New Kids on the Flock

Listen up everybody if you wanna take a chance.
Just get on the floor and do the New Kids' dance.
Don't worry 'bout nothing 'cause it won't take long.
We're gonna put you in a trance with a funky song,
'cause you gotta be
Hangin' tough, hangin' tough, hangin' tough.
We're rough. 

We have some newcomers to the Edgewick Farm flock of chickens.  The fab-five are Buff Brahma Bantams. Brahmas are supposed to be the 'gentle-giants' of the chicken world. However, these are bantams, so they've been miniaturized, so they may be a bit more frisky, or perhaps have a touch of Napolean complex. One thing is certain though - they're buff and they're hangin' tough.

They are growing up in a corner of the chicken-yard, separate from the big birds. I am not sure who is a hen and who is a rooster yet, so for now, their names are tentatively Donnie (Dawn), Danny (Danielle), Joey, Jordan and Jonathan (Jonna). They're very cute and very smart - they have already figured out how to get out of their coop in the morning and back in at night. Really, it's the little things that count when it comes to chicks.

My main flock of chickens has held steady at 7 over the winter. We have:

• Kip the White Leghorn Rooster
• Fannie the Sicilian Buttercup
• Camilla the White Silkie
• Mergatroid the Russian Orloff
• Holly the Barred Plymouth Rock
• Brigit the Rhode Island Red
• Kendra the Rhode Island Red

I love my rooster Kip. I'm happy he turned out to be friendly - if not, he would have become some French food dish. Kip takes care of his girls and waits until the sun has really risen before doing his cock-a-doodle dooing. 
 

The flock, pecking around in the herb garden

Kip and Fannie, hanging by the bird bath in the lavender garden. Note the New Kids in the background and their little corner-of-heaven

Mergatroid the Russian Orloff playing hide and seek behind the Sage Bush

Kendra and Camilla

Mergatroid stealing the spotlight from Kendra

His Highness, Kip

 

Kip loves his girls

Uh, what's that?

 

Scott! It's Del'Mar Scot - the well-bred 12 y/o Border Collie who has a strong resume of working cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo, llamas and geese. His job now: head poultry dog.

Every old retired stock dog should have his own flock of chickens to work everyday.