Yet another "first" in my journey of being a chicken farmer.  Shakey, one of the Silkies, got trampled in the rush to the feeder this morning.  So being a good mama, I picked up Shakey to console her.  And she proceeded to poop AND pee on my leg.  Ew.  There was no time to do laundry before work, so I've got some smelly laundry downstairs and for once it can't be blamed on a junior high boy.

I've been letting the chickens do a little free ranging in the afternoons.  As much as I'd love to have them free range all the time, there are hawks and eagles by my house (eagles in January), plus several of the neighbors have dogs that will come over and visit.  I have no idea what Max is, but Rudo and Ellie are Rhodesian Ridgebacks.  Translation - biiiiig dogs.  My doxie Hershey can walk under Ellie and Ellie is only about 5 months old. 

Sometimes when I let the chickens out, a neighbor dog will wander over and we'll have what a call a Dog Drill.  I put myself between the dog and chickens and tell them to stop while I'm herding chickens to the door, which I always keep wide open.  They seem to understand when Mama wants them in the coop and they get in there pretty quickly.  Forte stands by to help herd and Hershey growls at the dog.  Say what you will about little dogs but Hershey is apparently a Rott trapped in a dachshund's body when it comes to "her" chickie babies.

They seem to be handling the heat fairly well.  I heard of another local chicken farmer who lost 300 chickens due to the heat so I should be grateful we only lost Bakey.  Those chickens probably didn't have someone bringing them watermelon and frozen veggies when the temps were up. 

It's kinda interesting, I'm starting to lose interest in eating chicken - the kind from the store.  I think of those big old factory farms and how those chickens don't get to run amok outside like mine do.  That's not to say we're ready to start raising meat chickens!  But I think it's time to start getting more of our chicken from the farmer's market than the grocery store.  Logan asked me a few questions about raising chickens for dinner.  He seemed somewhat ok with it.  I told him that chickens don't live too terribly long and it's nice that they can have a good life while they're alive.  So maybe in a few years...maybe.