Last summer I read a biography about Abigail Adams. It was extremely interesting for many reasons, but I found myself charmed by the little quotes from her letters about her love of home…and her obvious delight in little things, including her “hens and chickings.”
We purchased our first chicks last year from our local Agway. From day one it has been a very rewarding, and yes, even educational, experience for our family.
We, believe it or not, love our chickens. Each one is special, with her own personality. Even when we discovered that one of our hens was a rooster, we didn’t mind at all. George has been an interesting study, too, to say the least. In fact, I can’t imagine having a flock of chickens withOUT a rooster. He spends his entire life taking care of his flock. He keeps the girls on a strict daily routine, answers them when they are in distress, thanks them when they lay an egg, calls them when he finds some tasty morsel, and protects them from dangerous creatures, like Caleb (whom he attacked one day with vengeance and almost caused Rich to remove his head), and Seth (whom he jumped upon just the other day).
This is a picture of our first flock, as babies. We kept them in a cage in the garage and brought them outside to explore during the day. I picked them flowers.
Now they are grown up, with their own coop. I don’t even have to ask the children to let them out. It’s one of the first things we do every morning. Our chickens are free to roam around the entire property. When one wants to lay her egg, she leaves the flock outside and goes back to the coop. She sits for a little while until the egg emerges and then sometimes she’ll sit on it for a little while. But even in this particular area, they show distinct personalities. For instance, Maria just gets up and leaves as soon as she’s done, while making the “I laid an egg!!” call. Wherever George is, when he hears the “I laid an egg” call, he answers it, while running to the coop to find his girl and bring her back to the rest of the flock.
When we are outside, the braver chickens of the flock run up to us. They want to know if we have a treat. The other day, we ate watermelon outside and boy did they love the seeds and rinds.
Jenny, one of our black hens, doesn’t obey George’s orders, causing George to get irritated. He actually gives up giving her orders….and leaves her to do her own thing. Sometimes Jenny pecks or jumps on George’s little hens (the aracuna’s), she wants to be #1 in the pecking order. Jenny is a little too rough and George punishes her by chasing her away, jumping on her, and pecking her. It is quite the sight. Lately, we have noticed that Jenny seems to be settling down some, and George is allowing her to spend some time with the rest of the flock. For now, the children have nicknamed her the “outcast”.
Margaret is too slow. She’s the slowest chicken of the flock, so Caleb prefers her. She is the easiest chicken for him to catch.
Star is a kindhearted chicken. If one of her sisters makes a distress call, she makes it too. She also keeps Jenny company sometimes.
Ellington loves treats and is one of the first to coming running for them.
Maria sounds like a sheep when she makes her distress call. She is the most timid and usually stays very close to George.
Joanna, a red chicken, never stops talking. She walks around clucking all day. She is very similar to a certain friend of mine, who she is named after. Ha ha ha ha ha !
They lay us wonderful golden eggs every day. Collecting them is rewarding, the coop is a productive place and soothing to visit with the hay, the warm wood, and the bright sunshine through the windows. I gather the eggs like I’m gathering little treasures, thankful for each one. I keep them in a basket on my kitchen counter. We have an abundance of eggs.
Red is a motherly chicken, she always has been. So when she started getting broody and wanted to sit on eggs, we were not surprised. The children wore me down, and I agreed to let her sit.
Her eggs hatched out recently. She had 10 chicks. Red is a good mother, but for some reason she tried killing three of her chicks, so we took them away. One died and the other two live by themselves in a cage with a stuffed animal for a mother. She lost another chick, Fluff, when Caleb stepped on it. We’ll never forget you, Fluff.
It is the sweetest thing, to watch Red and her tiny chicks. They go under her wings as she sits and every once in a while a chick will pop out. The chickens are warm and secure and hidden under their mother’s wings. It’s no wonder that God uses that beautiful imagery in His Word.
“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.” Ps. 57:1
“How excellent is thy lovingkindess, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.” Ps. 36:7
“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust…” Ps. 91:4
The chicks peep constantly and are busy and curious.
We let Red take her chicks outside. They stay close to the coop and Red teaches them many lessons, including How to Take a Dust Bath.
Here is a little video that Jacob took, of a Dust Bath lesson:
The chicks stay close to Red, and when she walks off, they follow.
Sometimes they hop on their Mama, for a ride. So cute! So precious!
Red is on guard the entire time, making sure there is no danger about.
The children insist that this is a baby rooster. They have named him George Jr.
We’re not sure what we will do with eight more chickens, we certainly don’t need more eggs or any more roosters. We are hoping that my parents start their own flock, and take some. For now, we are having lots of fun watching them grow.
Happily, Grace wrote this blog with me. She and the boys know more about the chickens than I do.
What I know for sure: Everyone should keep a flock of chickens! It’s easier than I ever imagined and more rewarding, too.
Good to be Home 