The Wyandottes

- aka "The Plastics," "The Gang," or "The Clique."


My Silver Laced Wyandottes are the only breed or even colortype of bird that has never died, gotten sick, or been intolerant of a certain weather. They aren't even prone to being a runt, the bottom of the totem pole, or the butt of a joke. They're the perfect girls - Or so they see it. They're beautiful, yes, they're supposedly good layers, yes - But so far all I see are teenaged 5 month old pullets who are always in a group, always arguing amongst themselves, and always pushing around other birds who don't have enough self-confidence. Oh, and they also chase the sparrows, towhees, and Stellar's Jays.


The colors are hatchery-based, so they come in every type - From light, partial lacing to nearly black, and in between are the perfectly laced girls. The interesting bit is that the darker the bird, the most submissive and less agressive of personality she has. At night, when all the Wyandottes go up to sleep, it is usually the darker girls who are picked on the most or, if away from the lighter ones - the quietest. Pictured here is a hardly laced lighter girl, resting at dusk.




Soon, the girls will all have names - But for now it is just Llena who has a name. She's the fullest and most adultly looking pullet, so I chose a name that fits it. (translates to "full") Here is a photo of her doing what she does best - Endure thick frost and hang out with the "cool kids."












Now, I'm not saying that people shouldn't get a Wyandotte or so, I'm just illustrating the amazing personality that my little group has. Since all of my other breeds have experienced a casualty or nine or so, these are different. Also, they're not exactly as forward and friendly except for food - But this is a single case. These are hatchery bought birds, and had a slightly rough childhood of being chased around by the older girls (the Brahmas and Polish) Also, they're only 5 months old - They haven't even given us eggs yet. My "Bearded Babe," Tufted, was the most skittish, flighty, and panicky chicken I have ever known until she started laying - She mellowed right down and became the pride of the family soon after.

My is it windy!!

Yesterday, it was so cold in the morning that when I opened to door to the coop, noone wanted out. So weird. This is how they were - huddled in a group for warmth, with the friendliest (Rix, my favorite and most personal of pullets) looking straight up at me. A lot of the girls were still asleep too. It was cold enough that I saw my first "jackfrost" in 10 years. The funny part of the cold vs the chickens is that the only winner comes out to be the group of Wyandottes - Each morning, the only ones who seem to tolerate the cold, frost, and ice are the Wyandotte girls. They really don't mind it, and run and play wherever and whenever.



Today is a slightly different story - Instead of still, freezing air - It is gusty, windy air. There isn't as much frost around because of this, but it sure does keep the chickens in secure areas, such as underneath a fallen, cut down walnut tree, where the sun peaks in for about an hour, and the wind doesn't blow as hard. This is how Mila looked during a large gust. The rest of the girls went barreling in a stampede towards the coop just before this photo was taken,





Among the hectic wind that gusted above 20mph, bringing wind chills down to 20 degrees, there were two Bald Eagles courting and whistling above the flock. They certainly are not welcome here, but at least keep their distance. To most of America, Bald Eagles are considered elegant, beautiful, and endangered species. Here, they are common as a crow and a danger to the chickens, but still fun to photograph if close enough. ( not this time though )





In general, the days are cold. It is the 7th or so day now in a row that we have had nothing but hidden away sun, dry air, and lots and lots of frozen ground. brrr. Here's the chickens greeting me in the morning, as a lot:

I couldn't help it - Neither could they.

So, while all the girls and boys were enjoying the hour's worth of sunlight that actually reached their coop-area, I enjoyed the ability to take photos upon photos. All day has been freezing cold but sunny, and it should continue like this until next week hits the midweek. It's good for me, and good for the girls who want sun, but not for the Turken and not for the fact that the sun only hits us for about an hour.

Anyway, here's Cheesecake in the glory of the sun.



And a portrait, with the natural help of a reflective sheet of metal to her left.



Next, here's my last of the "kids," the New Hampshire Red trio, enjoying the sun from within the coop-like building. I really do wish it was still the five of them, but. . That's only a wish.



And, last but certainly not least - What I really couldn't help but obsessively do: Macros of Marc Antony.

The Wacky Stuff! pt. 1

This will be my first of many "Wacky Stuff" posts, where I gather together all of my funniest photos of the chicks. Here's some crazy stuff!

Rumpless, the NHR roo, as a little chick - Headless too!!


And then one of the Turkens stretching.. Aaah!!! So much skin.


Here, Mila thinks she is the rooster from that one painting (link)


Here's Cheesecake, ¨possessed."


And Here's Marc Antony -

Meet the Roos

Well, they're actually still cockerels, and only 5 months old. . But, here's the current boys.

This here is Marc Antony. He's an Easter Egger, and is the only of the two boys who acts like a boy. He just yesterday acheived a full blown crow that doesn't sound funky, odd, immature, or like a howl. He tries to mate with other hens, he tries to boss them around by dragging his wing and shuffling towards them with a growling sort of sound, and he even tries to invite them over to some grass by hopscotching around, making a "chook chook chook!" sound. Sooo cute.



And, here's Rumpless. First a nickname, now a name. I only a couple weeks ago found out he's a male after he tried mating with another New Hampshire red, but since then and even before then. . Nothing. He doesn't boss others around, he doesn't crow.. He doesn't do anything, except occasionally boss the Turken. He sure is looking Roo-ish though! ( Rumpless got the name due to a chickhood of having his tail feathers torn out, probably by the last Rooster we had. For the longest time, he had no tail at all, and only now is getting new starts - Probably his rooster sickles slowly coming in. )



Now here's my excitement for the spring: What colors will I get when I cross these two? Please tell me it will be almost Tolbunt-ish:

We're WET!!

I just had to post this. Some time ago, during a chain of five Northwestern storms, we surely got soaked! If you think your birds got soaked, think again. Here's the Brahma girls after six inches of rainfall in a day.

Mila's head:



Cheesecake overall - She got first place for "I'm drenched!"





And, there's of course, the reason why we would never get Silkies out here. Why? Because this is what Crested Polish look like out here in the rain:



And, when their crests are treated:

The Big, Bearded, and Bold

These are my Light Brahma girls. All of my chickens are from Murray McMurray Hatchery, and probably the most obvious pointer to that is my girl, Raven. Her comb is single, her tail is very high, and her body is very U shaped with such tail. Also, her sisters have a lot of black penciling on their backs.

Here's Raven:


After Raven, whom I assume is lead girl, are my two sweetest Brahmas. I am a "Brahma-holic" as some say, after these girls. I really do want some show quality Brahmas sometime soon, especially a dark rooster. We bought over 10 day olds of both Light and Dark variety from MM Hatchery, but only four made it to 4 months, then one died after laying an emmense double-yolker egg, and now I have three girls. Here's the other two, Mila and Cheesecake.





Cheesecake is the most forward type chicken, with a very friendly attitude, while Mila is extremely laidback after her laying season. (ended about two weeks ago) Otherwise, she is extremely demanding and noisy if she doesn't have all of the following: Food, Freedom to Roam Wherever, Sunlight. Raven, on the other hand, is slightly flighty but curious upon your first arrival to see the chickens.

Next, we have the "Bearded Babe," my Easter Egger hen. She's the same age, probably a lot heavier than the Brahmas (rather fat, actually) and lays enormous pink eggs. She used to be the most skittish and flighty pullet, but since her egg laying began, she is now laid back and always spending time with Mila.

Meet the Chicks!

Welcome to the club, and come meet our Northwestern flock of chickens! We've got bearded babes, feather footed babes, feather headed babes, and even featherless babes! For now, we'll just tour around a couple of today's interesting points, and as time goes on, you'll get to know everyone quite well.

First, there's the gang. I own then 5 month old Silver Laced Wyandottes, whom all seem to believe they are the ten best, most beautiful, and most dominant chickens around. Even the top rooster, Marc Antony, is apparently not above them. See?

(A Wyandotte picks a fight with Antony. This happens often, and I only got the last second of the scene.)

Before the little quarrel, though, that very Wyandotte got a special "eyeshot" - A photoshoot of the eye, which took a lot of patience to get. In the end, I got this:



After all that, I toured around to get an armful of photos, but the most notable one is of my darkest New Hampshire Red girl, Crunch. This was her yesterday. Today, she passed away due to an unknown illness. I will certainly miss her, and the wonderful times we had together. I now only have 3 reds left, and had better not lose another. They are certainly the most friendly of the younger pullets and cockerels.

First Lady

This blog is based in the NW of Washington. It is dedicated to a moderate sized flock of chickens, but mainly to our first layer - Tufted. She is an Easter Egger, and obviously, has a very well developed beard. From here out tells the story of the life of our chickens.