CHICKENS!

I was looking back at some of my posts about hatching chicks and I thought I'd give a little update on my flock. The majority of my current feathered family hatched in early September 2016 - that makes them about 5 1/2 months old. Many of them are beginning to lay now and I am thrilled with the rainbow of eggs I am getting!

Here is a pic of my messy counter over flowing with eggs. (I spy some home made kombucha too!)

I have a total of 23 chickens, a little less than half of them are bantam and the rest are standard size egg laying breeds.  Although I hatched (and purchased) a lot more chicks, I ended up selling many of them.  Most people have backyard chickens for the sole purpose of getting fresh eggs.  I love the eggs, of course, but I also love having a variety of breeds for different colors of eggs as well as for enjoying the simple beauty of my pet chickens.  This crew really brings me happiness.

My smallest hen, Tiny, is on the very right of this picture.  She is a full grown Serama (and standing next to her rooster counterpart).  They are unbelievably adorable - and walk around as if they own the place!

Because mother nature is what it is, I ended up with a total of 6 roosters.  3 are bantam and 3 are standard.  It's more than I would like - but they are getting along fine (so far) and are all so very different and handsome, that I honestly don't think I could bear to part with any of them.

Here is Cosmo Kramer, the gorgeous Brabanter rooster.

This big guy is (I believe) a Welbar.  I think I'll call him William.  He is so handsome.

French Blue Copper Maran Rooster, Jacques.

Here is my tiny Serama rooster, Pee Wee.

One of the Cochin Bantam roos, Red.

This other handsome Bantam Cochin rooster (in the middle) still needs a name.

I think I lucked out with such a beautiful flock.  I am still looking for a few dark brown egg laying hens.  I had several in the past - but sadly lost them all to predators.  Jacques is a Maran - the breed that lays the darkest chocolate colored eggs - and he needs some more company.  Besides that, my ratio of hens to roosters is a bit off....and I really need to round out the colors of eggs in my basket, right?   (THIS line of reasoning leads to a little thing called CHICKEN MATH.)

Here is one of my three cream crested legbar hens getting up close and personal.  She lays beautiful blue shelled eggs.