All this spring, as my hip replacement surgery date got closer, I told myself and everyone else that the 3rd Annual Chicken Open House would indeed take place on June 4, a mere 17 days post-op. I wanted that date as the Astyk-Woods family was coming for a visit and they've been an integral part of the event the past two years in part for the knowledge and experience they bring as farmers and also because the grand-kids have a great time.
But now, the reality of healing from surgery is here and I find that as well as I'm doing, there is just no way for me to be prepared in a week to host this event. It's more energy and physical capability than I have to prepare the coop, ready the yard, gather the materials, get new chicks, setup advertising, and then stand or even sit for 3 hours. It is also not fair to my partner, Naomi, to ask her to do even more than she is doing to help me.
I have overestimated my abilities and so with sadness the event is being canceled this year. I'm not even going to expand our flock from 4 to 6 until next spring as I won't be back to full activities until later this summer. Right now, I need to concentrate on getting better, with a larger dose of reality!
For those of you who planned on coming please send me an e-mail (sue.lupo@verizon.net) and let's try to coordinate a visit after mid-June. I should be feeling much better by then and navigating the lumpy backyard will be a lot easier!
I haven't told the girls yet that the Open House is canceled...right now they are being 'lovingly' cared for by Naomi; she is the surrogate parent who provides food and water and occasional yard access (as long as it's close to dark so they go to bed on their own!). But she's out there talking to them regularly, explaining the reality of care to them and so far there have been no revolts yet! (-:
Meanwhile, I hope some of you will be getting chicks this spring (Danvers Agway has the last shipment on June 1) and enjoy the pleasure and bounty these fine animals can provide!
Sue
Friday, May 27, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Beverly Chickens Return....2011
I may have the best of intentions but life just gets in the way sometimes and I have been away from this blog for quite some time...and lots to catch up on!
I believe I left off with Miss Kitty's joining the family last spring. As with the other chicks, it was a struggle getting one introduced and accepted by the flock. Flora and Gertrude are alpha chickens and they showed no mercy to the new girl. Miss Kitty spent her nights in the dark of the coop and her days in a pen in the yard, for her protection. If I was outside everyone was allowed out together. And this went on for several months.
We thought it would take all summer to get her integrated, but amazingly, by July she was fully accepted (with only occasional pecking) by the others. And then one day...a noise, somewhat familiar, came out of her throat. I heard it and groaned, and figuring I was imagining things I let it go. But the next day, the sound returned - a somewhat throaty, broken cough at first, but then turning ever so slightly melodic, until there was no doubt in my mind. Miss Kitty was MR. KITTY!! A late bloomer by all means but the sound was unmistakable, though thankfully small, considering her, or his size. Now we had another rooster and even though a bantam with a sound that could not possibly offend anyone we knew she/he had to go.
So it was with great sadness that Miss Kitty moved to Gleanings Farm in Delanson, NY, to the home of our kids in August. All that work to make her part of the flock and she had to leave. I was very sad as I had become quite fond of Miss Kitty and she had been a great addition to the family. I can happily report that the new Mr. Kitty quickly made a home with the other chickens and is living his days out happily.
The other major event of the summer was that our beloved Beatrice died suddenly in June. I was out in California visiting my father and I got a frantic call from Naomi one morning that she had found Beatrice dead in the coop. Only 3 years old but a gentle soul with a wonderful personality and the strangest eggs we'd ever seen. Sometimes they were so long and pointy we couldn't close the egg carton. Beatrice had been healthy right up to the end but her death and my absence presented a small problem. Naomi wanted to put her in a carton in the basement until I got home 4 days from then but I had to gently point out that this was June and a deceased chicken in the basement for 4 days would not be pretty - on any level. It took some convincing but I finally got her to agree to put Beatrice in the freezer until I returned. This was way beyond her call of duty for taking care of the chickens while I was away and we both knew it.
When I returned we called the Schusters over and got out the Episcopal Prayer Book and Naomi led us all in the Burial Service, complete with personal testimonies. It was a fitting send off for such a lovely chicken. (I can't believe I am writing this.) She was a good bird and I would be happy with a whole flock of Buff Orpingtons as they have great personalities, they're gentle, and they lay very reliably.
We were down to 4 hens at this point but I was very happy that everyone got along as we had spent so much of the previous year getting everyone to play nicely together and not peck each other to death!
By October the girls began their more normal behavior of stopping laying. I don't know if it's the waning light but Hazel held out the longest and I look longingly at that last egg ,knowing it could be months before the spirit moved anyone to lay again. I savored every bit of that fried egg...
The girls settled in for the long winter and I prepared the coop for the bad weather ahead. I made multiple attempts to put plastic around the run only to have the wind whip it off time and again. I got stronger plastic, more staples, and heavier gloves, as it got colder and the snow began for real. This was the first winter with the coop expansion and I was grateful for the extra space for everyone. Finally, on an early January night, just as the first heavy snowfall was starting I went out with wood strips and got the plastic to stay in place. For the first time in 4 years the run was almost fully protected from snowfall. I kept the house facing side open so I could see everyone but otherwise, the run stayed snow free and the girls could roam all day. Not that they wanted to...the cold and snow kept them in the coop a lot and I kept the light on 24 hrs a day, unlike in previous winters when I turned the light on only for the really cold nights. I was cold, so they must be too!
It would be over 2 months before they left the coop and run to go out in the yard. That's how long it took for the path I shoveled to get down to some bare ground. It was so icy going out Naomi had to use ski poles to navigate the path. I slid down the hill more than once. I used a pick axe but even that wouldn't break up the ice.
The only good part to the winter is that by the end of December everyone was laying again, except for Delores. She's still retired from her brief 6 month period of laying 3 years ago. It's all about saving her strength, I guess, and since she is the only surviving member of the original flock of 4 I can't say too much. She may live forever...
It's now St. Patrick's Day and I have just removed the plastic from the coop. The girls are on day 2 in the yard (I was away again) and so so happy. Today they had their first dirt bath in the same part of the yard they use every year so no point in trying to get the grass to grow there. It's a sunny afternoon and they had no trouble digging in. The snow is completely gone from the yard though still in my neighbor's shady backyard. But it's 53 out, the bulbs are sprouting, the girls are clucking...life is good.
I believe I left off with Miss Kitty's joining the family last spring. As with the other chicks, it was a struggle getting one introduced and accepted by the flock. Flora and Gertrude are alpha chickens and they showed no mercy to the new girl. Miss Kitty spent her nights in the dark of the coop and her days in a pen in the yard, for her protection. If I was outside everyone was allowed out together. And this went on for several months.
We thought it would take all summer to get her integrated, but amazingly, by July she was fully accepted (with only occasional pecking) by the others. And then one day...a noise, somewhat familiar, came out of her throat. I heard it and groaned, and figuring I was imagining things I let it go. But the next day, the sound returned - a somewhat throaty, broken cough at first, but then turning ever so slightly melodic, until there was no doubt in my mind. Miss Kitty was MR. KITTY!! A late bloomer by all means but the sound was unmistakable, though thankfully small, considering her, or his size. Now we had another rooster and even though a bantam with a sound that could not possibly offend anyone we knew she/he had to go.
So it was with great sadness that Miss Kitty moved to Gleanings Farm in Delanson, NY, to the home of our kids in August. All that work to make her part of the flock and she had to leave. I was very sad as I had become quite fond of Miss Kitty and she had been a great addition to the family. I can happily report that the new Mr. Kitty quickly made a home with the other chickens and is living his days out happily.
The other major event of the summer was that our beloved Beatrice died suddenly in June. I was out in California visiting my father and I got a frantic call from Naomi one morning that she had found Beatrice dead in the coop. Only 3 years old but a gentle soul with a wonderful personality and the strangest eggs we'd ever seen. Sometimes they were so long and pointy we couldn't close the egg carton. Beatrice had been healthy right up to the end but her death and my absence presented a small problem. Naomi wanted to put her in a carton in the basement until I got home 4 days from then but I had to gently point out that this was June and a deceased chicken in the basement for 4 days would not be pretty - on any level. It took some convincing but I finally got her to agree to put Beatrice in the freezer until I returned. This was way beyond her call of duty for taking care of the chickens while I was away and we both knew it.
When I returned we called the Schusters over and got out the Episcopal Prayer Book and Naomi led us all in the Burial Service, complete with personal testimonies. It was a fitting send off for such a lovely chicken. (I can't believe I am writing this.) She was a good bird and I would be happy with a whole flock of Buff Orpingtons as they have great personalities, they're gentle, and they lay very reliably.
We were down to 4 hens at this point but I was very happy that everyone got along as we had spent so much of the previous year getting everyone to play nicely together and not peck each other to death!
By October the girls began their more normal behavior of stopping laying. I don't know if it's the waning light but Hazel held out the longest and I look longingly at that last egg ,knowing it could be months before the spirit moved anyone to lay again. I savored every bit of that fried egg...
The girls settled in for the long winter and I prepared the coop for the bad weather ahead. I made multiple attempts to put plastic around the run only to have the wind whip it off time and again. I got stronger plastic, more staples, and heavier gloves, as it got colder and the snow began for real. This was the first winter with the coop expansion and I was grateful for the extra space for everyone. Finally, on an early January night, just as the first heavy snowfall was starting I went out with wood strips and got the plastic to stay in place. For the first time in 4 years the run was almost fully protected from snowfall. I kept the house facing side open so I could see everyone but otherwise, the run stayed snow free and the girls could roam all day. Not that they wanted to...the cold and snow kept them in the coop a lot and I kept the light on 24 hrs a day, unlike in previous winters when I turned the light on only for the really cold nights. I was cold, so they must be too!
It would be over 2 months before they left the coop and run to go out in the yard. That's how long it took for the path I shoveled to get down to some bare ground. It was so icy going out Naomi had to use ski poles to navigate the path. I slid down the hill more than once. I used a pick axe but even that wouldn't break up the ice.
The only good part to the winter is that by the end of December everyone was laying again, except for Delores. She's still retired from her brief 6 month period of laying 3 years ago. It's all about saving her strength, I guess, and since she is the only surviving member of the original flock of 4 I can't say too much. She may live forever...
It's now St. Patrick's Day and I have just removed the plastic from the coop. The girls are on day 2 in the yard (I was away again) and so so happy. Today they had their first dirt bath in the same part of the yard they use every year so no point in trying to get the grass to grow there. It's a sunny afternoon and they had no trouble digging in. The snow is completely gone from the yard though still in my neighbor's shady backyard. But it's 53 out, the bulbs are sprouting, the girls are clucking...life is good.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Miss Kitty Joins the Family!
Miss Kitty officially joined the Beverly flock during the May 1 Chicken Open House. She came from Sharon's Gleaning Farm, a 4 week old Black Silkie, small and nameless, with black feathers on her feet. We had a contest to name her, Kitty won, and 'Miss' in front of it seemed just right.
She's the first chick to win Naomi's heart and it didn't take much. As always, chicks start out living in our kitchen in the recycling bin under the heat lamp. After all the 'loaner' chicks went back after the Open House Miss Kitty was quite lonely. She did not like the bin and the chicken wire top was not much of a deterrent. On one of the first evenings she spent much of her time trying to escape and Naomi kept finding her walking around the kitchen after sneaking out of a loose corner of the wire. Naomi would put her back, Miss Kitty would jump out and so it went on. Finally Naomi gave up and went to sit on the couch.
A short while later she thought one of the cats was trying to jump up on the couch and Naomi didn't pay much attention to the scratching. But when she looked down she found it was a tiny Miss Kitty who was trying to jump. She'd followed her into the living room and was looking for a little company. Naomi finally gave in and wrapped Miss Kitty in a towel and held her until she settled. That's where I found them an hour later, one reading a book and the other cooing quietly. I had to take a picture or no one would have believed it! That became a nightly ritual, Miss Kitty in her towel getting some bonding time.
Miss Kitty has graduated to the cage in the basement where she sleeps but she's out during the day in her cage or if I'm out she can roam with the big girls. They've mostly ignored her but I know that if I put Miss Kitty in the run it will be a different matter. The goal is to start with sleepovers in the coop this weekend. I'll have to go back to closing the inside coop door so that the girls can't get up in the morning on their own where they might cause mischief with Miss Kitty. I don't mind getting up at 5 since it's light anyway and I do love to putter outside at that time of the morning. I'm hoping this integration goes better than it did with Hazel! I'll have more on this next week.
Monday, May 3, 2010
2nd Annual Chicken Open House a Great Success!
We had a great turnout on a beautiful day this past Saturday for the 2nd Annual Chicken Open House. For 4 hours we talked chickens, watched kids cozy up to 3 day old chicks, gave coop tours, and answered questions. We handed out chicken cookies and lemonade, sold raffle tickets for fresh eggs and let the girls sell themselves on the joys of raising chickens.
It was wonderful to meet so many folks - from families to empty nesters, those in apartments to bigger spreads, chicken owner wannabes and those just curious. We heard tales of chickens falling off a truck and being scooped up by running housewives during World War II and childhood memories of the family flock. Everyone had a story to share and it was great.
We raised about $70 in the egg raffle for Beverly Bootstraps and 6 lucky folks will soon get the pleasure of eating 'real' eggs. Many thanks to daughter Sharon and son-in-law Eric for their donation of eggs, reference books, our new black silky (now named Miss Kitty), and lots of chicken knowledge. And thanks to partner Naomi who started with "You're going to do another chicken open house?? You did one last year!" and ended up "What a great idea and what a great day!"
Also thanks to Danvers Agway for their lovely chicks that I really wanted to keep and being so gracious in taking them back to be placed in loving homes. It wouldn't be a chicken open house without baby chicks!
The movement for 'a chicken in every backyard' continues and all of you are part of it! Thanks again for a great event!
Sue
It was wonderful to meet so many folks - from families to empty nesters, those in apartments to bigger spreads, chicken owner wannabes and those just curious. We heard tales of chickens falling off a truck and being scooped up by running housewives during World War II and childhood memories of the family flock. Everyone had a story to share and it was great.
We raised about $70 in the egg raffle for Beverly Bootstraps and 6 lucky folks will soon get the pleasure of eating 'real' eggs. Many thanks to daughter Sharon and son-in-law Eric for their donation of eggs, reference books, our new black silky (now named Miss Kitty), and lots of chicken knowledge. And thanks to partner Naomi who started with "You're going to do another chicken open house?? You did one last year!" and ended up "What a great idea and what a great day!"
Also thanks to Danvers Agway for their lovely chicks that I really wanted to keep and being so gracious in taking them back to be placed in loving homes. It wouldn't be a chicken open house without baby chicks!
The movement for 'a chicken in every backyard' continues and all of you are part of it! Thanks again for a great event!
Sue
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Reminder - Beverly Chicken Open House May 1
Just a reminder that the Second Annual Chicken Open House will be this Saturday, May 1, from 10am-2pm. Grab your morning coffee, throw the kids in the car or stroller and head over to 10 Harrison Ave., Beverly, where 5 girls and their proud owner will be happy to guide you through the paperwork and process of getting city approval to keep chickens in Beverly. Meet the girls, tour the coop, and see how much pleasure you can have with your own hens.
You can also take a chance on a dozen fresh eggs with all proceeds going to Beverly Bootstraps. Each hen (except Delores who took early retirement) lays a different color and shaped egg, but they are all delicious and better than anything you'll ever find in the supermarket! Even the ones that say 'cage free'!
It's going to be a beautiful day and if you've ever considered raising hens (no roosters allowed in Beverly) now is the time to do it. Come on by!
The girls have been helping get the yard ready for company...every time I rake, dig, clean, they are right behind me! I'm not sure who is in charge of landscaping but I don't think it's me.
See you on Saturday!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Green Poop and Other Compost Thoughts...
Now that there are just two of us to cook for we don't generate the amount of kitchen waste we did when all 3 girls (not chickens!) were at home. Sadly that makes for slim pickings for the hens. When there isn't much to offer them I cook up a batch of oatmeal and raisins with a little cat food thrown in or a pot of rice and it gets scarfed down by appreciative chickens.
I've always been a recycler with a compost bin and in recent years have kept worms, with only mixed success at not murdering them. I'm on my umpteenth batch of red worms and they are happily chomping away in the can-o-worms in the basement, so far alive for 2 months.
Lately it's been harder for me to watch food being wasted both at restaurants and in the supermarket. This drives Naomi crazy. It's bad enough I bring home the restaurant scraps from everyone's plate at the table, but now I want to go into the kitchen with a big bucket and scrape plates for an hour to give my hens the scraps. Of course I can't do that (though I'm not sure why - social isolation, divorce, etc?). I fantasize about a retirement business where I gather all this waste and generate wonderful compost, with or without the worms' help.
To solve this problem and give my girls a more balanced diet after laying pellets and yard treats I contacted the owner of a local restaurant in town, The Organic Cafe, and asked if I might get some scraps periodically. They could not have been nicer and I was give permission to go through their compost bin (yes, they separate out all compost!) and take what I want. So now, a couple of times a week, I trudge the few blocks from my house with my 5 gallon bucket and rubber gloves or barbecue tongs and go through the wonderfully fresh pickings.
It's been a field day lately - sprouts, avocados, lettuce, cukes, tomatoes, some kind of grain and more. And the girls are thrilled. But there's just one problem....green poop... When I saw it yesterday in the yard all flattened out I had no idea what I was looking at. But as I walked around the yard there they were...dark green blobs. Not to be too graphic but I do pay attention to chicken poop as it's a good way to monitor the girls' health. So what's with all the green stuff? I looked back in my compost bucket and yes, there's a fair amount of guacamole, but enough to cause this? I eat avocado but I never had a color problem!
Everyone seems fine so I'm not going to worry....the eggs looked normal yesterday though Hazel had some trauma when she was forced out of the nesting box by Gertrude, but that's another story... more later.
I've always been a recycler with a compost bin and in recent years have kept worms, with only mixed success at not murdering them. I'm on my umpteenth batch of red worms and they are happily chomping away in the can-o-worms in the basement, so far alive for 2 months.
Lately it's been harder for me to watch food being wasted both at restaurants and in the supermarket. This drives Naomi crazy. It's bad enough I bring home the restaurant scraps from everyone's plate at the table, but now I want to go into the kitchen with a big bucket and scrape plates for an hour to give my hens the scraps. Of course I can't do that (though I'm not sure why - social isolation, divorce, etc?). I fantasize about a retirement business where I gather all this waste and generate wonderful compost, with or without the worms' help.
To solve this problem and give my girls a more balanced diet after laying pellets and yard treats I contacted the owner of a local restaurant in town, The Organic Cafe, and asked if I might get some scraps periodically. They could not have been nicer and I was give permission to go through their compost bin (yes, they separate out all compost!) and take what I want. So now, a couple of times a week, I trudge the few blocks from my house with my 5 gallon bucket and rubber gloves or barbecue tongs and go through the wonderfully fresh pickings.
It's been a field day lately - sprouts, avocados, lettuce, cukes, tomatoes, some kind of grain and more. And the girls are thrilled. But there's just one problem....green poop... When I saw it yesterday in the yard all flattened out I had no idea what I was looking at. But as I walked around the yard there they were...dark green blobs. Not to be too graphic but I do pay attention to chicken poop as it's a good way to monitor the girls' health. So what's with all the green stuff? I looked back in my compost bucket and yes, there's a fair amount of guacamole, but enough to cause this? I eat avocado but I never had a color problem!
Everyone seems fine so I'm not going to worry....the eggs looked normal yesterday though Hazel had some trauma when she was forced out of the nesting box by Gertrude, but that's another story... more later.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Second Annual Chicken Open House May 1
The Second Annual Chicken Open House will be held Saturday, May 1 from 10 am to 2 pm at 10 Harrison Ave, Beverly, MA. The event was so successful last year that I want to do it again so that folks who are thinking about raising chickens in Beverly, or surrounding towns, can see what an urban setup looks like. There will be other chicken owning family members available to answer questions and you'll be able to meet the girls and tour the coop. I'll also have information on the application process that the City of Beverly requires plus handouts.
We had a lot of fun last year and there had to be over 100 folks who came by - some with chickens and some who wanted them. Since I am permitted for 6 hens and only have 5 currently, there may be at least one chick (and others if I can convince my kids to take some). I'm not sure, though, that I'm ready for another chicken integration as this last one has been so difficult...
The open house is a nice way for folks to meet each other and my long term hope is to get a Beverly group organized so we can share information and work on common issues like the city permitting process. And next year have a multi-coop tour in the city!
For more information contact me at sue.lupo@verizon.net or call 978-927-4642. I'll get calendar items into the local paper this week.
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