Behold, and Observe
The Things That God Has Done
I rejoice in His creativity,
whether it is displayed in a flower, the plumage of a bird,
the clouds in the sky, the unreachable marvels of the universe,
fields of blowing grasses, the infinite musical possibilities,
or the expressive creative abilities He has given us.
I also believe He has an awesome sense of humor,
one that doesn't hurt or destroy, but that reveals and uplifts.
We now have three little hens and a little rooster. They're quite young, so we're not sure yet just what they're going to look like once they get their feathers all organized. I'm sure I'll keep you posted if they start to look any different! ha.
I can see now why it was recommended that I get the little rooster to go with them. These little hens, barely out of the fluff and into their feathers, simply adore him. It's obvious they trust him with their little lives.
He's the one who is all alert to everything, and he'll call to them if they get separated from him when I'm working in the pen. They frantically run around in a little hen clique, trying to get next to him.
I'm glad I figured that out, because when I went out after dark to see if they had figured out their routine for the night, there they were in a little huddle on the ground. Not the best situation. I quickly discovered that when I approached them with a flashlight, they would just sit there mesmerized. So I decided to pick up the little fella first and pop him into the straw-filled nesting box. Yup...he didn't jump back out looking for the others as I suspect a hen would have done, but instead extended his neck and called to them! One by one I popped them in and they were so happy to snuggle down with him into that straw!
So now, we're about to discover if we're cut out to be chicken farmers. They won't start laying for quite some time, and when they do there'll be these little bitty eggs, as these are Bantam chickens. I remember my parents had these little Bantee eggs, and I only remember that the yolks were a richer color.
So if the kids can get used to that, we'll do alright. And if we can handle having to tend to them in the cold of winter. And if the critters don't get them. And if we can set them up well for when we want to go away for a few days. And if the chicken feed doesn't offset any savings we realize on eggs.
They're really too little to eat, for all the work involved in butchering them. So maybe we'll end up naming them after all. If we end up keeping them, right? They seem to have cuteness going for them...or is that just something about me and all my little pets? Oh...did I say "pets??" (Shhhhhhh)
I think those chickens will turn out to be pets. : )
Chickens are lots of fun to raise, but I think that the roosters are just to noisy!
We had one at my Grandmother's when I was a kid. He always got under my window to crow at 5 in the morning.
Pam
I love chickens! My favorite of all livestock. My kids used to tie up the hens on a leash and take them around the yard. We had a banty hen for one purpose--to hatch out our other hens' eggs.
Oh, chickens are fun, fun, fun! They are care-free livestock. But yes, the banty eggs are almost too small to be useful. But fun, fun, fun!
They are so cute! I've wanted to get chickens for years but we can't have them here in the suburbs. Hm, between your gardens, your chickens, and your cats, I definitely want to come live at your house! Oh, and it would be great to meet you, too! ;)
I loved your cloud pictures. So gorgeous...
I laughed so hard at your latest Todd Wilson cartoon. That sums up what's going on at our house these days... :)
Indeed they are cute chickens! I love the story you told about the rooster. We have a rooster, too, but I didn't know that the chickens would look to him for protection or follow his call.Perhaps I haven't been observing them as closely as you have.
We are new at chicken farming, too. We bought a variety of types (I really don't know their official names). I think we do have a few that look like yours. When we bought them, the cutest ones were the little yellow ones. They looked like they came out of a story book. Now, they are huge (bigger than any of the others) FAT, and (sorry) ugly! I am guessing we will get some VERY big eggs from them. Their so fat they can hardly walk!
And your right about the food cost. I have really been surprised how fast they go through that. It costs me about $10 to feed them, per week. Perhaps I won't be saving any money but maybe the eggs will be more nutritious than the grocery store variety?
It's been kind of fun, just the same.
Antoinette
Do you know Plain Jane? If not, you just have to go to her blog. She has chickens among other animals and knows a lot about them. Yours are so neat. I've see this power roosters have first hand at Conner Prairie. It's pretty cool.
Jenn
ohhhhh how neat !!! Next year we will be building our chicken coop. My MIL ( who lives next door) and my hubby who grew up with his mom having chickens will be helping me getting our chicken farm going. We will pick a breed that is a dual chicken. Good for eggs and meat. We have agreed that we will allow them to name one chicken and it will be a pet. Other than that NO names. lol
Keep us posted on your adventure with your chickens. I love reading the story of your sweet chickens. [0=
Sending you blessings and ((HUGS)) my SSiC
In Him<><
-Mary
To "think aloud" about whatever strikes me at the moment. Married to Bob, my philosophical, artsy scientist! We were church planters in France, are in our 15th year of homeschooling, have 11yr and 20yr old sons and an 18yr old daughter. We do homeschool sports, band and choir. My greatest joys in life have been from seeing God work. We have an awesome God, and I've seen Him do awesome things.
A Favorite Artist
Bouguereau
Some Favorite Scriptures
"A new command I give you:
Love one another.
As I have loved you,
so you must love one another.
By this all men will know
that you are my disciples,
if you love one another."
John 13:34,35 (NIV)
Then he stretched himself out
on the boy three times
and cried to the Lord,
"Oh Lord my God,
let this boy's life return to him!"
The Lord heard Elijah's cry,
and the boy's life returned to him,
and he lived.
I Kings 17 21,22 (NIV)
Be merciful to those who doubt;
snatch others from the fire
and save them;
to others show mercy, mixed with fear-
hating even the clothing
stained by corrupted flesh.
Jude 22,23 (NIV)
The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands, they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood - idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. Revelation 9:20,21 (NIV)
COLLEGE TEXTBOOKS
Introducing the New Testament by John Drane
A Harmony of the Gospels by Robert L. Thomas and Stanley N. Gundry
Exploring the Gospels and Acts
(workbook)
The St. Martin's Guide to Writing by Rise B. Axelrod and Charles R. Cooper
The African American Experience by Joe William Trotter, Jr.
Communications Principles
for a Lifetime Vol 1 by Steven A. Beebe, Susan J. Beebe,
and Diana K. Ivy
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Living High and Letting Die by Peter Unger
Relationships by Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott
Just for fun:
Sonlight History with Josiah:
A Child's History of the World
Hillyer World History
Usborne Time Traveler
Usborne Window on the World
Spraggett The History News Explorers
Johnstone Geography Songs
Audio Memory Also Studying:
Mystery of History 3 Abeka: God's Gift of Language A
Orton-Gillingham (Phonics Program) Math-U-See
Apologia Astronomy
Choir
Band
Guitar
Drama
Soccer
Basketball
Reading with Josiah:
The Chronological Gospels
~~~~~~~~~~ The Book of Daniel ~~~~~~~~~~
Recently Read with Josiah:
BIBLE READING:
The Book of Genesis
~~~~~~~~~~
The Book of Exodus
~~~~~~~~~~
The Book of Job
~~~~~~~~~~
The Book of Micah
~~~~~~~~~~
OTHER GOOD READING:
Dirk's Dog, Bello by Piet Prins ~~~~~~~~~~ The Call of the Wild
by Jack London ~~~~~~~~~~ The Story of Robin Hood
by Robert Leeson ~~~~~~~~~~
Gladys Aylward
by Janet & Geoff Benge ~~~~~~~~~~ The Secret History of
Tom Trueheart by Ian Beck
~~~~~~~~~~ Marven of the Great North Woods
byKathryn Lasky ~~~~~~~~~~ Life in the Ice Age by Michael and Beverly Oard ~~~~~~~~~~ Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes ~~~~~~~~~~ Shadow Over Mousehaven Manor by Mary DeBall Kwitz ~~~~~~~~~~ The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
~~~~~~~~~~ Eragon by Christopher Paolini
~~~~~~~~~~ Eldest by Christopher Paolini
~~~~~~~~~~ Julius Caesar
and
Antony and Cleopatra from Shakespeare's Stories
Histories retold by Beverley Birch
~~~~~~~~~~ The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
~~~~~~~~~~
A Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
~~~~~~~~~~
The Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli
~~~~~~~~~~ The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
~~~~~~~~~~ The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
~~~~~~~~~~ The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
~~~~~~~~~~
Recently Read or Reading:
The One Year
Chronological Bible by Tyndale (not all in one year)
~~~~~~~~~~ Epicenter by Joel Rosenberg
~~~~~~~~~~ Fear No Evil by Natan Sharansky
~~~~~~~~~~ Fighting Terrorism
by Benjamin Netanyahu ~~~~~~~~~~ The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
~~~~~~~~~~ The Nazi Officer's Wife
An Autobiography by Edith Hahn Beer
~~~~~~~~~~ Gods and Kings thru Among the Gods
(Chronicles of the Kings Series) by Lynn Austin
~~~~~~~~~~ Fallen Angels thru Earthly Vows
(The Millwood Hollow Series) by Patricia Hickman
~~~~~~~~~~ 90 Minutes in Heaven
by Don Piper
~~~~~~~~~~ The Vanished Library A Wonder of the Ancient World by Luciano Canfora
~~~~~~~~~~
The Cat Who... (Mystery Series)
by Lilian Jackson Braun
~~~~~~~~~~ Blue Like Jazz
by Donald Miller
~~~~~~~~~~ The Other Daughter by Miralee Ferrell ~~~~~~~~~~ The Bourne Identity The Bourne Supremacy
The Bourne Ultimatum
by Robert Ludlum ~~~~~~~~~~ A Crack in the Edge of the World by Simon Winchester ~~~~~~~~~~ The Guns of Navarone by Alistair MacLean
~~~~~~~~~~ Green Mansions
by Henry Hudson
~~~~~~~~~~
I Dared to call Him FATHER by Bilquis Sheikh
~~~~~~~~~~
Never Give In
The Extraordinary Character of
Winston Churchill by Stephen Mansfield
~~~~~~~~~~ The Zion Chronicles by Brock and Bodie Thoene ~~~~~~~~~~ Love and Respect
by Emerson Eggerichs ~~~~~~~~~~
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Friday, July 25 9:57 PM Aw! Too Cute