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feathers and chicken feet

The girls are growing. They change every single day. Mostly they're loosing their fluff and growing feathers. But I cannot believe how quickly this happens. Feathers literally grow overnight.

We got our chickens from a woman named Theri who sells fresh eggs as well as baby chicks. I feel so fortunate that we found her. I wrote to her about how the chickens seems sort of restless in their box and she emailed right away explaining that they would go through a stage of being kind of spazzy. That they're teenagers now and will be a bit flighty no matter how we've spoiled them. And that they get restless too because they do a lot of itching when their feathers come in. It was helpful to know. We've exchanged many more emails and I'm learning so much.

If you're considering ever getting chickens, I highly recommend Theri. Her email is: prairiechickpoultry@gmail.com 

Here's Butterscotch Cookies. Look at how she's growing! 

And now, for a chicken confession:
I have this funny thing with the chicken feet. I can handle the flapping, the pecking and the pooping. But I guess I sort of have a fear of chicken feet. Talons, if you will. I can't look at them when I'm holding the chick. I can obviously have them touching me. They're soft and sort of tickle but if I look at them while holding the chickens, I freak out a bit. As in, Ivar comes running asking, "Mama, are you okay?" And Rory asked if there was a crow in with the chickens because apparently that's the kind of sound I make when I look at the chicken feet on my hand.  They're sort of wormy to me. Reptile like. And I have a real fear of reptiles and... worms.

Anyway, it's silly. In my head I can recognize how ridiculous this is.  But in the moment I pit out a bit and have to look at something other than those little feet resting on my hand.

So now you know. I am phobic of talons. And the reality I am trying to wrap my head around is this: they are only going to get bigger.

3 comments:

Marisa said...

Hey Becca,
We have chicks a bit older or the same age as yours. We put perches made out of some thin pieces of wood. The chicks love flapping up to them and sitting and walking on them. It might help their behavior and is suppose to help them from pecking on others.
Marisa

Marisa said...

Hey Becca,
We have chicks about the same age as yours. We put perches up in our box. They are just 2 long thin pieces of wood. They like walking, sitting and flapping up on them. It's suppose to help with their behavior and keep them from pecking at each other due to being bored.
Marisa

Anonymous said...

Wow! They are huge; just like our ducks! Legos and Zumbrota are still pretty cute, but Almonzo is a little..... interesting-looking. (if you know what I mean;)
Can't wait to see them soon!
-Josie