Feedin' Time!

My youngest daughter, Ava, positively loves animals, and chickens in particular. She goes to the barn with me every single day to feed and water them and gather eggs, and has a pet chicken she named, "Lolly", that allows my girl to pick her up and carry her around like a baby. It's very cute!

So here we are, at the gate, and everyone is here to greet us with their usual enthusiasm!


And, they're off!


Feeding frenzy!


Ava and Lolly, BFF.


There's nothing better than life on a farm! :)

Earth Day Babies

Our baby chicks began hatching on Tuesday, April 22 .. Earth Day! Thirteen hatched but one didn't make it. Mom is a very docile but protective hen. I just can't tell you how much cuter these little babies are in person, especially when you hold one to your cheek to enjoy their sweet fuzziness! The rooster is a "Dominique" (I incorrectly assumed he is a "Barred Plymouth Rock" and was corrected this morning by my darling husband!).

And we have a setter!

A Silver Laced Wyandotte setter, that is.

As of today, one of our lovely hens is setting over a cozy nest of eggs! How exciting is that? Hopefully, within 21 - 28 days we'll have some babies. Photos coming soon.

The City Biddy Hen House

Here on the farm we are fortunate to have our own free-range laying hens and enjoy fresh organic eggs every day! If you have an itch to keep your own hens but have limited space, check out this article my best friend Melissa found on ubuilderplans.com about building your own compact, portable hen house! Noisy, wake-the-neighbors roosters not required, unless you're just absolutely dying to hatch some chicks.

Mama Silky's New Babies!

The resident Silky hen's brood has hatched, and are they cute or what?! Mama is very protective but very generously allowed me into her house to document the first week of her babies' lives. It took some patience, but we waited her out and she finally stood up so we could see them!