A few calendar month ago , Will and I revisited with friend and farmers Megan and Jeremy , just a couple 60 minutes up the coast from us in the diminished townspeople of Lompoc , California . Tucked in a canyon north of Santa Barbara , on 40 acres of old - growth forest , they run a humanist poultry farm , organic farm rack , and local CSA operation calledDare 2 Dream Farms .
Those of you who ’ve been show my blog for a while may rememberthis office from nearly six years ago , when I bring home my original flock of three spunky ladies .
After thedevastating loss of our Barred Rock this preceding fountain , we knew we needed to bring home some new associate for Iman , our Golden Laced Cochin ( and the only continue biddy from that first mountain ) . And we knew there was no other place we ’d rather turn to than Dare 2 pipe dream for adding to our fledge family .
Plus , we had n’t picture Megan and Jeremy since that initial sojourn and were mad to see how they — and the farm — had rise !
Now married with an adorable yearling and a beautiful young baby , Megan and Jeremy have expanded from a fledgling family cognitive process to a full home on the farm that include full - time employees as well asWWOOFvolunteers . Everyone is involved with various projects on the farm , from hatch unexampled skirt and design and build chicken coop ( which they trade on their land site ) , to planting the veg gardens and preparing menus for farm - to - table dinner parties .
I found this lovely video on their situation and I think it tells their story much well than I can . ( If you ’re take this post in a newsreader , click here to view the video . )
Even with all the extra hands and new outbuildings around the farm , Dare 2 Dream still felt like the same place we remembered : fond , homey , peaceful , and yes , full of glad , peppy chickens !
Will and I had in the beginning decide that we ’d bestow home two new pullets , but once we have there , I fell in sexual love all over again and changed my mind to three ! We followed Jeremy into the hen house where hundreds of chickens of all sizing , gloss , and breeds were milling about . We did n’t have any particular breeds in mind , just that we want sizeable , friendly , and docile chicken that would get along with Iman .
After several minute of us pointing out this bird and that snort , Jeremy scooped up three pullet that seemed right for us . How he could tell that one was more laid - back than the other was beyond me — it was a mad house every meter he went for one ! Chickens run for and wings flapping everywhere .
The girls we chose were all around 15 weeks old , and just as we did before with our first flock , we nestled the unexampled chickens into a composition board box draw with pine shaving for the drive habitation . ( That box seat was also their first few dark ’ accommodation while we prepped the new temporary henhouse — I ’ll cut through those details in my next post . )
Without further adieu , run into our newfangled starlet !
Harlowis a Silver Laced Wyandotte . We thought she ’d be the alpha in this group , as she was the spunkiest and most stubborn . She often tried to vanish off when it was fourth dimension to gather into the coop the first couple week ( hmm , kind of reminds me of my tot ’s resistance to bedtime right now ) , but she ’s really mellowed out in the last calendar month and is sweet as can be .
IloveHarlow ’s coloring , which is so strike I can spot her from across the thou . Silver Laced Wyandottes are the original motley of the Wyandotte breed , which was develop in the 1870s . They acquire to become large , productive birds , so it ’s no wonder that Harlow was the 2nd biddy to start laying .
She move over us suave , small brown nut several time a week , but now I ’m wondering if she and Ginger are share the same “ nest ” in the corner of the run . I put that in quotes because neither are using the actual nest box in the cage , and I ’ve seen them both sitting in a cosy little jury-rigged nest in the Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin , where eggs would cryptically come along by and by in the Clarence Day .
Gingeris our fortunate Sex Link . Sex Links are cross - breeds of two inheritance purebred chickens , and are appoint for the power to differentiate their sex at hatching ( by color ) . Ginger is the most affectionate and societal of the three , having warm up up to us as presently as we brought her plate . She ’s gentle and easy to plow , but I do n’t get the feel that she ’s the down in the pecking order .
In fact , I have n’t quite figured out their pecking edict yet . It seems like Harlow and Ginger are the two pea plant in a seedcase , and Greta and Iman are in charge as they ’re slightly larger in size of it . ( Iman , by default , is headway hen because she ’s also the oldest ) .
Gingershouldbe laying by now , but since I have n’t catch her in the number yet , I ’m not sure if some of the brownish eggs I ’ve find in the chicken run are hers . There ’s also the theory of a secret nest somewhere in the scurvy yard where they roam . ( alas , this lower grounds is also the weediest and uncivilized part of the property , so finding anything down there is a challenge until our ending - of - time of year clean - up . )
We recently chance on a surreptitious nest overflowing with a clutch of Greta eggs , seven in all ! And so the hunt continues for stray eggs .
Last but not least , we decide to get another Easter Egger and are so glad we did . ( Our first onepassed aside a few years ago . )
Greta(or as Will like to call her , Garbo ) is a duo weeks older than the other girls , so she was the first to start out set and her eggs are a beautiful pastel blue . She ’s a fecund stratum , giving us four to six ball per workweek , and right on now they ’re so cute and midget that they really do await like Easter ball !
Of all the chicken , she seems to be the most rum and fearless . She ’s perpetually explore Modern territory , pick and scratching at the ground , and keeping the sess population under control . ( badly , this girl can consume ! Must be all those eggs she ’s repose … )
The other chickens screw to follow her tether because they know she ’ll sniff out the good material in the railway yard , from the in effect patch of dandelion and wood sorrel to the hidden pile of decaying bark with all kinds of glitch and chuck squirming underneath . Greta is a prime illustration of why chickens are so bully to have in a garden !
The newfangled flock has been settling in well these last four calendar month , and most importantly , they ’ve enter out their place with Iman , who often watches over them as they roam , almost like a female parent hen with her babies . She ’s a gentle and efficient head biddy , and we ’re so happy for her to have a tribe again .
( By the way , so many of you have enquire about Iman since the plan of attack , and I give thanks you for thinking of us . She did n’t lay for two months , but has now recoup 100 percentage . Her combing has full heal and she started laying her lovely , speckled , pink - touch testicle again . Such a braw and resilient little lady ! )
