Quite honestly, I didn't think anyone read or paid attention. I no longer have '14' children, I no longer live in a far away place on the flip side, I no longer live in the swamp and do things only Cajuns do. I no longer have gators to entertain you. I no longer do things that I will never do again. Actually, these days, I am quite boring! And I am back to being a 'damned Okie' - remembering all the reasons I love this land.
I still have chickens, though I have learned a lot from buying 'straight run' at the hardware store. You get 90% ROOSTERS! In case you didn't know, they *don't* lay eggs! I wanted all hens with maybe ONE rooster. Ha! Boy was I in for a surprise as they each started crowing!
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This is Lucky - he was lucky to be alive when Chelsea was learning to 'herd' chickens...
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Little did I know, they also have their each individual crow! I can tell which rooster is crowing by his crow. Well, I *could* tell each rooster - all but 2 or maybe 3 are history to me now. I gave them away. 6 hens and a dozen roosters was not working well. Let's just say the hens were not nearly as interested in extracurricular activities as the roosters were. So I Craigslisted them. One man came and got them all - well, at least I thought he did. Then two 'hens' started crowing - and I think another may be practicing.
Supposedly, this man was just getting a farm up and running. I can keep on thinking that because I would rather think that than to think they are chicken and dumplings. They are frolicking happily on a farm far away.
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This is Verne - who is obviously a rooster. Verne started out as LA Verne, but once he started sprouting his feathers, we knew... he was definitely a roo. I was going to keep him, but Raelee wanted to keep Frank. So, I sold this gorgeous guy to a friend for $5. Wish I never had, but they love him and he is in a good home so it was ok.
We had a chicken fence next to the Taj Coop. Yeah, that worked until they got big enough to fly over it. Once they got big enough, they sat on the fence and taunted me... "nanny, nanny chicki doo! Will hop up here and show you!" Yeah, they didn't stay in their chicken yard!
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Allie ws by far my favorite chicken. Allie was always by my feet. Allie was like a baby to me, chatters non-stop telling me everything going on. Allie tattled on the siblings, squawked when I need to pay attention to something, raced to the door to 'tell mom' and Allie was always the first to catch the treat I throw out. Allie was also the most homely of all the chickens. Allie is a dark cornish - and we had three. They are very tall, stand straight up (like he is in the pic) and HUGE compared to all the other chickens. They are supposed to be good eating. But now Allie frolics on that farm far, far away. He crowed. :-(
I sure miss Allie.
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We tore down the fence.
Tearing down the fence gave the chickens the 'go ahead' to race anywhere on the property they wanted to!
They go from one end of the yard to the other, searching out any bug that wiggles and any worm that ventures out of the dirt. They love June bugs, race for caterpillars and eat grasshoppers. And they eat my Katydids. :-(
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This is Frank - the one Raelee wanted to keep. He is an Easter Egger and he was supposed to lay green eggs... Roosters don't lay eggs. He crowed.
A week after I gave Verne away, Raelee said, "Granny, I realized it was not *that* chicken I wanted to keep - it was the black and white one!" That child was WITH me when I gave my Verne away!! UGH! Oh, well, Frank is gone to the green, green pastures too. I didn't really care for him - he was personality-less . If I was going to keep one, I wanted VERNE! I know, I didn't have to cave to my granddaughter - but have you seen those big blue eyes?
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Then came the chicken poo.
All over the patio.
All over the front porch.
All over the grass.
All over the shop.
All over the driveway.
All over the lean-to.
Yeah, we are a poohy place now.
I do wash the patio, at least once a day. Do you know how much chickens poo?
A lot.
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This is Bert, he started out as Big Bertha until he crowed. He was big in comparison to the other regular chickens - even when he was a baby. I was really sad when he crowed, 'cause he was purty!
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Suffice it to say, we have a very fertilized piece of property.
And we only have 9 chickens left.
Two are roosters
And maybe one more.
I will only have a half dozen when all is said and done.
Yes, I learned my lesson on 'straight runs' from the local hardware store.
RUN STRAIGHT THE OTHER WAY when you see those adorable little chicks!
Is this chicken math, too?
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