Three more girls joined our family today!

Joining me, my husband, and our two four legged sweeties, Shotzie, a darling little Yorkie and Zetta, a very pushy, but sweet cat, are Thelma, Belle, and Babe.

We were told by their previous caregivers (you don't "own" free spirits such as Thelma, Bell, and Babe) that each one has a very distinctive personality,  Thelma is the Queen, tall, lovely and proud; Belle is the social butterfly who loves attention, and her almost twin Babe, the shy girl, prefers to stay in the background and be left alone.

We were also told that, in addition to becoming devoted pets, our new girls would gift us with more than enough eggs for the two of us, and some for the neighbors as well.

After promising these these pets would NEVER become chicken dinner, their owners gave them some last hugs,and carefully handed them off to us, along with various chicken supplies, and some all-important chicken raising advice.

I had not had chickens since childhood, and my husband hadn't had any for many years, so while overjoyed with our friends generous gift, we were a bit nervous.


Our new feathered family members came home in a banana box in the back of our van, sleeping all the way. 
 We clucked like fools making what we hoped were reassuring chicken sounds as we wound around the mountainous corners on the way home.  They seemingly moved not a muscle & slept through the entire one hour tirp.

Once home my husband and I got busy making a proper, if temporary, home for the girls.  With food, water, and a place to scratch, we enclosed them in the greenhouse for the night.

Thelma, Belle, and Babe calmly took to their new environment just as though it had been their home all along. Thelma, in all her white and gold splendor immediately strutted around as if she owned the greenhouse. Belle, true to her nature, spread her lovely black and white wings and wanted to be petted right away, while Babe, also dark and lovely, settled herself in in a corner where she could see, but not be touched.

Come dusk, we crept out to put the girls to bed in their new home.  My Chickens book, which I bought nearly a year ago, hoping to one day have a use for the information therein, advised that one should show a chicken in a new environment where to roost for the first few nights, lifting them to a roosting place if necessary.  We found Thelma and Babe were happily roosting on a low shelf.  Only Belle needed to be shown a roosting place.

After replenishing food and water, we shut the greenhouse securely, and left our sleepy chicks alone for the night. 

Our new family additions promise to be a joy and a delight.

And, breakfast promises to be more nutritious - no more store bought eggs!


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