Hen Party

Yesterday we gave three of our three-year old red Sussex hens to a local Landscaper to use in a chicken tractor for his company. His plan is to move the tractor from site to site, allowing the hens fresh grass and allowing them to fertilize the area. It looks like a good set-up, secure from predators and will hopefully make a nice new home for the girls.

Still, there is definitely a little sadness at splitting up our hens, especdially some of the first ones we ever raised (2009). And anyone who asserts chickens have tiny brains is only partly correct; their brain might be small but they certainly knew what was going on yesterday when the three hens were being moved out. I'm just glad they're not going to someone's soup pot; glad they will enjoy their new digs together while they live out their lives.

We still have 23 chicks (8 or 9 week old Rhode Island Reds), 7 white Leghorns, 2 "Miller's brown" (both the leghorns and miller's brown we raised in 2010), 4 red Sussex (including Broody and Blindy), Rosebud and Buddy, our hen and rooster we hatched out two years ago from a Sussex and Auricana/? cross. A total of 38; more than enough for a hen party!