A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
Our chickens have been slacking off lately. We’ve only gotten 4 eggs a day for several weeks.
We’re not sure why and I’ve even had to buy eggs at the store. It was very strange.
I’ve told the girls to get busy. The deal is they feed us and we feed them.
It worked- yesterday we got 10 eggs! That is almost a dozen!
I guess we’ll keep feeding the chickens after all.
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
Last week, actually on Halloween night, we heard a ruckus in the chicken yard. I had just closed them up and it was raining so I was not happy about whatever was causing the commotion. I headed out to find one group of chickens had escaped their coop and were frantically calling at the front of the chicken yard.
My protective instinct kicked in and I hastened back to see what had frightened them.
Nothing was in their coop however I saw movement between the fences. A possum had grabbed the hen that had been living between the fences and was dragging it off. I chased the possum off and began to gather our hens back into their coop.
Rachel heard the racket and came to offer support. I showed her the hen which I assumed was dead. She thought it best to remove the body so the possum did not return to finish the meal.
When I reached through the chain link fence to grab the hen’s leg, it gave a feeble squawk.
Now, according to animal science major Rachel, there was no choice but to retrieve the hen and assess its injuries.
After rinsing it in the bathtub, Rachel was able to bandage the wounds and fix it a nice dry place in a laundry basket in the bathroom. At least it would die in comfort.
The hen survived the night so Rachel named her “Lucky.” We tube fed her and Rachel bought some special antifungal, antibacterial medicine called “Blue Kote” to put on her. After a couple days in intensive care, Lucky was moved out to an isolation run in the chicken yard.
She wasn’t mobile so each night I would lock her in the coop and each morning I would gently move her out near food and water. I would put her near the water and make sure she drank. I watched her eat.
I was hopeful.
However, after three days, despite the best efforts of animal science major Rachel and Chicken Wrangler Sara, Lucky succumbed to her injuries. Perhaps she was not so lucky after all.
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
I’ve always wanted to be a chicken for Halloween. Well, probably not always -just since we started raising chickens. In any case, I planned it all out this year.
I would get a red rubber glove to wear on my head and some yellow socks for my feet. The wings were a bit of a challenge. I asked the art teacher at school (who happened to have two sets of angel’s wings) if I could borrow a set she wasn’t using. They were perfect!
Rachel loves to crochet and can make just about anything. I asked her if she could make me a chicken hat. She did one better. She made a chicken balaclava and taught me a new word in the process.
A balaclava is, according to Dictionary.com, “a close-fitting, knitted cap that covers the head, neck and tops of the shoulders, worn especially by mountain climbers, soldiers, skiers, etc.” (And sometimes by crazy chicken ladies). Rachel figured the balaclava would allow for a waddle and a comb.
The final effect was quite entertaining for my students.
This winter I can alternate between my hippopotamus hat and my chicken balaclava. If it ever gets cold, that is.
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
We had a respiratory illness go through our flock this summer. Several of our chickens succumbed including one of my favorites – Millie, the D’Uccle.
I was very sad. It happened the same week the snails ate my marigolds. It was a bad week.
I’m getting over my losses with the help of the other remaining D’Uccle.
I’ve named her Lily.
She follows me around in the morning when I feed the chickens. It is very sweet. She makes me smile. :)
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
Remember Kaboodle and Mrs. Howell? The two who share a roost.
I’ve noticed recently that Kaboodle and Mrs. Howell are no longer roosting together at night.
I wondered what happened.
Even more important, does anyone know a good chicken counselor?
A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
I am a morning person. I wake up before my alarm goes off at 5:00 most mornings. I enjoy seeing the sun rise over the chicken yard and hearing the quiet before everyone else wakes up. Another thing I enjoy is seeing the morning glories in our back yard.
Originally they were along the fence but this year I have noticed them out in the back yard.
Then I noticed them among the canna lilies in the front yard.
Next they appeared on the fence outside my classroom then on the grass close by.
I’m thinking there is a lesson in these morning glories. They spread their beauty and cheer wherever they go. Perhaps I should do the same.
I went to take pictures of the flowers one afternoon and discovered they were wilted.
I think there is a message here also. If every day starts at 5:00 am, it is ok to wilt, i.e. take a nap, every afternoon. I like that plan.
A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
I have discovered that there are many, many breeds of chickens. I have also come to believe Rachel’s goal is to own one of each breed.
I must admit some are quite pretty. For example the Silver Laced and Golden Laced Wyandotte chickens are beautiful.
The outlining of their feathers is called “laced.” I think it is wonderful.
I can honestly say I have silver and gold in my back yard.
The calming, therapeutic value of the chickens is sometimes worth more than the precious metals.
A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
Our neighbors have chickens. This is ironic because when the house was for sale, the realtor told the previous owners they would have to install a privacy fence because no one would buy a house next to chickens.
Little did that realtor know how tight knit the chicken community is. Anyway, their chickens come to visit sometimes. We toss them back over the fence and all is well.
Except the one hen who kept returning. We named her Mrs. Howell and she became part of our flock.
Recently she and Kaboodle, our Polish crested rooster, have become buddies. They roost together on the top bar in the coop. They are the last to come out every morning. I think of them as the king and queen of the chicken yard. 
They do make an interesting couple.
A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
Until recently, we had to water the chickens regularly. The 100 degree heat was hard on them and they enjoyed playing in the sprinkler. It is all part of Texas in August.
Hurricane Harvey changed that.
We were fortunate to be far enough away to avoid the really bad flooding. In fact our area is the staging area for the FEMA teams going into South Texas. It is the closest place to find enough dry land to set up supply chains. Our little airport is now hopping with planes and helicopters of all kinds as people are flown out and rescuers are flown in.
Before all this I got this picture of a chicken under the sprinkler. Of course at the time it reminded me of a song…
Now it reminds me of God’s faithfulness regardless of the situation. He is bigger than Harvey. #prayfortexas.
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
Rachel’s color project with her bantams has gone pretty well. She has gotten some interesting birds however some of them refuse to stay in their pens. Specifically the silky bantams prefer to be in the pen with Richard, the white frizzle, and the partridge cochins.
Richard, on the other hand, does not like sharing his pen.
We tried for several nights in a row closing the silkies in their coop at night but the next day they fly right back over into Richard’s pen. We finally gave up.
So did Richard – he moved into the silky pen.
He seems quite happy all by himself. I can’t say that I blame him. Sometimes solitude is a good thing.
