After our beautiful hens were killed a few weeks ago, we knew the Chicken Palace that Sherod had given me for Christmas simply did not provide the safety and security the girls needed.  About 10 days ago, Sherod designed and began to build a much sturdier new home–maybe not as pleasing to the eye but more functional, bigger, much, much safer.  It has a pull out tray at the bottom which will make cleaning it easier. The rest of the time, the tray will be latched in place.  There are a whole series of improvements and upgrades like that but mainly, it is that this is a project built in the language of Sherod’s love.  We’ve pushed and pulled a bit around some of the details and in the end, I am left in awe of his skill and his willingness to give all this time and effort.  Last night, I went out and hung the flipflop lights I had gotten a couple of months ago and had never actually put up.  In the dark, they create something close to a chicken wonderland since the lights attract all kinds of tasty bug morsels for our chickens’ dining pleasure.

Fort Yolk–all it needs is a chicken friendly machine gun turret on the roof to be absolutely safe!

What our first girls taught us has helped Sherod build something magnificent!

And the flipflop lights just make the place!

At 6:30 this morning, I got the call:  “Miss Rosa, this is a courtesy call to let you know your biddies are here at the Lowndesboro Post Office and you can come pick them up as soon as you are ready.”  I signed for the little box alive with movement and peeping, got back in my car with the heat on at full blast and brought our new little girls home.  We have 7 this time around: 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks, 2 Americanas, 2 Buff Orpingtons, and 1 Lavender Orpington.  They melt my heart. Again.  After we lost our first set of girls, lots of folks suggested we not name any other chickens we might get.  I can’t not give them names–some of their names are Swedish and some are Colombian /Latina names this time around: Britt, Pepita, Mechas, Bengta, Elin, Mafaldita, and Freja.  The Plymouth Rocks are Britt and Mechas, the 2 Americanas are Pepita and Freja, the 2 Buffs, Mafaldita and Elin, and the Lavender, Bengta.

All hungry, all bunched together

Little Bengta

I sighed more than once, re-reading the instructions for biddy care.  A few times a day, you have to check each one’s be-hiney for poop matting/clumping.  Any sign of that and you have to wipe that little butt with a soft, damp cloth, and use a toothpick to finish unplugging her. Otherwise the peep will die.  It’s like having to change diapers all over again and one is so relieved when that part of child or chicken rearing (no pun intended) is done.  Starting over, all I want to do is sit and stare at those new babies…