
My chooks are older and fluffier now. I still suffer from CIA but at a reduced level, probably 5 out of 10 on the ‘CIA Scale of Discomfort’. This is down from 9 out of 10, so from a clinical perspective I have improved significantly. From my perspective, it’s still a pain in the butt.
I fear the only way to eliminate my CIA is to have no chooks. But I have grown fond of my feathered hens and I won’t get rid of them. They live for about 9 years so I’ll have to cope until they have gone to that great free-range farm in the sky. God doesn’t eat caged-chicken eggs!
I have five fabulously outrageous Chinese Silky hens. They are soft, docile critters adorned with lovely pompoms. Silkies are a great bird for the novice poultry keeper and are terrific for ‘tame’ children aged 6 and over. They lay little eggs weighing 40 grams. This means you will need a little teaspoon to fit in your soft-boiled eggy. If you are a horrible person and desire to eat a Silkie you will find the meat to be entirely repulsive and dark in colour.
My chickens are Pompadour, Snowy, Vegemite, Miss Eagle and Henny-Penny. Pompadour, the most arrogant of the hens, has the finest pompom. Snowy is a pure white hen and Vegemite is the colour of yeast extract. Miss Eagle is a suspected impostor having no pompom at all. I was running out of names when I got to Henny-Penny.
These chooks live the good life. They free-range all day and put themselves to bed at dusk. Sometimes I top up their dry food with fresh greens or, if they are really lucky, worms from my worm farm. As a result, when I open the gate to the backyard they go crazy with love and run towards me. This makes it all worthwhile. At night the door is shut securely on their coop. The fluffballs sleep snuggled up against each other.
PS. I have a confession to make. Due to my CIA (totally irrational) I just can’t bring myself to eat my feathered friends’ little eggs. But that’s OK because everyone else does and when we have too many eggs we trade with the neighbours, who give us seasonal produce. Everyone’s a winner. And yes, I am told, free-range, organic eggs definitely taste better.
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Note: A repost of a story written a couple of years ago (Tessa is sick with a cold and I haven’t time to write 😉 )
I love the names you have given them 😀
Chicken soup for Tessa, perhaps? And that’ll cure your CIA as well, Gabe
Only joking, only joking – feel better soon, Tessa 🙂
hahaha – it’s ok, we are not vegetarians bluebee (we just don’t like to eat our friends 😉 ) Michael is feeling a bit off now – so that’s just terrific 😦 never mind.
Your difficulty with CIA has made me reconsidering the purchase of this source of eggs not matter how sustainable it might be. 😉
haha – please see Stafford’s comment slpmartin 😉
Vegemite! Classic chicken naming, Gabrielle!
Thanks Kate – I love to name things 😉
How could anyone give away gifts of free range eggs, laid with love by such adorable little riends???
And to Slpmartin, CIA is rare and is not contageous. Buy yourself one Rhode Island Red for each family member. They are tough, fecund and wil eat anything, the ultimate garbage busters.
Then if you do not have the sort of neighbours that would not understand the need chooks have for a rooster enough to ignore its announcement that dawn is nigh, buy a dozen fertilized eggs and let one hen raise a clutch! A hen and chicks is a delight and you will averae six rooster chicks. AT about five months, shapen the axe and fill the freezer with the best free range chicken you will ever eat! E-mail me for instructions.
PS Take no nothce of any reply GB might make to this. She is unwell.
x#$%^&*(@!@#$%#@$# Stafford #$%^&@#*&*%$#&*%^ 😉
Pompie cannot help if she’s arrogant — it must be soooo difficult having the prettiest pompom in the chookery! But all your ladies are so lovely, each a charmer. I’m glad the CIA is leveling off. That sounds like wonderful progress. If only the rest of us could cure half our craziness!! Kudos to you, Gabe, and the Silkies, and hope Tessa is already on the mend.
She cannot help but be arrogant, you are right Aletha 😉 She is also a bit of a youtube star with over 2,000 hits on her video – haha. Tessa is still a bit sick and Michael is a lot sick, but I’m sure they’ll be better by the end of the week – let’s hope so as it is Tessa’s birthday on Saturday (9 years old would you believe it – mama mia).
enjoyed re-reading this Gabe. Hope Tessa is better soon, G
thanks Graham – she is on the mend – hope that baby of yours arrives soon 😉
Lovely post, Gabe, hahaha! Hope the family is well.
Thanks adeeyoyo – both kids are sick now, but they’ll be better soon I am sure 🙂
I’ve seen lots of different hens, roosters and such but never a “chook”, Gabrielle. They must be native to Australia and I find them simply adorable. Thank you for sharing!
haha – my Chinese Silkie chickens are from I know not where (chooks is just what we Aussies call any chicken) – maybe China 🙂 They are adorable and quite affectionate in a chooky type way Renee.
Could they be more adorable? I sincerely doubt it. Hope the kids are better now !!
They are both better now, thanks Selma 🙂