Meet the Girls

Really only one of the chicks has a name, Red.  She is our daughter's chick.

Red is the most curious, the larger of the two reds.  She seems to be the most flighty as well.  She could end up being the Mama Hen, but we don't know yet.  Right away she stood out for her richer color.  She is also the calmest when you hold her.  We hold them each everyday and she calms right down and sinks into your hand and starts to "purr".  Red is the one who may be our Houdini.  She almost got out of the box on the way home and almost got out some other time.  I think when I was cleaning out the box.

While she has a nice rich color, her wings aren't as pretty as the other red.

Meet Jewel, as I call her in my mind.  I really don't want to name them as we may eat them.

 Her wings remind us of butterflies.  Our daughter calls her is the "girliest".  She doesn't pick on the others at all.  She doesn't push the other around to get food either.  One time she was even trying to nuzzle under one of the blackies wings. 

She is also pretty skittish.  When we are reaching in there to hold one of them she runs around chirping.  She is a follower for sure...well they all are, but more so than the others.

Then theirs poopy.  We really don't call her that, but she has poop stuck to her backside.  We have tried to get it off and will probably have to bathe her.  The other barred rock has no name either.  They are also harder to tell apart.  Though Son says he can tell them apart.  Poopy had a crusty on her beak that we could use to tell them apart, but it is now gone.  Poor thing is a mess.  She is a tad bigger than the other.  They don't like to be held as much as the reds, but will relent.  It will be fun to see how their personality emerges.

Chicks Part Two...Food Dishes

Since we've never owned chickens before we are learning some things as we go.

Like their food dish.

At the feed store I almost bought a chick feeder, but the sales lady said a small dish would be fine.

Cool.  We had a small container/dish.  Let me tell you, these little girls ate, slept and pooped all in the same container.  Plus they started to kick/scratch a lot of it out.  I tried a smaller dish.  They crowded and pushed each other out trying to be the one sleeping in the dish.  And there was crazy food flying.

So, I did what I should've done in the first place...bought an actual feeder.

MUCH better.  I did raise it and the water container up in a piece of broken brick.  I wanted to discourage them sitting and pooping in their food and water.  They still try to sit on the food.  Funny little things, I have a canning jar as the food dispenser and they try and try to peck the food out of that thing.

A few days ago we bought a used coop/run.  The man told us to dust their food with cayenne powder and put a little bit of apple cider vinegar in their water.  These will help them "make it" and be healthy.  They LOVE the cayenne powder and still drink like crazy. 

These girls are eating machines too.  You can see how much they have grown in just a few days.

New Addition

Remember all those books I was reading?
Well, some of them had to do with raising...

(This is the box I brought them home in.)

Man, these babies are just too cute!

We bought two Barred Rock Hens (that will look like this when older)...

And two Production Red Hens (which is a cross between Rhode Island Reds and New Hampshire Reds)...

These were the only two breeds the feed store had, which is totally fine.  Daughter wanted red ones and Son wanted this kind anyway.  So it worked out great.
People who have owned or currently own chickens always tell me how addicting they are.  We have only had our for five days and I want more!!

 The day we brought them home (I bought them in the next city...1+ hours away) they would just right asleep when we held them.  The chicks are pretty vocal, especially on the drive home.  At one point they went silent.  I had to check to make sure they didn't die.  They just went to sleep.  When one sleeps, they all sleep.

Hail Yay...

...I couldn't help it.  heehee

We have been VERY dry here.  VERY dry.
The other day here's what we got for a bit.

10 on 13

It's supposed to be ten photos on the tenth of the month, but here's what I took on the 13th.

Things Around Here

The weather has been strange the last couple of months...hot then almost cold.
Our container pot garden is going good, especially the herbs.

Made some Bulgoki using elk, from son.  It was so good!!!
I am fixing to be a retired home school teacher.  :)

Fresh, raw, healthy and okay.  heehee
The sounds of bouncing basketballs are in action again.
Been spending a lot of time on Pintrest looking up...I'll save it for a future post.

This is what could happen when you let your kids be creative and they use your stuff.  No idea what it on or wrong with this bowl...no one does.
Son is doing really good driving in a local parking lot.  I believe he has the clutch down and my neck is still intact.
Just heard some thunder!!!

Antlers and Herbs

Just look up antlers pintrest and you see antlers used in everything from wall art, on models, table decor, painted, on pillows and as headbands.

Antlers have never been one of those chic designs that made it to our wall until now.

Well, on our cabinets.
We have some laying around and are perfect for hanging our herbs.
Smells SO good in the kitchen.