Monday, April 30, 2012

A Growing Family

Like we needed something else.  Apparently I'm a glutton for punishment and my husband is too sweet to tell me when enough is enough.  We recently added 14  new additions to our family.  Our chickens weren't picking up the pace after their 1 yr molt.  I knew I hadn't gotten high producing chickens but 2-3 eggs a day wasn't cutting it.  So we decided to add a few more baby chicks to the mix.  We added 2 Plymouth rocks ( Bonnie and Betsy), 2 Rhode Island reds (Miss Scarlet and Savanna), and 2 Ameracaunas (Thelma and Louise).  That makes 13 chickens in all and one rooster.  Don's been calling them the bakers dozen gang.   Of course within days of adding these 6 new babies my chickens picked up the pace to 5 or 6 eggs a day....go figure.  If anyone is interested in free range organically fed eggs we're currently selling some for $3 a dozen.  Just be prepared for an odd assortment.  We get small pinkish colored eggs, brown eggs, brown speckled eggs and blue eggs too.  In addition to our baby chicks I decided when the Easter bunny came to visit he needed to add some of his hippity hoppity friends to the mix.  The kids were thrilled to wake up to find Fiona bunny on Easter morning.  After having Fiona for a week or so we decided she needed some pals so in came Shrek and Felicia bunny (for those of you who have see Shrek you'll know where the kids got the names).  They love the bunnies so much.  Caden literally fist pumped and  squealed when he saw his Shrek bunny for the first time.  The chickens at first weren't thrilled to share some space with this adorable little hoppers but after some time they get along great.  Henry on the other hand still hasn't decided whether these animals are prey or predator.  He tries to sneak up on them but as soon as he goes in for a swat he takes off running in fear. It's quite a sight.  Also we added goats.  I know I know, I promise I'm done....for awhile at least.   We added 2 big Togenbergs Dolly and Molly and 3 little babies.  Two boys Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and one little girl.  They are so much fun.  We're planning on breeding the older 2 girls soon so eventually we can start milking them.

Here's Asher holding some of the chicks.

Tea's holding Scarlet and Savanna.
Caden with Betsy and Bonnie.
The Rhode Island Reds
Savanna- 1 week old
Savanna 6 weeks old

Miss Scarlet 1 week old.
Miss Scarlet 6 weeks old.
The Plymouth Rocks
Bonnie 1 week old.
Bonnie 6 weeks old

Betsy 1 week old.
Betsy 6 weeks old.

The Ameracaunas 

Thelma 1 week old.

Thelma 6 weeks old

 Louise- 1 week old
Louise 6 weeks old.
Baby chicks first time free ranging.
Sheriff Wyatt on the look out.

Goat Time 

The Sundance kid and Rose
Butch Cassidy
Dolly and Molly

Butch again.
 

The Sundance kid
 Little Lula
 Henry Stalking Lula
 Keelah meeting Lula for the first time.
 
 Tea and Lula
 

Wyatt and some of his bandit ladies.
The bunnies- Fiona, Shrek and Felicia.

Leila Passed out.

Keelah and Leila
Sir Henry the Horrible









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