Free

The girls began free ranging again this weekend. I felt good about this and I know they felt great. The leaves began to come in last week and the trees are now full enough to cast a nice shade and offer protection from Hawk.

 A lot has changed since last fall. Elvis has really asserted herself and worked her way to leader. She even bosses Astrud around. Astrud!  Her best friend and gentle sister. Elvis was the baby I helped bring out of the shell just last year. The girls all seemed to on board with her leading the flock  so all I can do is cringe at her comportment.  I don't have a say, no vote.

I thought perhaps Piki  would have a better chance of joining the flock if everyone was roaming freely all over the yard. I was wrong. Piki separates herself from the group. You know the type. They don't join and then sit in a corner and mumble about exclusion when they haven't even tried. However, I can't really blame her. She was on friendly terms with PeeWee and as much I love PeeWee she can be flakey. When Elvis is far enough away PeeWee will slowly creep up close to Piki and the twoo peck together in peace. Elvis, Fuzztop or Astrud come by and the first thing PeeWee does is peck poor Piki sending her off screaming, wings flapping. The peck may have smarted but it's the betrayal and confusion that hurts I am sure. I took some photos that really show what is going on in the flock.

That is Piki overlooking the flock from a vantage point far above the ground. While alienating herself Piki has discovered something, she can fly. In fact she can fly quite high and is on the coop.  Just between you and me, she can roost in trees if she wanted too.  I don't want her to though, not safe. I am hoping this self discovery and finding her strengths will lead to a higher self-esteem and eventually joining the flock.  I would like her to be free of this inferiority complex. All it takes is the courage to stand up to Elvis. Piki is so much larger, I could see her do it, but she cannot.

Speaking of Elvis, my little bully, she is so fearless and confident she went up to my new friend Olive and pecked her on the nose. Olive is a six month old Chihuahua I recently took in.  I let this happen because Olive needs to develop a respect for the flock and I guess I should thank Elvis for teaching her in a manner that was easy to understand. Saves me a lot of trouble. Olive learned and leaves the girls alone. However, she has seen me herd them into their coop and I think is trying herding out herself.  This is the only time she runs after them. They stand their own though and Olive is smaller than Astrud and Piki. Olive did find a friend in Artie. Just like people, some animals have personalities that click with others or not.

Happy Spring!

Under a canopy

The trees above us are finally getting their leaves in. I hope to free the  girls from their foraging pen, allowing them free range of the entire yard.  I feel safer under the green canopy that is starting to grow in. I have been excited about the changing of seasons this year, more so than any other year, and it has much to do with Hawk. Sitting in the yard, completely exposed, this year I not only felt my hens were in danger but that I was vulnerable as well.  I never had closer calls with witnessing the violence of nature than this past winter.

As spring approaches I have notice PeeWee and Fuzztop are not thriving like they were. They will turn four at the end of April. I can remember clear as a bell what they looked like when I first laid eyes on them. I do fear finding their little, white, feathered bodies one morning and having to go through that all over again. The fact that Hawk picked PeeWee has me thinking she will go first. I have separated them from the younger set in the afternoon and feed them both extra special treats to fatten them up a bit. They have always been tiny though. They get vitamins and a natural de-wormer but genetics will determine their lifespan. I have that old fashioned notion that plump is just healthier than...well, not plump. Because they are on the thin side they have no problems with the heat in the summer or bumble foot and their vents have always been clean. They are fine, I just worry.

One thing the girls have shown me is just how much I worry. It is so unattractive. This constant chatter in my head of all the things that could possibly go wrong resulting in the demise of their earthly existence is so annoying.  The real fear though is pain. The pain I will feel finding the tiny object of my affection lifeless and gone. When I decided to raise chickens I actually said, "And if  a few die, that's okay because they are livestock and they can be hard to raise but it's survival of the fittest so...". How could I not know myself.  I am the girl who at ten had a pet ladybug for a week or two and cried when she escaped. My mother humored me for as long as she could helping me look for her all over the house before just becoming frustrated and saying,"What is wrong with you?! It is just a bug." She wasn't though, every night before bed I would observe her and knew the exact design of the black spots on her back and would draw her in the margins when I was at school with her  black spots exactly where they were.

So I am anxious for spring and the trees coming back and letting the girls roam around as they please because I have to learn to let go, to accept things... et cetera, et cetera.  These chickens and Hawk and the seasons all work to bring out my weaknesses and now I feel forced to reckon with what I like to keep well hidden under my own personal, intangible canopy of sorts.

PeeWee and Fuzztop will get their birthday cake in April, a small, Easy Bake Oven sized cornbread cake, to celebrate their fourth year on earth. Then we'll go on from there. This morning those two came down the "stairs" from their nest to greet me.  They stretched, had a drink of water then started to have breakfast. Watching them do that just starts my day off so well.  All they know is now and I should too.

Today the girls and I had a wonderful time outside. The day started off with rain and a cold wind. I already traded in my flannel shirts for my spring and summer linens. I was freezing this morning when a small cold front came through. By noon the sun came bouncing through clouds and warmed the day. I got home and  excitedly cranked open the patio umbrella then let the girls out. I couldn't think of a better way to spend a beautiful Monday afternoon.

Kicking out the roomie

So Piki still sleeps in a cage in the studio. She finds her way in and out of it and now puts herself to sleep in her cage if the studio door is open.  Yesterday I was successful at keeping her penned with everyone but Elvis the bully and she did fine. She went through her usual hysterics of going weak in the knees, then flopped over, then tried hard to escpae the pen. She then realized no one cared. No one paid her any attention at all.  Geez, Piki.

Because I am anxious to get to work in my studio and don't want to continue to share it with Piki I went ahead and got her a small condo. That way she can stay outdoors 24/7 and start learning to be a chicken.  Hopefully...eventually she'll make her way into the coop one day but now there is no real rush, she has a place. In fact she will have PeeWee over quite often. PeeWee gets along with just about everyone. Maybe PeeWee can show her what to eat.

Piki and Artie began to strike up a friendship. It was short and sweet. They were beak to bunny nose and then Piki ruffled her feathers and Artie charged. It's a favorite game of his to wait until the hens are all together then quickly hop, at full speed, and break them up.  It is like he is a bunny bowling ball and they are chickpins. 

Fingers crosssed for a more productive garden this year. I moved it so it gets more morning sun and dappled late afternoon sun.  The girls had a grand time scratching where the old garden once stood decomposing. Lots of worms and grubs.

Eggs, eggs and more eggs

When you want a backyard flock, it is important to consider how you will use the eggs. If you are just a couple but want more than a pair of hens...watch out. The eggs add up fast. I have five girls right now, only three laying (Piki is too young and Fuzztop went broody) and we have just too many eggs.  I am struggling to keep up and I'm giving them away  to friends at the moment. I can't imagine how it will be with five girls laying. I was counting on PeeWee and Fuzztop hitting Henopause about now but they are still going strong.

This recipe and photo was sent to me through a tea newsletter by Marcus Stout.  It is a recipe I will try very soon.

                                                                                                                                                           
Chinese Tea Eggs


Ingredients:
8 large eggs
3 tablespoons of Lapsang Souchong
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 pieces Star Anise
1 tablespoon Chinese 5-Spice Powder
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorn
3 strips dried orange peel







Directions:
1) Place the eggs in a medium pot and cover with cold water

2) Bring the eggs to a boil

3) Boil for 4 minutes

4) Remove the eggs from the pot (make sure to keep the water in the pot)

5) Gently crack the eggs. The more cracks the better

6) Place eggs and the remaining ingredients into the pot

7) Simmer for 40 minutes

8) Cover the pot and when cool enough transfer to the refrigerator overnight