Thursday, July 22, 2010

An update on the girls

Wow, it seems like just yesterday that I brought three fuzzy chicks home from the feed store. They've grown so much since then, and I am anxiously awaiting the first blue (!) egg from them; they'll hopefully start laying in just a few weeks.

The girls

Here they are, then and now.

It was clear from the beginning that Hazel would be the boss of the flock. She's smart, loud, opinionated, and fiesty! I couldn't even set her down for a photo when I first got her, because she kept trying to run away.

Hazel

She still has the small black spots on her back, and she is the first chicken to the door when I call "Here girls!" while in the garden. She knows I'm heading her way with a tastey treat.

Hazel and Harriet

Harriet was a little black puffball when I first got her, with a cute patch of white on her throat.

Harriet 2

She seems to have lost the white patch on her throat, but her feathers are the most beautiful irridescent greenish black when in the sun.

Harriet

Greta was my favorite from the beginning. She started out looking like a mouse-colored cotton ball.

Greta

Greta 2

Now she has the most beautiful feathers. They're light gray on the interior with a darker gray on their edge, and as she's gotten older she's developed a few rust colored feathers on her throat. She's still not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but she sure is pretty!

Greta

On Monday I'll show you their new home!

6 comments:

  1. They've grown to be so big! Seems like it was really fast. Time flies, eek!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi what kind of chickens are they ? I like to be loyal to my own brown girls but your black grey white combo is stunning! katedf

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sandra: I know! It seems like just yesterday that they were just tiny balls of fluff!

    Katedf: The label on their pen at the feedstore called them Whiting Blues. I don't know a whole lot about them, but they are a locally raised (western Colorado) breed. A man about an hour from me, Tom Whiting, specializes in breeding chickens for the hackles of the roosters, which are highly prized for making flies for fly fishing. In fact, his farm is the largest fly tying feather producer in the world! He has selectively bred his chickens over the years, using a few different breeds. As far as I can tell, the girls that I got are predominantly Americanas. They were available in several colors, but I liked the black, grey, and white combo. I'm not sure how well they'll do in the laying department compared to other breeds, but the label on their pen listed a number of eggs per year that was comparable to the other typical egg layers. I'm anxiously awaiting the first eggs! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. What regal beauties they have turned into! You must be a proud mama.

    I just checked out your past few blog posts...wowza on the cherries!! Who knew.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh they're gorgeous, Melissa! Can't wait to see their eggs, bet they'll be beauties too. How fun!

    ReplyDelete

Hi! Thanks so much for visiting and sharing your thoughts and comments!

LinkWithin

 

The Handwork Chronicles | Template By Rockaboo Designs | 2012