Good morning, chicken people, and welcome to the Old Batz Barn!
As a teen, my Dad decided I was smart enough to learn about all the medical info on our farm and house animals. Good thing, because it has come in handy now that I finally gave up the “city” life to return to a smaller blue collar town. Now, most of you will be saying a 1/3 acre of property is not a true farm, but for this woman it is enough! All I wanted was a few hens and a nice veggie garden. Simple, huh? Not if you have a dear neighbor girl who raising chicks from eggs, and you (being me) can’t resist the small fluffy chick that runs towards you the day after it is born. Chatterbox aka Chatty came home with me that day and started my “hen” raising a year earlier than I expected or was prepared for. No coop, no run, no chick feed and only a cardboard box with a light to put her in. Well, I made do, and she, a Buff Orpington grew into a beautiful bird.
At 4 months old, I heard this awful sound come from her, and I thought, Oh, no! She’s choking! Yes, you got it right, my girl was trying to crow. Well, I had already fallen in love with him, and was not craigslisting him, he was staying! Chatty is now over one year old, has the run of my downstairs and sleeps at night in a big metal dog crate. He rules over the 3 cats, 1 dog and my husband, but is momma’s little boy. I trained him at about 2 months old to wear a rabbit harness and leash so that I could take him out with me into the garden and yard. Oh how my neighbors laughed over this one. They came out just to see him in his pretty harness, not too close mind you. He is VERY protective of his momma. He no longer needs that harness, as he will follow me where ever I go and comes running if I call his name.
Chatty has been my re-training of living and dealing with chickens, good training I must say though. Since him, I have had 5 more roosters and at least 20 or more hens come my way. Not all healthy like him, some I have lost, some went to new homes and some are still in my house in the ER nursery.
I hope you will follow me as I write about the fun, sad and crazy things that happen with me and my “kids” each week. Until next time, have a wonderful chicken day.
