OUR CHICKEN HISTORY AND FAMILY LINES

MARCH 1ST, 2021: FIRST CHICKEN ACQUISITION FROM TRACTOR SUPPLY

EIGHT TOTAL CHICKENS (ALL BANTAMS):

ORANGE CHICKENS OF THE WORLD UNITE

 CAN CHICKENS BE RACIST?

Today we put "Puffy-Doo" one of our fluffy white Silkie  roosters into the aviary with the four Golden Comet ladies. Our original intent was for two of the ladies to be for Puffy and two of the ladies for Punky our little Silkie rooster with the mammoth personality. We expected fireworks between the white Silkie rooster and the four orange ladies. What we saw was shocking. One by one the ladies did something they never do, they went into their house and left poor Puffy all by himself in the aviary. The ladies turned their backs on the poor little guy and left him. They made it clear, they don't like him.

THE "GOLDEN COMET" CHICKENS COME TO P2 WILDLIFE AND ZOOLOGICAL PARK

WHO HERE LOVES CHICKENS? WE DO!

Sunday, November 29th, 2021: The park curators (aka Mark and Mary :-) visited the Funky Chicken Farm in beautiful Melbourne Florida. The purpose of this visit was to vet four female hens for mates with our definitely funky roosters, Punky-Blue and Puffy-Doo (aka Dusty). These two roosters have been forced to live alone because they can't stand any other roosters near them. They are definitely lonely so our goal is to find them girlfriends and hopefully, love and friendship.

BANTAM CHICKENS 2021 (AND PEAFOWL AND SNEETCHES ;-)

Here it is, 14+ minutes of video from the P2 Wildlife Sanctuary and Zoo. Our first little chickens came here when they were only two days old back around March 1 of 2021, now look at our menagerie. The peafowl come and hang around begging for treats every time we have the little chickens out for exercise. Enjoy!

PUNKY BLUE, the Window Chicken

We have 22 gorgeous Bantam chickens (hens and roosters), and it's hard to pick a favorite (although we tell each one that THEY are the favorite...).

 

But recently our bachelor rooster Punky has started hanging out with me and Mark on the window sill by the kitchen area.  He will just chill and watch us and listen to us for an hour or more each time he visits.  When the other bachelor roosters like Orangey go on walkabout, they don't visit us (or really even care about us).  But Punky likes me and Mark... so he gets LOTS of chicken love points for that!

 

We love just chillin' with our absolutely Punk Rock rooster Punky. 

Anna on the Colored Tiki

Very rarely does our anhinga, Anna, come to visit us this close...   But today she decided to grace our painted concrete tiki with her beauty.

FLOCK 3, FRIZZLE AND THE LOVE BIRDS

Note: links to our other chicken posts at the end of this post.

 INTRODUCING FLOCK 3, A HYBRID OF FLOCK 1 AND 2

We did not know what we were doing when we started our chicken adventure. We purchased eight "Straight-Run" Bantam chicks at Tractor Supply. 

WHAT DOES "STRAIGHT RUN" MEAN?

It means you're picking from whatever sex birds you get, no way to tell when you buy this way. We ended up with four roosters and four hens, that is three too many roosters for that number of hens.

MARILYN LAID AN EGG

Our Flock #3 is living in the screened-in porch. Fritz (the rooster), Marilyn and Little Tom. 

Today we heard the "Egg Song" coming from the porch, all three of the chickens were very excited and talking in strange voices. Marilyn was proudly singing the song. It was her first egg. We're so glad everything came out ok. 

Lyrics to the Chicken Egg Song:

Ba GOK! buc buc buc buc buc, Ba GOK! buc buc buc buc buc

MORE BABY CHICKENS, FLOCK 4

Our favorite chicken supplier (My Pet Chicken) had surprise availability on these ultra cute, pre-sexed little hens.

We got two Polish, two Porcelain and two Easter Eggers.

Welcome "Flock 4"

They shipped to our post office overnight, around 2:15pm we got a call, we dropped everything and ran to get them. Mary already had the brooder box all set up. Everyone appears healthy and happy. They were tired and thirsty. They spent the first couple of hours peeping and looking around their new home then they got underneath the Mother-Hen brooder for a little R&R. 

Alligator Morning

 Mark and I had the "oh nooooo" moment earlier today when we looked out the window to see an alligator relaxing on our beach.  Note the pleasant smile...

He stayed long enough for me to take a photo of him and a video, then launched back into the water.  We haven't seen him in a few hours so we are HOPING he left.

The video below captures the dramatic (and extremely fast) launch back into the pond. 

 

MEET "PUFFY DOO"

Her full name is "Puffy Doo", can you guess why we named her this?

This bird weighs about 1.5 pounds. Her size is all feathers. Underneath there is a very small little chicken. She has a very sweet personality and will sit in your lap if you pet her gently.

Puffy is a silkie bantam, she has blue skin and five toes per foot. 

HERE'S RAVEN

He's big (no he's not), he's fat (under 2 pounds), he's the king of Flock-1. It's Raven!

Flock-1: Raven with his ladies, see how small Dutchess is?

 

Flock-1 babies

MARK AND BLACKIE

We love wearing chickens, it's what we do "out here" on the farm. Here's Mark and Blackie out for a walk. See how happy she is?

Blackie is a female bantam Cochin chicken, she weighs about 1.25 pounds

FIRST EGG

AUGUST 3, 2021

White egg is from Dutchess, aka "Skunk"

White egg is #1, standard brown chicken egg for reference

Our smallest and most unique chicken, Dutchess, was the first of our chickens to lay an egg. We estimated August 2nd would be when they were capable and she delivered.

The day started with her running back and forth by the door to Castle 1. There was lots of singing too although it sounded a bit more like laughter. All the chickens were talking and making similar sounds as the fated moment approached.

We happened to be out in the yard and had flock1 and flock2 out for playtime. Dutchess retreated into their coop and after more singing proudly emerged. 

Mary checked the coop and retrieved the egg for this photo op. After that we were conflicted about what to do, we finally decided to put it back in the coop.

UPDATE - AND THEN THERE WERE THREE

The chickens showed no interest in incubating the egg(s) so we brought them in. Fresh eggs are protected by a special coating, they can sit out on the kitchen counter for a month without spoiling.

HERE'S DUTCHESS

Glamour shots of our little over-achiever. Her personality is massive even though she weighs less than a pound.

Flock-1 Babies (for reference)

THE "I JUST LAID AN EGG" SONG

CRANK UP THE VOLUME

Apparently it is a thing chickens do when eggs get laid, they all join in and sing this little song. Watch Dutchess emerge from the coop and let out a series of triumphant squeaks, she's got the highest voice, the one that sounds like a squeeze toy :-)

BYE. BYE RACCOON, SHOULDN'T OUGHTA EATEN OUR CHICKEN

 This raccoon has been coming here for a couple of years. She was cute and adorable until one day she decided to eat Joe, our rooster. Mary looked out the window and saw Joe in the raccoons mouth. With a shriek she ran out and broke it up. With a cedar board in hand Mary tried to beat the raccoon senseless but in terror, it got away, up a tree.

We had this animal trap for a couple of years which we bought to trap a raccoon that was living in the eves of our house. Fortunately he left. 

Mary brought the trap back to life. She prepared carefully and we got to see "Rolli" the raccoon walk in and become trapped the morning after Joe almost lost his life. Rolli was transported to a new home turf miles away from P2. She was very glad we did not kill her. 

Here are the last known photos of Rolli. Good bye ass hole!

Mom and Baby Wood Ducks Playing 7-2-2021

 

 

 

Ringo Playing 6-27-21

 We caught Ringo in one of his playful moods this morning, and he put on a show for us.  We love Ringo!

 

 

Rainbow over P2

 Mark and I were out feeding the panfish after a gentle rain the other day, and he looked up and said "WOW, Rainbow!"  This was one of the most perfect and bright rainbows I've ever seen, and it was a full arc across the western sky.

Pool Pump House Redo

 

 

 

 

 

Three Mangoes on Two Mango Trees

 Mark and I LOVE mangoes, and one of my goals for P2 has always been to have mango trees.  I've bought and planted about 6, but only two survived:  Tommy Atkins and Valencia.  Both were planted in 2017, and this year they had their first mangoes.  I figure that since it's year one for fruiting the fruits may not make it to maturity, so I'd better get some pictures now.  

Today's mystery bug....  I have no idea who this grasshopper is :D

Peep a Peeps Visit on Mark's Birthday April 16th

 We had about 20 black bellied whistling ducks today - April 18th.  But on Mark's Birthday 2 days ago (4/16) we had about 100 of them.  I call them peep - a - peeps.  They battled, yelled, and sang for Mark on his birthday.

I wonder every year when the peep a peeps arrive on their migration, and I can never remember.  This year, the large flock arrived April 16th.

Baby Ducks!

 You know it's going to be a good year when you see a mother Florida mottled duck with her babies in our beautiful pond.

 Last year - 2020 - was a very odd year (in so many ways)...   the papayas produced zero fruits, and we had no baby ducks.

 2021 is a very good year.  We have the positive omen of baby ducks, PLUS 18 baby chickens (awwwwww).

Moving Panfish from P2 to Neighbor's Pond

 

This is one of my favorite all time videos....  from Jason doing his cast net spin, Mark being "lid man", and me grabbing fish and kerplunking them into the buckets...   it's perfect.  And the look on the huge tilapia's face after his flip at 5:17 :D

 

 

Anhinga Eats a Fish

 

Update On Fruit Trees as of March 12, 2021

We're nearing the end of winter here in central Florida, where it's 77 degrees F right now.....  It's the perfect weather to go for a walk around the five acres and experience the beauty, and to check on all of the delicious fruits and vegetables growing.  My goal has always been to have fruit on trees outside, covered with fruit, ready to taste, and it's been challenging to find the right trees that flourish here.  I've had some successes, and all signs indicate that 2021 is going to be a good growth year for the fruit trees.

Mr Pea and the Ladies

 Here's Mr. Pea showing off to the ladies, trying to win their favor.  In March, this is a daily occurrence...   and he looks his best.  The display is perfect, the dance is elegant, the feathers are unbelievably blue and green and hopefully the ladies are impressed.

And the daytime racon, stealing black oil sunflower seed treats behind Mr. Pea's back :D

Mr. Pea (AKA Top Male Peacock) Preening his HUGE, Majestic Feathers - March 11, 2021

 Mark and I were just sitting here in the kitchen pond viewing chamber, and suddenly Mr. Pea spread his amazing feathers and started grooming.  I had to capture the glory of his fluffy feathers since they are in a state of absolute perfection.  They grew in this winter, and since we've had a drought and essentially no rain, they are showing zero signs of damage or wear.  Enjoy!

Mr. Pea (AKA Top Male Peacock) Preening his HUGE, Majestic Feathers - March 11, 2021

50 Pound Banana Bunch!

 

New Duck - Gadwall!

 We were enjoying watching our mallard duck of the day (We call them all "Mel"), and we noticed his lady friend is different than the usual mottled and mallards we see every day.

The new duck is a Gadwall....   she's very pretty!

I didn't bother to try to shoot a picture, but here's a Gallard.

https://www.purelypoultry.com/images/gadwall-ducks_01.jpg

 

I hope we see more of these delicately colored ducks!

Ringo Eating Out of my Hand

 Ringo woke up STARVED today... he sat on the window sill staring at me. So I knew he was hungry enough to perform and eat out of my hand today :D