Chicken!

So my little Punky Rooster is quite the man. He currently resides in a cage inside the house because #1; I have not built the chicken yard and house yet, and
#2; He's the only chicken I have and I don't want him to be out there by himself.

Yeah. I know. Rather unusual to have a rooster residing IN your house. But hey. He is smaller than a cockatoo! And probably not as loud. Although I will say he has a strong set of lungs for such a little guy. This little guy can really crow and he does so! Like really freakin' early in the morning. EVERY morning. It is time to start building that chicken house and run.

So I am ordering my chickens here pretty soon. I use a hatchery out of Iowa. I like these guys because they actually do a package called "City/Town small orders", so I don't have to order 100 chicks and I don't have to have any more noisy little roosters. All the chickens are sexed and you can get only pullets. Which is really good considering I can't actually KILL and BUTCHER anything.

When I left the farm at 17, I swore I would never, ever, never, EVER butcher another animal again. So far I have managed to keep that oath. I may starve during the zombie apocalypse and only eat veggies, but I am keeping that oath. I cannot kill anything I have taken care of and named.

So here are some ideas I have come up with for this project.

 

Retaining wall that I can actually plant in. I want to use tires because, believe me, they are plentiful in the desert and it needs to be cleaned up. I need to get this done first, so I started clearing and leveling today. I'll do pics of the actual project as I progress through the steps.

 

 

This is called 'The Wonky Playhouse' and you can get plans online. I think this will make a cute and functional chicken house. I will need to add a few things, but I want something with a little fairy tale magic.

 

 

Gotta have a run for the chickens. I am only going to have 12 chickens, including Punky Rooster, so they need a place to run and scratch. Because of the extreme amount of predators, hawks, eagles, coyotes and wolves, they will need something secure. I want it something pretty, so this looks like something I would like sitting in my backyard.

 

It all seems huge for one little lone rooster, so I researched and gathered ideas of what kind of chickens I want. With 11 hens and one little rooster, once the girls start laying I should have enough eggs for myself and to share with friends as well. Here are the type of hens I have decided on.........

 

 

Ameraucana

 

This chick lays colored eggs. They are also a pretty prolific layer but besides that, I like the fact that she has a beard. She must be over 50 years of age, because that is what happens when you hit fifty as a female. Amazing, but true.

 

Olive Egger

 

This little girl also lays colored eggs, but the eggs are much darker. I look forward to getting her. I am thinking of naming her Olive Oyl.

 

Silver Spangled Appenzeller Spitzhauben

 

White egg layer. Crazy hair do. Spotty. I want one.

 

Cinnamon Queen

 

Good layer of large brown eggs. The roosters are actually prettier than the hens. This is a newer breed for the hatchery but I am looking forward to seeing how this kind of chicken does.

 

Golden Laced Polish

 

Please. Like you could live without one of THESE??? And after all, I have Polish Arabians, I NEED Polish chickens too. She will lay WHITE eggs.

 

White Polish

 

I think I have to have this one too. Crazy hair do AND a beard. Good layer of white eggs. I wonder if she walks into walls.

 

Bantams

 

And of course, my favorite chickens in the world. Bantams....tiny and cute and the best broody hens you could ever find. I don't plan on hatching eggs though. Been there and done that and I don't care what you do, you always wind up with 45 roosters and 3 hens. Thank you no. I'll just order my chicks. When you do the City/Town Special, they actually pick the kind of Bantams so you don't have a choice, but I don't care. I would not have chickens if I could not have some bantams in the mix. They come in a pack of 5.

 

So all together that makes 11 hens and one noisy little rooster. Whom I have yet to take a photo of. Maybe this weekend. I think I will call my flock.............drum roll...................wait for it....................

 

 

Punky Rooster and the Chickletts!