Greetings from Iowa

Like the screen name says, I have Red Stars (for now). I am in eastern Iowa messing around with a dozen Red Stars (down from sixteen -- funny how these Iowa coyotes, foxes, and bobcats took notice of me putting them to bed with a loaded 12 gauge in my hands the other night and have quit preying on my chickens (where is the "looking askance" smiley?)). All of them are named, "Little Girl". Egg count so far is six, of which three are in the fridge waiting for enough for me to make an omelette. They are still little bitty things so far.

Other critters on the place are two fixed housecats, Mr. Cat and Pretty Kitty, and a semi-regular feral, Outdoor Cat.

That's me, in a nutshell. Male, veteran, and arguing with myself whether I need some Leghorns for white eggs and some Giants for the heck of it is a piece of the meat.

RSD

!!!!!! Yes, you should get some Leghorns. I have both Leghorns and Red Stars and they are great. Welcome, as I said before!

and from S. Florida! Glad you joined us! Good, you found a way to keep those predators at bay!!!

from Virginia!

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Thanks for the welcome.

I have to tell you a story about Outdoor Cat. I put the chicks in the chicken house at six weeks so they were too big for her to mess with. At eight weeks I let them out for the first time and they finally decided that the world outside the chicken house was a good place, and came out to get some sun. I watched them for a few minutes, and Outdoor Cat joined me in chicken watching while they got used to the idea of Outside. Then I went in.

Well, after a while I didn't see any chickens so I came back out to see where they were. When I went outside the chickens did too, and I sat for a while and watched them some more. They got bored with me after a while and wandered off under the pine tree off the end of the chicken house, where they shaded themselves and amused themselves scratching around in the pine needles. And Outdoor Cat joined them. She started licking her feet, then her tail, then her belly; meanwhile, the chickens had found something else to amuse themselves with. When Outdoor Cat looked up from her ablutions she found herself surrounded by poultry, all intently curious about what the furry thing was doing. Well, she stood up and took a step that way -- no way out there. Then she took a step this way -- and still didn't find a way out. Then one of the chickens got bored and wandered off in search of amusement, since the furry thing wasn't obligating them any longer. And Outdoor Cat made a run for daylight.

About that time the chickens went inside for some crumbles, except for one, who hunkered down and peered at Outdoor Cat as she finished her spit bath. Outdoor Cat caught herself being watched, stood up, turned right around, sat back down with her back to the chicken, and finished her washing-up in at least the illusion of privacy.

RSD

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Thanks.


RSD

Welcome from another Eastern Iowan!