Adult Chickens, Plants and Other Stuff

The time has come.  Not only are all the chickens laying eggs on a
daily basis, but they're asserting their bossy hen attitude all the time.
Fences--not a problem.  They fly over them.  Their favorite nesting
place is on the downstairs back porch--which is really an outside
screened porch.  Mr. Natural still yet has to clean up driveway where
he emptied out contents of garage.  So the chickens have run of the
place again--and I am still trying to grow a winter garden on the deck.
That means I am on house arrest since someone must watch the
chickens all the time.  The minute he leaves for even 5-10 minutes,
chickens come up the steps and head for deck and baby plants.  To
say I am frustrated is an understatement.  I would have done something
different  by now. But I am not able to do so.  But I can buy a chicken
house.  And I think I will.

But the chickens are adorable.  They refuse to be in "the bus", container
used to carry them in; now they walk in.  Luckily there is no carpet in
the area from door to guest bathroom.  They hen strut their way to it.
They don't put themselves in the tub.  They want a home, complete with
roosts.

My little tiny tomato plant that lived in the sun room until large enough to be
transplanted is quite large now.  Needs spraying again.  I plan to do that
today.

Spotted a rufous humming bird--they are gorgeous.  And my very first
waxwing.

And we have a new critter here.  A white squirrel.  We let him/her eat as much
as it wants.  These are not albino squirrels--but a genetic mutation of the gray
squirrel.  There are a large number of them in Brevard--about 20 minutes from
here..  A small number have drifted northward--and our feeder drew it to our
house.

All for today--


Kate Thorn

Chicken Love and Seedlings

Well, it happened.  I have  a chicken in love with me.  I spent a great
deal of time holding her when she was very young--she was flighty
and very much a "nervous nellie"  Now she is in love with me.  Makes
ga-ga eyes at me.  If am in the bedroom, she stays in the front yard where
she belongs.  If I go to the sunroom, over the fence she sails with the greatest
of ease.  Mr. Natural says he saw her flying dead out and over six feet
high.  Then she climbs the steps to the deck and announces herself.  She
has even laid her eggs downstairs beneath the deck.  She loves to be petted
and will close her eyes in pleasure when I pet her.  She makes these cooing
noises when I pet her that turns me to mush.  Why didn't someone warn me
that chickens were not lifestock, but pets.  They have us both just as
enamoured of them as they are of us.  Vacation?  I really want to go
on one, but what about the chickens?  It used to be the cat--until we
folded.  Now she goes with us.  Oceanfront rooms mandatory.  Daisycat
can sit and watch the ocean and the gulls hours on end.

Back to the chickens:  They forage in the front yard, and call for frequent
snacks.  They get grapes, blueberries, fig newtons, and freeze dried  mealy
worms. (And they are hand fed). Best fed chickens around--but
anything but natural.  Pampered like pets.  (They also get calcium  and grit
along with their laying mash feed.)

Mr. Natural and I woke up at around 0400 this morning.  He was talking
about how he used to be--"I was trouble--born to raise hell"  And we both
said at the same time, "Now I'm a chicken keeper."  "I've always wanted
me a flock."  We were both laughing ourselves silly.  Then he said, "these
chickens don't have to catch worms, not with as many as you give them."
True words.  

The seedlings sprouted quickly and shot us just as fast.  Yesterday, I trans-
planted 11 plants--6 squash (3 different varieties) and 5 tomato plants
(also 3 different varieities).  But these plants have to survive Blondie, who
refuses to lay in the laying boxes, but on the downstairs porch beneath the
sunroom. 

While I was planting, a hummingbird lit at the nectar feeder.  Beside it, a
downy woodpecker on the suet.  At the bird feeder was a fufted titmouse,
a young nuthatch, and a chickadee.  A young bluejay lit on the railing
eating sunflower seeds.  The rabbits in the yard dont even run when we
walk by.

Well, Blondie has been to the deck 3 times.  She's proclaimed to have laid
an egg--maybe she did upstairs, but not on the bench downstairs.

All for now.

Kate Thorn 

Ba-Wack! or I laid an egg!

Yes, the chickens are laying eggs--in boxes on the front porch. 
They carry on until Mr. Natural goes out and picks the
chickens up and pets them for awhile--then they quieten
down again.  They are enamored of each other other.  It's
touching .. .and funny.  It really is funny to hear him chicken
talk and baby talk to these chickens.  At least he got the
yard mowed--finally dry enough to do so.  We have been equally
crabby lately.  I am coming off the Prednisone--do not tolerate
it at all. I am at 20mg for another week, then down to 10 mg
and then 5mg.  Hopefully by then, my sugars will be normal
by then, and my BP.  No weight gain.  I've actually lost a
pound.  Seriously, I have no appetite.  On a positive note,
my seedlings are are now present.  I need to separate them
in individual containers soon.

All for tonight

Kate Thorn