eggs total. They are light tan in color and a lot smaller than a regular large egg but she is a little chicken. You can see in the photo below three of Cleo's eggs vs. a store-bought extra large egg.

Our other chickens should all start laying in the next couple weeks. Soon we will never have to purchase store-bought eggs again. All of our chickens got their wings clipped yesterday. I spent the morning herding them back into the fenced backyard area because they had found the delicious ripe grapes in the yard just on the other side of the fence and were flying over for the snack three or four at a time. I am concerned about them being on the other side of the fence because our neighbors all have dogs. So, Daddy and the boys trimmed everyone's wings and today they all stayed in the fenced area so I guess it worked.

Our Girls Are Growing Up!

I am talking about our chicks, who are now more like chickens. They even cluck a bit except for the Phoenix who still "peep peeps." For the past week they have been free-ranging in our backyard. It is fenced and though two have made it over the fence, they tend to spend their time trying to get back in when they do.

The first day out they spent all their time around the coop and pen. The second day they ventured a little further to peck around under the trampoline. Each day after, they ventured further and further away until by Friday, they were all over the yard especially enjoying sitting under a pine tree and roosting in its branches. They come running when I walk out the back door. It is so cute to see them zooming across the yard.

Every night at around 8:45 as dusk is setting in, they head back into the coop. They fight over who gets to sit on the top roost nearest the window for about 15 minutes then settle down. I haven't figured out why they fight because the same four end up on that top roost every night anyway.

Here are some pics of the girls.

Lulu 

Cleo...she has the best tail!

Stella

Buffy

Dot, Sprinkles, and Dodo (sorry, she's the picked on chick...they pull out her  head feathers)

More Chicks and Cookin'

I got some better chick pictures. The kids have been bringing them inside and taking them outside in the grass. Many are getting really tame. This first little cutie is Buffy, Haley's favorite chick and the one who loves to be held the most. She always comes running and just peeps really quietly then jumps onto a hand. She's the Buff Orpington from my last post.

Here's Newt working on his history research project with an Americauna sitting on his arm like a hawk. The Americauna are much bigger than the others and fly a little around the brooder. We can't wait for their colorful Easter eggs.

Here's a little Partidge Rock chick. I love their brownish red heads and pretty wing feathers. The kids spent a bit of time with the two of them today because they tend to be the most skittish of our chicks.

This pretty little chick is Cleo, notice her Cleopatra-like eyes. She's a Phoenix. She's getting quite tame as well.

 Haley snuggling Buffy while sitting on her new beanbag chair. I've never seen a kid so happy to get a
                                                             beanbag chair.

Here's Daddy getting to know a Barred Rock chick. She feel asleep on his chest then work up and perched on his fingers. We think she looks a bit like a baby penguin. I think this one is named Stella.

I also promised a little cookin'. Haley has taken it upon herself to keep the family desert pans full. She's been baking Ghirardelli brownies about once a week. This week it was caramel turtle brownies. They are sinfully rich and delicious! Yum!!

Haley and I also started some Amish Friendship Bread Starter today. I haven't had much luck making a starter in the past but I am sure it was because I used something metal somewhere...it's been awhile since I tried. So, here it goes....Day #1. Wish us luck!

We may be making a ton of bread when it's ready to go because I don't think I know too many people in real life who would want to take a share. We may be freezing it for later in the year or something. Ha!

One Week Later...

We've only had our chicks for a week. They have grown so much in just 7 days. The Americaunas are the biggest. They seem to be growing exponentially faster than some of the others. All of them have grown their wing feathers and are beginning to get tail feathers. A few can fly up a few inches to the top of the piece of siding I put into the brooder in the morning to separate them so I can check each one to be sure it's healthy. Here are some pictures...can I tell you just how difficult it is to get clear pictures of little critters that move so much and so quickly?

Here they all are in the brooder.

This is the sweetest chick. She comes running to us when we go to the brooder and talk. She loves to be held. The flash made the photo a little too bright. She's a Buff Orpington. There is a Black Australorp who also likes to be held.

The weather is so beautiful this week. Haley did her math outside yesterday. You can tell by her attire how warm it is. Unfortunately it is my turn with the virus that has been plaguing our home. I've had a fever for 5 days! Ugh! The only good thing is that everyone else has had it so I can't infect anyone.

Here are our lettuces and peas growing!

Tinks enjoying the sun...acting like a "real dog."

Happy Easter...Chicks Have Arrived!!!

We had a nice Easter today. On our way home from church I got a call from the mail distribution site saying our chicks were there and we could come pick them up rather than wait until they got to the local post office early tomorrow morning. I was a little surprised because when I asked the local post office about this, they said it couldn't be done...we couldn't pick up the chicks at the distribution center. Ritch went and picked them up and we set up the brooder. When they got home we took them out of the crate and beaked each of them and set them loose in the brooder. Haley quickly called her friend Sofia, who is taking 10 of the chicks because we only wanted 16 and you have to order 25 so they keep each other warm during shipping. Sofia and Haley Skyped a little so they could see the chicks but the sound wasn't working very well.

Here are some pics of the new babies...

In the shipping crate when we took off the lid.

Newt beaking a chick

I love this do!

Haley beaking a chick

Finding water themselves

Happy in the brooder!

Just wandering around.

Home Sweet Brooder!

Coop

We're getting chickens!

My crafty husband has designed and built a chicken coop and it's almost finished...needs a little paint still. We are now searching the McMurray Hatchery catalog for the types of chickens we want...decisions, decisions. It looks like we are going to have to wait for an April hatching dates to get the chicks we want which may be best because the colder weather will be behind us by then.

Here are some pics of the coop in the process of being built and finished except for paint...