Rain, Rain, Go Away!

January and February has been unseasonably cool and very wet in the

2 Happy Hens' home town. It has been a rainy and humid start to 2017.

Nestle dislikes rainy days and hates 'the sky falling on her head'.

The grass has grown very fast with the recent rain giving

Nestle and Chickadee lots of greenery to graze on. 

 Nestle shakes her tail to try and dry her tail feathers.

 Nestle has a wet back after running around in the rain.

You can't miss 'BFC' (Big Fat Chickadee) in the background!

Lydia was impressed with Nestle's geology skills as she

attempts to pick up a small rock with her beak! 

Welcome 2017

 The new year is off to a flying start as January 2017 is nearly over!

The 2 Happy Hens shelter from a summer storm on the front door step.

 Nestle sits on the door mat whilst Chickadee stands up.

Chickadee has begun her first adult moult and new spikey feathers are

growing on her face. A new year means new feathers for Chickadee.

Soggy Snuggles

 

The 2 Happy Hens got very wet when over 2 inches

of rain fell in one December day.

Gerard rubs Chickadee who fluffs her soggy tail to look like a turkey!

 Chickadee's turkey tail impersonation!

Nestle preens her wet wing whilst standing on Gerard's knee.

Chickadee has 'soggy snuggles'.

Chickadee relaxes whilst Nestle stands alert.

 Nestle sits down for a rest.

Chickadee likes her warm body being massaged under the wings.

Nestle has a dirty spot on her beak from pecking the wet ground.

Coop Capers

Lydia went to check the coop on a hot Saturday morning and found one nesting

box had fallen off the perch and Chickadee's head was tucked under Nestle!

Nestle is sitting on Chickadee!

Nestle gives Chickadee the 'evil eye'.

It looks a bit crowded in that nesting box!

The 2 Happy Hens sit in their individual nesting

boxes after Lydia resurrects the fallen box.

Two hot chicks pant beak to beak.

Nestle likes the look of Chickadee's nesting box better.

Nestle makes a move.

Chickadee laid an egg but Nestle didn't!

2016 Pet of the Year Competition

The 2 Happy Hens were the only 2 bird entries in the 'Pet of the Year'

competition coordinated by the local newspaper and council

as part of 'Pets Day Out' annual community event.

Only 16 pets were entered in the competition this year

(not all pet entries are pictured here).

Chickadee was being broody for the sixth time during 

the competition which failed to impress Nestle!
Unfortunately the 2 Happy Hens didn't win the
competition but it was a good fun anyway!

The 2 Happy Hens were selected to feature in a

special blog post for pets with internet profiles.

Nestle's photo was chosen and 'made cool' to advertise the blog feature.

You can see Nestle and Chickadee's claim to fame

by clicking on tabs '3' and '5' in the link below.

http://welovekb.com/the-real-pets-of-kalgoorlie-boulder-pets-day-out/

Broody at 2

Chickadee was broody when she turned 2 years old mid October 2016.

Chickadee had the urge to sit after she was locked out of the

nesting box in the coop. Lydia and Gerard don't want the

hassle of Chickadee sitting on fertile eggs to breed.

This is the sixth time Chickadee has gone broody in 2 years!

BFC = Broody Fluffy Chickadee!

 

Nestle keeps Chickadee company.

 The 2 Happy Hens are sleepy in the afternoon.

Nap time.
The 2 Happy Hens have gone off the lay since Chickadee went broody.
Nestle is 4 years and 4 months old and is at the end of her egg laying days.

Depending on the sky conditions, sunlight and cloud coverage,

Rhode Island Red hen Chickadee can look more red than brown.

Sunny Spring Days

Spring has finally sprung in Western Australia and we

are beginning to see more sunshine after a long winter.

Nestle loves to run in the sun in the backyard.

 Nestle wants a feed and jumps on top of the outdoor setting

to get closer to the food scraps Lydia is carrying.

Nestle likes to perch up high,especially as she is the dominant hen.

The 2 Happy Hens eat melon scraps on a sunny morning.

 Chickadee likes eating juicy melon.

Nestle takes a break from eating melon for breakfast.

Chickadee stops for a drink.

Double snuggles! The 2 Happy Hens have their faces in the sun.

Chickadee decides to take a nap whilst Gerard is cuddling her.

Close-up photo of Nestle with the sun shining on her comb.