The Feathered and the Fowl: An Endless Story of the K-12 Chickens!

[K-12 Chickens]

The History of the K-12 Chickens
It was a big day when the first eight young pullets reached their new home; two Buff Orpingtons (Grasshopper & Goldie), two ISA Browns (Red & Velvet), two Silver-Laced Wyandottes (Jenny and Bawk Bawk Betty), one California Grey Leghorn (Snowbell) and one klutzy Ameraucana (Henny Penny). For five days they were confined to the K-12 Coop while the run was finished and when they were finally let outside, it was like heaven on earth!

Many days passed and soon, the first egg was laid by the leghorn, Snowbell! The others soon followed in her footsteps (reluctantly, I might add).

Unfortunately, Henny Penny died a quick death many days later. It was a sad day, but nevermore would she suffer at the beaks of her flockmates.

Weeks later, an addition was added to the flock: Blackie! No one had ever seen such a spunky and defiant pullet as she and repeatedly escaped the temporary run.

A year or so later, Snowbell died at the foot of an immature Red-Tailed Hawk and the chicken-keepers decided that the hens just weren't putting out as much eggs as they used to, and decided to order chicks! Five fuzzy Barred Plymouth Rocks and five Cherry Eggers arrived, but sadly, only one Cherry Egger and five Barred Rocks survived the rough trip.

These surviving chicks grew rapidly before the other five new chicks arrived a week later. There was quite a difference in size.

But the younger chicks soon caught up and the chicks were let outside into an enclosed run for the first time.


The orginal hens weren't as pleased as the chicken-keepers were over seeing new faces in the yard, but eventually accepted it. The chicks were upgraded to the rank of young pullet as they moved into their very own coop when they had grown out of the tote brooders and had enough feathers to keep them warm (along with a heat lamp).

Later on, as the pullets began to free-range with the big girls, one of the Cherry Eggers suddenly started to sprout a large comb at only 13 weeks! Was this a cockerel? Not so! As this little pullet grew a few weeks older, she showed an interest in a nest box and tucked a fake egg beneath her belly.


Recently though, "Mini Rooster" as she was called, mysteriously disappeared around 18 weeks. None of the chicken-keepers know why or how she went missing. She was the friendliest and followed anyone who came outside. She will be missed, as no one knows if she will return...



Thanks for reading! This is the end of the history of the K-12 Chickens and now the real fun will begin!

More will be posted later.

 

[K-12 Chickens]

Yesterday, the ladies and pullets hanged out in their usual spot by the bird bath. There's lots of bird seed (put out for wild birds, but the ladies and pullets see no difference), a pan of water (doubles as a foot spa for some of the ladies) and lots of good spots for preening and primping.


Some of the pullets like to whisper to each other about Grasshopper's apparent lack of fluffiness...


...while Grasshopper looks on suspiciously with her secretary, Goldie. (Goldie on left, Grasshopper on right)

Grasshopper is very protective about her fluffiness reputation, so she orders Goldie to go undercover and find out what the pullets are saying, though a Buff Orpington doesn't blend in well against brown and green.

Meanwhile, under the K-12 Coop, Jenny enjoys an invigorating dust-bath. Dirt sure is good for that wrinkled skin and worn-out feathers!


Red finally molted and grew in beautiful new feathers this fall. She's certainly not afraid to show it off to the chicken-keeper's camera!

Red loves to dine on the finest bread, though her table manners leave a lot to be desired...

She and her sister, Velvet, like to wait at the back porch for a stray bread scrap to fly out the door.

After Jenny leaves to lay (or try to lay) an egg, the pullets leave the hangout and begin to throw dirt as they dust-bathe under the K-12 Coop!

Dino-Chick, the Barred Rock pullet, does the pose which is affectionately known by the chicken-keepers as a "bird pie".

Upon discovering that the pullets are enjoying themselves, Bawk Bawk Betty decides to crash the party and takes over.


The pullets decide to go foraging in the woods with Grasshopper listening closely to their gossip.

Soon, everyone joins in on the hunt for tastey snails and grubs and the swishing of dried leaves becomes louder!

After wards, the pullets enjoy a snack of carved pumpkin...

...before going to roost in their coop.

"Nest box sleepers" have been a real problem lately and the main chicken-keeper is having trouble breaking the habit...

In the K-12 Coop, everyone settles down next to each other with a few hard pecks here and there, but all seems quiet when the chicken-keeper goes to close everyone up.


As said by the chicken-keeper, "Good Night Chickies!"

 

[K-12 Chickens]

The pullets enjoyed the morning sunlight today and celebrated with an exfoliating dust-bath. Hopefully Bawk Bawk Betty won't discover them!


Too late! Bawk Bawk Betty is not pleased with what she sees.
"They are enjoying themselves instead of me?!"

"Time to fix this!"


Well, after yet another dust-bathing party disrupted, everyone decides to go foraging...

...except for Falcon, the Barred Rock pullet, who decides to snicker over Grasshopper's lack of fluffiness once again.
"He he he! Just look at her!"

"Huh? What? I didn't say anything."

Meanwhile, Blackie continues to lay in the pullets' coop, switching between nest boxes about every day or so. None of the pullets dare enter and face her wrath!

A little while later, the pullets check out some pumpkins after a little apprehensiveness, as do the ladies.

"If it ain't bread, than it ain't good!"

 

[wildriverswolf90]

very good story. Your girls are beautiful and I love their names

 

[K-12 Chickens]

Thank you!

 

[K-12 Chickens]

Falcon is an inquisitive, bold and extra-fluffy Barred Rock pullet (Grasshopper is jealous of her fluff).

As a chick, she frequently escaped the tote brooder, perched on arms and heads and left "signs" of her adventures on the floor.

As she grew older, she learned by trial and error not to perch on heads anymore (those toe nails can be vicious!).
As of now, she hasn't laid an egg yet, but that time will be here very soon.

This morning, three of the four Cherry Egger sisters had a chat about which breed is fluffier while Curly, the slightly dopey Barred Rock, listened nonchalantly.

Curly made known her disapproval their decision on Cherry Eggers being fluffiest, leaving the sisters feeling rather offended.

Ah, well! Cherry Eggers still rule, right?

 

[wildriverswolf90]

I have a hen named blossom, who would escape the brooder every night and roost on my bedside table, every morning for 6 weeks she was the 1st thing I saw
Those cherry egger sisters should Cochins are the fluffiest

 

[K-12 Chickens]

Yesterday, the weather was lovely for the hens, so they all decided to hang out near the refreshing bird bath and rejuvenate themselves.

Meanwhile, one of the unnamed (as of yet) Barred Rock pullets has been suffering with a mysterious limp. She is being kept in a small run with Curly the slightly dopey Barred Rock for company.

Unnamed pullet and Curly are not all that happy with their new arrangement and constantly beg to be let out.

Up above on top of the run, Blackie, being the acrobatic chicken that she is, tries to figure out a new way into the pullet's coop, since the small run (holding Curly and unnamed pullet) connects to the pullet coop and is closed currently.


Too bad for Blackie!

 

[wildriverswolf90]

Hope the unnamed pullet get better soon

 

[K-12 Chickens]

After a few days of confinement, "unnamed pullet" has completely lost her limp! She now runs just as well as everyone else.
Today, after continual enlarging of a hole in a pumpkin by the pullets, the chicken-keepers decide to just chuck it and let everyone have pumpkin pie!


Everyone, especially Curly the slightly dopey Barred Rock, enjoys the slimy guts and seeds.

Grasshopper seems to be too concerned about gossiping pullets than pumpkin and listens carefully. After a few minutes, she recruits Goldie her secretary, to help eavesdrop for any comments about her fluffiness.

Meanwhile, Curly enjoys gorging without a care to the dismay of her flockmates.

After wards, Dino-Chick decides to digest her meal while enjoying some rays from the sun.