Thursday 12 December 2013

meet the chook family

i'd like to introduce you to our little chooks. there's six girls all up- 4 light Sussex and the two little black Australorp-cross chicks. together they free range in our backyard during the day, dust bathing as they please and scratching up the soil to prepare the vegie beds for a new season of planting.

lighty. one of the original girls. and one of the friendliest too. she will happily let you pick her up for a cuddle. lighty is a dedicated layer too and always lets us know when an egg has been laid by way of loud squawking around 7 o'clock every morning.

henny-penny. she's always first to run up to the back step when she sees us outside and quickly follows us into the shed to reach her head in and peck the first grain from the feed bucket. she's only a small chook but is a big personality.

big hen. the adoptive mother of the two little chicks. she's not the friendliest of chooks but her mothering instincts are exceptional. she has stood her ground to protect the babies when they were little against the cats and will shoo away the other chooks if they get too close.

scruffy. the quirkiest of the brood. there's still some uncertainty as to if scruffy is a hen or a rooster. scruffy has long running legs and when vegie scraps are tossed outside she's the first to grab the best bits and run off from the others and eat it all up.

the chicks. two Australorp-cross chicks that are growing quickly. they are yet to be named but as their personalities develop I'm sure a fitting name will arrive. just last week they progressed from sleeping under mum's wings of a night to sitting on the perch with the rest of the chooks.

so there you have it, the chook family.
do you have chooks? do you find they each have there own little personality?

a little video of the chooks digging in the garden.

10 comments:

  1. I love the video, Zara; chooks are such social little things. When I collect my mail at our tiny local Post Office, I often have to lean over their friendly little chooks to reach into my mail box.
    I would expect your chooks' eggs to be very delicious, with them being free-range in your garden. x

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  2. awwwwww...........we have a Miss Henny Penny too....our speckled Sussex...our biggest Light Sussex is Dame Nellie Melba

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  3. I love our two chooks Rocky and Bok Bok. They make me laugh when I go outside as they race up looking for treats. I do however get annoyed with their constant deposits of poop that they leave at the back door and they will walk inside at any opportunity if the door is left open.

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  4. Awww, so cute:) Yep, we can't believe how individual how chooks are. Our chickens look at a very similar stage to yours though ours are still under their mummas wings at night. We have separated them from the other chooks at night but not sure when to put them back with the others. What do you think? x

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    1. Our chicks were with the rest of the chooks the whole time.
      The mother hen does a pretty good job protecting them though a couple of the other chooks will give the chicks a quick peck if they get the chance.
      I guess as long as there's enough room, either a nesting box while they're still sleeping under the Mum; or perch space for when they start roosting.
      Do let me know how they go.
      x

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  5. Such lovely girls you have! henny penny looks like shes smiling xx

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  6. Your chookies are lovely Zara. We don't have any chooks but if we ever move house we would love to get some. And when we do I'll definitely be coming here for advice on keeping them. Have a lovely weekend. Melinda x

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  7. All of your chickens look so happy and healthy! They're so relaxing to watch scratching about, aren't they?
    Sarah

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