Earth Day Fair

[Photo of cat face decoration on hen pen has nothing to do with Earth Day, just thought you should see it] Goldilocks and Hildegarde were the belles of the ball at the Earth Day celebration at Cornerstone Art Center on the Colorado College campus. Hildegarde: The crowd really loved me. The photographers were pushing and shoving to get close shots. Did they take one of you, Goldilocks? Goldilocks: Sure they did. How could they resist my golden feathers? Everyone knew exactly who I was. They saw our nametags and all knew which I was. Hildegarde: Oh, Goldie dear, of course they did. (cough, cough) Goldilocks: The kids always chose me as their favorite. Hildegarde: Oh really? It was the adults who chose me. They recognized my incredibly subtle coloring and feather arrangement. Goldilocks: I wouldn’t be so sure they were choosing you for your feathers. I heard them talking about KFC.

Fox vs Taj Mahal

Photos show Mr. Fox stalking on the outside of our Taj Mahal, and then Mr. Fox on outside left of the Taj as Arriauna and Hecky stand in snow atop the run. [The big black blobs behind the run are a compost bin and sacks of leaves for insulation.]

Mr. Fox has met his match. First he stood on the path between the house and the Taj Mahal hen pen. I was looking down at the action from the kitchen window which is why the photos are taken through 2 window panes and a screen. The hens were in their covered run, backlit with a light bulb, so he could see them easily. I don’t know if he made a noise, like ‘Heh, heh, come here, girls, I’ll give you a cookie”, but those sweethearts came marching out to greet him. Then he began to run around the outer edge of the pen, no doubt chuckling and saying “It won’t be long, my pretties”. They recognized him as the bad guy he is and they began to run. They all made a lap around the pen; hens on the inside, fox on the outside. Arriauna and Hecky flew up onto the run. That really excited Mr. Fox. He ran around to the west outside. He stared at Arriauna for a moment then leaped straight at her. He bounced off the double wire wall. I hope he had a wire imprint on his nose. At this point I intervened before he got too frenzied that he might figure out how to climb over the top.

New chickie coop

New chickie coop

Yesterday when I entered the chick back bedroom Ms. Barred Rock was perched ON THE TOP EDGE of their box. She has had strong, long wing feathers from day one. She likes to use them and often sits atop the feeder and the waterer stretching her neck to look up and over. Maybe I should name her Christa Columbus in search of the New World.

So I went in search of some kind of new enclosure. It had also occurred to me that their lateral views were limited to cardboard-colored cardboard. I did draw on their walls but they didn’t seem too interested in my artwork. Craigslist, The Thrify Nickel, The Gazette…..nowhere could I find what we need.

Off to Petco to look at birdcages. They are very fancy with prices to match. I finally found a plain white one with no pergolas or scrollwork. Life with the chickie babes is not cheap. This must be the beginning of having teenage daughters.

Too late to change their quarters. They are so quiet and sleepy.