A Baker’s Dozen

This morning my elated family awoke to a phone call from the post office.  A special and long awaited package arrived for us today.

Its contents?

23 baby hens!!

Darling Violet could hardly wait to tell her kindergarten friends about her new pets.  We won’t be keeping all of these girls.  Ten will be loved by another poultryphile, my aunt Sheila.

So, we end up with a perfect 13…sometimes referred to as a baker’s dozen.

Consequently, we are naming the girls for baked yummy goodies (which of course all recipes call for eggs).

These are the new gals so far.  I will attempt for more poultry portraits in the next couple of days, before these kids enter the “jurassic” stage…

I had a few run-away chickens during their photoshoot and I admit I’m a bit afraid one will disappear under my piano.

It’s going to be hard getting my work done today, with all that adorable peeping going on (their box is five feet from my desk.)

Life is good.

Trifle is a Speckled Sussex she and her sister are so far the quietest and calmest of the chicks.  It will be interesting to see how they mature and if they stay calm and friendly.

Quiche is Silver Cuckoo Maran.  These birds originally from France lay a very deep dark brown egg and are sometimes referred to as “chocolate layers.”

Little Cream Puff is an adorable and  feisty little thing.  Her breed is Columbian Wyandotte.  These are really cool looking chickens.  In our previous flock we enjoyed the beauty and curious nature of our Wyandottes.

The cupcakes are Silver Laced Wyandottes.  In our “Fairytale Flock” we referred to these hens as our “Cinderellas.”  They are a bit timid as pets, but absolutely stunning to look at.

I have to admit, I’m really exited about these Cookies and they might be my favorites of the flock.  These baby hens are Buff Orpingtons, a beautiful hearty blonde breed that is a great egg layer and a wonderful pet.

Although, since they originated in Britain, I may have to call them biscuits…

Violet’s favorite hen, Marie Antoinette, indeed the “queen of the coop” was a Buff Orpington.  R.I.P. dear Marie.  She was part of our original five ladies and the first victim of the mink.

Meringue is a busy busy chick.  She was the first one who decided it would be fun to run off my paper during the photo shoot and head for the “hills” aka under the piano.  She is a White Plymouth Rock hen.  She will grow up to look like “SnowWhite” from our Fairtytale Flock.  Adam and I aren’t crazy about white chickens, but our little chicken whisperer Violet insisted.