Yesterday was the day. The five pullets that I’d raised and selected to live at the nursing home were ready to go to their life’s work. The Buff Orpington might be the most naturally friendly chicken I’ve ever known.

But, all of the pullets are relaxed with people.

Black Star pullet, 9 weeks

This is the nursing home. It’s sited in the country, and like many such buildings, looks institutional, with grassy landscaping that is tidy but boring.

But, thanks to it’s director, who understands how animals can enrich the lives of the residents, there is now a coop around the corner. The five pullets are on their way to their new home!

I’d already made sure that it was set-up properly, and that the waterer and feeders were filled and the bedding put down. I set each chicken into their new home.

Cuckoo Maran pullet, 9 weeks

Due to their innate placid temperaments, and also to my handling and care, the chickens calmly entered their new run. I also had the foresight to bring a spaghetti squash. A bit of interesting food settled the flock right down.

I showed the staff how to handle the birds.

We went over daily care routines. They know I’m on call if any questions arise.

The pullets already have names. The residents were asked what their mothers’ names were, so all of the chickens have old-fashioned monikers.

The day was too cool and rainy for the residents to come outside to greet the flock, but they watched from the activity room.

And then I joined them.

This is much, much better than a boring swath of green lawn.

If you like this story, please share (social media buttons are on the bottom of this post.) Maybe another institution will decide to install chickens on their property. Thanks!

Yesterday, a nice woman named April came for Mr. Grumpy and the light splash Andalusian.

Blue Andalusian cockerel, 8 weeks

Splash Blue Andalusian Pullet, 8 weeks

April has a flock of Barred Rocks and white hybrids that she planned on running with a rooster. However, her cockerel has already become people-aggressive, which she rightly is not putting up with. Nor should he be re-homed as you shouldn’t pass along a dangerous rooster to another person. He will likely be culled and his feathers used for fly fishing lures. Meek Mr. Grumpy has totally lucked out. He gets a dozen pullets to roam with, and he gets to move there with his favorite flockmate.

Today five pullets are going to the nursing home. I think that this outgoing and friendly Buff Orpington will be a favorite. I’ll be taking photos and telling you about that venture in another post.

I’m looking forward to smaller flock in the Little Barn. I have names picked out, and I’ll update the Who’s Who page soon.

Have you ever sat quietly and watched your hen lay an egg? Being able to do this is yet another reason to have a coop that you can walk into and spend time in. The Gem’s egg production has been down, so for the last couple of days I’ve spent quite a bit of time observing what is going on (more about that in another post.) In any event, it’s fascinating to watch an egg being laid.

Each hen has a different laying style. Some hop into the nesting box, sit down, and within minutes lay an egg. Others spend a half hour loudly clucking, peering into each box, sitting on top of other hens, moving to another box, making an even louder ruckus, and finally settling into a cubby. That’s Agatha’s style.

Once she’s in a box she’ll sit for awhile, stand up, circle around, sit back down, and repeat, until she finally gets quiet. It’s almost like she’s in a trance.

This can last for about fifteen minutes, or sometimes more. I know she’s about to lay when she yawns. Next, her feathers stick out, making her look twice her size.

She’ll stand up,

and lay her egg just like that.

The egg comes out round end first (you’d think that the narrower, pointy end would come out first, but you’d be wrong.) If the nesting box is nicely bedded and if the hen doesn’t reach around to check on the egg, then it will sit there, upright!

Once the egg is laid, most hens ignore it. Agatha does. Off she goes to eat and join her friends.

Agatha is quiet after laying. Not all hens are. Onyx announces her achievement. If you want to hear a loud hen, go here.

There is no difference between this:

from the television show “Modern Family”

and this:

There are not two, but three hens squeezed into this nesting box. Etheldred is flat as a pancake underneath Agatha and Ruby. No one is willing to budge. No one can lay her egg because in order to lay, a hen must, at the last moment, stand up. Impossible in this jam.

Note that all of the other nesting boxes are empty.

Clowns.

I’m always pleased to hear that what I do inspires others. One of my readers, Jennifer, has a new flock and her talented and capable husband is building her a coop. She’s been reading my blog for chicken care advice, but has also come away with decorating ideas. It makes me smile to think that coops all over the world are now sprouting ladies room signs. (BTW, I copied my friend, Wendy, who put a loo sign up on her coop, so I can’t claim credit for the original idea.)

Jennifer’s coop will have a side area for storage, and the coop itself is large enough to walk right in. I approve!

Jennifer also liked the red door on my Little Barn. But, I have to say that she did it one better. Just look at this – an egg-shaped window! So, so charming!

Now, all this coop needs are chickens. I hear that they’ll be moving in soon.

One other reader photo for you – I got an update on Beryl and Topaz, my broody Buff Orpingtons that were handed off to a HenCam viewer who doesn’t mind broody Orpingtons. Kim lives near the ocean in Maine, and perhaps the sea salt fresh air has cured the girls, because they haven’t gone broody since their move. Or, perhaps it’s that they’re in a smaller flock with a lot of space and interesting things to do. In any event, they look great and they’re laying eggs. Here’s Beryl with one of her new friends.

It’s finally stopped raining here, and my girls will be getting a nice long outing while I spread compost in the pumpkin patch. I’ve already done my Memorial Day shopping. Agway was having a sale, 20% off one item. I got the broom that I’ve wanted for awhile. When I was a teenager I went to riding school in England. Every day we swept the stable yard. First thing in the morning, we stable girls would scramble for the best brooms. Some girls tried to hide the good ones, and if you were stuck with one of the brooms worn to a nub, it made chores ever so difficult. That experience certainly made me appreciate a broom with full bristles and bounce. To this day, a new broom in my hand makes me feel happy. What’s making you happy today?