A year on and the hybrid hens are all grown up, if a little scruffy looking (they’re currently going through a ‘mini moult’). Have you noticed how big their combs are now, compared to last year? Especially the Coral hen, Fleur, her comb is so large it flops over one side of her face, covering one of her eyes.
Occasionally, a gust of wind lifts her floppy comb up high into the air!
It’s taken a while for Fleur and Hermione to get used to me, I cannot pick them up yet but I can reach out and touch them without feathers flying everywhere, occasionally I get a disapproving peck on my hand. Ouch! These breeds are known to be ‘flighty’ (they certainly are timid birds), having always kept rescue hens I’ve never experienced this with chickens before, ex-caged hens are not usually nervous of people for very long which is quite surprising really.
They’re all good layers, particularly Ginny and Fleur, hardly ever missing a day. The next photos are especially for Melissa Aldana, probably Myrtle’s biggest fan! (well, apart from me of course).
I was looking at a plot neighbour’s week old chicks this morning. xx
They are beautiful hens. What I learned from keeping chickens is that they all have different personalities. They make lovely pets too.
Superb detail in these photos.
Beautiful chookies! healthy happy and dare i say posers! moults are always a tad awkward aren’t they…hehe ..the girls i am chicken sitting are having a big moult (as we enter winter soon) and they look very much bedraggled,they are slowly going off the lay for awhile and i love this,they get a break…:)
I’ve just fallen in love with Myrtle, in these last pictures… :-)
What a beautiful girl.
Real beauties.
What happy looking hens! :)
Lovely chickens! We have one reliable layer and one highly strung individual :D
They’re all lovely. I’m very envious, it is a dream of mine to have chickens! They all look so healthy and happy, a credit to you and to free ranging I think.
pleased to see them doing so well Karen, Myrtle is a beaugt and my Bella’s doppelganger – she spends ages preening, dust and sunbathing and cannot resist a look at herself in the mirror (installed in the coop, don’t worry!!) speckledy has gone broody again, gets it very bad and turns into Henzilla, although have found the standard, but by no means plain, ranger is the most reliable and friendly one of all. agree with fozzie, sometimes i wish theywould have a break from that egg producing.do fancy a columbine though looking at hermione!!
I also have fallen for Myrtle. Do you know what breed she is? I’m just starting to research chickens because we are now ready to house them, I think.
Myrtle is a hybrid, most often known as a Bluebelle in the UK but there are other name alternatives. She’s not actually blue at all, more of a deep slate grey. Some birds will be lighter or darker, sometimes with brown areas.