Wendy's Chicken Diaper

Despite the fact that I haven't sewn a stitch since grade seven home ec, I thought I'd give making a chicken diaper a go. I would have ordered one online, but I needed one immediately. Chicken poop on Susan's immaculately clean floor is a huge no-no.

Wendy Gets a Bath

Dirty crest not completely clean from last weeks bath + yoghurt smoothie mishap from Friday night = another bubble bath required.

To bathe a chicken you need the following:

• Dawn Dish Soap
• 1-2 Towels
• 2 Dollar Store Dish pan (1 soapy, 1 rinse water)
• Mug to pour water
• Blow Dryer
• Camera
• Chicken

Wendy was so excited! Look at that face. She's just so relaxed in her bubble bath

Silkie Eggs!

Our girls are on a roll! We got our first silkie egg on Tuesday. :D

Now.. Question is.. Who did it?!



Was it Lorraine or was it Pearl? If I had to guess - I would say Pearl. She has been squatting and mating with Steve for a good week. The mystery egg was found on a straw bale yesterday, so that is a huge determining factor for me. Pearl loves the straw bales. Lorraine, not so much.

Indoor Chicken?

Well..

Seems I have gone off the deep end. There is a chicken in the house.. And she is wearing a diaper.

No, I am not doing this because I want an indoor chicken. I am doing this because she is my very first chicken, and she is not weathering the cold well at all.

Wendy has spent the winter so far huddled and inactive. Yesterday morning was the last straw. It went down to -30 with the wind-chill overnight. She had frozen crest feathers, and was wheezing from the icy temperatures. I felt terrible! I immediately scooped her up and rushed inside, praying she would pull through.

She did. She is now happily wandering around my house, sporting a diaper I made from scratch after work last night (purple leopard print - she is a diva!). It didn't take her long to adjust to life inside. She spent the evening watching television with us and trying desperately to eat the buttons on Dylan's sweatshirt.



Really, I am not as crazy as I sound. As soon as the temperatures are more suitable for Wendy, she will be going back out to the coop. For now she will enjoy the comfort of indoor living.

GO MARGE!

My baby girl is all grown up! She laid her first egg yesterday afternoon! I am so proud!





I thought she was getting louder! Dixie acted the same way the week before she started to lay.

Marge had been squatting for higher hens and both roosters for a week now. Yesterday morning, before I left for work, she appeared agitated and was trying to find somewhere quiet to be alone.

The Chickens Have Cabin Fever!

The chickens have started migrating outside, in spite of the white stuff they loathe.

I know they do not like it, but are beginning to ignore it in hopes of finding some glorious grass. Thankfully it hasn't been too cold out lately, only averaging around -5 degrees for the past week (or 23 for those Americans reading).



The only one who doesn't want to venture out is Mabel. She never lets me pick her up, but this time she did not protest. Once I had her, she refused to get off my lap - her new saving grace from the wet, disgusting mess covering her beloved grass.

This is her unimpressed look.

Mystery Egg - SOLVED!

Thanks to Dylan, we found out who laid that mystery egg I mentioned in my last post. It was Olive! I couldn't believe it. She had finally made all that food she consumes every day worth it!

Mystery Egg

I am so confused! On Friday we had an extra egg the exact same colour as Dixie's ... But nothing until yesterday.. Daddy Dylan came across a mystery egg that was as dark as Penny's eggs, but smaller. I don't think it was Penny, as she is in a serious molt. Who could it be!? It's driving me crazy!!!



McDonalds is the only egg I can distinguish right now. It's so unique. Always in the same nest box.. Always the same colour and size.. Dixie has always been less reliable, but there was a Dixie egg + this mystery one..

My question is.. Who done it?!

Warm Winter Days

We've been so lucky this long weekend. Our temperatures are hovering around the zero mark, and the chickens have been taking full advantage of the sun and melted snow.



Koda (the dog), is out with them during the day. Keeping watch.

Chickens in the Snow

The past few days have been very busy for me, so I haven't had the chance to update yet. Thanks for reading if you are ;)

My main blog is http://aoxaschickens.wordpress.com/ - and I am just posting it here in case someone sees this one first.

Susan (my partner) and I bought ourselves a very nice camera for Christmas. Mostly because I love taking pictures of my chickens, and I couldn't continue doing so with the darn iPhone. It just wasn't cutting it. Boy am I glad I picked a nice one! =D



The chickens are a little less enthused with my camera. They really wanted me to set it down and give them treats. How excited do my boys look? *rolls eyes*