New Chickens

We had a few appointments in Colorado Springs last week, and while we were there, we bought 10 more little chickens (pullets) to  "beef up" our little flock (now how is that for an expression).  We found them for $4.00 a piece on Craig's list, which was a good price for  5 month old pullets.

Here they are cozily resting in the garden shed.  They are really hiding out from our first 7 chickens who are just a tad snippy with them.  I tried to tell them that they out number the ol gals, but they are young and still a little shy.

 Aren't they cute?

The breeds we got are Plymouth Barred Rock Hens, and a white breed... which I don't know the  name of. 

 But let me tell you the story of getting them... it was delightful.  It wasn't difficult to realize that the family who were selling the chickies were a homeschooling family...  you can just recognize the qualities; sweet, polite, efficient, confident.  The littlest girl was clearly the chicken expert of the family; I believe she was about 4 years old give or take.  Her Daddy called upon her to help sort out the hens and put them into our pet carriers.  She was quick as lightning and immediately had one hen after another under her arms.  Her biggest problem was that she considered each chicken as her favorite pet, and had special names for each (not sure how she could tell the difference between them... but she seemed to know).  She didn't want to give up her pets, so there was definitely some emotion felt for each chicken that was put into our cage.  None of us wanted to make her give up her pets.  There were a few that we were not to come home with us because of that fact; it was okay, because we got our 10 and they were all lovely chickens regardless.  Her Mom told us that this precious, little girl  would come out daily and get a chicken and rock him/her in her arms while sitting in the sandbox.  I believe the chickens were as happy with her as with each other.

Now let me introduce Sir Doodle (as in Cock a Doodle Do) to you. 

 He is a pet.   He was found out to be a stowaway amongst the pullets, but when we heard the story about his Daddy, we decided it was time to get another rooster, so we didn't protest his addition to the flock.

As a quick note, "Lenny", our last rooster is no longer with us... no we didn't eat him, although it had been talked about; we gave him to a home who appreciated his four o'clock A.M. wake up alarm and aggressive spousal abuse qualitites better than we did.  So we have been roosterless for a couple of months.

 Sir Doodle's Father is a pet.  This is the story that his family told us while holding on to the great big Daddy Rooster that they still owned;  He was picked up and held onto by their youngest as if he was the family cat.   They said that he was a sweet friendly rooster, but not only that, when one of their other roosters hit an aggressive stage and began to act as if it were going to go after one of their kids, the big white Daddy rooster would come and get between the other rooster and the kids, and would give him a licken to remember.  That's the kind of rooster I like to have around... I am thinking Sir Doodle will take after his father... so far he shows every sign of it.  He comes up to you when you are in the pen and just sits there waiting to be picked up.  He loves to eat out of your hand and is very content while being held.  All hail to 4 year olds everywhere who pick up animals and play with animals.  They do a great service of breaking them in and conditioning them to be wonderful pets.

Weekend Happenings

Steve and I took another excursion to Denver over the weekend.  We helped some friends move to  Denver, by hauling all their indoor and outdoor plants for them.  We took advantage of a weekend "date" while we were there, and stayed the night in a hotel, and meandered around Denver and memory lane for a couple of days.  We went antiquing, shopping and exploring.  We also went to "White Fence Farm", which is an old historical farm and is now a family restaurant and tourist attraction in the middle of Denver.  Steve and his family used to eat there when he was young, and we used to take our children when they were growing up.  It is a fun outing.

You can meander into all kinds of cozy sitting areas outside.

There are several stores.

Some of the stores carried homemade items, some antiques and some "country store type" items.

There was a pretty streams and bridge.

 And wonderful old farm equipment.

And animals to enjoy.

Delightful old cars

 Some people even took naps.

Old John Deere tractors are classic.

Love the grapevines growing over the patio.

Have a Great Weekend Everyone!