I went out and snapped some random portraits of some of the girls on the farm, and thought I would share a few!
Dee, a favorite little hen on the farm, was posing so very sweetly in the chicken house window. Dee is a pip-squeak of a bird. She is quite comfortable perching on my finger. She *might* stand 7" tall. Maybe...when she's strutting.
Penny thought posing in the window was a great idea, so she hopped into the next window over. She has apparently been busy preening her feathers... you'll notice the little fuzzy feathers stuck to her beak and eyelash. The chickens are a little "unkempt" lately. The yards are a mess after the recent rain... and I can't keep them out of the mud. At least they're happy!
Weezie is one of the "show girls" on the farm. Her headdress hides her eyes, so she shakes her head side to side (kind of in a crazy way) so she can see. Weezie (formerly Ms Taylor) almost didn't make it last fall. She spent a couple of weeks in Chicken ICU, where I fed her and cared for her while she recovered from a very serious case of *something* that caused her airway to almost completely block. Amazingly enough, she survived... and today, she's as sassy as ever.
The four Cuckoo Marans hens are doing really well. They're not laying as frequently as the Golden Comet girls, but at least they're laying on occasion. Their eggs are a beautiful dark brown color. Marans are a very sought after breed due to the dark color of their eggs' shells.
I have three Welsummer hens, and they also lay an egg with a very rich brown colored shell. Possibly the prettiest brown egg on the farm! I would definitely like to keep Welsummer hens in the flock. They're nice, big hens, and lay nice big eggs that are pretty in the carton!
This is one of my three Black Copper Marans hens (also posing in a coop window). They are the most high-dollar hen we have on the farm. Not too long ago, a dozen hatching eggs on eBay would bid as high as $300. Quite a crazy price to pay, if you ask me. Now that there are more Black Copper "breeders" in the states, prices seem to have dropped. I have three Black Copper hens, and I refer to them as "the Frenchies" -- the breed originated in France, and has just recently been thriving in the states. I also used to have Moose, a Black Copper Marans rooster (also a very high dollar bird). Moose was going to be a very lucky boy, as I was going to use him for breeding. He was a beautiful bird, with good breed standard qualities. However, Moose had a really bad habit of attacking my legs when I was in the chicken yard. And Moose was a BIG boy... I decided that I didn't want to risk breeding his bad manners into my flock, so Moose was relocated to a new home, where he may have been served up for dinner. Everyone and everything must get along here on the farm... bad manners are inexcusable.
Dot, one of our two Guinea hens, was busy telling the neighborhood that I was in the chicken yard. Guinea hens talk all the TIME. And not quietly, either! They are good alarms... they say "Buck-WHEAT" over and over and over... ugly little thing, isn't she!
This little gal doesn't have a name yet. She is a farmyard mix, often referred to as an Easter-Egger. She just started laying pretty little green shelled eggs. She is one of Dark Brown Hen's babies... poor Dark Brown Hen... we miss her.
Arizona, Alan's mother's dog, lives here on the farm with us. She's about as worthless as they come...but she's cute...and filthy!
...and tired, no doubt because she's up all night, BARKING!
Of course, Bad Boxcar Betty and Callio-Pea were too busy enjoying green grass to bother to come over and say hello...
Just LOVE all your farm photos--gives new meaning to the phrase "just us chickens..."
Posted by: doris | February 15, 2010 at 04:49 PM
Love your "chick pics"! My sis bought me the dog zippy for V's Day. I like it a lot! I have 2 Great Pyrenes; also worthless bark-a-lots. But I wouldn't trade them for any other huge dogs in the world! We do bring them in the house at night so our neighbors - 1/2 ml away - can sleep :o)
Posted by: Jeni Ann | February 15, 2010 at 03:07 PM
All the Gals have such a colourful personality, like someone else around here I know *wink*.
However, Miss Dot I think needs to start getting some much-needed wigs and coverings of some sort, like Tiny Tim's apparel. She looks like she's about ready to rip your head off for entering her bald-headed, funny-looking territory :0)
How are the Gal Goats?!?
Posted by: Robb_eeie | February 13, 2010 at 06:16 PM
I always enjoy looking at the pictures of the chickens and reading about their antics. What I want to know is how do you remember the names of them all?
Posted by: Laura | February 11, 2010 at 04:53 PM
I just love seeing all the beauiful pix of your animals! You should start doing it on a regular basis - assuming you can find the time!
Posted by: Anne S | February 11, 2010 at 01:44 PM
Oh, Anna, I love these beautiful photos and your fun narrative to go along with them. The hens' feathers are just gorgeous, aren't they, lying in "shingled" layers along their necks and breasts? All of your animals and birds look so loved and well cared for. Thanks for the update!
Posted by: Shellie Daniel | February 11, 2010 at 01:06 PM
Wow, love your chickens! They all look like they had been to the chicken salon...not a tail feather out of place! Poor, Dot, what a homely thing but we can't all be beauts right? Thanks for sharing your pics of the sweet ladies. The green grass looks wonderful too...I miss green grass!!!
Posted by: Viv (VivLyn) | February 11, 2010 at 11:43 AM
I so enjoy seeing your flock! They are all beautiful and I giggle at their names.. Thank You for sharing them all :) T
Posted by: Tina | February 11, 2010 at 04:49 AM
oh my gosh, i soooo love all of your chicken photos. When I see that you've updated with chicken/farm happenings, I always read with a great big smile on my face. thanks for sharing your awesome farm life with all of us.
Posted by: Simmy | February 10, 2010 at 11:27 PM
Oh that guinea hen is a sight! I burst out laughing at the face only a mother could love! LOL!
Posted by: Danielle | February 10, 2010 at 07:59 PM
You are SO talented, you can even get chickens to POSE!! Did you notice all of those looking to your left?!?
teeheehee!
Posted by: D | February 10, 2010 at 05:22 PM
Your c;hickens are so beautiful and you must have a lot of patience to get the perfect shot. I really enjoy seeing your barn yard buddies. Only chickens I see around here are in celophane at the grocery store. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Rose Kerry | February 10, 2010 at 04:46 PM
Never get tired of seeing the beautiful chicken pictures!
Posted by: Margaret R | February 10, 2010 at 02:20 PM
I love when you share chicken pictures. Dee is a cutie. Nice to see the goats too. Tell your Dad I will share chicken feathers with him. My Dad taught me how to tie flies when I was a kid, but I have no patience for fishing now.Hmm, maybe I should talk to the local Cabelas about their supplier, lol.
Our poor chickens are staying in today. we have almost 2 feet of snow , and more to fall through the night.
Posted by: Sally | February 10, 2010 at 01:46 PM
Dot isn't ugly - she's unique - giggle - poor little darling. LOVE it when you share pictures. Thanks so much
Posted by: Elaine Moore | February 10, 2010 at 12:50 PM
Thanks for the chicky update! They are all looking good and HAPPY. Ahhh life on Anna's farm! Lucky Arizona getting to live there with all of you. My sister has TWO Great Pyrenesse (sp?) they are such barkers. She would agree that they are worthless, but well LOVED and lovable.
Have a wonderful day, hugs...
Posted by: Carol Dee | February 10, 2010 at 12:16 PM
That Arizona is gorgeous!
Posted by: JM | February 10, 2010 at 10:32 AM
always love seeing your pictures of the farm animals, and these are great!
Posted by: Debbie | February 10, 2010 at 10:07 AM
WOW!You should be raising these birds at my house. That way I could have wonderful eggs and fly tying feathers "on the hoof" these photos show some of the best shades for some killer wet fly paterns, and I would not have to buy expensive feathers anymore! Peacocks would be good too,How about it? Love, Dad....... and they just keep growing more all the time. Cool
Posted by: DK Wight | February 10, 2010 at 09:25 AM
Speaking of relations, I enjoyed that Dee was the first girl mentioned in the post! Such good looking chicks!
Posted by: dee tollaksen | February 10, 2010 at 09:21 AM
Oh Anna, you are SUCH a great photographer!!! Of course I already knew that, but your photos are AWESOME! The hens are all beautiful (well, not sure I could say that about the guinea LOL) and I loved seeing the pictures. You are SUCH a good Chicken Momma!!!
Thank you for the great review of the hens. I just love all your animals, and wish I had some hens of my own! Oh, and Arizona is SO pretty! (but I'm not a fan of night-time barking either!) :D
Posted by: diane mcvey | February 10, 2010 at 08:04 AM
Cute pictures of the family!! :)
Posted by: Jennifer K. | February 10, 2010 at 07:46 AM
beautiful photos of the "girls" I just love the chicken/hen pics..and I learn something new everytime...
The pic of Arizona is too funny..we used to have a lab that was about worthless, but she was our baby,,and very loved..no matter how worthless she was.
I always get a kick out of seeing box car Betty and Callio-Pea..they're just cute!
thanks again Anna for the barnyard update..
you should have tour groups come to your farm..do you??
Posted by: Kellie | February 10, 2010 at 06:42 AM
Arizona is beautiful!!! :0)
Posted by: Tracy | February 10, 2010 at 05:44 AM
Really enjoyed visiting with the girls. My favorite one is the Black Copper one.
Posted by: SueB | February 10, 2010 at 03:04 AM
Each photograph is beautiful! It's like they knew it was portrait day. I absolutely love Dee ~ her feathers are gorgeous. And Dot, well I'd say it's a face only a mother could love! (Thank goodness no relation to me, LOL!)
Posted by: Dotty | February 10, 2010 at 02:23 AM