Introducing the new chickens ...

**forestdale** · 08-13-2005, 09:50 PM

I picked them up about 30 minutes ago. The red one - Gabby, keeps trying to fly out of the coop. Hmmmmm. Sara and Margery are sticking together in the corner. I've given them grain to eat, they have fluffy nests, clean water, they should be happy. I also liberated them from all those disgusting roosters up at the farm. They look magnificent but they are so cruel.

Anyhow, here they are. Kimber! I hope you look. I'm sharing them with you and Maggie.

**forestdale** · 08-13-2005, 09:52 PM

here are the chickens I already had. I've kept them out of the coop until the babies settle in.

**psjkmom** · 08-13-2005, 10:25 PM

Congratulations Rhonda on your new additions. They are really pretty. I don't think I've seen a black chicken before, but then I'v led a sheltered suburban life

How did you get started raising them?

**Kimberlina** · 08-13-2005, 10:33 PM

Thanks, Rhonda!!!

Maggie just came up and said, "Big red roosters!" I'm not going to explain the difference to her right now, lol.

They look great and someday I WILL HAVE CHICKENS!!!

**forestdale** · 08-13-2005, 11:11 PM

psjkmom, the first chickens I ever owned I bought as pets for my kids when they were around 5 and 6 years old. They're lovely pets. They're gentle, funny, interesting and slightly demented at times. Since our first chickens, we've never been without at least 3 of them clucking around in the backyard. Eating their eggs is a gorgeous bonus.

The black chickens are an Australian breed called Australorps. They are supposed to be very good layers. When they grow, they have a beautiful dark green sheen on their black feathers.

I can see them in the coop from my desk here. They seem to have settled down a bit so I'll go out soon and introduce them to the bigger hens.

**Missy** · 08-13-2005, 11:52 PM

how hard is it to incorporate new hens to your established ones?

**forestdale** · 08-14-2005, 12:06 AM

It can be quite hard on the little ones, Missy. Their natural behaviour is to establish pecking order and the little ones will be pecked until they understand who is the boss. That usually only takes an hour or so.

I just watch them and let them get on with it. I never intervene unless one chicken is excluded from feeding.

**canadian gardener** · 08-14-2005, 12:10 AM

they are GORGEOUS!!! I love them. Margery and her twin Sara look very sleek and svelte. I wish.......

My dad says my first words were in chicken. When I was a baby the neighbors had them, and I was fascinated by them and imitated their noises quite successfully.

An elderly friend of mine had one as a pet, and she used to come and join in the social events. I was there for afternoon tea once with my gran and this chicken of Liesle's popped up and flapped vigourously till she landed on a lap, then settled in for the visit. Quite tame, just wanted to be in on things. Flapped off when she got bored. I can't remember her name. It was something hen related in German as Liesle was from Bavaria.

Enthralling creatures.

My sister has them, and I remember one stunted little hen that she got with a bunch that my nephews and nieces took an interest in.

The other chickens wouldn't let her at the grain, and kind of pecked at her. (bottom of the pecking order)

so my little nephews took to picking her up, and setting her down right in the middle of the feed barrel to have herself the first peck at all the food, and when she was full, they would spread it on the ground for the others.

She got quite fat and sassy and loved those kids. Let them do almost anything with her because she knew they would give her first crack at that feed barrel.

Hens are fun to watch. My sister loves to take her coffee and have a break just quietly resting and watching the flock as they flap and squawk and peck their way thru the yard and their own social lives.

**forestdale** · 08-14-2005, 12:16 AM

Margery, you, I mean she, has a tail that goes straight up.

Sara's tail is poking outward. So Margery is the one with her face towards the camera. Gabby's pretending to be uninterested in the other two. But we know better.