Chicken At Work

Ah, Mariek, Mariek, my little chocolate darling, I knew you could do it. Yes, the fourth and final pullet has come into lay, and good things come to those who wait. I actually prefer that the pullets take some extra time to begin laying; it gets their body weight up . . . → Read More: Mark it, Mariek Begins Laying- Week 23 and One Day

Spring Chicken Forever

Forget the creams and pills, just surround yourself with youth. I have mentioned that the new pullets have invigorated my two crones. Miss Kitty, the ten year old, is still hobbling with arthritis and still sleeps a lot during the day, but she has perked up and seems to enjoy . . . → Read More: The Secret To Staying Forever Young:

Last week, I was wondering who was laying that second egg. I am pretty damn sure it was Gilda, the golden sex link. She has that incredible comb that is red and engorged, she has the hybrid vigor, and she has been obsessively digging for extra protein in the form of bugs, grubs . . . → Read More: Mark it- Rosasharn Lays At Week 21

If you live in Seattle, you have rats. Maybe not in the house, but you are surrounded. Think: where is the nearest blackberry vine? Where is the nearest patch of English ivy? The nearest green belt? That’s where the farthest rat is, and there is probably one closer to you. Don’t worry. Rats, . . . → Read More: Rats

Stella, the Black Sex Link, started laying on July 3, which was just shy of the 17 week mark. This is very early production, something for which the Black Stars are known and a very pleasant surprise for me; I had not expected these birds to lay until August. As we approach . . . → Read More: Mark it, Second Layer at 20.5 weeks

Psst.. hey, wanna go lay some eggs?

Cue the inspirational music, the fireworks, the laser light show. We have layers! One day before their 17th week, on the 4th of July, we got the first egg, and by that evening, there was a second one. Hard to believe, actually, 17 weeks is REALLY . . . → Read More: Mark it. First egg(s) at 17 weeks

Procyon lotor: neo-beatnik-latin-greek, meaning “before dog-washer”. It is kind of poetic, an animal named after a star that rises before Sirius, (the dog star). The North American Raccoon has been thought of as a proto-dog, a cousin of the bear, a really big rat, a member of the weasel family, and lately, a relative . . . → Read More: Rat-coons