It’s a rainy day here in crazy chicken land.  So, I thought I’d head out to the coop and take some photos of the crew while they were all hanging out inside.  The big girls are all between 15 and 21 weeks old.

This is Dandelion.  She is a sweet heart who likes to hang out with you and occasionally jump on your shoulder!  She is supposed to be a Lemon Cuckoo Orpington, but she is definitely not that.  So, I’m not really sure what breed she is. (We had a problem with mites a few years back and I got a little slap happy with the Diatomaceous Earth powder.  That’s what is all over the walls 🙂 )

Dandelion

This is Daffodil, Dandelion’s sister, and Poppy.  They are both super sweet, too.  Poppy likes to be pet and is one of the few chickens that will let Leif hold her.  Poppy is supposed to be a French Black Copper Marans, but that she is not.  She looks more like a mix of Cuckoo Marans and Faverolle (she has 5 toes).  (Yeah, I got my birds from a sweet woman who seemed to know a lot about chickens, but as you can see, she was not such a reputable source.  Still, my chickens are awesome!)

Daffodil (L) and Poppy (R)

This is Zinnea (do you see a theme to the names?  All the big girls are named for flowers.)  She is a French Black Copper Marans and should lay chocolate brown colored eggs!

Zinnea

This is Snow White Orchid (Leif wanted to call her Snow White).  She and her sister, Honeysuckle, come from two full Ameraucana chickens, but neither of them look like it. I suspect there was some mixed blood in the parents.  I’m excited to see what color eggs they will lay.

Snow White Orchid

Here is Honeysuckle.

Honeysuckle

This is Thistle Mouse and Clover.  Thistle is a Lavender Orpington and Clover is a Blue Wheaten Ameraucana.

Thistle Mouse (front) and Clover (middle)

This is Violet Mouse.  He is supposed to be a roo, but I’m not sure yet.  He seems to be growing at the same pace as his sister, but he is developing his wattles a little faster than she is.  We’ll see.  He is also a Lavender Orpington.

Violet (in the back)

This pretty lady is Stander Rose (I have no idea why but Leif insisted on calling her Stander).  I love her color.  She and her sister, Tiger Lily, are fairly new to the flock and still figuring out where they stand in the pecking order.  She and her sister are Easter Eggers.

Stander Rose

Here is Tiger Lily.  I really love her coloring, too.

Tiger Lily

Then we have our newest additions: the silkie ladies and their man.

I wasn’t planning on getting small breeds this time around.  But, someone found this guy and brought him to the animal shelter.  I fell in love with his amazing feathers (he’s called a Sizzle silkie) and had to have him.  I have no idea how old he is, but he is the best rooster ever!  He’s so sweet and he does a fabulous job showing the girl where the food is and gathering them up when it’s time to go in at night.  He’s only been with us for 3 days but he made himself right at home!

Millhouse

Millhouse

Yes, his name is Millhouse.  Toby has been on a 6 year campaign to name a chicken Millhouse.  I finally gave in and we decided to go with the Simpsons theme for all the little chickens.

And with a little rooster, I needed little ladies to keep him happy.  Here are Marge, Lisa, and Maggie:

Maggie (L), Marge (middle), Lisa (R)

Maggie is the little black one and she is about 6 months old.  Marge, the white one, is about a year and a half.  Lisa’s coloring is called ‘porcelain’ and she is 10 months old.  These three came just 2 days ago and are still getting adjusted.  They like to hang with Stander Rose and Tiger Lily, which is nice because they have a couple of big girls on their side while the pecking order is established.

We haven’t had any eggs yet, but I’m hoping that the silkies will get back into laying once they’ve settled in.  And hopefully, the big girls will start laying in the next month or two!  Yay!! Fresh eggs again!!!