It’s a chicken kind of day – come visit the coop!

It’s such a gorgeous Spring day here in Northwestern Pennsylvania! The temperatures stayed in the high 70’s all week and my chickens have been enjoying all of  the fresh green grass, not to mention the insane amount of bugs already making an appearance this early in the season. We’re doing a bit of shuffling around with the roosters, we’ve ended up with three somehow and I really do NOT need three roosters in a flock of just 15 hens!

Let us out, let us out!

I know that last year I showed you our newest Rooster, a Silver Laced Wyandotte named Clint, and I was so excited about keeping him — Well, Clint is a pretty boy but for some reason the ladies just don’t care for him. I’m not sure if he’s just a little too hyper for their tastes or what but they no likey the poor guy.

Why yes Camielle, you do have a pretty bum :)

We’ve decided to keep one of the yard sale chicks from last year that happened to turn into an enormous and absolutely gorgeous Barred Plymouth Rock Rooster. He’s huge! I love the way he towers over all of the hens and how funny he looks when he stands next to our tiny banty hen tweet.

I would love to breed the new Roo {man, he NEEDS a name!} with my big fat Pencil Laced Wyandotte hens to see what they come up with!

Hey hey Mamas, What's cookin'?

I told Super G. that maybe I could just keep breeding these giant chickens until I have some sort of monstrous turkey sized hens that will lay us huge raptor sized eggs — he’s not amused, whatever dude, I can dream!

I am the queen of all!

So we’re keeping him and re-homing old Clint and the new Rooster’s brother. My cousin is supposed to be picking them up any day now. He has kept chickens for years and now that their chicken-eating dog is no longer with them, these boys will be safe and happy in the large field they’ll call their new home. 

A likely trio - Wild, #2 and Penny

I have to get rid of new Roo’s brother because he is a mean S.O.B., and that’s putting it nicely. I went out to feed everyone the day before yesterday and that dang rooster tried to attack me!! I fended him off with the metal lid from the trash cans we store their feed in — he was not deterred. He was actually growling at me! I grabbed the leaf rake and — I hate to say it — I hit him… twice! Don’t feel sorry for the bugger because it didn’t stop him. I took the rake, left the jug of water by the coop and ran to the house followed by my not so protective Ginger dog and that bad rooster. Guess what I was thinking the whole time? “Man I wish I could have videoed this for the blog!” Wow.

Penny, come out and play!

Anyways, when Super G. came home,, I made him lock up that little *$#@!*&#@! until his new owner comes to pick him up. I’m still debating on whether or not I should tell my cousin about the rooster’s little attitude problem… my cousin did try to drown me in Gramma’s pond once :D

And, if you are wondering about why i’m feeding the chickens cracked corn — I only give them half a scoop to scratch around the chicken yard in. I let them out after our photo visit, as I do every day, so that they can free range and eat bugs and worms and toads and all that fun stuff.

Pardon me, I'm trying to do SOMEthing here! Harumph!

I love this cute little nest box Super G. made for me using and old produce crate. I need to clean the coop out and give everything a good scrubbing soon! I’d love to give the whole coop a coat of paint, inside and out, but never seem to get around to it. We must be doing something right with our backyard chickens – I get a pile of these lovely fresh eggs every day!

Mmm, fresh eggs!