Meet Papa!
Papa came to us last August from a sweet stranger. We were in need of a protector and a fertile male. While I don't know his past...I'm sure it was hen filled! Upon arriving at our little farm he has stepped up as the protector of the coup. I won't say he rules the roost because honestly...that is my job. But, he does a spectacular job of protecting the girls. Now, there are times he gets to big for his tail feathers and we have a heart to heart to remind him of who's the boss. I simply remind him I'M the boss and I have no qualms about having fried Papa for dinner. He sits straight after that.
Patrick...
No, Patrick is NOT a rooster. lol Our 6-year old son named her that in honor of his favorite hen "Sponge Bob" that was accidently killed recently by a truck. Anyway, Pat can be friendly when she wants. She is the ring leader when "mama" (a.k.a. Me!) comes out with the treat bag. She is the first in line and will tap my toe if I'm not doling them out fast enough. She will come running ahead of the brood when I head out with scraps to toss and is quick to grab the best of the slop before the others get there. She will snatch it up and run down the hill before the other girls know what happens. She has a little "piggy" on her band that identifies her.
Named by our 19-year old and tagged with a green band and a green apple. The "apple of my eye" (quoted by our daughter) is a bit more rambunctious. She learned early to hide behind some old sliding glass doors to escape predators (or annoying hunting dogs). She has also been known to lay her eggs back there from time to time. Typically on the heels of Patrick she has figured out that if Pat is running away to follow her because she is missing something good. Margaret also has a habit of jumping up in the truck if we leave the doors open long enough. She knows that with all these kids there is typically a tidbit on the floor somewhere and rushes to beat Pat to it.
Squeakers...
Squeakers came to us with her sisters Margaret and Patrick last Spring. Now Squeekers is very shy and an introvert. She tends to be a loner. Rarely hanging with the other girls and will be the first to bed down with Papa. She has no interest in being a mama and hasn't laid any eggs since last fall. She typically darts down the hill and is off on her own as soon as they are turned loose in the morning. She has a hiding spot in the thorn bushes and will spend the better part of her day there or following me around the yard. While she does not care to be picked up, she does not fight like her sisters do. Squeekers is identified by her clearish band and a small mouse charm. Chosen by, and named by, our 11-year old daughter.
Now Janet & Chrissy have had a traumatic upbringing. Given to us by the same stranger that gifted us with papa they were hatched, along with their brother Jack, by our first hen to go broody (Mrs. B) these sisters survived their first night after an opossum attacked the coup. Mrs. B. attacked and defended her chicks while the sisters hid under the straw in the coup and Jack escaped by getting behind the coup. At first the trio had the names Snap, Crackle, & Pop...but as their colors, sex, and personalities appeared their names were changed to the dynamic characters from the late '70s to the early '80s sitcom...Threes Company. These sisters are very adventurous as long as they are together and you rarely every find one without the other. They are also very vocal when angry or upset and make their wishes known very quickly. They are by all means...drama queens. Unfortunately the trauma in their lives has not ended. Just last week they lost their surrogate mother (Mrs. B) to a couple of hunting dogs that made sport of chasing my hens. One of the hounds did manage to catch Janet...but they knew that mama (Me) would come running and smack that dog upside the head. Neither of the sisters were otherwise hurt. But they did cry when the found their mother. Janet & Chrissy have matching monkey charms on their bracelets. We are able to tell them apart because Janet is a brunet and Chrissy is a blond.
The new girls (and possibly guys)....These are the newest to our brood. One is 1 of 2 hatched by us. Sadly one did not survive. They were almost internet sensations...well, among my friends and family anyway. Lol. Their hatching was streamed live via Facebook. "Elsa" (as our 4-year old daughter called her) still likes the camera. We think she is the offspring of Sponge Bob by the early looks of her coloring. Time will tell as her tail feathers come in. There are also 3 Silver Laced Wyandotte's (there were 4, one did not survive), and 3 Red Cross. It is to early to tell if we have future hens or roosters. Hens will be designated as egg layers...rooster TBD. As of today the 3 Red Cross have been named in honor of Hamilton the Musical...Angelica, Eliza, & Peggy...the Schuyler Sisters.
But there you have it. Most of the brood on the McNeely Farmstead....more to follow!!!!!
