Thursday, 18 June 2015

Birthday Feast

Chickadee and Nestle go their separate ways before being fed.
The 2 Happy Hens peck the ground.
Chickadee is only 9 months old and she has grown bigger than 3 year old Nestle!
Nestle can't wait to be fed live meal worms for her third birthday.
The 2 Happy Hens love eating meal worms.
Chickadee is such a big Rhode Island Red hen!
Her nickname is 'BFC' = Big Fat Chicken!
                                                    = Big Fat Chickadee!
The sun shines during afternoon feeding time.
The girls visit their coop to drink some water and eat some more food.
Chickadee eats some white oyster shell to help digest her food.
Chickadee eats some pallets from the food bowl.
Chickadee is yet to lay her first egg which is due soon.

Sunday, 14 June 2015

Nestle Turns 3 Years Old

Happy 3rd birthday Nestle!
Nestle has been our pet for 2.5 years this month.
Nestle's 3rd birthday is a milestone as none of our pet chickens
have ever lived that long before! Nestle is a hybrid hen and not
an Isabrown breed which may explain her longevity?
Nestle's egg laying days are over as she becomes an old chook.
Nestle started moulting on 2nd June 2015 which
 cooincided with the start of winter in Australia.
Nestle rests more as she uses her energy to grow new feathers.
Time to preen the new feathers.

Monday, 6 April 2015

Sunny Easter

Happy Easter wishes to everyone from the 2 Happy Hens.
The weather was beautiful and sunny for Easter.
The weather forecast prior to Easter predicted rain
 for the Easter long weekend which was wrong!
Chickadee stands in the shed with the
door open and the sun shining on her.
Chickadee loves the sun and strikes a pose.
Chickadee stretches her wing to catch the sun's warmth.
Chickadee starts to turn around.
Chickadee flops on the shed floor sleepy from the sun.
Sunbaking on Easter Sunday.
Nestle has an egg coming and nests in the pet carrier stored in the shed.
Chickadee watches on.
At 6 months of age, Chickadee is too big to fit in the pet carrier!
Nestle laid an egg on Easter Sunday morning.
Hooray - a 'real' Easter egg! Thanks Nestle!
Nestle runs around in the sun after laying an egg.
 Gerard's sister gave us these 'chicken coop' boxes
containing Lindt chocolates as an Easter gift.
Aren't they great?
The brown chicken on the bottom right
 hand side of the box looks like Nestle!
Each box contained little chocolate chickens. Delicious!

Friday, 27 March 2015

Chickadee's Relatives

Chickadee's sister Ruby was recently entered in a poultry show at a local fair.
The Rhode Island Red hen is approximately 5.5 months old.
 Ruby won "Bird of Show" in the junior class.
Congratulations Ruby!
Next year you will be fully grown and you'll 
have to compete against your sister Chickadee!
The happy owner Olivia holds prize-winning Ruby.
Here's a photo of Chickadee at approximately the same age as her sister.
 Here's two of Chickadee's brothers. They are two tall roosters!
 Here's a photo of Chickadee's father - the rooster is crowing.
 Mother hen and her babies. So cute.
She might be Chickadee's mother and Chickadee might be one of the little chicks?
The flock on the farm where Chickadee was bred in Western Australia.

Sunday, 1 February 2015

Chicken Selfies

Nestle came and sat next to Lydia on the bench outside.
Here is a series of Nestle's selfies.
Look at my big red comb!
Here's my impersonation of Gonzo
(character from Jim Henderson's Muppets series).
Look into my mouth!
I love being patted. Am I a chicken? Or a little dog on two legs?
zzzzzz.....nap time.....zzzzzz
Lydia photo bomb's Nestle's selfies!
Girls just want to have fun!
Dream time.

Monday, 26 January 2015

Coop Capers


Nestle has an egg coming and stands in the nesting box in the coop.
Cheeky Chickadee watches on. 
The 2 Happy Hens always lay eggs in their favourite
 nesting box located on the right hand side of the coop 
(which is Chickadee's bed at night time).
Chickadee is too young to lay eggs at the moment;
 her first egg is due Easter 2015!
Chickadee eats some food whilst Nestle settles into her nest.
 Chickadee is very cute as she sleeps with her head 
under her wing whilst Nestle gets broody.
 Chickadee takes a nap whilst Nestle starts pushing out her egg.
 Chickadee wants to be close to the fresh egg and sits
 on the edge of Nestle's nesting box. Nestle is not happy!
 Chickadee makes herself comfortable and has another sleep.
Nestle is not impressed!
Nestle abandons her nesting box and egg and walks out!
Chickadee is not sure what is going on!