HANGIN' WITH THE HENS

This is Penny. She, along with Henny - a beautiful Barred Plymouth Rock - are the two who rule the roost. With 10 hens in all, 6 Barred Rocks, 1 Rhode Island Red, 2 New Hampshire Reds, and 1 Ameracauna, we all had it made. They provide enough eggs to eat and sell, keep the bug population down, and are just plain fun!

BUT ... I just couldn't leave well enough alone, so in May three teacher friends and I ordered some pullets (baby girl chickens). None of us wanted any more roosters - the hens have to live with featherless necks from all the lovin', and you never know when you're going to get a surprise in your scrambled eggs! A fertilized egg doesn't look too appetizing. Yuck! We ordered a wide variety of 35 pullets, all different breeds. I ended up with 14 and am now down to 12. And I DIDN'T end up with all girls, either! How do you sex a baby chick? I sure as heck don't know, and it must not be fool-proof. We've come up with the prettiest little rooster you've ever seen!
What's wrong with this picture? Hen on the left, rooster on the right!
I just wonder if he'll make the cut - or make the soup pot? Only time will tell! I can't wait to get back to school and see if anyone else got a "rooster surprise" in their order!



This little hen is a Blue Cochin, one of two of that breed that I got. They are both just puff balls of feathers! So pretty!

One of two Spangled Russian Orloffs, this pullet has very pronounced ear muffs on each side of her head.

On the left is the other Blue Cochin, but this one is actually almost white. You can't really see her, but on the far right, lying down, is the Ameracauna. She will lay blue-green eggs, just like Elvis - the Ameracauna we already have. They're sooooo cool! Green eggs and ham, anyone?

Meet Elvis, our mature Ameracauna. She's the one responsible for the beautiful blue-green egg above. She was named because of her striking resemblance to the one and only Elvis Presley during his mutton chop sideburn days. Do you see it???