New bitties on the farm!

Guess what?

Chicken butt!

We got three new hens last week and they are settling in nicely. 

Meet Olive (top), Popcorn (bt rt), and Caramel (bt left).  Olive is Caramel and Popcorn’s mom.  Olive is 3 and the other two are on their second year.  Still wonderful layers!  We got an egg the first day!

At first we had two obvious flocks.  The three new ones and our older hens both banded together and wherever they collided (such as in the dusting bath space, or wanting the same tender worm) there was pecking and squawking and chasing.  But now, they are all together and very little pecking happens at all. 

   

We got rid of our beautiful rooster at the same time.  He was just too loud for our closer neighbors and honestly, for us!  We don’t have enough space for a crowing roo.  He also didn’t have enough large hens for his liking.  He was taking all the feathers off my smaller hens backs with his ‘attentions’ which really can’t continue into the sunny weather or I’d end up with a tiny, sunburnt hen!  He got to go to a farm that has 14 hens who needed protecting.  It was the perfect compromise!  He was happier and so were we.

Each of the new hens lay light blue/green eggs.  We now have 4 green/blue egg layers, and 3 brown egg layers, one white and one very dark brown. 

All cleaned and put away.  Aren't they beautiful??

They all lay almost every day, even my 4 year old hens!  In fact, this is going to turn into an important PSA - hens lay eggs for years!  So many people think that hens stop producing after 2 years old.  But that couldn’t be further from the truth.  My hens are between 1 and 4 years old and the most consistent layer is my Plymouth Rock hen (who is also the alpha hen) who lays every single day except the 2 months she is molting all year long for the past 4 years.  With spring weather (like right now) we get an egg from every one of them every day or so…. which means 7-8 eggs, at least, every single day!  Perfect for a large family who likes eggs.  Alex can eat 4 a day all on his own.

The new hens even made it into my nature notebook. 

Our whole flock enjoying some scraps together:

We do love our hens!

Happy Farming!