Unfortunately, I came home from a vacation to find Betsy and Edith have started crowing. So I am currently looking for homes for the two of them, somewhere where they won't wind up on a dinner plate (or a snack dish in Betsy's case).
Betsy has a pretty hilarious crow. It's pitch is equivalent to a mouse's squeak, but he is able to crow the classic three note crow. Its not that loud and its rather pathetic, but its cute. He is less afraid of people now, and I could see Betsy making a pet rooster (aside from his finger attacking habits). So hopefully I can sell his cuteness and find him a good home.
Edith's crow is much louder and far more manly than Betsy's. It sounds more like a long squawk, but I am sure with practice it will get better. Edith's comb is far redder in real-life than in these pictures, by the way.
I can't say coming home to Edith's being a rooster was much of a surprise. I knew from the moment I lifted him out of the box that he was going to be a very manly she at the least. Edith doesn't like being picked up (the actual lifting and grabbing part), but you can hold him in your arms and snuggle and he is content with that. I am hoping that he too will be able to find a good home, but I am thinking that his large size will make him less of a pet. Who knows.
June was such a nuisance today!! She refused to look good in any photo, constantly hopped, flew, or ran out of the frame, made herself blurry by fidgeting continuously, and had a grand total of maybe three poses even worth shooting. So these two yucky photos are the result of June's photo shoot. Anyways, she looks sort of ridiculous with her cheek tufts and beard, but she is a sweetheart now. She likes to cuddle and be held. In fact, the whole flock seems to have calmed down. June is a miserable flyer though. She is not good at flying straight and often flies higher than she should and hits things. Like the ceiling of the coop. :( She worries me sometimes.
Shirley is such a pretty chicken! She is still the queen of foraging, and is certainly very curious. Shirley is not a huge cuddler, but she makes up for it with her active and entertaining antics. I think she may miss Edith the most - even more than June. Shirley is rather inseparable from Edith; they do everything together! You can even see Edith's fluffy butt in the picture below.
Nellie is a big girl now! She is the second biggest bird to Edith (which doesn't even really count because Edith is a rooster). Nellie (in concurrence with everyone else) does not like the actual grabbing part of being picked up, but is happy to snuggle. Maybe I pick them up in an uncomfortable way, who knows? I don't speak chicken. Although if I did, Nellie would be my go to gal for conversation. She is the most vocal hen. Sometimes she makes funny chirps that sound like people rolling their rs. Crazy bird.
I put the photo below in so you could see the change from speckled to oddly patterned brown. I am not sure if this will change with age, but I know the breed tends to get more white with each molt. This makes me think that Dot will have a white breast and a speckled back. It looks strange now and it will look strange later. Oh well. Dot is the first to run out the door of the coop when I open it, and she is a pretty good flyer. Dot is somewhat of an average chicken in personality. There is nothing wrong with that, it just means that I have very little to write about her on here.
And now, for some funny photos of ruffled feathers and napping poses!!
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