Jul 5, 2020

Sunday Chicken Day Chicks Are two Weeks Old!

What is this?
The chicks are checking out this new red thing. Mother hen remembers what it is and wants to dig in, but gives the babies a chance to see.

The baby chicks have grown some and the yellow/white one is really taking on the wing coloring of the father Midnight a Silver Campine.  Hopefully, it is a she and not another he. I find myself calling them he when talking about them.  Our track record here whether hatching or buying sexed chicks has always been roosters 2 to hens 1. Here's hoping that record will be broken this time. Hey as a matter of fact the father Midnight was sold as a sexed pullet but began crowing at a young age.
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I trust you all had a good 4th of July. We cooked out our small in house group and it was delicious, but sure missed those that couldn't be here with us.

Today is Sunday Chicken Day.....

Family Southern Traditions:
Today is Sunday Chicken Day.  Every time I say that I can hear my grandpa talking about having chicken for Sunday Dinner which for country folks is the midday meal. The whole family would get excited because they were so excited about it.  You do know that in those early days chicken wasn't as plentiful you couldn't just walk into a grocery store and pick up anything you wanted. That came with time.

In those days they raised their own, killed them fixed them, and cooked them. You can see how they treasured their birds. Their chickens were their supply of eggs a much needed item in the kitchen so they were choosy when they cooked one to eat. There was no discussion when company aka guest or guests was/were coming to Sunday Dinner they would be having fried chicken. They always said grace and were very thankful to God for every meal.

Today I talk about my live chickens. I haven't gotten to grandpa's expertise in growing and eating my birds off the yard. Then again they are so readily available in the market (or they were until the pandemic that it) I choose to buy rather than kill my named birds off. **Tip if you grow them to eat don't name them.

Did I tell you the hen below isn't the one that sat on the eggs for almost a month? This is the sister to that one and she was flighty the entire time jumping over fences out into the woods! Now she is in the coop raising the babies, while the other just looks in from the outside. Funny stuff and you can't make this up. This is Auntie!


Watching Mama to see what to do

Can you believe it has been 2 weeks already?  I can't they are growing and changing in their looks.  I can't wait to see how each one will eventually look.

Today is their first watermelon tasting and I think it is safe to say they loved it!


That didn't take long



Mom checks on them
She tried to lure them away to other food, but they wouldn't leave!
Mom wanted some watermelon but couldn't get them to leave
It was so funny!


Taking turns
Check out the chick in front on the ground there is a white stripe running down its chest



That chick is giving me the eye and refuses to get down from the melon



This is mine all mine!






I see some color changes on the two chicks to the left as well



This is cute!















THE OLDER HENS AND ROOSTER ENJOYING THEIR MELONS

The Buff Minorca and two Black Minorcas
All possible mothers to the chicks
In fact, the Buff is the hen that sat on the eggs for all that time
She got off and sister took over the raising of the chicks, one of the Blacks sat in at times.
Isn't wildlife amazing?



Top left and middle are this 'Sisters' as I call them and they are Buff Orpingtons
The one on the right is the Buff Minorca coming up is Black Minorca



Buff Minorca



Aren't they pretty birds?
I know I'm prejudiced but they are beautiful birds















I'll leave you today with this shot of Catie and Oskar
He is one super cool and happy dog!







4 comments:

  1. That little white one is just the cutest! Look at its little face in the third photo. Precious.
    I love fresh chickens but not sure I could cook up my own if I had any. But as long as you have chickens, you’ll never go hungry.
    Have a great week Dolly!!!
    Lisa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Lisa
      I know I confess that one is a fav of mine too. The others are so shy with the exception of the one standing on top of the melon. That one stares at me
      like he wants to bite me lol. Yeah, mine live to an old age those two oldest sisters haven't laid but 1 egg apiece for a year. They're in retirement!
      So we just feed and watch, they are a sweet calm pair and talk to me a lot. I think I see them at least trying to give the younger hens some advice.
      I sure hope you have a great week too!
      Dolly

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  2. The chicks are cute! I hope that they enjoyed their tasty treat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi,
      Thank you!  One got out last night and didn't come back I was so scared something had gotten it.  This morning low and behold there it was back in the pen!
      Oh yes, they sure did love their treat, they cleaned that down to the rind.
      Good to hear from you.
      Dolly

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