Adventure

The other day I let the chicks outside in the run. The run does not have a back to it so I propped up a board and hung a towel over the opening I didn't think that they would be able to fly up onto the board.   So the chicks were outside and I sat inside reading to my Mallory and Seamus. Every once in a while I would look up through the window to see if the chicks were okay. While, we were all pretty engrossed in our latest story (Tintin) and had not looked outside in a while.  I decided that I should probably peek out the window again but when I did horrible sight met my eyes.  2 of the chicks were perched on the wooden board and one of them was in the house. But the yellow one was nowhere in site!!!! The kids and I ran outside and I popped the 2 chicks back in with the third. And then looked around for the yellow chick. Thinking that she couldn't get far but she was nowhere in site. I looked all around the run wondering what had happened. Figaro was inside Poppy and Deme where in the coop and it was the middle of the day! I was freaking out frantically running around the run when I finally gave up I stopped freaking out and we were all quite. Then I heard something: peep, peep.  I told the kids to be quite and listened again. Peeeep, Peeep. There it was again a chicks distress call. I ran in the direction I heard it and looked into our forest. There was the yellow chick standing on a little log and looking worried , slightly wet (the forest was damp) but otherwise okay.   I quickly stepped into the forest,  scooped the chick up I carried here back to the run. She ran back to her friends and then they all started pecking around like nothing had happened. But for me a Miracle had.

--Zoë

Pics of the chicks!!!

Black Australorp 

Black Australorp 

Silver Laced Wyandotte 

Silver Laced Wyandotte

Ameraucana 1

Ameraucana 1 

Ameraucana 2

Ameraucana 2 

--Zoë

p.s if you have any name ideas please comment :)

The trip

Performance Poultry (PP)

On Thursday I get a phone call: "..."Just wanted to let you know that you can come pick up you chicks whenever you want." Okay I say, after telling my Mom. When is the latest I could pick them up? "Saturday at twelve"
 "We will come friday at around 10am " I say.
My mom and I flurry into activity, me setting up the brooder my Mom phoning Nana and Gerrit to see if we (Rachel, Bronwyn, Mallory, Seamus and I) could stop by there house after we pick up the chicks. Jobs complete, we got to bed. We wake up on Friday at 5:45am pile into our van and drive off.
We make good time and turn off the highway just after 9am and follow our google directions to Performance Poultry. Turning onto Victoria road and I tell my mom, "You have to give Performance Poultry credit for finding the most middle of nowhere place." I say, trying to lighten the mood I am in a mix of Excitment and stress. A few minutes later my sister calls out "Number 1848, there it is" We drive right past the drive but my mom turns our car around, and we drive up the drive way it is only around 9:20am.  I see a white house, a small barn and chicken pens. PP has a chicken coop and pen per chicken breed. I appreciated the fact that they didn't keep there birds in a building or barn they could get fresh air and act like chickens, scratching and pecking around. I knock on the door and walk into the house calling to see if anyone is there getting no answer I walk back outside and Rachel says that she just saw someone entering the barn. A minute later the person comes out. It is Jason Cain the owner of PP.  I tell him I have come to pick up the chicks and he goes and collects them. I pay for the chicks and a kilogram of chick feed, thank him and we are on our way. The chicks are soooo cute!!!!!! I have four: 2 Ameraucanas, 1 Silver laced Wyandotte and 1 black Australorp.
We make our way back on to the highway and drive to Nana and Gerrit's.  When we get there Gerrit finds an amazing light to provide warmth for the chicks we set the box of chicks under the light and put food and water in the box for them.  The chicks run around eat, drink, poop and sleep behaving properly. After an super good lunch we drive home with the chicks in the box and a hot water bottle underneath the box to keep them warm. Once we get into Ottawa we pick up Grant and Jesse from work. And I get dropped off at the weight room, I have training to do! When I get home I check the chicks for pasting. When chicks get really excited they can get dried feces stuck on there bums, which can lead to death. The chicks seem healthy and happy. I go to bed relieved that they are all right.

--Zoë

Personalities

I had never relized until I got chickens that they had such great personalities . I had thought that they had no individuality, that they all acted the same.  But, when you have chickens you can see there personalities shine through. Take Demeter and Papagena for example, they have totally opposite personality's. Deme is first in the pecking order But I can never understand why she is. She has a carefree personality always curious and discovering new things.  And when Papagena chases Figaro Deme, not understanding what's happening, runs after Poppy thinking it's a fun game. Demeter loves treats and is always the first to come when I call.
Poppy on the other hand, is more cautious. Taking nothing for granted, chasing Figaro when he gets too close, and coming when I call ONLY when she has finished pecking and scratching.... and then  running trying to catch up to Demeter. After reading about Poppy you might think she is haughty and cold but, I can tell that inside she is like a little mother. When Demeter lays an egg Papagena stays in the coop even if she could go scavenging in the compost pile. And when she doesn't know where Demeter is she looks distressed and lost.  But,when she is back with Demeter it looks like nothing had ever happened.  As I tell my Grandma, Deme is the little princess and Poppy is the nursemaid.

--Zoë

Figaro and the Chickens

I  have decided that if I am to have a total of 6-7 chickens and both the chickens and figaro like to go outside I have to introduce to each other and see what will happen. I tried this once before but was to scared for anything to happen, stopping figaro the moment he took a step. But with a new resolve and determination I decided to try again and what ever happened, happened. The first few times we would make sure figaro was tired and the chickens were energetic and we would pet Figaro on the deck telling him not to hurt them. We also learnt that Figaro was kinda jumpy around them. Once, when he got close to Demeter she flapped her wings kinda frightened and Figaro jumped back. After letting the chickens out and Figaro out 3ish times, we decided that we should try it when he was  more energetic. So we let him outside. He started getting closer and closer to the chickens and got ready to pounce.... but Bronwyn stopped him just in time. Annoyed at Figaro we put him back inside. The next few times, we let him outside with the chickens, he didn't bug them. Until one day when he started to slink across the yard tail waiving back and forth. The chickens were against the side of the house so they had know where to go. But, Papagena had had enough. She turned on him with a glint in her eyes and sticking out her neck she ran towards him. Figaro turned tail and ran. I shouted in excitement. They froze. Embarrassed they walked off in opposite directions. Calling the chickens I gave them treats.  I wondered if this would be a one time display. But nope, Figaro was being particularly bratty when Papagena chased almost to the front yard getting closer and closer to his tail. I called her before she reached him letting Figaro round the corner of the house and out of view.
I am stuck with two unruly kids who won't listen to reason :P

--Zoë

Birthday Cake

 Today is the day I got the chicks, and their Birthday!!!!  So to celebrate I made them a cake :P
Cake part: Oatmeal
Frosting: Plain Yogurt
Sprinkles: Sunflower seeds
Candle: Banana
They loved the candle and sprinkles...

Also, to celebrate having them for a year I have made a slideshow on the side of my blog. Showing pictures from 1 day old to 1 year old. Enjoy!!!

--Zoë

p.s do you like the slidshow? Is it to fast? I can make it slower if you want me to.
p.p.s If you click on the slideshow it will take you to a different page where the pictures are bigger.
p.s.p.s Do you want me to add a caption to the photo's telling you which chicken it is or other info?

Do you know what today is???

Whenever I ask this question no one knows. 

But, do you know what April 20th is?

Order Confirmation!!!!

Yaaaaay!!! My order is confirmed:


"Your order (#12560) is confirmed for hatch date of May 31st/June 1st.......We will contact you a few days before hatch date to arrange a time and date for pickup....."


I am getting 1 Silver laced Wyandotte, 1 Black Australorp and one Ameraucana!!!!!!


--Zoë 




Picture: performance poultry 'logo'

A giant egg and a pretty egg

The other day Deme laid a GIANT egg! (it must have hurt!!!
I wonder if the egg is a double yolker... Poppy laid a really pretty egg that is a light pinky/brown colour and looks kinda 'dainty'.
It goes to show you that no chicken will lay exactly the same size and shaped egg every time they lay. 
Excited, I showed my brother the eggs, he just looked at me and said: "Zoë, they're just eggs."I tried to explain that they weren't 'Just eggs' but I knew it was a lost cause.

Deme's egg is on the left Poppy's on the right.

Poppy's egg

Deme's egg

Poppy's egg

I was obviously having to much fun with  the camera :)



--Zoë

Sunflower Coop (the grand tour) *Video*

We have dubbed the coop with the name Sunflower Coop. 'Cause we are going to paint the coop a light yellow and the nesting box has sunflowers on it.   The pictures were takin' throughout building the coop and the Videos were takin' before and when the chickens toured their new home.
Hope you enjoyed the movie!!!

--Zoë