Showing posts with label Wyandottes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wyandottes. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Meet the new chickie girls

After losing my beautiful, sweet, innocent hens it was just unbearable to be without chickies. I acted on a Craigs List notice sent to me by Lizzie. Less than a week after losing the girls, I drove to Calhan and on and on down country roads, past a small airport, turned right at an old Russian Orthodox church and on and on until I turned into the third green gate atop a windblown hill. Sheryl, a pleasant, smiling lady come out to greet me. She was follow out of the house by only 1 of their 5 dogs. She led a tour of the farm. All the animals were thrilled to have company. There was the brown and white cow who came loping out and chased a goat who had a grinning glint in her eye. Sweet brown and white pygmy goats jumped up on us and wanted kisses. They got them. There was also a myotonic goat....the fainting ones. Sheryl said it sometimes goes rigid and will fall over if bumped. They keep him in his own quarters so he is safe. Mischievous guests are not allowed to visit him. Following us on the tour was George, a beautiful peacock. He jumped on top of the chicken house, leaned out over the roof and peered into the open door. The young chickens were in two groups, one of 50 fuzzy chicks, the second house of 30 older ones with some feathers showing through their fuzz. There were not 3 baby chicks of the breeds I wanted so I got 3 of the older chicks. They are funny looking scraggly young teenagers, both they show promise of being beautiful adults. One is an Americauna, like my beautiful Arriauna, altho the new gal, Henrietta, is mostly brown with black and brown shawl. Also her personality is not timid. In fact she is the pack leader, somewhat of a bully! One is a Light Brahma, originally from China via India. She is on her way to looking like the standard. She will be large, white with black collar and black tail feathers. She gracefully lays around looking like a swan floating on a lake. She reminds me of Paris Hilton. I call her Swan. One is a Silver Laced Wyandotte. If she grows up to look like 'the pictures' she will be mostly white with a black shawl collar and black tail feathers. Right now her coloring is opposite. She is black with small white spots. Her head is mottled black & yellow. Her eyes are ringed with eyeglass frames, including black lines to the ear pieces. I call her Lacey. They are currently living in the back bedroom. They won't move outside until they are older and the Taj Mahal is fox proofed. We truly a ThreeChickenFarm!

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Placing the Order

Placing The Order

Today I drove out to the farm store. I never recall the name because it reminds me of ConAgra, which it is not. It’s probably CO for Colorado-something. They mostly cater to cattle and horse people. Last week I left my name and number to be called when they get chicks. Thinking they only get one batch and being the crazed Yank woman not wanting to miss the deal, today I asked to reserve 3 chicks, AND by the way, what kind are you getting? Yippee, they are getting Ameracaunas (not pure Aracaunas which the farm store man informed me had entered the US 45 years ago.) So I suppose in 45 years we Yanks naturally had to improve them!

I am learning to ask more questions, but also to hesitate more. Hesitation is good practice with these old farm guys. Fast- talking self-assured Yank women seem to shut off their natural generosity. I am learning. Now it seems they will be getting Barred Rocks. Next I’m not sure if he said Rhode Island Reds or Red Stars because when I heard Buffs! Oh boy, I had Buff Orpingtons high on my research list. Then he said, maybe some Wyandottes. Wow, that really put me over the top! They had been high on my list too. Ameracauna, Buff Orpington, Wyandotte, this trio would be a dream come true. How often would they receive chicks? Oh, starting in late March, probably every week until into May. I put my name & wishes down for mid-April (hopefully the Great Dane neighbors can get their 6-foot fence built by outdoor chicken time. I told them late May).

The new chicks will be one day old and will be sexed. I hope I don’t get a rooster in error. By the time I’d find out it might be too late to replace him. I hope those sexing people are very good at their job. Arriving in mid-April the chicks will have to live in the back bedroom, which I am fixing for them. No pink or blue decisions, maybe white and yellow.