Barnyard Babies

The hens have landed!!! Our dreams of a farm are gradually coming true in the form of 6 small fluffy poultry, 4 cheepers and 2 quackers.  Or if you want a more formal introduction, we would like to formally introduce......

Miss Jemimah and Gertrude Puddle Ducks 

(Khaki Campbells)

and....

Penelope, Henrietta, Cornelia and Beatrice Chicken! 

(1 Rhode Island Red, 1 Plymouth Barred, 1 White Leghorn and 1 Araucana)

If you do not know that much about poultry, each of these particular breeds are great egg layers. Yes, even the ducks. 

We chose an array of hens because we like colorful eggs and we like organic eggs laid by birds that run around our own backyard, eat what we give them and are happy in all sense of the word. 

I will not get in to the evils of the commercial chicken industry because it personally makes my heart ache. But we are so happy to have expanded the family with our new little babies. 

Currently they live in a large storage tub in our office with their very own heat lamp! 

Everyday I play with them and let them eat out of my hand so they learn to trust me, that I am a safe place and they do not need to stress out when I am around.

We are letting our dogs get used to them as well though I think the temptation of those sweet fluffy creatures can seem too much. But we are learning self control and I let them smell the chickens and let them walk around and on the dogs while I hold them in a laying position and pet and keep them calm. 

I would rather not have a massacre of feathers in my backyard one day so hopefully we can at least get them to ignore the birds if anything.

Well I have not individual pictures of each one but here are a few to enjoy! Welcome to the family sweet girls!

A sad update: One of our sweet hens unexpectedly became quite sick and died within the span of a few hours. I did what I could to make her comfortable and help heal here but sadly, their is a high mortality rate for baby chicks. Their immune systems are weak and they can become sick and die quickly. I have decided that little chicks name was Cornelia and we shall bury her in our backyard with a tiny funeral. I have a soft spot for animals and it pains me when something bad happens to them. But in this case, it was the circle of life and now her sweet chicken soul is pecking away in heaven.