It was 10º F this morning at 7 am, but the hens were eager to be out and about. Especially Twiggy.
Comments:
I can just hear her giving reports to the other hens. “I don’t see her yet, wait, wait, no she just walked past the backdoor. Now she’s standing at the kitchen sink, come on…her she comes!!!!!!!
At least you don’t have a duck that once she hears me open the back door quacks non stop and loud enough that would make any rooster jealous until I open the pop door.
You must have two pekin, or rounen ducks Ken. Maybe your next batch you should go to Muscovy they are so much quieter than pekins, and yes I agree they are very very loud even when compared to rooster. Imagine having 70 pekin and rounen females in this extreme winter and when they are irritated with their owner coming out late to let them out their barn they sound like a bee hive angrily buzzing if bees could quack.
She is actually a Harlequin. The domestic variety.
I saved her from the oven, bought her from a breeder as a cull. I needed a mate for Quakers (I’ve had him for 10 years ) whose mate died. I rescued him from a friend who wouldn’t listen to me on how to protect fowl from raccoons. Quakers was the lone survivor of 6 after several nights of raccoon attacks.
I got two Muscovy ducks as ducklings a while back. One fall after noon I was in the backyard and all (chickens and ducks) where running around the backyard when all of the sudden the Muscovy’s took flight. The last I ever saw of them was their tails going over the neighbors house.
She is pretty, and what a rare breed. Less than 200 in the US. Though I am sure like other ducks they are begging you in -10 degree weather to turn the hose on and uncover their pool, or electric bath tub. Sorry to hear about your Muscovy taking off, I know his female Muscovies will fly to the lake which is less than 100 feet from their pen, one this winter took a fly about but she had the sense to return. His male Muscovy are too heavy and like the Pekin can’t get off the ground.
Ken, add 2 African geese to the menagerie! They are extremely loud!
Pat D.
I love that. My hens can’t see me but as soon as I open our squeeky deck gate in the morning the “greetings” begin – lots of squawking hello before I even open the coop door!
What a character she is – such a lovely personality! I noticed your overhead netting in the photo … do you have a double layer of netting over your run area?
Just one layer of what is called “hawk netting.” It keeps most flying predators out, but folks should know that no matter how well you attach it, four-legged climbers, like raccoons, can get in.
and raccoons will chew through chicken wire like butter too.
How cute. Especially since it takes in the “Ladies” sign. It was 12 degrees here in NW suburb of Atlanta this morning. I was one of the lucky ones who actually made it home from work Tuesday!
So glad you’re safe! The fact that you all are having problems that far south is all over the news up here in PA. With pics! I couldn’t imagine no studded tires and a lack of plows. Stay safe!
So my question is Melissa why didn’t people stay home. I saw some place even kept the kids in the school all night. I was surprised school was in session.
Just curious.
LOL The weather folks said just flurries. (obviously that changed quickly)
Also, there are MANY northern transplants in Atlanta that have ” I can drive in anything” philosophy. Southern snow is not the same.
Ahem, I don’t think that you can blame that on Northeners. It sounds like what came down was ice, and without sand on the road, no one should have been driving. We know enough to keep people off of the roads.
;-)
“Southern” snow is not the same? I think that snow is snow no matter where one lives. :-)
And I just have to ad a quote from the news this morning “Atlanta mayor: Inexperience with snow ‘plays a role’ in gridlock.”
That is just too funny!
That is a beautiful picture and very telling. I have always admired those windows. Twiggy is always so perfectly white. My Dottie has dirt spots on her occasionally, esp. when we apply the PJ. A good scrubbing will take care of that this spring. Is it true, Terry, that if hens lay throughout the winter it shortens their life? They are in pitch dark at night and there is not a light anywhere close to the coop. We’re not sure why they are laying. We have friends with a large flock of chickens and they stopped laying at the end of October. Our hens are pets and would like for them to stop laying if they will live longer. I don’t think there is anything we can do to stop them. Is there?
The windows are antique, bought at a salvage yard. As far as lifespan – as a general rule (meant to be broken) the best layers have the shorter lives, and it’s genetic and out of your control. Your chickens are laying through the winter because this is their first year and don’t molt. My Ladies laid 4 eggs today. Like yours, they are young. The older hens are still recovering from the molt, but should begin to lay in earnest in February.
Thanks for your quick reply. Amazing that some can see what can be (the windows) and those that can only see what is. Those windows just add to the charm of your little barn.
Saw what appeared to be Twiggy performing look-out duty this morning! That girl can fly! From what I figure, the window is across from the roost and saw her fly/flap/dash from her window seat to the roost when you must have been in the area!
This IS a great photo! My hens keep watch for us to drive up and scream and run back and forth with excitement when we they see us.
The Vintage Hen
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I’ve written about most of the issues that arise in backyard flocks. I’ve written FAQs to answer the most commonly asked questions. If the answer you seek isn’t in a FAQ, there’s a wealth of useful information on my website archives, which is easily searchable – simply type the topic into the box.
I can just hear her giving reports to the other hens. “I don’t see her yet, wait, wait, no she just walked past the backdoor. Now she’s standing at the kitchen sink, come on…her she comes!!!!!!!
At least you don’t have a duck that once she hears me open the back door quacks non stop and loud enough that would make any rooster jealous until I open the pop door.
You must have two pekin, or rounen ducks Ken. Maybe your next batch you should go to Muscovy they are so much quieter than pekins, and yes I agree they are very very loud even when compared to rooster. Imagine having 70 pekin and rounen females in this extreme winter and when they are irritated with their owner coming out late to let them out their barn they sound like a bee hive angrily buzzing if bees could quack.
She is actually a Harlequin. The domestic variety.
I saved her from the oven, bought her from a breeder as a cull. I needed a mate for Quakers (I’ve had him for 10 years ) whose mate died. I rescued him from a friend who wouldn’t listen to me on how to protect fowl from raccoons. Quakers was the lone survivor of 6 after several nights of raccoon attacks.
I got two Muscovy ducks as ducklings a while back. One fall after noon I was in the backyard and all (chickens and ducks) where running around the backyard when all of the sudden the Muscovy’s took flight. The last I ever saw of them was their tails going over the neighbors house.
She is pretty, and what a rare breed. Less than 200 in the US. Though I am sure like other ducks they are begging you in -10 degree weather to turn the hose on and uncover their pool, or electric bath tub. Sorry to hear about your Muscovy taking off, I know his female Muscovies will fly to the lake which is less than 100 feet from their pen, one this winter took a fly about but she had the sense to return. His male Muscovy are too heavy and like the Pekin can’t get off the ground.
Ken, add 2 African geese to the menagerie! They are extremely loud!
Pat D.
I love that. My hens can’t see me but as soon as I open our squeeky deck gate in the morning the “greetings” begin – lots of squawking hello before I even open the coop door!
What a character she is – such a lovely personality! I noticed your overhead netting in the photo … do you have a double layer of netting over your run area?
Just one layer of what is called “hawk netting.” It keeps most flying predators out, but folks should know that no matter how well you attach it, four-legged climbers, like raccoons, can get in.
and raccoons will chew through chicken wire like butter too.
How cute. Especially since it takes in the “Ladies” sign. It was 12 degrees here in NW suburb of Atlanta this morning. I was one of the lucky ones who actually made it home from work Tuesday!
So glad you’re safe! The fact that you all are having problems that far south is all over the news up here in PA. With pics! I couldn’t imagine no studded tires and a lack of plows. Stay safe!
So my question is Melissa why didn’t people stay home. I saw some place even kept the kids in the school all night. I was surprised school was in session.
Just curious.
LOL The weather folks said just flurries. (obviously that changed quickly)
Also, there are MANY northern transplants in Atlanta that have ” I can drive in anything” philosophy. Southern snow is not the same.
Ahem, I don’t think that you can blame that on Northeners. It sounds like what came down was ice, and without sand on the road, no one should have been driving. We know enough to keep people off of the roads.
;-)
“Southern” snow is not the same? I think that snow is snow no matter where one lives. :-)
And I just have to ad a quote from the news this morning “Atlanta mayor: Inexperience with snow ‘plays a role’ in gridlock.”
That is just too funny!
That is a beautiful picture and very telling. I have always admired those windows. Twiggy is always so perfectly white. My Dottie has dirt spots on her occasionally, esp. when we apply the PJ. A good scrubbing will take care of that this spring. Is it true, Terry, that if hens lay throughout the winter it shortens their life? They are in pitch dark at night and there is not a light anywhere close to the coop. We’re not sure why they are laying. We have friends with a large flock of chickens and they stopped laying at the end of October. Our hens are pets and would like for them to stop laying if they will live longer. I don’t think there is anything we can do to stop them. Is there?
The windows are antique, bought at a salvage yard. As far as lifespan – as a general rule (meant to be broken) the best layers have the shorter lives, and it’s genetic and out of your control. Your chickens are laying through the winter because this is their first year and don’t molt. My Ladies laid 4 eggs today. Like yours, they are young. The older hens are still recovering from the molt, but should begin to lay in earnest in February.
Thanks for your quick reply. Amazing that some can see what can be (the windows) and those that can only see what is. Those windows just add to the charm of your little barn.
Saw what appeared to be Twiggy performing look-out duty this morning! That girl can fly! From what I figure, the window is across from the roost and saw her fly/flap/dash from her window seat to the roost when you must have been in the area!
This IS a great photo! My hens keep watch for us to drive up and scream and run back and forth with excitement when we they see us.