Twelve Days Of Chickens...Katherine

Both (or at least one) of our Plymouth Barred Rocks have just started laying and we have gotten about six eggs. One egg a day for six days in a row. We hadn't been able to determine whether they were taking turns laying or just one was doing all the laying. But this morning. I had taken warm oatmeal to them and wanted to  check the egg boxes while I was out there. I lifted the top and, oops, Katherine was in one of the nesting boxes laying an egg! So, we know she is one that is definitely leaving us eggs.  In honor of Katherine, today's post for the Twelve Days Of Chickens will be about her!

Still in their delivery nest

Beginning to get her wings

Katherine is the sweetest of all our chickens - I've heard nothing but positive comments about BR's.  I would highly recommend the breed to anyone but especially  someone just starting off in their chicken keeping adventures.  When they were newly hatched she and her sister Audrey were solid black puff balls, with tiny smudge-like spots of white on their heads.  The difference in the white smudges was barely discernible but, as any good mother would be, I was able to tell them apart. Their beaks also had slightly different black markings on them.They were just a few weeks old when finally named but we knew without a doubt who was Katherine Hepburn and who was Audrey Hepburn. The names are spot on for who they were named after!

Teenagers

Katherine has never been shy but she did let Audrey take the lead or a long time. Until after their 'teenage-ness' they pretty much stayed close to each other but if one would stray the other would go check on her. 

 

Katherine, to the left, eating oatmeal

Now that they are older they don't stick together as much. When they're out free-ranging Katherine is usually the one tearing up the compost pile with Julie. Or hiding in the garden, scratching and eating whatever is there. I usually know where Katherine will be if she disappears from the flock. Lately its been by the back steps digging up ever last bit of grass…down to the dirt and bits of gravel and sand. She spends forever working on this one 'getting-very-bare' spot. I wonder if there is something only she can see? Chickens have a much better vision than humans  and even see a broader spectrum of colors than we do, so…who knows what any of them really see.

Katherine is a big girl now - laying eggs, running off confidently on her own AND when it's time to come back into the run  she doesn't fuss too much about it, especially if she knows I just tossed cracked corn into the run!

She's a sweet girl!

Liz-