~Update on the Flock~

I spent an hour or so in "chicken therapy" this morning after my walk,

and realized I hadn't updated on the flock since I got my first leghorn egg

and since the chickens were six months old. 

This is a new addition to the coop and was made by Mr. H.

It's the best chicken waterer ever!

The waterer holds several days worth of CLEAN water.

It's really awesome.  The chickens figured it out right away.

The slightest touch on the little poultry nipples gives a stream of water to the hens.

The girls are all doing well!

We had a little photo shoot this morning while I was sitting in the coop with them.

They all posed for me. :-)

Dottie West, the Rhode Island Red

Anne Murray, the White Leghorn 

Charlie McClain, the Welsummer

Jessi Coulter, the Silver Laced Wyandotte

and Crystal Gayle, the Golden Laced Wyandotte

I get a dozen eggs about every three days.

Good job girls! :-)

Happy Day!

The first egg was laid today from my youngest flock of chickens.

And, since it was white, I knew that it was from my first leghorn to raise.

It was in the nesting box and I was so excited to find it!

I love having chickens. :-)

The chickens are 6 months old!

My second flock of chickens are six months old today. 

Here I am with my Rhode Island Red - Dottie West. 

This is Crystal Gayle.  She's a Golden Laced Wyandotte.

And this is Jessi Coulter, a Silver Laced Wyandotte.

You might remember my last Wyandotte - "she" turned out to be a rooster!

Anne Murray is my first White Leghorn to raise.  

She will lay white eggs.  

I've only had brown and blue/green egg layers in the past. 

I think my favorite new breed is my Welsummer, Charly McClain.

The rooster version of the Welsummer is the very recognizable chicken 

on the Kellogg's Corn Flakes box. ;-)

Now, I'm ready for eggs to be in plentiful supply around here again. :-)

Up with the chickens!

And listening to them chatter.

They'll be 10 weeks old on Monday.

They make my heart happy. :-)

"Nor rural sights alone, but rural sounds,

Exhilarate the spirit, and restore

The tone of languid nature."

~William Cowper

Moving Day!

 The chicks spent two weeks in my laundry room and 

then we moved them into a brooder in our front shed for a few more weeks.

But they quickly grew out of  the brooder and today we moved them into the backyard chicken coop.

Me and "Anne Murray." :-)

New babies!

Our day old chicks arrived today.

They were born yesterday…on Daisy's 7th birthday!

It's been quite awhile since we've had some babies.

They are just so fun.

I'd like to introduce -

Anne Murray

She's a White Leghorn.

Crystal Gayle

She's a Golden Laced Wyandotte.

Jessi Coulter

She's a Silver Laced Wyandotte.

Dottie West

She's a Rhode Island Red.

And, Charly McClain.

She's a Welsummer.

Photography Contest

Last summer I entered a photo contest in The Old Farmer's Almanac. 

In August I found out that my picture had been selected as one of the top five,

but I never heard anything else and had pretty much forgotten all about it.

Then in March of this year I got an e-mail from The Old Farmer's Almanac letting me me know that I had won first prize!  A few days later I received The All Seasons Garden Guide, turned to page 102 and saw my picture of Loretta!  How cool?

I also received a garden hod for winning first prize. :-)

Warming Up!

Oh boy we've had some chilly days and nights for the past few weeks -

Days with temps not out of the 30's.

Weeks with barely a peek at the sun.

Delayed school starts.

Ice, sleet and even snow flurries.

That's some cold business for us folks down here in Texas!

But things started to warm up this week and it is so nice.

Yesterday the temperature rose steadily throughout the day and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

And today was just gorgeous!  I spent as much time outside as possible.

I checked in on Merle.

He is looking good at 5 weeks out until show.

My daughter's dog Remington turned one year old this week on the 13th.

We had a nice Valentine's day.

I made some chocolate covered strawberries for the family.

Mr. H. got me a single rose and we went to our church's couples Valentine's Day dinner.

The food was absolutely wonderful and the entertainment was even better!

We enjoyed a delightful evening with 21 other couples.  Fun times!

My son and his friends were outside working hard today.

They filled sand bags for a shooting berm. 

Mr. H. and I got some plants in the ground, too.

Sixteen seed potatoes, an onion set, carrots, beets, radishes, and lettuce.

And oh how the animals are loving the sunshine!

Mr. H. took a picture of Taylor Swift and I 

and then I just sat in the grass for a little bit and snapped some shots of all my critters!

Have a happy weekend friends! :-)

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