New Chickens

Over the holidays, we received many new chickens. 

"New chickens?" you ask. 
"New chickens!" we answer.

 Sheriff Chicken joined us in the kitchen.

Paperweight Chicken is enjoying the bay window for now. Thanks CC!

The goofy Pin Chicken dangles from the bulletin board.  Thanks M&M.

Knit Chicken keeps "Big Bob" company in the living room.  Thanks KT and SG.

Now we will eat with chickens in the evening.  Thanks J and Binky. 
(Can't resist putting Binky's name in here!)

And for the grand finale--Mama Hen's Mama made this amazing wall hanging. 

Each chicken is individually sewn from 20 or so pieces of fabric.  We can identify the fabrics used to craft the chickens from Mama Hen's Mama's many quilts and other sewing projects.  From the stories told on Christmas day, there were many conversations prior to the holidays (and behind our backs) about: how many chickens, the best color combinations for chickens, the kinds and colors of beads that would be best for attaching the birds, and where we would hang it.  One thing Papa Hen and Mama Hen know is that this wall hanging is perfect.  An absolute gem.  We love it.  You can't tell from the picture, but for those of you who know our home, we hung it to the left of the mudroom door near the humongous mirror. 

To Mama Hen and all those who participated in the creation of these little chickens, thank you! 

More posts about "new" chickens coming soon!

MouseBusters

After seeing the pictures taken with our outdoor camera you might wonder if we are busting the mice or they are busting us...  Look for the glowing eyes. 

As you can see, Weezy is quite the mouse hunter!

Rose Colored Glasses

Early this morning, as the sun first peeked its nose in the sky, we peered through the curtains to a rose colored yard.  Into the backyard ventured Papa Hen, with camera in hand.  Things were rosy inside Red Door Coop too. 

Art Photo

Papa Hen and I call this one Snow Monster and Thumb Shadow Feeding Chickens.

Stunning the the Snow

Why is it that snow makes everything look so pretty?  Here's our coop yesterday. 

And the side view.

And the behind.

Even the compost bin looks pretty in the snow.

Wait 15 minutes

We all dress in layers in Colorado because the weather can vary from hour to hour.  People say that you just need to wait 15 minutes for a weather change.  Yesterday was a warm day.  Papa Hen and I went for a bike ride and walked all over town last night looking at holiday lights.

The girls enjoyed the warm weather and had quite a busy time in the yard.

Today the snow started and the girls stayed busy in the coop with a few tightly packed bales of hay. 

We haven't had straw in the coop for awhile since we discovered lice on the chickens one Sunday afternoon a few weeks back.

What we think happened is that we filled the coop with a lot of straw when we had the below freezing cold spell in November.  Then we got lazy and didn't clean out the straw when the weather warmed up.  Straw, warm water, and the occasional water spill can breed lice.  Poor chickens!  We've done two major coop cleanings since then and have given each hen a weekly dusting of Diatomaceous Earth.  So far, so good.  Knock on wood that the lice does not return!

The Shed

Papa Hen and I go in and out of the shed several times a day.  The chickens venture into the shed when we spill scratch and it needs some cleaning up.

 Looks like there were not enough meal worms spilled to suit Lou.

Personality

Each hen has her own personality. 

Lou is a bossy, nosy, know-it-all.

Moon Over the Coop

December Portraits

Fitz.

BB

Weezy

Lou

Bill

Gifts

We have generous friends.

If you receive one of these note cards in the mail you are a very special friend. 

These chicks will get a special spot to hang in our home.

The basket will hold many eggs and gives me yet another chance to have "something the same" as one of my BFFs.

And Mr. Papa Hen gave me a wonderful, Farmy inspired belt buckle for my birthday back in October.

 It looks 3-D because it is.  :)

Thanks to AM, BS, KT, SG, and SMJ.