More things I want to tell you

Yesterday, when I was telling you the things I wanted to tell you, I started talking about chickens.  And, as you well know, I almost always want to talk about chickens.  For a long time.  And it just...it just seemed like the post was getting a little long, so I decided to tell you more of the things today.  It's really just the Hazel show today, but, you know.

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I thought I might have been imagining it, but about a week ago, Hazel, who was then 14 weeks old, and had no business submissively squatting, nevertheless, submissively squatted.  And then she did it again a few days later for Bubby.  As a refresher, generally when chickens start squatting, it means they're a week or less from laying eggs.  Based on her size, it wouldn't surprise me, but her comb isn't anywhere near where it needs to be for laying.  I guess we'll see.  I'll keep you posted.

Speaking of Hazel's size, her feet are bigger now than all three of the bigs' feet.  Or should that be all six of the bigs' feet?  (depends on if we're modifying bigs or feet)  Regardless, Hazel's feet are bigger.  It's no wonder she's so clumsy.

Speaking of Hazel laying eggs, part of the reason we got a Calico Princess was because according to the feed store from which we ordered this batch of chicks, they're supposed to lay white eggs, and we wanted a little more variety in egg color.  But then I was looking at another hatchery's website, and Calico Princess was listed in the brown egg layers category.  Yet another website said Calico Princess lays cream colored eggs, which is close enough to white.  But then I found the website of the original breeder in Czech Republic.  Well, I think it was the original breeder--the breed was named something else, but the picture was the exact same picture I've been seeing all over for Calico Princess.  And that website says the eggs are brown.  I don't know what to think, although I do know what to hope.  I'll keep you posted on that, too.  According to the breeder website, median age of lay for both Sapphire Gems and Calico Princess is 23 weeks.

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Continuing with the Hazel show, we set up a bigger, higher roost for the littles, because they had outgrown the ladder they had been roosting on at night.  Except now Hazel doesn't seem to know how to get up to the roost.  It's the same height as the bigs' roost, and Hazel has no problem getting up there--she just has a problem staying up there because Esther or Toasty peck her until she gets down.  It's the same diameter as the roost in the run, and Hazel has no problem getting and staying up there. I just don't know what the issue is.  I've been trying to make it easier for her by putting the ladder nearby for her to climb, but she just doesn't seem to get it.  So every day since the new roost went in about a week ago, I've lifted Hazel up to the roost.  But she doesn't go quietly.  She panics.  Wings flapping, beak squawking, she ends up on roosting on my hands, and then steps down, none too gracefully, to the roost.  Every single time.  Such a production.  At least she stays there.

And, I think that's all I have for today.