Pet Shop Comp

Last Christmas I posted this photo of Curry scratching

her head standing on one leg upside down.

I visited my local pet shop in May to find that they

were holding a pet photo competition.

The competition theme was: "Is your pet an Angel, Crazy or Devil?"

I instantly submitted the photo of Curry above and was eager to win

a pet shop gift voucher (to buy seed/breakfast supplies for the 2 Happy Hens).

I was the first person to enter the pet photo competition.



Unfortunately Curry's photo never won the competition,

however she did make top of the "Crazy" photo list!!

Chicken Training

My favourite Australian chicken website

http://www.citychicks.com.au/

City Chicks Newsletter June 2012

Chicken Chatter with the City Chicks

Brisbane, Can You Help? We Need Some Calm Chickens for our Chicken Training Camp

Terry Ryan - a world authority on chicken training - is coming to Brisbane this month from 19 June to 21 June and City Chicks is helping out. Terry will be working with a group to teach chickens how to do obstacle courses with a click reward system. It is absolutely fascinating to watch and stops the thought that chickens cannot think (Mind you I have met a few ...)

We have been training a large group of chickens since day old to get ready for this event but some, just like training children, are just not up to par. CAN YOU HELP?!  We need about 12 Isabrown chickens that are around 1 year old that can go to Terry's workshop and be used as training chickens. It means 3 days away from home but will be well looked after. You should be able to watch a bit of the show as well to encourage your chicken's efforts. It will be just like a Saturday soccer morning. They will be banded so can't get misplaced. There is a little bit of homework involved beforehand for the girls but nothing arduous. Venue is at the Mt Gravatt Showgrounds. This is such a cool event and something we are so excited to be involved with.

 

Lift Wings and Laugh

This is the first movie ever taken of the 2 Happy Hens.

In less than 30 seconds Curry did something funny.

You can see Curry in the background lift her wings and do a poo.

I have seen both Happy Hens do the funny action simultaneously,

however I am yet to catch the rare event on film!

Moulting Curry

 Who's been moulting and leaving feathers behind in the dirt?

 Curry's rear is most unattractive during her first full moult in autumn!

The spines coming out of the pink skin is where new feathers are growing.

The new feathers grow very fast - about an inch a week! 

Curry quickly turned fluffy again about 3 weeks after "baring all"!

Curry lost her tail feathers and some feathers on her legs (drumsticks!)

Curry went a bit bald during moulting and looked really

old and grey on top of her head.

This photo shows Curry's lovely new feathers on the front half

 of her body compared to her sparse, scruffy, old rear feathers.

Curry's overall colour has lightened a lot since her first full moult.

She really has turned a Curry colour!!

VIP Visitors

Dear Julius and Bertha,

I promised I would title this blog post "VIP Visitors" so here it is! 

I hope you like the photos to share with your

 friends and family from around the world!

 Bertha and Julius are enjoying their "Chicken Induction"!

Bertha couldn't resist visiting the 2 Happy Hens before she

 left town to continue her post-graduate university studies.

 Curry likes eating out of Julius' hand.

Bertha just can't keep her eyes of "the girls".

 Bertha is having fun feeding the 2 Happy Hens.

Their custom made seed mix consists of

 sunflower seeds, cracked maize and wheat.

 The 2 Happy Hens like to eat out of Julius' hand.

My First Moult

 Miss Giblet has begun to moult now that she is 25 months old.

It is normal for chickens to have a big moult once they turn 2.

I have temporarily nicknamed Giblet "Miss Moulty".

Miss Moulty looks like an old scruffy (but happy!) hen.

You can see lots of new feather spikes around her head.

Miss Moulty has a loose white feather on her back.

There are feathers everywhere in the garden during Giblet's moulting stage.

Curry is in the background and had a minor moult 4-5 months ago.

Miss Moulty has a bald patch on her breast and is in the crappy corner

of the yard where there are weeds and plastic air conditioning hoses.

 Miss Moulty loves to drink out the the little watering can.

 Miss Moulty is a typical happy hen and likes to

 sunbake lifting her wing to warm her body.

You can see some navy blue spikes on her belly where new feathers are growing.

 Miss Moulty shows off some brand new wing feathers whilst sunbaking.



Easter Nesting Noises

TURN SOUND UP!
This Easter movie is of Giblet sitting on
Curry's egg in a nest they made in the long grass.

Miss Giblet is so happy you can hear her "purring".

Curry makes lots of little sooky noises in the background
and makes a brief appearance towards the end of the movie.