ThreeChickenFarm

The Girls Have Moved

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:42:00 +0000

The girls have moved to Franktown, a community north of Colorado Springs. They didn't just pack up and leave in the night.

Here is the story:

My house is for sale and I am moving to South Carolina. I put a winterized chicken waterer for sale on Craigs List. An interested lady emailed me. Ironically her name is Deanne and her email address is Deanne@deannesgarden or close. She is a part of http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M28418. I love these cosmic coincidences. We talked on the phone. She expressed interest in my girls. She has something like 100 chickens, many of fancy bloodlines. She even has a quarantine area (not for bird flu) for those who don't feel well. I didn't ask if she gives them chicken soup. Hildegarde was not feeling well and Deanne was willing to try to bring her back to good health. It helped that she has an Americauna rooster who might marry Hildegarde. Deanne drove her big honkin' truck to pick up the girls. They rode in the cab of course. Since then she has kept me posted about their progress. Hildegarde sat on a nest for the first few days. Deanne put some eggs under her thinking she was broody, but apparently not. My 4 girls come to greet Deanne when she comes out to feed and she calls them by name: Hildegard, Rosie, Lacey and Goldilocks. They joined right in to the larger family and have made many new friends, telling them about life in the big city.

I miss them but am so thankful they have a great home!

Rosie wins the prize

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:27:00 +0000

Running, running, running, running, running, running, running, running, running, running around and around and around and around and around, Lacey chasing Rosie. Why? Rosie caught a mouse. It must be dead by now, if not from a blow from Rosie’s beak, at least from fear while dangling from Rosie’s beak and being grabbed at by Lacey. I watched the final act of this play. Rosie swallowed the mouse whole. Like a snake she worked it down a bit at a time. I suppose Rosie’s eggs are no longer organic, certainly not vegetarian.

Ivy's opinion of gardens

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Gardens are nice for people. Gardens make people happy. I will wait inside doing chin-ups until later in the day when I go out to watch for little meeeses who may come out to play!

4 Hens in a Row

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:35:00 +0000

The big attraction for these four ladies is the remnants of an overturned flowerpot full of potting soil and whoknowswhat!

Did you taste that worm?

That was no worm. That was a piece of vermiculite!

Oh, yuk. I already swallowed it.

Pictured are L to R: Goldilocks, Lacey, Hildegarde and Rosie.

Earth Day Fair

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Fri, 01 May 2009 21:30:00 +0000

[Photo of cat face decoration on hen pen has nothing to do with Earth Day, just thought you should see it] Goldilocks and Hildegarde were the belles of the ball at the Earth Day celebration at Cornerstone Art Center on the Colorado College campus. Hildegarde: The crowd really loved me. The photographers were pushing and shoving to get close shots. Did they take one of you, Goldilocks? Goldilocks: Sure they did. How could they resist my golden feathers? Everyone knew exactly who I was. They saw our nametags and all knew which I was. Hildegarde: Oh, Goldie dear, of course they did. (cough, cough) Goldilocks: The kids always chose me as their favorite. Hildegarde: Oh really? It was the adults who chose me. They recognized my incredibly subtle coloring and feather arrangement. Goldilocks: I wouldn’t be so sure they were choosing you for your feathers. I heard them talking about KFC.

On Our Way to the Earth Day Fair

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:51:00 +0000

Hildegarde and Goldilocks have been preening all day, every day in preparation for their excursion to the Cornerstone Art Center at Colorado College for the Earth Day Fair. Hildegarde has been so nervous she has been unable to lay her normal one blue egg per day but she will not let anyone see she is nervous. “ I don’t know when I’ve had such stage fright. Me? After all my years on Broadway? Getting top billing is such a responsibility. I’ve had to learn all ‘her‘ lines too, just to be sure the play goes on.” Goldilocks has been in a ditter. “Oh, dear, oh, dear, do you think I need to wear shoes? You know how I hate to wear shoes. They never fit right and I never walk right in them. Oh, dear. Oh, dear.” Rosie and Lacey, the two hens who will not be going to the fair have been as kind as possible (not very), trying to hide their envy, giggling quitely and only occasionally pulling on Hildegarde’s feathers, or tripping Goldilocks as she runs past. Hildegarde to Lacey “ Dearrrr, you need not wear shoes. We will be indoors in a very lovely building…..and, the only shoes you have would not be appropriate.” Lacey asks “What’s wrong with my shoes? Everybody I see wears rubber galoshes. They must be in style.” Fans of TheThreeChickenFarm Come to The Cornerstone Art Center at Cascade & Cache le Poudre, Saturday, April 25 from 10-3 to visit these funny chickens. They will be at the Earth Group booth.

The Hens gossip about Michelle and the Queen

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:14:00 +0000

[pictured, Goldilocks]

In her haughtiest nasal European voice, Hildegarde spoke down her beak to the other three hens, "The Queen is receiving Michelle Obama today, you know." "Oh, really" said Rosie trying to use her most interested voice. 'Yyyessss,"swooned Hildegarde, "and they'll probably have tea and crumpets." "Crumpets?" asked Lacey, "Is that something to eat?' "Yyyessss, crumpets are wwonnnderfuuulll, and she'll probably served foie de gras,' responded Hildegarde. Rosie (being able to read spoken words in the air) excitedly asked "Grass? We haven't had grass since Camille poked some weed scraps through the pen." "Grass? Grass? squawked Lacey. "My last boyfriend did time in the slammers for grass. We'd better stay away from that stuff." "O, no-no-no-no, we aren't going to have that kind of grass," Hildegarde assured them. Later, when Rosie was alone resting on the nest, Goldilocks came up to her, looking worried. Goldilocks whispered to Rosie, "Who is Michelle Obama?"

New friends on blogspot

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:53:00 +0000

Great news! My good friends, Richard, and his daughter, Tara (my Godchild) are gardening. They've had a variety of gardens for several years. Now we can benefit from their experience and experiences. They, in New York state, climate-wise are a month ahead of us in Colorado. They are starting indoors. Sounds like fun. Stay tuned and we will see how seeds, seedlings and little plants develop. Looks like they have really been successful!

Somebody is going to Earth Day

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:41:00 +0000

Somebody is going to Earth Day...

"Whaddaya think that means?" "I don't know, doesn't sound good." "Yeah, but it doesn't sound exactly bad." "Well, 'earth' is good; 'day' is good, but I think 'going' might be trouble."

"We have nothing to wear!"

New Girl Name Game

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:03:00 +0000

The New Girl Hen was the prettiest one in the chicken house, so I chose her to come and be number four at TheThreeChickenFarm. She has beautiful slender black and white pinstripe feathers diagonally swirled around her head and neck. Her ample body is covered with dark rust brown feathers decorated with faint white spots and silver edging. Her fluffy hen butt is a lovely mix of charcoal and chalk gray feathers. Next time you have a chance, check out a fluffy hen butt. It is fluffy-full of the softest feathers. They must be for cushioning eggs in the nest. Her strong legs and four long claw-tipped toes are pewter gray. Her wattle (the hangey down under-the-chin-stuff) is red. Her small, narrow red comb is perched a bit forward touching the beginning of her rather large beak. Large? It says ‘Vicious- keep your fingers away.’ It has a long, pointed hook, definitely a recessive Eagle gene in her DNA. It emphasizes her eyes that look at you with ‘I can see a mouse at 2 miles and swallow it before it reaches the safety of its hole.’ I scrolled through some chicken picture sites on the Internet. Her closest resemblance is to a hen whose mother was a Golden Phoenix. Wow! Apparently New Girl’s father had flown in on an afternoon breeze from some mysterious island. AND New Girl lays blue eggs. She has not completely fit in with the other three hens but is holding her own. They try to intimidate her because that is what chickens do, but it rarely works. She often stays atop the run overlooking her hen pen sisters, Lacey, Rosie and Goldilocks, probably imagining them as distance mice. If you are inspired to offer a name for this lovely hen, please add your suggestion in the ‘Comments’.

Baby goat boy at the farm

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 23:50:00 +0000

One of the perks of visiting the farm in Calhan is petting the many goats. This recent visit included holding, petting, kissing and cooing over a 5 day old baby goat….OK, a kid. He is glossy black with a few white hairs on the back of his ears. He had no name because he might not stay and they did not want to become more attached to him than they were. It’s hard to look at him without getting attached. He is soooooo cute! As we walked around looking at the chickens and big goats, he and Dreamer (my little Pomeranian) played around at our feet. They were the exact same height. Little goat boy thought Dreamer must be another little goat so he lowered his head and butted. Time and again he walked around in front of Dreamer and ‘Bonk!’. Dreamer would look questioningly at me but did not ‘butt’ back. After a while little goat boy stopped taking time to get in front of Dreamer to butt him. He would stand along side, lean his head to the side and ‘Bonk!’. Sorry, no true photos. We were so engaged with the animals I could not pull away to get the camera.

[The photo shown is NOT goat boy. I added it because I felt I owed you a goat picture. I don't know who it is.]

The Newest Girl

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:22:00 +0000

Here she is! Hopefully future photos will better show her lovely feathers. She is dressed in an interesting costume. Her crown is a narrow red comb. Slender black and white feathers swirl around her head, neck and shoulders. Her body is covered with silver tipped 'partridge-like' brown feathers. (The red and white to her immediate left is a plastic waterer.)

As typical in chicken life she has had to fight for acceptance into her new home. Goldilocks, the teenage smart aleck, was the first to challenge the New Girl, and after a couple of pecks ran off singing a song of acceptance. Rosie was subdued almost as fast. Then there was Lacey. Remember Lacey...she came from the farm a few months ago where too many roosters were 'using' her. Consequently she is a real scrapper...."I don't take nuthin' off nobody!" They fought a few rounds, wings flapping, feet raised and clawing, beaks trying to draw blood. New Girl ran into the hen house for a breather. At that time I remembered to get the Rescue Remedy to spray a bit on everyone, including myself first. After a direct spray into Rosie's mouth, she walked past New Girl with an exprssion that said 'I know I had something to tell you but I forgot what it was.' After the homeopathic wore off Lacey started bullying again but less seriously. When darkness arrived they all went into the henhouse and slept overnight together. The following morning New Girl strategically kept her distance from Lacey, so everything is going fine according to typical chicken time.

Umar returns to the farm

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:12:00 +0000

Big Umar....all 15 pounds of him returned to the farm. He looked very much at home just seconds after he was put over the fence into the big corral full of chickens, other roosters and lots of goats. He was not confounded by the mix. He challenged another rooster who backed down. It felt OK to leave him. On the way home we stopped for ice cream to celebrate. Umar will be missed, but early morning cock-a-doodle-dooing will not be missed. Fortunately the neighbors gave us a pass for a few weeks but there was no denying his presence.

Here We Go Again

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:54:00 +0000

Pictured: Lacey (bl&wht Brahma hen), Rosie, UMAR (Brahma rooster), Goldilocks. ************************ Here we go again... Umar formerly, Uma, until the recent crowing brought me running to the kitchen window. He/she is a monstrous-sized hen. I fantasized 'her' as just overly plump and exceedingly tall. Is this the 2nd or 3rd round of keeping a supposed hen, only to have her reveal her true self? Rather than just a gender switch, why not a species switch. What if she showed herself to be a penguin? She's big enough. What about morphing into a llama. That would shock Mr. Fox! I've always wanted a goat. Why didn't she become one? The rest of her 'hen' deception is in play. She is truly hen-pecked by the other three. At a mere side-long glance from Rosie, Umar will retreat from a food morsel. He/she runs off whispering apologies for the intrusion....bowing and scraping in utter sincerity for even considering taking food before Rosie or Goldie or Lacey. Lacey can merely appear from around the corner to make Uma/r take leave. Soon after the crowing incident, Goldie walked up and pecked Umar's wattle. Umar backed up and ran behind the henhouse. Umar is really a beauty and a sweetheart who brings out my sympathy. If I return her to the farm she will join the other roosters at the auction house and end up as someone's Christmas dinner. So, until she becomes a rooster-nuisance or eats us out of house and home, she can stay to keep the ThreeChickenFarm an unbalanced foursome.

Where to start?

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:12:00 +0000

Another trip to the Calhan farm to return Lacey and Uma2 who had revealed themselves as roosters. Cheryl very graciously accepted ‘the boys’ and I helped her catch two replacements. In addition, I got to hold her new baby goat. He is black with a bit of white, two little horn buds and blue eyes. He is a real heart stealer. Back to chickens…..hens, I hope. The replacements are just that. One is a Light Brahma like her predecessor; the other is a Silver-laced Wyandotte, with less black. The breeds may be the same. The names may be the same. The personalities are worlds apart. The previous Uma2 was a leader. Although a rooster, the others slept near her like children. This new Uma is nuts. She is afraid of her own shadow (to coin a phrase). She runs from all the others, especially the smallest, Goldilocks. I kept Uma separated for a few days. She had the entire inside pen, which includes hen house, nest, air-conditioning, microwave, grand piano….well, maybe not quite that well furnished. She is out in the population now and is still nuts. Mostly she sits atop the highest anything and looks about in a subdued panic. The Lacey replacement, now also called Lacey (I’ve tired of new names) is Godzilla-in-feathers. At the mere sight of her, the village people run helter-skelter and wide-eyed. She is a terror and pecks them for no reason. Nevertheless, to her credit, she laid an egg…in a 5-gallon paint bucket.

Review request

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:48:00 +0000

Please review my blog. It is not spam.

Not Spam

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:42:00 +0000

I don't know who is considering deleting my blog because they think it it spam, but it is not!!! This is the destination of the link claiming such. I don't know who else to notify.

My girls are shocked as you can see.

Miss Blue's patchwork colors; Uma2's egg cackle

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:15:00 +0000

In this photo of Miss Blue whom I affectionately call 'Rosie', you can see her blue feathers in the sunlight. Also her breast is copper/gold. She is a patchwork bird. I'll probably call her 'Patches' also. The name 'Rosie' just popped out of my mouth when looking at her. She is feisty and full of street smarts....like I imagine Rosie Perez!

This morning I ran to the kitchen window when I heard loud chicken noises. I live in dread of Lacey being a rooster. To my surprise the noise was from Uma2 doing an 'I laid an egg' cackle. The other three stood in stone silence, staring at her. I looked for an egg but there was none.

The photo on the right shows Uma2 and Goldilocks' tail and back.

Meet Goldilocks

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 16:31:00 +0000

Miss Goldilocks is a unique chicken. We are not too sure what kind she is. She is quite stunning. Her head is covered in sleek copper feathers, which filter into the black feathers on her back. Her legs are yellow. She is not as large as Uma2, nor Lacey but she's a smart gal. She holds her own when green weeds are doled out. She runs and dodges quickly when Lacey is after someone to blame for whatever! Don't feel sorry for Goldilocks. She has the brains and agility of a street-smart imp!

And the feathers fly !!!

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:45:00 +0000

It looks like a cute dance at first. Then is turns wild. Both hens drew blood. Uma2 bled from her ear. Lacey bled from her comb. Uma2's clever dodge was to hide her head beneath Lacey. Hmmm? Now where did she go?

I broke it up and doctored their wounds. Uma2 and the other two new girls slept in the egglu with the run gate closed. Lacey slept on top of the egglu. peering down at the open door.

All day I kept them separate. Lacey was working herself into a state wanting to get at Uma2. When it was almost dark, I opened the run gate. The 2 new girls ran in to be with Uma2. Lacey did not realize the gate was open so she continued her patrol atop the run and again slept above the egglu doorway.

This morning I was afraid I would find 2 beat up hens. But apparently Uma2 is the winner. She is literally 'ruling the roost'. Lacey hops out of her way, but then goes on to chase the other new ones, who are smaller but not afraid. More on them later.

Back to the Farm

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:16:00 +0000

Visiting the farm is a treat although we were parting with Henry and Uma (Umar?). Lower: Pictured is my favorite little farm friend, Nibbles, the pygmy goat. He is standing on a table. Some of the other darling goats and the calf (far right - can you see the dark brown ear?) are always ready for a treat, or a lick, or a kiss.

Middle: Turkeys fall in love too. This beautiful brown and white guy with a light blue face, yes, light blue, was strutting his stuff in hopes the lady turkey would be interested. Apparently she was not because she ran around all over the place to keep ahead of him. There are quite a few very large eggs in the turkey nest currently being sat on by a black and silver Wyandotte chicken.

Upper: Sonya is in the chick/duckling house with her favorite chick who loves to sit on her lap. Can't blame that chick....Sonya is a beatiful girlfriend!

We did chose replacements for Henry and Umar, plus one more. Three Chicken Farm always seems to have four chickens. Oh, well. It could have been goats.

Uma goes with Henry

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:26:00 +0000

Uma identified herself as a rooster on the very morning that Henry was packed up to go back to the farm. It was heart-breaking for us people. Lacey was distraught. She was panicky at first, then decided she had to be brave. She flew to the top of the run, stood tall and tried to look like a rooster. Little did she know that is what could be her downfall. We have new girls now from the farm but that is a story for another day. Camille wanted to bring a goat. That too, is another story.

Henry finds a home

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:57:00 +0000

HENRY FINDS A HOME After much fretting and searching, a home has been found for Henry, the rooster. He will go back to his previous home on the farm in Calhan. He will reunite with a few remaining pullets and cockerels whom he ran with as a chick on that farm. He is a bit uncertain about the move but Uma and Lacey are relieved. In many ways we will all miss Henry. Uma and Lacey say he is fun sometimes when a brave adventurer is needed, when someone needs to taste the new food to see if it is really food. The people say they will miss Henry’s defiant cocked-head stare and his morning practice of teenage crowing, complete with wing flapping emphasis and looks of pride mixed with uncertainty. Being a teen is difficult no matter who or what you are.

Uma & Henry

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 01:58:00 +0000

Here is the lovely couple. Note Uma's body language. She is not leaning into Henry (formerly, Henrietta).Lovely little Lacey is standing behind him. Neither she nor Uma hang out with him very much. He often sits alone.

Nighttime is a different story. They all get on top the run, on top of a tarp stretched over it. Uma is such a broad-beamed gal, Lacey and Henry vie to get in the middle next to her. They look like they are braiding themselves. Lacey will be up and around to get between Uma and Henry, then Henry will wiggle around until he dislodges Lacey. In the pushing and shouldering, Uma often slides down the tarp and has to flap and scramble to regain her postion.

Yesterday the girls were seen reading the Classified ads hoping to find a home for Henry. Any takers?

Henry has been disguised as Henrietta!

noreply@blogger.com (DeAnne) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:54:00 +0000

As if the CROWING wasn't enough, the photo of (her) large red comb did it. I submitted my question to the experts at the Backyard Chicken Magazine Forum. They confirmed my worst suspicions. As they wrote "I'm sure you have a Roo!" I called Cheryl in Calhan, from whom I bought Henrietta. She has no more Ameracaunas now, but will be hatching some green eggs next week. She will call me. Sign up now if you want to go to Calhan with me and get kissed by pygmy goats!