The Chickendad Chronicles

[MrsChickendad]

Challenges!

I guess it is feast or famine with Barbara stories. This is not exactly a "Barbara" story, but it involves a Barbara friend, so I will relate it as it just happened today.

Mrs. Chickendad went to the Fowl Fest Poultry Show in Alma, Michigan today. She did not take any birds, as the girls are looking a bit shopworn and the boys have had enough arguments to look a bit ratty. She went to support a young friend and fellow BYCer who was showing in the Youth Division at the State Poultry Show.

It is a good thing Mrs. Chickendad was not present for the presentation, because part-way through the hen had some sort of seizure and died in the exhibitor's arms. A worse challenge to an exhibitor cannot be imagined! Mrs. Chickendad's friend, Maddie was quite upset, of course, but had enough poise to continue with her showmanship in spite of the deceased bird in her hands. She won first place in the Senior Division! Mrs. Chickendad thinks this will not be the "last" first place for Maddie!

 

[1muttsfan]

Oh my goodness! So sorry for your friend. I could not make the trip down to Alma but would have loved to have been there.

 

[Kaugomu]

Oh my goodness - I can't even imagine enduring something like that, how heart wrenching! Way to go Maddie though for her composure!

 

[MrsChickendad]

On the off chance that anyone is following this thread still, I guess I should post an update. Mrs. Chickendad has just come up for air after a miserable autumn and early winter. At first it was rheumatoid arthritis keeping me down and unable to walk for any distance. I was even unable to enter any of the shows I usually enter. Then in December, I managed to dislocate my artificial knee. OW ow OW!!! Of course it was late at night, and I wound up in the hospital ER where they decided to do revision surgery. This seemed like a good idea until the new surgery dislocated as I stood up to go home. OW ow ow!!!

They pasted me back together to await a total knee revision, this one guaranteed not to go haywire (it is hinged somehow so can't separate). I am now two weeks post op and the knee is coming along nicely. I'm still using a walker so can 't get out to see the Chickie Girls, but Chickendad assures me they are doing just fine and handling the cold weather well.

But I need to see for myself! I know those girls have lots of stories to tell is I could just get out there to hear them. Chickendad says that Barbara's husband has become most handsome and is poised to produce some new striped stars in the manner of the Barbara's. There is another barred rock who has been shacked up with the Mille fleur Cochins since last fall. Perhaps this is an opportunity to get some of those plaid babies Barbara was contemplating last year! Let's see--striped mama and speckled daddy might just be a gawdawful combination!

I hope there are still some readers out there, and I extend my apologies for abandoning you! There are more stories to come if anyone is interested-- just let me know!

 

[westcoastchix]

So glad to hear from you, missed hearing about you, the girls, boys and mr.chickendad, welcome back!!

 

[1muttsfan]

No apologies needed, and so, so sorry to hear about your troubles. I just thought about you a few days ago, saw your business card in my file and wondered how things were going with you, your chickens and your family. Hopefully 2014 will be a better year for all of you.

 

[Kacey's Krazee's]

So happy to see that you have returned to Chicken World! I am most eager to read the continued stories of Barbara and friends!
Welcome back!!

 

[Justuschicks]

Good to hear from you.

 

[birdlover]

It's great to have you back!! I know it must be so frustrating not to be able to visit with the Chickies but, hopefully, this knee will heal quickly and you'll be able to resume your main role as Mrs. Chickendad. . So sorry for all the health issues you've been dealing with! May 2014 be a year full of many blessings for you, Mr. Chickendad and the Chickies! (Do make some babies with stripes and spots!! I'm curious to see the outcome!)

 

[MrsChickendad]

Sneaky Girl

The Ameraucana girl who fell in love with Leroy last summer is apparently not too discriminating when it comes to dating. She dated Leroy. She dated the little white cochin, Kenny. She dated the self blue cochin brothers when she could lure them away from their fatherly duties finding treats for the surprise children. She dated one of the black roosters and even managed to find her way into the Mille fleur cochin pen for a tryst with one of those speckled boys. The sneaky Ameraucana girl was definitely a "bad" girl. Mrs Chickendad would have grounded her butt if She had known of Sneaky's activities.

Meanwhile, the Chickendads blithely kept collecting the lovely blue eggs and putting them in the incubator so the sleeping babies inside could awaken. One by one the babies emerged from their shells. Most were the expected fluffy yellow wheaten chicks. However, two blue chicks surprised the Chickendads, especially since they had feathers on their legs. (The chicks, not the Chickendads!) Oops! Then another chick popped out. This one was the expected yellow, but there were those fuzzy legs again! When the hatch was complete, the breadth of Sneaky's bad girl behavior was apparent. There was a baby of every color available to her. Luckily, she had only dated cochin boys, so the fuzzy legs were a dead giveaway. Back to the purification cage for Sneaky!