One Hundred Dollars a Month

Lucy’s 7 babies arrived back on April 11th of this year and what a pure delight they have been. To put it mildly, Lucy LOVES baby chicks. She loves everything about being a baby chick mama and would put a 6 year old to shame when it comes to attentiveness, and all aspects of loving on baby chickens.

It never fails, each time we have had babies, Lucy is right be their side. And if we have the chicks behind a closed door, she will sit at the door and wait until we let her in to check on them.

Because the chicks arrived a little late this year, we were able to move them outside for a few hours each day at around the 7 – 8 week mark and by the end of July, the HH had built them their own coop.

My original plan was to let them free range all day outside of the coop until late fall, but with 2 falcons flying overhead at regular intervals, we decided to keep the chickens in the run most days and just have them free range on the late afternoons we were working outside. Our neighbors, 2 doors down had three of their chickens attacked earlier this summer, so we didn’t want to take any chances.

This flock of chickens has been wonderful so far and each of them have very distinct personalities.

This is Eleanor, our Golden Cuckoo Maran, and if she was in a mean girls club, she’d be their Vice President. While she would never win a personality contest, she tends to look after all the other birds and she does lay pretty brown eggs, so we put up with her. 

Splash, our Blue Black Splash Ameraucana is a bit nutty. When you walk into the coop she just sort of stares at you. She doesn’t charge you, doesn’t expect anything from you, she’s just sort of there. Sweet, but not a whole lot going on upstairs, that’s for sure.

Martha is our Lavender Orpington and she will eat you out of house and home. She’s such a sweet bird though, so you kind of overlook the part about her eating twice as much as everyone else. Plus she’d curious, and will come up to you like she wants to have a chat. 

Red is our Cream Legbar and she’s a pretty happy go lucky bird.

Hilda our Blue Easter Egger on the other hand would come inside and snuggle up on the couch with the HH if he would let her. Not only does she demand attention upon sight of him, she likes to be held. If you are looking for a chicken that is good around little kids and likes to be hugged… this is your bird! 🙂 Oh, and she will also stick to you like glue while you are in the run {when I was painting the inside of the run she would not leave my side, hence the red paint on her feathers}.

Ethel the Easter Egger.

She’s a  go-getter and if you stand in one place to long she’ll peck the clothes right off of you. Nothing is off limits with this bird. She’s not afraid to give chase either and this girl, LOVES to give Lucy a run for her money. If Ethel was a person, she’d be the one to always press your buttons. She’s such a fun bird…. and I love her to bits.

And last but not least, there is Black Fatty. Our Black Australorp. My daughter absolutely ADORES australorps and each one we’ve had over the years has been named Black Fatty. Australorps are HEAVY birds and so, so sweet you can’t help but want to pick them up all the time. It’s another breed I’d totally recommend for homes with small children. 

Even though egg production has slowed down to only about 2 eggs a day {3 if we are lucky!} from these girls…. I know once next spring rolls around and the days are longer, we’ll be swimming in them.

Feathered friends, they’re so much fun to have around. 😉

Have a great Friday everyone, enjoy the weekend.

~Mavis