Feather Feet & Vulture Hocks

Usher, This is Your Life

2009-11-19T12:38:00.007-05:00

For the proud new owner of this roo, here is his life to date in photos:

The parents:
Kerfluffle, a bantam frizzle cochin hen. She is really small and pretty with yellow feet. She is black but not dark black, and her front frizzle feathers have somewhat of a dark brownish lacing pattern. Usher's the little black chick with her.
and
'Lil Jerry, a bantam white sultan. Sultans have every fancy trait a chicken can have -- crest, muffs, beard, feather feet, vulture hocks, and 5 toes.

I don't see the resemblance! He is so much bigger than the parents. Not as large as a standard, but definitely towered over all our other bantams.
His baby photos:
Just hatched on 3/28/2009:

Stretching its wings:

As an awkward young lad:

His age:

He seemed to have received the minimum of fancy-ness, but he is still quite striking. I love his black beard and the green sheen of his feathers. He has a mini-crest, a little muff and partially-feathered feet.

Overly Restrictive

2009-11-17T11:51:00.002-05:00

Glad I live in the urban fringe outside the city limits...proposed City of Tallahassee ordinance revision bans all types of fowl, including all roosters and limits hens to 6 (in a predator-proof enclosure) inside city limits and under 5 acres (previously 1 acre). -- No chicks, free-ranging would be illegal on your property, and no sustain...ability. And why change the exemption from 1 to 5 acres?? 1-5 acres is PLENTY for a sustainable flock. The 6 chicken limit is appropriate, but the rest is too restrictive.

Proposed Ordinance Revision

Big Birds

2009-11-13T00:02:00.002-05:00

11-11-2009 4-40-42 PM, originally uploaded by KKerfluffle.

Laverne and Shirley, our standard buff-laced Polish hens, are just soooo cool! We may try to hatch some of these next.

Too Many Roosters

2009-11-12T22:52:00.005-05:00

It's inevitable that a small flock gets too many roosters. Fortunately our roos are bantams and gentle, but I think some of the more popular hens are getting a little worn out from all the attention. So we'll probably post a couple of them for free on Craigslist in the near future. Our little sultan who was part of the original half-dozen flock is a keeper, as is his lemon-blue d'Uccle offspring. One of the frizzle chicks may also be a roo...it's bigger than the other two and it's already growing a comb.

For giveaway:

While his parents are small, he is big for a bantam, but not as large as a standard. His momma is Kerfluffle the frizzle, so I wonder if he could pass that gene along.

This bearded gentleman is small and very much d'Uccle, except for the tiny bit of fluff behind his comb. Friendly with lovely feather feet.

Keepers:

I was really hoping this was a pullet, because I just love this lemon blue coloring. But he's just as beautiful as a little d'Uccle roo, and I just can't see parting with him.

Fancy Little Jerry will be with us as long as he's able. I picked him out as the runtiest of a straight-run dozen hoping to get a girl, but I got a really little roo with an effeminate crow.

Frizzle Babies!

2009-11-12T22:17:00.003-05:00

I am in love with our little frizzle chicks born September 11.

It took a week or so to look frizzle. They looked pretty normal at hatching.

Lisa Marie mommied the two white ones, while the real momma Kerfluffle (below) looked after the black one.

We got her on Craigslist for $5!

Attack!

2009-11-01T21:43:00.002-05:00

We'll miss this little silkie/sultan mix, the smallest roo. He was a cute chick, but he was kinda weird looking as a young cockerel. His deformed walnut comb seemed to take over his face. It was Halloween eve and I took the girls to my sister-in-law's church for trunk treating while Lee went to practice. It was dark by the time we got home and I forgot to close the gate. I hadn't needed to close the gate in a very long time since Lee usually does that before I get home from work.

This was the first time we've lost chickens with a mess of feathers left behind. Every other time it's just clean gone missing, picked off by a bird of prey, most likely. The next day the poor flock wouldn't even venture out of the coop for hours...they were so traumatized and their branch perches had fallen in a jumble. Whatever it was really freaked them out. Also missing is the black and white speckled d'Uccle pullet born in June. It was so skittish I never got a good picture of it except when I first posted about her and this one below that I took in August. She was pretty low on the pecking order, so I think she was probably closest to the ground when whatever attacked.

Funky-Shaped Egg

2009-10-22T23:34:00.000-04:00

10-16-2009 10-38-1, originally uploaded by KKerfluffle.

That's a weird shaped one. Glad it didn't get stuck. Those light brown ones are cochin, the small white is d'Uccle, the larger white are bantam Polish, and the large brown is either standard australorp or orpington. There's got to be hidden nests somewhere, because only when we have to keep them cooped up do we get the right amount of eggs. Sometimes if we let them out late in the morning we'll get more in the nesting boxes.

Too Hot

2009-07-03T21:16:00.000-04:00

7-3-2009 7-14-44 PM, originally uploaded by KKerfluffle.

These are the days of summer when I get lazy about the garden and haven't even bothered to photograph the flock. I even missed these chicks' birthday photo. These are from d'Uccle eggs that Janet Leigh was broody on when we returned from our Disney trip, born about a week before this photo. The dark one looks blue.

Lisa Marie is a Winner!

2009-06-25T16:14:00.002-04:00

Of the Broody Hen Photo Contest on BackyardChickens.com. Too funny! When we first got her, we thought she was quite the ugly duckling. The penciling on her feathers had not yet appeared, and she just kinda looked like a bearded lady to us. She's blossomed into quite a hot momma! LOL

Heat Stroke?

2009-06-22T22:20:00.002-04:00

Lee found one of the April 17 chicks behind the AC unit today. It did not appear to be foul play...intact and no ruffled feathers anywhere. It had been left out accidentally Friday night and was outside the coop door Saturday morning. Last I saw it was Saturday morning when it was resting underneath the lantana with the other chicks. I wonder if it was stressed out from being by itself all night and was just overcome by the heat. Poor thing. Sucks too that it was our only mille fleur colored chick. Now all the chicks we have are black and white.

No Crowing Yet

2009-06-20T08:40:00.003-04:00

...from Kerfluffle's offspring, at least not yet at 12 weeks --

this is an ugly picture of it...I don't have a better one yet, at the moment. The chick has huge feet, so I've been thinking it's a roo, but it's pretty skittish.

All Cooped Up

2009-06-13T08:54:00.002-04:00

So glad the whole flock survived being cooped up in the heat for a whole week while we were away on vacation. They were pretty pissed off not being able to free-range, and I'm glad the little chicks didn't appear picked on. The day we got back they stayed out much longer than they usually do and enjoyed their freedom til sundown.

The Kinetic Chicken

2009-06-02T10:43:00.004-04:00

Contestants in the 40th annual Kinetic Grand Championship raced their people-powered kinetic sculpture, “The Kinetic Chicken,” across the beach in Manila, Calif., Saturday. The championship is a three-day, 42-mile race over land, sand, mud and water from Arcata to Ferndale. (Kimberly White/Reuters)

Possible Roos

2009-05-31T08:45:00.000-04:00

At least 2 of the April 16 chicks are possible roos...
The largest, whitest d'Uccle/Sultan chick has a much larger comb than the others

and the silkie/Sultan has a good-sized walnut comb. Since it's an only chick, I have no other to compare it to except its mom, whose comb took a longer time to get as big.

The others' combs look like our d'Uccle hens at that age --

Morning Wake-Up

2009-05-24T22:32:00.004-04:00

I woke up Saturday morning to this segment on CNN about backyard chickens! Yeah, the TV in the bedroom was left on most of the night...I'm terrible.

Hawks & Pinwheels

2009-05-24T22:00:00.009-04:00

2 more little chicks lost...at least 1 to a hawk, based on the flock's run for cover for a long while after it's immediate disappearance, and the other one, well... I have no idea. It just went missing. As a hawk deterrent, we've decided to mount 8 Slinky Spinwheels along the inner fence line on some of the posts, hoping the reflective spinning may make a hawk think twice about making a fast food pit stop in our yard. There appears to be agreement among some on the BYC Forum that reflective devices could work, so hence the experiment. We'll see what happens. Those smart hawks may not care after a while, but who knows? I like the spinning.

Wendy

2009-05-05T10:48:00.002-04:00

Cinco de Mayo was Wendy's last day. She had stopped laying and was limping a little, but only in the last few days had she stopped eating and just hung out in the coop instead of free ranging with the others. We're still new to this chicken adventure, so we didn't think too much of it, expecting her to recover. I was thinking it could be bumblefoot, but her foot did not appear swollen. As a Rhode Island Red, she was our only 'production hen', laying a large brown egg about every day. None of the other chickens appear to have any problems.

Janet Leigh is a Winner!

2009-04-23T09:41:00.003-04:00

Of the Mutt Strutt online poultry show contest on BackyardChickens.com.
The prettiest of them all! LOL.
"#1 Unanimously most charming overall unique appearance, interesting feather pattern..."

Picked-Off!

2009-04-21T11:28:00.004-04:00

Easter Egger x Sultan chicks, originally uploaded by KKerfluffle.

Lee heard that freaky clucking of chickens panicking this morning and found two of the March 28 chicks hiding under some pine straw. This little one was nowhere to be found. This weekend we could see a big hawk's nest with babies (we could hear) up high in a nearby tree. The likely predator. Again.

d'Uccle x Sultan chicks

2009-04-16T12:15:00.003-04:00

d'Uccle x Sultan chicks, originally uploaded by KKerfluffle.

Here are the 3 that hatched yesterday morning. So adorable! The 2 on the right are the first ones that hatched, pictured in my earlier post.

Last 2 Chickies!

2009-04-16T12:05:00.005-04:00

Here's the other two that hatched early yesterday evening.
I think this one is the silkie mix, pictured with the silkie mix momma Janet Leigh.

More chicks!

2009-04-15T12:39:00.001-04:00

d'Uccle x Sultan chicks hatched this morning!, originally uploaded by KKerfluffle.

d'Uccle x Sultan chicks hatched this morning! 3 more to go! All have pipped and are chirping...can't wait to get home!

Chicks!

2009-04-12T11:27:00.004-04:00

4-4-2009 3-31-27 PM, originally uploaded by KKerfluffle.

Born March 28. This flapping one is crested. One other is similar with no crest, both offspring of our standard wheaten Easter Egger Lisa. Another is black and all bantam...Kerfluffle's, we believe. All 3 are half Sultan bantam.

Chickens For The White House Garden?

2009-03-27T11:23:00.004-04:00

In Anticipation of Chicks

2009-03-26T16:21:00.002-04:00

Our Frizzle Kerfluffle has been broody on a dozen eggs, at least one each from we think all our hens except the newest ones. This weekend should be it...21 days! We've sectioned off part of the coop near the nesting boxes, and I think we're all ready.

Coop Freshmen

2009-03-21T11:32:00.002-04:00

3-21-2009 11-39-11 AM, originally uploaded by KKerfluffle.

Our 5 1/2-week old girls on their first day free-ranging. The next day, Lee moved them to the main coop with the rest of the flock, where they are learning their place at the bottom of the pecking order.

The Current Lineup

2009-03-15T21:31:00.023-04:00

as of March 15, 2009

Ann Margret, white-crested, black-tailed red Polish bantam

Joan Jett, white-crested black Polish bantam

pictured here last summer with Ann Margret and Prince Leia (RIP), because I can't find a better recent one of just her.

Lisa Marie, crested cochin bantam mix

Janet Leigh, silver-penciled silkie cochin bantam mix

lil Jerry Suzuki , Sultan bantam

Smurfette, porcelain Belgian bearded d'Uccle

Moneypenny, porcelain Belgian bearded d'Uccle

I really can't tell Moneypenny from Smurfette

Wendy, Rhode Island Red

Lisa, wheaten easter egger

Patty, Lisa Marie's daughter with Prince Leia (a splash Polish bantam)

Kerfluffle, black frizzle cochin bantam

Laverne, buff-laced bearded Polish standard

Shirley, buff-laced bearded Polish standard

Shirley is the darker of the two, but not always easy to figure out who's who

Ms Pepperpot, mille fleur Belgian d'Uccle

white Belgian bearded d'Uccle

Buff Orpington standard

no name for her, yet

Black Australorp standard (x2)

no names, yet

Cramer on the Daily Show: Thank you, Jon Stewart!

2009-03-13T10:30:00.000-04:00

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Intro - Brawl Street: Get Ready to Buy Low! And Sell Die

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Pt. 1

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Pt. 2

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Pt. 3

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Darwin and the chicken's egg

2009-03-08T21:38:00.001-04:00

Find out what came first...the chicken or the egg...

the rock obama

2009-03-08T20:57:00.002-04:00

I have a crush on Dwayne Johnson.

Cluckin' Chicken is way fresh!

2009-03-08T20:53:00.004-04:00

Since we've had chickens at home, we don't buy raw chicken anymore from the grocery store. It just doesn't feel right anymore. We'll still eat chicken at our parents, but that's about it.

Moore: Why I'm Not Now and Have Never Been the Democrats' "Rush Limbaugh"

2009-03-06T23:50:00.000-05:00

Poor Chickie

2009-02-25T16:27:00.003-05:00

So much for being fortunate (see previous post). Looks like a cat got hold of a poor Orpington that escaped from the crate through a hole made possible from a cardboard flap that came loose. Lee found it outside behind the garbage cans...in pieces. :(

Flew the Coop

2009-02-25T08:38:00.001-05:00

2-21-2009 2-57-10 PM, originally uploaded by KKerfluffle.

Yesterday, Lee found one of the buff Orpington chicks perched on Ava's red lawn chair in the shed. Fortunately, Lee had closed all the doors to keep it warmer in there for them, or that chick would have become a cat toy/snack -- he usually leaves the front door cracked to allow the cats to hide from the cold. I think we'll have to switch to a taller Rubbermaid bin...these girls are too mischievous!

Laying Again

2009-02-24T08:55:00.001-05:00

Eggs!, originally uploaded by KKerfluffle.

In December and January, we would only find a few eggs a day. Now that it's getting warmer, we're back up to 6 on average, with a high of 8 one day last week.

Swamp Chickens

2009-02-23T08:40:00.001-05:00

2-21-2009 4-05-04 PM, originally uploaded by KKerfluffle.

This late winter weekend was beautiful and wonderful for getting ready for spring gardening. The chickens have really taken to the outer yard, where there are plenty of bugs to scratch for in the pine straw. This little area by this palm has become a popular hangout. In no time, this view of the swamp will be lush and green.

New Feather Feet & Vulture Hocks

2009-02-18T14:04:00.007-05:00

Since there's no way I'm mail-ordering a straight run (males & females), minimum order of 25 batch of fancy bantams from a hatchery, the only way I'll get any is finding a local source. So everyday I search the farm & garden section of Craigslist for some pretty hens. A few hours after we came home on Saturday from the feed store with our baby chicks, year-old Belgian d'Uccles were listed for sale!

The next day, I enjoy a rare Sunday drive by myself to see Shari in Crawfordville, who knows the guy also in Crawfordville from whom I purchased 5 fancies off Craiglist last year, who has also gotten chickens from Red Hawk in Quincy...small world.

Since we already have porcelain colored d'Uccles, I picked out 1 hen each from the other colors available --the only white hen and one of the mille fleurs, which is a pretty brown/peppery spangled beauty.

Miss Pepperpot

No name for the white one, yet. Their feathers are a little ragged from being in a small coop with a dozen other bantams including several roosters. They are skittish from now being at the bottom of a new pecking order and from have never free-ranged before. But the little porcelains are quite assertive, so I figure they'll get over it eventually.

I have to confess that the 2 porcelain d'Uccles we have had since last March have made me fall in love with this breed. These are true bantams, existing only in miniature with no standard counterpart. I love their shape. They are dainty, docile, and can fly quite high. Beard, feathered feet, and vulture hocks. These are vulture hocks, by the way...long stiff feathers at the hock joint that hide the top part of the legs, as you can kind of see in this photo of Moneypenny (or Smurfette, I can't tell them apart) --

Baby Chicks are Here

2009-02-18T12:29:00.009-05:00

I had called the feed store earlier this week to find out if they had any, and they were getting some on Friday. So on Valentine's Day we headed across town with the girls to pick a few up. The girls love going to the Country Feed Store to see their little mini farm, especially the emu.

This is the first time we've purchased chicks so young. Chicks ordered from hatcheries are hatched and usually shipped the same day, since chicks can live on its last bits of yolk for up to 3 days. So the little girls we got were probably only a few days old.

The 2 blondes are Buff Orpingtons and the 2 black ones are Black Australorps. Both breeds are known for excellent production and large brown eggs...those are usually the types you find at a local feed store.

Sofie just loves them!

Bearded Buff Laced Polish Pullets

2008-12-15T15:51:00.001-05:00

So yesterday after I had sadly realized that Prince Leia was gone, we picked up (as we had previously planned, even before Leia had disappeared) 2 Bearded Buff Laced Polish Pullets in Crawfordville, from the same Craigslist guy we got the d'Uccles and the Sultan.

Laverne and Shirley are standard size, around 3 months old, and will eventually look like this -

They are quite goofy and have already found the cat food.

I'll miss you Prince Leia

2008-12-14T08:39:00.002-05:00

I guess you got picked off by an owl or a hawk. We'll miss you!

New baby!

2008-08-06T22:41:00.000-04:00

New baby!, originally uploaded by KKerfluffle.

A New Pecking Order

2008-04-02T22:40:00.000-04:00

Wow. I can't believe it's only been a month since chickens have enhanced our lives. I must have spent hours watching our chicks grow, reading poultry books, and lurking on the Backyard Chickens forum. We've added to our flock:

On March 7, two easter egger chicks from the Country Feed Store...Wendy & Lisa. I engineered a brooder out of my dachshund's crate, duct tape, and some Amazon boxes. They lived there under a heat lamp for about a week until they were big enough to join the bigger chicks.

On March 30, we drove to Crawfordville and got 1 sultan (Kissy Suzuki) and 2 Belgian bearded d'Uccle chicks (Smurfette & Miss Moneypenny), all 4 weeks old. I found them on Craig's List!

So that makes 11 chicks - 9 bantams and 2 standards. The cochins are at the top of the pecking order, followed by the polish, the easter eggers, and then the newest chicks.

This weekend we have to exchange Apollonia, who has grown up to be quite a pretty cockeral at 8 weeks old.

Her wonky crest was actually that slicked-back polish rooster look, which actually looks really nice now. We were sure she was a he when it bravely did not flinch when the dogs pounced at the coop fencing to get at them, even having a staring contest with my dachshund -- inches from his face!

easter eggers

2008-03-07T03:49:00.001-05:00

After a morning of spreadsheet hell at work, it was a welcome respite at lunchtime to check out the feed store on Highway 20. I was really hoping that I would find a pair of standard-size, egg-laying pullets to complete our backyard flock.

I found the Country Feed Store to be quite charming with its entirely rustic atmosphere, all the wonderful animals, and the friendly mom & pop owners. Inside a cat yawned by the register, and another cat slept in Yardbird Alley, a little room of antiques and vintage for sale.

I was so happy that they had lots of chicks for window shopping. All good egg-layers -- Rhode Island Reds, black stars, brahmas, and ameraucanas.

Ameraucanas! What luck. One of my favorites, I discovered in my research. A relatively new breed developed from the araucana chicken that lays lots of tinted eggs, mostly blue. Hence the nickname the 'easter egg chicken'. Actually these easter eggers are most likely ameraucana/araucana mutts, since purebreds are relatively rare.

The ameraucana chicks were varied in colors and patterns...I stared at them in the brooder for quite a while until I felt silly from gawking.

I really like the lighter-colored ones.

There were so many other animals to look at I didn't have time for them all, except to snap a quick pic at this emu.

As I walked by the emus a delicious aroma of fried chicken drifted from the convenience store next door. A juxtaposition that made me remember to pick up lunch on the way back to work.

I'll have to come back again another lunchtime for more window shopping. And I'm pretty sure I'm coming back this weekend for at least one easter egger...maybe two.

Chickens on the Runway

2008-03-06T03:14:00.000-05:00

I know with the recent acquisition of my new babies that I've had chicken on the brain lately, but how could chickens not come to mind while watching the season finale of Project Runway last night?

First of all, the bantam-size Christian the chicken boy with his fierce rooster comb hair won.

And his final look! That gown was amazing and gorgeous. But it did remind me of my feather-footed cochins.

If I had a rooster, I'd name it Rami.

Our New Chickens

2008-03-05T02:18:00.000-05:00

I love our new chickies!

Ann Margaret, Joan Jett, and Apollonia are Polish bantams, 4 weeks old on Thursday. Their cute little heads are already growing those crazy top hats. This crested breed is probably the most ornamental of all chickens. They won't lay eggs that well, but they will sure be pretty and entertaining!

June Carter, Janet Leigh, and Lisa Marie are cochin bantams, 6-8 weeks old. They are fluff-balls with feathery feet and will look a lot bigger than they really are.

Bantam is the poultry term for miniature. These gals will only grow to 24-28oz at maturity -- one-fourth to one-fifth the size of the standard size.

Ann Margaret

Joan Jett

Apollonia

Janet Leigh

June Carter

Lisa Marie

getting the chickens

2008-03-04T00:49:00.000-05:00

Sunday was a busy day. There was still much to do with the coop. Lee worked on it most of the day on Saturday, but didn't get all done that needed to be done. But that didn't stop us from our goal of getting chicks this weekend.

So we woke up real early and got the girls ready to go with us on our chicken chores. First to WalFart for heavy-duty tent stakes, Lowes for more chicken wire, and drive-thru McDonalds for breakfast on the way to Quincy. It was a beautiful morning and in no time we exited I-10 onto Lake Talquin Highway and were on our way to the farm.

I don't know the name of the place. I call it the hippie poultry farm, because of the tie-dye flag flying at the entrance and the gray-dreadlocked Red Hawk (as named by his parents), who caught our selected cochin pullets in the coop run with a large poultry net.

All the 3 1/2 week-old Polish chicks were still in the brooder, waiting to be released later on that day for their first time in the run with the other bantams. It took a little while for them to figure out the females from the males. It was funny to me how the lady had to scrutinize the little chick butts to sex them. It didn't matter to us whichever chicks they gave us, as long as they were girls. Red Hawk recommended a rooster, but we're just not ready for that quite yet.

We left with only 6 chicks, but they had so many cool fowl. Lots of different ducks, geese, guineas, peacocks, turkeys, and a few colorful parrot-types (which I think were just pets). Not to forget the bunnies, the little kid goats, and the cute pixiebob cat. We may have to come back for a few more bantams and some guineas.

coming next...Our New Chicken Pets

More stuff for the coop

2008-02-29T16:36:00.000-05:00

With Lee almost done enclosing the coop, we need to finish up getting the coop supplies. So today I bought from Florida Farm & Feed 25lbs of Start & Grow chicken feed, a 12# poultry feeder and a 2 gallon double-walled water fount, both hanging and stainless steel. Just realized I forgot to get a cover for the feeder. Should I have bought the plastic stuff instead??

Martha's Chickens

2008-01-24T12:14:00.000-05:00