Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Pet Cemetary 2


Ok. I have to tell you something. I don't know a thing about chickens. I am sorry if you feel misled, but it's true. I like to WRITE about them. But evidently I don't know how to actually keep them alive. Much less alive and laying eggs. And if they do lay eggs they do it in hiding. Never in the nesting boxes. Honestly...I buy my eggs at Safeway. I treat my chickens like royalty, and then go spend $4.00 a dozen on free range, organic eggs at the store. Some of you are so sweet as to write me and ask me questions about my chickens. It's hard for me not to respond with my own burning question....

HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR HENS ALIVE?!

This week alone we have lost three chickens and a rabbit. (And I LOVED Edward the bunny. snif...)

Stephen King should base his next novel here. It's that freaky. And the chickens never just fall over dead. They insist on doing it slowly. To torture me. I don't have a hen house I have my own little morgue. We have a cemetery  with little ROWS and a grounds keeper.

Our hen house is clean. The food and water are fresh. They roam and play and run through sprinklers. There is no good reason why they should die. I have one right now looking a bit wobbly. I guess I have no choice but to take her in to Dr. Berry and have him run some blood work. I have to know what the deal is. So far Chick Magnet 2 is happy and healthy. But he could go at any moment. I am tempted to close up shop.


My friend Shelly has great luck with her chickens. In fact, she sent me a picture last week of one of her hens that had just hatched DUCK eggs! Sheesh!

My chickens could never pull off hatching CHICKS much less ducklings.

Am I loving them to death?

6 comments:

  1. ok, first I am sad that this is how I am first mentioned on your blog.... secondly, you may need to neglect them more. I forget to feed them, their water is usually green, with little baby insects hatching in it, and their house is...well really stinky. So there it is. They need less attention. I am really sorry to hear about Edward too, Aidan will be too. Give Autumn a hug from us.

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  2. have you done any research on backyardchickens.com? i think they are local(ish) to you. they've got great forums there. someone may recognize the symptoms/outcome.

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  3. I think I have to let it run it's course, and then start ALL over....

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  4. I second Shelly's comment... ignore them a little bit and they will thrive. As soon as you decide you don't want chickens anymore... they will live forever - and probably start multiplying!!!

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