January thaw...

When there is snow on the ground the chickens and ducks stay "cooped up." I open the pop door so they can have a choice, but really, they want nothing to do with that white nonsense. I try to change things up for them, tossing scratch grains in the shavings for them to find, hanging a cabbage on a string for them to peck at,giving them a bowl of warm goat milk to sip, putting hay in for them to poke through, but I know they are bored to tears.


We've had several days in the 30's, and the snow is gone, leaving only icy patches behind. The birds have been in their glory, out scratching around in the dirt and mud. As the snow has receded they have ranged further out. Today some made it all the way across the meadow to the goat and pony shed.


This pretty hen is a Partridge Rock. The pattern and deep mahogany color of her feathers is lovely to look at.

This is one of my older birds, a Silver Laced Wyandotte. I think they are stunning, but can't find any local breeders here to replace my stock as the others age.

None of the hens are laying eggs now, due to the shortness of the days. I will be so happy to find the first egg in a nest box when they begin to respond to the longer hours of light. Store bought eggs cannot compare to those fresh from my own pretty birds.

Eggs or not, I love to see the poultry out and about. It makes me happy to know they have a few days of freedom before the inevitable snow returns.

As I was taking pictures for this blog I heard a heavy whirring sound, and my camera caught this...


My Muscovy duck hen has taken "flown the coop" to a whole new level!