AShens
Chirping
Hi folks!
I've been keeping chickens with my family for almost a decade. Currently our backyard flock numbers 11, featuring three wonderful old ladies: Twitter (leghorn), Fornite (easter egger) and Onyx (black australorp).
Fortnite is our tamest darling: she's been handled constantly since day one and will *always* greet you at the door. Onyx is our slightly anxious love, she's shy but talkative & gentle. Twitter though! She's been the boss as long as we've had her. A couple years ago she grew spurs. And that's just?? Super on brand for her. She continues to be our best layer.
Earlier this year though, Twitter went broody, HARD. As our ladies are aging, we knew that introducing some younger blood for eggs is necessary. Twitter and her broodiness was a great opportunity to both get new young chickens but also have them be integrated into the flock by a hen! Many years ago we tried to introduce some new young hens, and it was TOUGH. We knew this was a different sort of challenge, but my kids are older now so I have lots of help!
So I found somebody who had fertile eggs from my dream breed-- marans!! I can't resist the chocolate colored eggs! She threw in some eggs from her easter eggers & olive egger crosses. Twitter has been a great mom! From the beginning:
To seeing her little ones grow up!
And acquire names! E.G. is "Earl Grey Tea" & #4 Eventually became "Catra." The two eyeliner ladies still don't have names, but there's a coppery one & an all black one these days!
They just keep growing! Until they don't really fit under Momma Twitter anymore.
And they're suddenly teenagers:
Now though, some of our young ladies are turning out to be boys! More pictures to come, but I'm on the quest to find them good homes. They're sweet little guys, and we've put in the time and care to socialize them (see here, working on hand feeding) We have two definite crowers: Earl Grey & Catra, plus two more likely (based largely on behavior) Hey hey & D.W.
I'm hoping I can get these fellows into happy homes. If you have any interest I'll be putting them up in the needs-a-home section of the forums with some current pictures this weekend! Lovely to meet all of you wonderful chicken folks <3
I've been keeping chickens with my family for almost a decade. Currently our backyard flock numbers 11, featuring three wonderful old ladies: Twitter (leghorn), Fornite (easter egger) and Onyx (black australorp).
Fortnite is our tamest darling: she's been handled constantly since day one and will *always* greet you at the door. Onyx is our slightly anxious love, she's shy but talkative & gentle. Twitter though! She's been the boss as long as we've had her. A couple years ago she grew spurs. And that's just?? Super on brand for her. She continues to be our best layer.
Earlier this year though, Twitter went broody, HARD. As our ladies are aging, we knew that introducing some younger blood for eggs is necessary. Twitter and her broodiness was a great opportunity to both get new young chickens but also have them be integrated into the flock by a hen! Many years ago we tried to introduce some new young hens, and it was TOUGH. We knew this was a different sort of challenge, but my kids are older now so I have lots of help!
So I found somebody who had fertile eggs from my dream breed-- marans!! I can't resist the chocolate colored eggs! She threw in some eggs from her easter eggers & olive egger crosses. Twitter has been a great mom! From the beginning:
To seeing her little ones grow up!
And acquire names! E.G. is "Earl Grey Tea" & #4 Eventually became "Catra." The two eyeliner ladies still don't have names, but there's a coppery one & an all black one these days!
They just keep growing! Until they don't really fit under Momma Twitter anymore.
And they're suddenly teenagers:
Now though, some of our young ladies are turning out to be boys! More pictures to come, but I'm on the quest to find them good homes. They're sweet little guys, and we've put in the time and care to socialize them (see here, working on hand feeding) We have two definite crowers: Earl Grey & Catra, plus two more likely (based largely on behavior) Hey hey & D.W.
I'm hoping I can get these fellows into happy homes. If you have any interest I'll be putting them up in the needs-a-home section of the forums with some current pictures this weekend! Lovely to meet all of you wonderful chicken folks <3
Glad you joined.
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