Our Ladies (AKA Hens) are Growing Fast!

I haven't wrote about the chickens lately but they are doing great. Growing so fast! They are 4 and 5 weeks old now, tomorrow they will be 5 and 6 weeks old. Soon we will be putting them outside a lot which means we better get a coop up and fast! The lady at the feed store said that at about 7-8 weeks old the chicks can go outside and then at about 5 months old they should start laying eggs! Eek!

From left to right- Henny Penny (Rhode Island Red), Betsy Ross (Americana or AKA Easter Eggers), Zee (Plymouth Rock or AKA Barred Rock), Rosie the Riveter (Americana or AKA Easter Eggers), Ariel (Rhode Island Red), & Eveie (Plymouth Rock or AKA Barred Rock)

What is the difference in the breads? and What's up with the names you wonder? As far as the breeds go the Americanas, Betsy & Rosie (get it?) will lay blue or green eggs, that is also why they are called Easter Eggers- and the kids in the neighborhood think they look like hawks! The Rhode Island Reds, Henny Penny & Ariel (clever huh?) should be a beautiful deep reddish brown color and will lay Large-X Large brown eggs and sometimes 2 a day! The Plymouth Rock, Zee & Eveie (Eveie is always in the other hens' business and my husband's old neighbor from his childhood home was always aware of the min we arrived and would greet him and chat up a storm, she was a riot! We had to name her Eveie.) They will look like zebras when they are full grown and will lay light brown medium-large eggs.

Hopefully this is what our egg cartons will look like this summer

This past weekend when we were working on the yard and garden stuff we decided that we should bring them outside to enjoy the warm day and play in the grass. Since we haven't filled in the planter boxes we put them in one of those. They can fly out but they only jumped on the edge and would jump right back in. They had a blast scratching around and pecking at everything that moved or looked like it maybe eatable.

Since this week is going to be in the 60's we will have to wait until the weather is a bit warmer and the sun is out to do this again. But it was awesome to see the chicks out and about in the yard. We have been talking about it so much that to see the hens take the big leap outside, even if it is for the afternoon, is exciting!