Thursday, August 23, 2012

JUST DO IT!

It is no secret that I adore my chickens...I currently have a flock of 16, fourteen hens and two roosters. My best gal however, is Gladys...she is a Barred Rock and is one of the orignal hens from my first flock of ten, now three years old...out of those original ten I have five remaining, two Barred, two Buffs and one Americuana. These five hens are more like pets, they respond when called, sit to be picked up, enjoy treats and from time to time have had the pleasure of residing inside the house at the chicken hotel/infirmery...No car ride...as of yet! My gal Gladys has attitude, she knows she's a good looking gal, why the way she sways her rear end is quite indecent, never mind that it's bald...My chickens have provided us here at Dog Trot Farm with over four thousand eggs, and with the aid of Don Juan a hatching of chicks.

I do realize that in the not so distant future, the girls egg production will slow and eventually end. They need not worry, there is no stew pot in their future, just senior ladies living the good life. Pictured below are three regular sized eggs, three banty eggs, and one teeny tiny first egg..

First eggs are so special, yet I have never had one so tiny. A product of one of my latest full sized hens, which hen I'm not sure. Time will tell. Tonight, however, I'm going to crack the egg, I'm curious to see its yolk...a picture for tomorrow's post...now if you are on the fence about getting some chicks, jump off that fence and just do it!

21 comments:

Rebecca said...

Gladys is indeed beautiful :) That is one of the smallest eggs I've ever seen--maybe it's a yolkless egg!

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

One of my West coast friends has them and just loves them! They have such cute personalities!

Rugs and Pugs said...

Thursday must be chicken story day :)
Thanks for sharing.
Hugs :)
Lauren

Ginny said...

Our city neighbors(that's what we call new neighbors, who never lived in the country)! just got chickens, looking forward to checking them out. Got my hands full with very pampered senior ducks :-)

Kim said...

It's been awhile since Gladys starred in a post. I've missed her :)
That is the cutest little egg. Kind of curious what's inside too.

Julia said...

I wonder if Glady is aware of what a celebrity she is. She probably would wiggle her little behind more if she knew. I think that chickens seem very popular as I read several post dealing with chickens today. I wonder if there is a Chicken Day. If not, there aught to be one.

What a cute little itty bitty egg, so cute. This was her trial run. Maybe it's a golden egg.

I have enough calves and kitties to keep me busy at the moment.

Have a gret weekend. JB

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

I'm still waiting, impatiently for my hens. Your hens should have provided you with lots of eggs.

Farm Girl said...

I love it when you show pictures of Gladys. She is just a nice hen. Your eggs are really nice too.

I lost one of my Cuckoo Marans today. She wasn't sick, She was out in the yard with the other hens and I had to put them up because my boys were doing the yard work. I went out not an hour later and she was gone. Not a single symptom. My daughter said, well you know you have pretty fat hens maybe she died of a heart attack, She wasn't fat. She was round like her owner.
This is the second one this summer. Both have had no symptoms they just look like they went to sleep.
No matter how many I loose, it is always like loosing a friend. Mine will never see a stew pot either.

Pondside said...

Our girls are getting older and the eggs are getting bigger - time to add to the flock. Our girls live out their days in their coop home - they've earned it!

Primitive Stars said...

Hello Julie, that Gladys is a pretty hen, that little egg is so cute. Glad to hear no stewing pots for your gals,funny when called they come. You asked me about the little dog head on my post, it is not a stringholder or poicket, just a little chalkware dog head I bought for my Sis, she loves them.Blessings Francine.

Mugwump Woolies said...

Gladys is such a beauty! Good Effort on that first egg!
Have a great weekend,
Robyn

acorn hollow said...

what a cute tiny little egg. I am sure that your ladies are relieved that there is no stew pot in their future.
Cathy

Margaret said...

Love seeing the photos of your gals. My bantam rooster little Jerry used to love rides in the car. So happy the gals get to live their lives out in the luxury of your lovely yard.For me, it's the only way since we have bonded with them! Bless you! Maggie

jaz@octoberfarm said...

i sure wish i had chickens. unfortunately, so does teddy!

Janice said...

I always enjoy reading your posts about your hens. So glad to hear that there are no stew pots in anyone's future.

Melody said...

I have always been mildly afraid of chickens... beady eyes ~ pointy beaks,*gulp* ROOSTERS... My Mum had an attack rooster years ago...he terrified me.
Then, a while ago, a friend asked us to take a few of her chickens as she needed to downsize. We ended up with 4 chickens. 2 little black ones, and two white ones who looked like they were wearing little feather hats... Fran the little black hen has managed to worm her way into my heart. She comes running when you call her, and makes little gurgly purring noises when you hold her. I'd never have pictured me holding a chicken; but I guess you never can tell! :)))))))

Shuttle, Hook and Needle said...

Funny how you wrote about what I was thinking. My daughter and son-in-law keep chickens which I recently got to feed and collect my first egg since I was a child when my mother had chickens. I love all the little clucking sounds they make and warm eggs just from the nest. I guess we had better get started on a chicken coop!
Louise

Janet-Olde Crow Primitives said...

Hi Julie. Gladys is gorgeous. I am waiting patiently for my first egg from our flock. It should be any day. The told us they would start to lay in late August. Fingers crossed. I will be ready with the camera when it happens :)
Janet

Terry and Linda said...

I'll be surprised if you have any yolk in that egg. Any time I have a tiny egg there is never a yolk.


Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

Deppen homestead 1862 said...

Beautiful Gal~ I keep saying one of these days I will have chickens again~ hoping sooner then later~
love the taste of fresh eggs~
smiles
Teresa

Unknown said...

So glad to hear all is well with Gladys!
We have three Barred Rocks and they are just the sweetest most docile little things I have ever seen. I just love them!
I am surprised how tiny they are though. Do you know if that is normal or did I end up with bantams? They are the oldest of all our chicks, the Chanteclers are a week or two younger and much bigger and the New Hampshires are three weeks younger than the Chanteclers and are even larger than the Chanties. I just worry about the BR's holding their own with the bigger birds, so far so good. One has even started laying, 4 eggs so far this week and all very tiny. I'll be checking for yolks tomorrow morning 'round breakfast time! : )