Chronicling Luke's Journey As An Urban Chick Patron
The oddessy began 15 March 2006
Chick One: a Buff Orpington named Chicken Noodle
Chick Two: a New Hampshire Red called Pecky (née Oh My GAWD, Pecky!)
July 2007
Life with chickens is like life with any life form I suppose; they poop, they want to get away from me, they want food. My darling girls Chicken Noodle and Pecky
have gotten very used to me waking up in the morning and feeding them. If I'm late, then all the neighbors hear of it.
Chickens love fresh corn more than they love the very air they are to breathe.
Woe unto me should I shuffle out in my slippers in the morning with lettuce and feed yet without fresh corn; for they will adopt a tone that
is anything but conciliatory. I'm actually a little worried about the level of noise they put out.
Hens (females) don't cock-a-doodle-doo like the male roosters do. But when
they want attention or corn they will set up a stink that is profound enough
that I can't take a nap, nor can I help but worry about how long it might go
on before the neighbors haul out a shotgun.
Still, at 1.5 years of age, my two female chicken hen girls are wonderful little
pets. I get plenty of affection from them, in their own way, and of course the
eggs which equates to .8 per day per hen. (sometimes they miss a day: I lift
up their butt feathers and admonish them in spanish.)
Today, in the news:
And they love ME, and they run to ME for me to tickle their combs.
15 March 2007
A year ago yesterday, two baby chicks moved into my life. Happy Anniversary, right?
It's really been a lot of fun. At first I worried so much, about predators, about Bird Flu, about neighbors calling the cops...
I'm good at worrying, I guess.
It's been great! These two birds are very happy living with me, they're delighted to see me in the morning and I'm delighted
to see them, too. They'll jump into my hands (OK, almost) and last week Noodle laid an egg while I was petting her (they
normally only do it in dark privacy). Their personalities are distinct and good-natured. Since they're hens and not roosters they rarely make
too much noise, and they're amazingly curious creatures. They're heavy, over 6 pounds each but they still fit each under my arms as I
carry them in and out of the yard.
It's very Zen when they help me pull weeds in the yard. They love worms, and they just scratch and hunt and peck and make sweet cooing noises with
and occasional bird sneeze (a cute little sound) and I get a glimpse of something rural and pastoral that we no longer get to have in our lives. It's just
nice. I like 'em.
07 March 2007
Happy 1st Birthday Noodle And Pecky!!!
Woefully, chickens don't particularly care to wear paper party hats. They have, in fact, a propensity to shake off said hatsw, and to poop on
them instead. Sigh.
14 February 2007
Wow, I haven't updated for ages.
After almost a year, we've settled into the routine of marriage, a man and his poultry. I'm still amazed at the bad rap chickens seem to get
out in the world; having them has beeing a sheer delight. They live in the back yard in their coop, no raccoons have gotten in (but a rat does)
and when I go out to see my girls they Love Me! I speak to them in Spanish--I don't know why, for I don't speak Spanish really, nor do I speak
in a falsetto normally, but for the girls?
¡Hola chiquenos! ¿Que estas haciendo en la casa que tienes hoy ahora?
They groove to the love. I adore having chickens!
29 December 2006
Chickens Aboot the Hoose
That's pretty much all they do.....
16 December 2006
My coop design seems to be strong enough against pretators--for the time being. But rainfall is giving us some serious blues. Failing anything substantive
in my brain to come save us I just laid a poo load of plastic over the coop and along the sides. The concept was sound-- the result annoying. Water still gets in one end and creates a sludge. A sludge that smells awful. The girls don't seem to mind, but I do.
So today I finally ran an outdoor light on a timer: to give light and heat; to stimulate egg production; to combat the moisture.
Looks like some weird cock kabuki.
07 December 2006
Since the girls have moved outside, their egg production has fallen off precipitousssssssly. This is normal given the lack of daylight this time of year.
When I get 'round to it, I shall string an outdoor light on a timer to make it better and warmer for the little dears. Yet when on days when I am home and able to take them out and play with them, they always lay big nice fat eggs the next day. Why? Cuzz they luv me.
November 29 2006 I let the darling chicken girls loose into the back yard so they could get some excercise. Soon they'd made their way up the back stairs
and into the kitchen where they ate drywall. It's fun being a chicken I wish I was a chicken.
November 05 2006
My chickens are outside. I just cast them out into their new permanent coop and wired it shut. My house is thus quiet; yet still littered
with the secondary mess that is the life of chikkinzez: kicked corn kernels, wood shavings, and DUST. So much dust all over everything,
even several rooms away.
I'm trying to tell myself they can come back in with me whenever they (ok, *I*) want.
Chickens do, after a fashion, cuddle just a little bit. I look down to their dark coop outside and they're huddled in the corner looking at me in shock and horror.
Next Morning: They survived their first night out. When they saw me
at the window peering down upon them, they ran to the wire to peer back
up at me saying DADDY!!!
October 30 2006
Long time no post!
Two female chicken hens are my roommates, they live 4 feet from my bed (albeit around the corner in a different room). Yet, well, however,
today I am putting the final flourish on their outdoor coop. Now that we are in the high 40s and most inhospitable to outdoor living.
The coop looks ridiculous. But I think it will hold against predators.....
August 31, 2006
I finally got the girls in to see a vet today, to make sure they're good and healthy and to guarantee these eggs I have by the MILLIONS are good to give out to friends and neighbors.
There was not a moment without cooing and clucking and scratching: all performed by the human professionals of All Pets Hospital who simply couldn't get enough of my girls:
Pecky didn't go quietly, nor without a fight:
Pecky submits to a left anterior footescopic examination:
Later, as I got home, in a "you had to be there" kinda thing.... I was sitting at my front door atop the run of stairs
up to the second floor of my house as the girls were playing in the yard...
I called to Noodle and she waddled over and craned her neck up at me and suddenly took off and tried to FLY up to see me!
Because I called to her!
She only got about 4 feet up before falling ass-over-teakettle back to the dirt ... but she kept looking at me like she really wanted to
come up and be with me. But alas, stairs are difficult for a chicken and she forgot when she found a really cool leaf to peck at by her foot.
But how fecking sweet is that?
29 August 2006
Lazy as I been I finally called to get the girls in to see a vet for Thursday morning. Yes, there are vets in the City of San Francisco who will
deal with poultry. It continues to amuse me to call and ask that question of "Good morning, Dr. BlaBla's office, this is Courtney...."
I get two eggs a day, one from each. Pecky, the smaller ginger hen lays larger eggs of darker color (beigy-brown) than Noodle The Big.
I've eaten many eggs, but as I suspected, if I don't cook them extremely well, then...
Yeah. We'll go ahead give the girls some shots and check 'em out against giardia and salmonella, ng-kay?
This pic was taken just this morning, late August 2006; and after much experimentation I have found the one food item
that makes chickens more happier than all the rest. Grapes! I just have to kinda break the grape skins and get them started for
the girls, otherwise they run around with a huge green orb in their mouth and their eyes real big going "grunglppp?"
As with most projects in my life, their outdoor coop is 90% built and awaiting completion. My latent concern about raccoons has come
to the fore, however, as this is the time of year "the monsters" hang around. My plumber--who builds professionally--constructed a coop for his
sister's hens about 30 miles away and eventually raccoons got in and killed them. Two nights ago I had trouble sleeping and at 3am, just outside
the window at my bed were three raccoons chittering and looking in at me. Two feet away.
The monsters are out there. I'm not a competent coop builder. I'm worried.
Plus I like having the girls in the house, despite the mess and the imminent arrival of my Mom who is hoping to sleep in the same room. She's
much less enthused I can promise you that....
Mornings At My House
July 2006
In other poultry news, a bit of concern as two of Noodle's eggs have had red spots next to the yolk...Could it be that Pecky is actually a
PECKER and that he/she is knocking up my Noodle?
Well, a bit of googling shows that infertile eggs can have bloodspots from a weak blood vessel in the mommy's ovarian duct as the egg
is put together. So Pecky's a she, and her eggs came about a week later.
July 30 2006
Out of milk for breakfast, I cruised by the bird pen in the dining room and Yup! A brand new egg! Still quite warm, she laid it quietly and in her nest which she's never used before.
This is your chicken's offspring:
This is your chicken's offspring ON DRUGS!:
Yumm!
Pretty tasty, drippy goopy baby chicken embryo on my chin!
July 29 2006Noodle Lays An Egg!!!
Right in front of me, in the back yard, after a morning of the most annoying squawking and yelling, Noodle walked up to me, her eyes got big
and she gave a squat and out came this little brown egg! Sticky and warm but very well formed. (She wandered off in search of more
bugs, simply couldn't care less.)
July 18 2006
Went to Ross and bought some baskets to serve as nests for the girls. Nailed 'em down so they can stand on the edge and poop in them (gotta have that) and filled them with fresh grass.
I wanna egg now.
Chickens sleep real deep. If I ask them something after bedtime they'll only
gurgle a few half answers. Lately I've been going to work so early they aren't
even up yet--outside birds will be up and so will the sun but the girls don't get
going until about 7am. I get an occasional buk-buk-b'kAWK. It's not soothing. But no crowing.
July 5 2006
It's been ages since I've updated! The truth is, we've settled into a wonderful chicken routine here at my house. Yes, they're still
living in a cage in the house--I feel something will be lost when they're finally consigned to living outside. So I'm stalling.
All the old apprehension about keeping chickens has ebbed away. They coo and bukk and tittle and lightly squawk. They watch every move
I make, from drying off after the shower to carefully observing my behavior in the kitchen; for Noodle and Pecky are now Leftover Eating Fools. They adore GREENZ! and know
that word by heart. Should you approach them with bacon in your hands, why, they'll scratch your eyes right out.
I swear they weigh about six pounds apiece. They sit on my hand and let me preen their neck feathers.
And now the combs and wattles are coming in strong. Within the space of a week they've turned bright red:
I'm feeding them Layeena crumble to entice egg production. So, to all of you a hearty bukk--until next time.
June 6 2006
The rumors are true: Chickens love cooked chicken meat. Yum!
May 25 2006 - A Nice Day Out
We played in the yard today, sat on a bicycle and I finally managed to clip their talons. I thought they'd
object, but there was nary a fuss. Which is good, their claws were hurting on me something fierce.
Chicken Noodle, the blonde, has taken to clucking--actually clucking,
like a... like a chicken. I'm continually amazed when they exhibit
stereotypical behavior, as if it should be a surprise. Bawk bukk bukk bukk!
Two Month Anniversary Photo Comparison
Day One
became
Day Sixty!
May 10 2006
It's "Take Your Chicken To Starbucks" Day!!
Chicken Noodle took a ride in the new carrier today, can't say she thought much of it. Just curled up and looked zoned out. Went to the post office,
then to Starbucks. No one noticed a thing. Bag looks like gym bag. So finally I'd lift the flap and go "C'mon, people, LOOK".
People just aren't down with the chickenage. I mean, what's it gonna take?
But once we sat quietly with our coffee Chicken Noodle began to get into the smells and sounds of cafe culture. She's now back in the hutch to home
spouting pseudo-intellectual pap Pecky. Safe and sound after a grand day out.
May 8 2006: The World Trembles In The Face of PECKY!!!
May 7 2006
I was away on a three-day trip; came home to find that Pecky had gotten out of the cage in the Sun Room and had spent at least 2 days as a
free-range chicken. She seemed to enjoy spending most of her time on the couch, just like her old man. The cats had apparently not accosted her, in fact
they looked more nervous than anything else. You GO, Pecky!
April 29 2006
After a month and a half I still have chickens in my life. They look forward
to seeing me as much as I look forward to seeing them. Yes, chickens aren't
very bright. But some humans aren't very bright either, we try to not discriminate.
Chickens love it when I sing to them, when I stand at their cage they are fit
to burst with desire to approach me, yet the conflict in their hearts is amusing:
Be Petted or Be Eaten?
Being petted always wins. They get mauled by me, they lose their balance with each and every stroke of my hand upon their breast. Woof.
So far I've found it to be a rewarding and unforgettable experience. A complex and well-thought-out yard coop must now be built for them and I'm
stalling because it will not only be hard, it will mean they won't live in my house anymore. I'm still working on ways to incorporate them into my
indoor life. I picture letting them in in the morning and putting them out at night. Indoor Chicken Diapers are available on line; sounds prissy but
may be necessary. Never did like the poop....
In my on-line search for bird diapers I found the pic below. It's not me, obviously, and the bird in question is a cross between my two chickens.
Either an Orpington (my Chicken Noodle) or a Rhode Island Red (Pecky). My fowl aren't that big yet but they're on their way!
April 25 2006
We Learned About Stairs Today! Didn't go real well...
April 20 2006
Today was my beginning of Yard Work Season, took them Cheep Bitches along to peck about as I did my work. They loved it, very sweet to see.
Tried to get them interested in this really juicy fat gross earthworm but they were much more keen on pecking at the same dried dead stick. Over and over. And over.
Neighbor Julie came out to take lots of pictures and play with the peeps, I hope to see those pictures. Very pastoral, very sweet. Chickens make the
most soothing noises (most of the time), with a grinding of the beak and an occasional sneeze.
April 18th: Coming this week in the UPS, the centrepiece of my outdoor coop-de-ville
In the "you had to be there" category, this morning at 4am I told my chickens that I was leaving for two days and admonished them to Stop Pooping
In Their Water Dish! Chicken Noodle reared her head back upon her neck as if to say "Well! I NEVER!
April 15 2006
Day One
Day Thirty
Look how much I've aged!
Weird Totem
Whatchoo Lookin' At, Punk?
April 13 2006
Noodle Exists
The Business End of Pecky
I've now had chickens in my life for a month. Chickens are blessed with insatiable curiosity. Which is good: They forget everything they know
roughly every three minutes or so. Someone recently referred to chickens as "the goldfish of the farmyard"; not a ringing endorsement but it's kinda true.
Still. Noodle and Pecky are fun to have around, and the cats are keeping their distance.
The Little Darlings seem to know I'm their mommy. They can see me while I'm in the kitchen and they frantically whistle and chirp like there's something they're
dying to tell me. But I don't speek Peep and can't determine their message. Each time I walk over to their cage they cower for a second, then strut back up and try
to gouge me through the wire with their cute little beeks. It's love.
April 4 2006
Bad day for Thumper The Cat
Going from bad to worse...
Chicken Noodle on my arm today
Chicken Noodle, horrible typist, all very hunt-and-peck
March 30, 2006
Day One...and Day Fifteen: A perspective on growth
.......
New Pen Today, an old coffee table upside down with badly tacked chicken wire. I only cut myself twice....
March 27, 2006
Oh My God, Pecky!
Combs!
My peeps is beginning to start little combs up the top of their noses. Fine
big red combs they'll be some day. We gonna have some wattle comin' up out they
heads....
Rapidly outgrowing their first pen, these two hens are definitely asserting their personalities. Chicken Noodle is curious and calm, the other
one, Repecca, Pecky (Oh My God, Pecky!), isn't actually mean, she's just very jumpy. Except in the picture below and to the right, where Auntie Phil managed
to find her soft spot by cooing and lightly caressing her neck. Purr.
I believe they've doubled in size since their arrival twelve days ago. Big Cat Thumper continues to get into the groove now that he's a closet
chicken scratch eater.
March 23, 2006
Chicken Noodle says "Yo."
Chicken Bitch says "...peck yer eyes out...."
March 21: They're growing fast!
..................
The Weekend, March 19:
I woke up all a-fuss this morning with a much clearer picture of what I've
gotten myself into. Much planning remains, many hurdles to overcome. The biggest
question is: Will my peeps start crowing in the morning ? Cuzz if they do I
doubt I'll be able to keep them. The neighbors would come after me with torches
and pitchforks.
And we won't know until we know. Some hens do it; most do not.
Yard utilization, coop size and design, placement, and help when I'm away for
extended times have yet to be determined. There's bigger problems in the world,
but I visited the serious side of the equation today. Still, when I got up and
said hello they were so cute!
Thumper, the 30-Pound Cat, Meets Chikkinz
Friday, 17 March, Day Three:
They eat like pigs, or else, they kick their scratch (feed) away and then clamor
for more. I brought the Orpy (the nice one) into the bathroom while I
took my bath. The other one yelled, but Orpy stood on the floor several
minutes before taking cute, tentative steps toward me in the tub while
making adorable little peep noises. And she shat several times all up
on my rug. This is going to be fun.
Red, The Yeller, finally just met Edgar The Cat. Edgar was all up in getting a good sniff; It will take
a while before the cats know they are not to eat the poultry. Wire covers on tub will remain in place.
Thursday, 16 March, Day Two:
Came home from Starbucks today to find a chicken walking around my house....After just one day I can tell they have
differing personalities. One's gentle sweet and curious, the other's kinda a bitch.
When one's out of their lamp-heated tub, the other totally yells--this is why they
told me I should get two as opposed to one.
They really do peck and scratch and back-kick up their feed. Like a cartoon.
People who grew up around chickens are fairly uninhibited in their lack of chicken enthusiasm. They're evidently a
dirty and not-very-smart species (chickens, not people). But they're my roommates now even though I cooked some other
chicken in a pan for dinner and ate it with some fava beans and a nice Chi-ardonnay.
..................
