Chicken Chat

Betty, my broody girl, is doing great. Her 21st day will be Thursday. I am so “eggcited”. I know groan. Had to do it :) I have felt movement in an egg or two by reaching under her. We will see though. If anyone is going to hatch I expect there will be pipping Tuesday or Wednesday. She tends to be a day early or so. From what I have read that is pretty typical with hatching using a broody. I will certainly share any updates. It was cloudy this morning and the flash went off she was not happy with me. Good thing I did the egg check first. Oh if stinkeye could kill.

  Aphrodite and Athena turn 20 weeks this weekend. Yay! Maybe I will get some eggs soon. Their combs and their faces under the feathers are starting to turn red, Easter Eggers don’t have wattles, at least mine don’t. There has been no squatting yet. Someone has been investigating the extra nest box, I have been finding little “gifts” in there. Not the ones I am looking for. I expect they won’t realize not to poop in there until they lay an egg. Aphrodite did a little egg song the other morning. It was a good practice song. It got me very excited and I came running to see nothing.

Aphrodite & Athena

Nike the little Faverolle is about 2 weeks behind the other two. Her comb is also starting to get redder. I don’t expect eggs from her for a while. Faverolles are usually later starters. Light salmon coloring is starting to show up in her feathers, which is understandable considering that her parents were salmon as far as I know. I wonder how much it will take over her pretty white feathers. She was not being very cooperative this morning for pictures but, I did get a nice back view. She also has a hard time seeing you coming with her big fluffy muff.

Doris is fine just being Doris. She laid two double yolkers this week and also a couple of singles. The big ones look so painful. I hope this doesn’t become a regular thing and she develops any complications. She’s a good dependable layer and I don’t want anything to happen to her. No picture of Doris this week. She was too fast for me. For a big waddling chicken she can move fast when she wants too.

The flock is coping well with the absence of Gaia. It took a couple of days, and some tussling to figure out the new sleeping arrangements. Gaia always slept closest to the window. I don’t know if they want to sleep close to the window or not. Doris always grabs the wall end since she started roosting randomly. It now looks like Aphrodite gets window for now. It will all change when the chicks hatch or, if they don’t, when Betty returns to the roost. 

We are going on our first apple picking adventure of the season Monday. I also hope to pick some late season peaches and some early pears. Let’s cross our fingers for a nice day.