We got an egg!!
It has taken a few weeks for the ladies to get settled in. Their house is the one they came with so I was hoping it would happen sooner. But it didn't. I think the five kids peeking in at them and trying to pick them up every fifteen minutes was hard for them to get used to after having two adult humans who worked full time owning them. They had a much bigger place to roam at their old house. We have been letting them out of their pen to free roam the back yard if we are out there, and if it ever stops raining will be extending their run a bit.
The first week they were here, the kidos were literally getting up before the chickens. The previous owner was leaving a heat lamp on them all night so that is what we did too. So every morning the kidos had to get up and turn off the light and the ladies would still be roosting. But after some reading and now that it isn't as cold, I have determined not to keep it on. The ladies are usually up before the kidos now. There is a schedule and who ever has chicken duty still has to go out first thing and make sure there is food and water and everyone is okay.
They are really pretty for chickens. I think they are New Hampshire chickens. And funny too. They each have a pretty distinct personality. Maybe because we only have five we notice. And of course the children have named them all. 
The head chicken is Donna. She is sooo bossy. But she is also the first one to attack danger aka the neighborhood cats on the outside of the fences and apparently wind. She is named for a Doctor Who companion who had a similar personality. Ginger is the story teller and complainer of the bunch. She is named for the chicken who is the planner in Chicken Run, the movie. She is very talkative. One day we went out and they were all out of sorts. We gave them some treats and all but Ginger calmed down. She continued to complain and eat out of our hands at the same time. On another day, Josh went in to check for eggs and she started complaining while drinking. Did you know that chickens can gargle? Amy and Sage are the next two. Amy tries to bum rush whoever opens the door to the coop. Sage tries to stay under the radar. Amy is named for another Who companion and Sage just because. The last chicken is Henny Penny. Of course there had to be a Henny Penny. This poor bird has taken the brunt of the stressful move. She is the low lady on the totem pole and the other birds started picking on her. Literally. We caught more than one of the ladies pecking at her. She is persistent though. And the first one to come get food out of our hands. She lets us pet her and is in general pretty friendly. Now that they are settled in the picking has stopped but she still is still the low lady, last out and last in.
The head chicken is Donna. She is sooo bossy. But she is also the first one to attack danger aka the neighborhood cats on the outside of the fences and apparently wind. She is named for a Doctor Who companion who had a similar personality. Ginger is the story teller and complainer of the bunch. She is named for the chicken who is the planner in Chicken Run, the movie. She is very talkative. One day we went out and they were all out of sorts. We gave them some treats and all but Ginger calmed down. She continued to complain and eat out of our hands at the same time. On another day, Josh went in to check for eggs and she started complaining while drinking. Did you know that chickens can gargle? Amy and Sage are the next two. Amy tries to bum rush whoever opens the door to the coop. Sage tries to stay under the radar. Amy is named for another Who companion and Sage just because. The last chicken is Henny Penny. Of course there had to be a Henny Penny. This poor bird has taken the brunt of the stressful move. She is the low lady on the totem pole and the other birds started picking on her. Literally. We caught more than one of the ladies pecking at her. She is persistent though. And the first one to come get food out of our hands. She lets us pet her and is in general pretty friendly. Now that they are settled in the picking has stopped but she still is still the low lady, last out and last in.The hen house they came with is pretty neat. It has an automatic door that is solar activated. So even when we are up late or home late, the ladies get all tucked in safe and sound or out and roaming in the morning. We did have one night that Sage didn't make it in on time. It was so sad, she was standing outside the door all pitiful like bawking and bawking. The challenge came when someone held the door open, she would run away from them. So my ingenious kido's got a flashlight and stood outside the pen and shined it on the solar panel and in she went. That hasn't happened again. We still check every night just in case. There are two nesting boxes inside and two outside. For some reason, they push all the hay out before they sit in them. We are going to get some aspen shavings today and see if the softer bedding is better for them.
So chickens are fun. I have to think of them as pets though. If they were just for eggs, they would be some pretty pricey eggs. But since we can't have animals with fur and I don't like fish, chickens will have to do. They are entertaining for sure.
