Chicken Chat – The New Girls

The babies Betty hatched in the Spring are sprouting up. Two of them were boys and had to be sent to the “rooster sanctuary”. So the two girls that got to stay are now 14 weeks old or so and they have received their names. This year we went with a Norse theme. I would like to introduce you to Brunhilda (aka Hildy) and Freya.

Hildy is a Black Cochin. She will hopefully be Betty’s size when she is full grown. Her brother was enormous when he went off the the “sanctuary” a couple of weeks ago. She’s going to be a big round ball of fluff. Right now she’s a small round ball of fluff. I love her little pantaloon feet.

Freya is a Black Laced Red Wyandotte. Her brother was blue. She is my only chicken with yellow legs. I never really realized that I didn’t have any yellow legged chickens until she and her brother showed up. She looks a little roo like at this point, it’s a good thing we had her brother to compare to.

I don’t expect to see any eggs from them until February or so. You never know though, they may surprise me. They are both going through that flighty teenage phase when they don’t want to listen or go back in the house. I can’t wait until they are adults and calm down a bit.

Betty stopped mothering them at about 9 weeks. Motherhood turned off like a switch and the next day she layed an egg. It was tough on them. One day mom wanted to cuddle and the next she acted like they were strangers and was pecking them. They have adjusted however. Right now they are at the bottom of the pecking order. At least they have each other. But, I think Freya is going to give Betty a run for head hen when she gets older. We’ll just have to wait and see.