Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Laying eggs

Our hens are laying eggs like they are going out of style. We've had many, many 6 egg days and our 4 egg days seem to be rarer and rarer. The eggs are also getting larger, which is something I read would happen as the hens became more mature and adultlike. At 5 or 6 eggs a day, we have already reached 3 dozen eggs in the fridge twice in three weeks. Luckily, we've been able to give them to friends without complaints.

One of the eggs that was laid this week is absolutely huge. It doesn't really fit in an egg carton socket properly because it is so immense. This egg entertains me. It seems to have been laid by a Rockette, but of course we are not sure which one. I told Matt he is not allowed to eat it until we take a photo of it. Also, we have bets placed on whether or not it contains two yolks.

Not having the camera has been seriously cramping our blog-style. The camera returns this week from its little "vacation" in Boise for the last three weeks, and I am really glad. The hens have done so many ridiculous things that we were unable to document since we got home from New Zealand. Mostly they concentrate on destroying one of my tulip beds (AAAaaaaaarg) but also they do cuter, funnier things.

Also, the hens are all grown up. You won't believe how beautiful and fluffy they are! I promise I'll do glamour shots ASAP.

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Angry hens

Yesterday, the hens were making really loud noises in the front yard. The front door was closed, but we could clearly hear at least two hens making an absolute ruckus. Matt and I were both puzzled- the hens never make loud noises except occasionally when they lay an egg. Had someone laid an egg in the cool grass of the front yard? It just seemed... so wrong.

Lucky and I went to the front door to investigate. I opened the door and there, sitting in between the two lilac trees, was a big grey cat. The cat was lying down, not looking too horribly aggressive, but there was no doubt that it seemed threatening to our hens! Three hens were pacing and ba-cocking loudly in the cat's direction, only a few feet away. I quickly commanded, "Lucky! Get the cat!" in my "Lucky go chase that squirrel out of the sunflowers" tone of voice. He locked eyes with the cat, took about two huge steps onto the front porch, and then launched himself clear off the porch, completely over the backs of the hens, and onto the spot that the cat was lying. Of course, the cat saw him coming so she was already up and over the front fence before his paws hit the dirt. Lucky did some pacing and quiet snarling as the cat hid under Matt's car, and then it ran across the street. I told Lucky he was a very, very good boy and he pranced proudly around the front yard. "I scared it! Did you see?!" he seemed to be announcing with his tail straight up and his posture especially erect.

Good dog. You protected the hens from the evil cat!

Saturday, September 1, 2007

We are FAMOUS

Our chickens (and the two of us) got interviewed, photographed, and videotaped in the last few days. The results are on the web today. I'm stuck somewhere between proud and mortified, but mostly proud.

Feature story in Missoula.com online magazine- don't miss the video at the top of the story, it is pretty cool.

Video including clips of our chickens that focuses on a recent question about chicken cannibalism.

Local news story on chickens in Missoula. Nothing about our girls specifically, but still interesting.

The guy who interviewed us and came by the house to record the sights and sounds of chickens, Tim, was really friendly and nice. It was fun to talk about the hens "on the record."