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We have 3 new Silver Laced Wyandottes – and they are supposed to be girls. Wyandottes are said to be very cold hardy and lay all winter. We got no eggs all winter, so that will be great next year. My camera ate all my batteries, so here is a link about the breed. They are so cute!!!! I might pick up a few sex links next week, sex links are also supposed to be good, hardy layers. Maybe Spring is here after all 
I caught Tana while she was loose outside.
If that statement doesn’t amaze you, nothing will (or you don’t know my dog).
Oh, and Tana is a brittany, a small pointer (aka a bird dog). Remember that, its important.
It started on one fine Thursday, the kids were all suffering from I-have-to-open-the-door-but-I-can’t-shut-it-itis, Tana had gotten out at least three times already. She was in the house when I decided to let the chickens scratch around in the garden. About 30 minutes later she got out, and I didn’t think about the chickens (only buying her a remote collar). Then the neighbor kid shows up, “You’re chickens are lost, one is in the pen but the others are gone.” I assumed he meant they were in the garden (the rooster got left in the coop because he is dumb).
Houston, We Have a Problem
I look out the window and see red (chicken) and white (my dog) OUTSIDE my yard. So I go running out, get to the fence (yelling at the dog). As I stepped over the fence Tana had stopped, so I reached down and grabbed her. I’ve caught her when she ran past, but never had she stopped. So I put her in the pen and went looking for chickens. She is a bird dog, and has a soft mouth, I was hoping she hadn’t damaged my hens.
The black hen (Dominiker) was in the coop …. which is odd because she doesn’t fly. I am suspicious about HOW she got into the coop and my two red hens had both flown out of my garden and yard, but it isn’t relevant. I have Taekwondo very soon, and I’m out looking for my animals – which I detest.
There aren’t many red feathers, and no signs of blood, so I was hopeful. It occured to me the chicken had probably stopped running, which is why Tana wasn’t still chasing it. I finally found one of the red hens hiding near where I stepped over the fence. While carrying her back along the path, I noticed a few more red feathers. The second red hen is the one that can fly out of the coop, but I think she can also find the coop, so I look outside the fence. I called the chickens (yelling “here, chick, chick, chick”, feeling like an idiot). The rooster answered, and his noise brought the second red hen out of hiding. I caught her with difficulty, put all the chickens back in the coop and made it to Taekwondo on time.
I must confess, the main motivator for finding both chickens was the thought of telling Jonathan they were gone – he really likes them – especially the red hens.
Puzzle Solved
Later I think I figured out WHY I caught Tana. She was pointing at the hen, who was cowering about a two feet from where I stepped over the fence. Weird.
Happily Ever After
Anyway, the chickens were fine, the dog was put into the kennel (or on leash) until the kids learn to shut the door, or I get a remote collar and teach her “come” means get over here now or else.
I have been thinking about getting a few chickens for the last few years. Everyone tells me “you don’t want to get tied down”. I have 1 husband, 3 young children, 3 dogs, 2 cats – I think I’m already tied down. Besides, I like being home. I want to do some camping this summer, but that will just be overnight. I need garden fertilizer, I want to have good eggs again (we had chickens when I was a teen), and they can eat bugs.
So we have 6 chicks now.
I purchased these chicks from a local gentleman on Monday. The 2 reddish ones are supposed to be Americanuas – 5 weeks old. The other 6 are Dominiques – 4 and 5 week olds.
Jonathan likes them, especially the red ones. I just hope they are hens – I can’t keep a rooster here, to noisy.
I can order small numbers of chicks (pullets only) from Cenex, so I should be able to end up with 6 hens fairly easily. With 6 I should have plenty of eggs for us and the critters. If I end up ordering more I might get a few Rhode Island Reds.
I will be glad to kick these girls (thinking positive) out of the house though. They smell like birds!
