Since moving back into town, we don't have our chicken anymore (although most were lost to a mama racoon before we moved).

Shortly after moving out to the country my mom gave us our first chickens.  We had two regular layers and two bannies.  The next day the dog had made short work of the chickens.  I learned two things from that, how to dog-proof a chicken pen and how not to kill a dog even when you really, really want to.

After we got the chicken pen dog proof we bought six hens from a neighbor.  After our first episode with the dog we decided it would be better if we didn't name these so they became "the ladies".  We still have three of the original six, the others have run off when they were let out of the pen.  Since these have stayed around so long, they have earned names of their own.

We have Eglantine who is our Easter egg chicken; she lays bluish green eggs. She's a black chicken and has the most beautiful feathers, they all look like oil slicks.  I don't know what breed she is, though.  She is also our mama chicken, she looks after the new little chicks like they were her own.

Speckles who is our crazy dominecker.  She likes to sit in the laying box, but doesn't lay while she's there.  She's also kind of irritable and the kids don't really like her too well.

The Little Red Hen (or Little Red) is our Rhode Island Red.  She's stingy and wants all of the special treats (the kids take the chickens worms and bugs and things) for herself.  She will even fly up the side of the pen to take a worm from your hand, but watch those fingers!

Early this spring (2007) we bought eleven baby chicks from the farm store.  We had a sneaky second winter and lost five.  We have three reds and three blacks left, but they are not old enough yet to tell if they are pullets or cockerels.