Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

So, Himself's brother came to visit - and brought a little gift. I am the lucky recipient of Tuna, Wahoo, Prawns, Antelope, and elk!

That's a "little" gift?! I wish I knew your BIL...I'd ask for a big gift!
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That's amazing! Wish I lived closer...I'd come raid your deep freezer
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I don't even know why I'm doing the whole chicken thing when they're being kept as pets. I love them dearly, more than the dogs and cats, but they have a short life span. It ruins me when I lose them. Muffet and crew will be especially ruinous. I keep putting myself in that situation, though. I won't let them out of the pen until I've surveyed the property, and they're only allowed out while I can be out watching them or doing outside work that lets me keep an eye on them. They scream hateful things at me and peck me very hard when they believe they've been robbed of out-time, but I care for them too much to let them roam without me. Chickens cause so much anxiety and sadness for me when all is said and done that I really don't know why I do it. My heart goes out to everyone who has lost chickens recently.
I know what you mean. I also love my pets dearly and feel bad when they are sick, injured or die. But the joy I receive from them outweighs the negative emotions. Life would be much more empty without them.
 
A quick shot of Malvina, Tegan (rosecomb) and Sarah (straight comb) around sunset today. Imperfect, but I thought Totalcolour would like to see:
She looks very happy and healthy - her feathers are really nice! All three are nice! These are Hamburgs I assume?
Yes- and as small as they look next to an Australorp, they're actully bigger than their mothers; I suspect being raised in a mixed pen with Brahmas had a negative effect on the elder girls growth.
May I say as a huge fan of the breed; yours is a very nice looking Australorp hen. Also may I ask about her history; where she came from? How old is she? TIA
I'm not sure how old she is; Totalcolour gave her to me because she kept going broody. She's not a huge BA (my cousin's inherited ones are about a third bigger) but she's a sweet hen, a good mother, and laid an egg a day for me for about four months last winter before going broody in April. I'm more fond of the Hamburgs, they're incredibly feed-efficient and egg laying dynamos, but Malvina has given me great fondness for BAs.
 
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Yes- and as small as they look next to an Australorp, they're actully bigger than their mothers; I suspect being raised in a mixed pen with Brahmas had a negative effect on the elder girls growth.
May I say as a huge fan of the breed; yours is a very nice looking Australorp hen. Also may I ask about her history; where she came from? How old is she? TIA
I'm not sure how old she is; Totalcolour gave her to me because she kept going broody. She's not a huge BA (my cousin's inherited ones are about a third bigger) but she's a sweet hen, a good mother, and laid an egg a day for me for about four months last winter before going broody in April.

I'm more fond of the Hamburgs, they're incredibly feed-efficient and egg laying dynamos, but Malvina has given me great fondness for BAs.
Thanks so very much. Very interesting to learn more about your hens especially the BA.
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The Hamburgs look strikingly beautiful by the way.
 
I think my chickens murdered something/someone today. I picked up eggs in the early afternoon and found that three of them had blood spatters. One of the Wyandottes was just finishing laying and her egg was clean. I picked up the other Wyandotte's egg later and noticed that it had blood spatters too. Mom and I went out to inspect everyone and found nothing abnormal going on with anyone's vent, but then we noticed that the ladder area where Pudge and Pengin roost was covered with blood. Actually covered. We inspected feet and only found a little Bumblefoot on the Duck and George. We found more blood on the rest of the ladder, quite a lot on the long perch and some on the opposite ladder. There was a large spot of gore on the wall. There was some blood on the other side of the house too, but not quite as much. There was a tiny bit on their nest shelf. Looked around, didn't see bloody poos or anything. Didn't find any injuries on anyone. We think they got a mouse and were fighting over it. I have such nice girls, yes I do...
 
My Useless Chicken finally laid an egg!

Crown, aka Crownie-Bownie-Go-to-Townie-Wear-a-Smile-and-Not-a-Frownie

She's about 10 months old now, and as useless as.... something really useless, I tell you! She is good for a few laughs, though. Silly top hat of white feathers she keeps getting muddy (I think crests are completely silly-no offense!), toenails too long, feather on her toes. Afraid of everything. Something of a dingbat. She even has laid half her eggs from the roost, not in the nest. Eggs barely larger than my banties.

But she laid an egg. She laid. an. egg.

Good girl!


Here's a picture of her from this summer, looking clean, posing so I could get a picture of the nesting boxes I built (you've seen them before). She's a Sultan. Useless.
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