Spring And Poultry...

Some of my new landscaping has shaken off Winter it seems...

Especially the Cameo Scarlet Quince!

Pretty little things!

Meanwhile, the annual Shearing Of The Chicken Dignity has swooped down upon the chickens.  Dirty looks abound.

They actually got off light this year as I've honed my chicken butt shearing technique and they don't look *quite* like they've been attacked by a rabid blind woman with hedge shears.

But hey, we have fertile eggs!

Jellybean isn't convinced I'm done however, and keeps her butt firmly up against the wire to ward off further indignities.

...and gives me some fierce 100 proof Kraienkoppe Chicken Glare to seal the deal.

Meanwhile, Fran and Silver, two of the 14 year old ladies who don't have to worry about such things any more, dustbathe in the sun...

...while for mysterious reasons known only to her, Tingle stands there fascinated with her foot.

Hopefully broodiness is ramping up for Chickam.  Here, Bubbles attains Chicken Zen and practices her 1000 yard stare.

But Pie remains skeptical of the golf ball Broody Boosters.

In the end, the golf balls were carefully and dutifully tucked under themselves by each hen and happily sat upon.

Spring Is Here...For Today, Anyway

The weather warmed and the wind died away for one day, so I freshened the dustbathing tub with lovely fresh dirt for the chickens.  Linc and CM jumped right in.  As they sifted the dirt and small rocks came to the top I'd grab them out and discard them.

Daphne joined them...

Rocket didn't so much climb into the tub as fall in.

Meanwhile, Fran the Frizzle was having her own brand of fun by accosting Weedcat, who was snoozing in a sunbeam, yanking on his cape and comb, stepping on his head and generally being an obnoxious old lady.

Back at the tub, Burger joins CM and Linc, who are apparently going for a World Record in dustbath camping.

Little known fact:  Your flockmates make great goodie/dirt sifters.  And double as a handy table!

CM is ousted from her spot by Burger.  Happiness is being covered in dirt, though.

CM avoids the Burger issue by jamming her head under Linc.  IF I CAN'T SEE YOU YOU CAN'T SEE ME.

Surprisingly, this seems to work.  Linc is puzzled, however.

...and once Burger leaves the Dustbath Twins have it to themselves again.

...until Weedcat decides that it's his turn.  When the Head Roo goes dustbathing, it's always SRO.

CM and Linc wisely decide that they are done after all.

And Weedcat gets down to some serious dirt throwing.

More big hens stuff in.  Good thing I bought the large size tub.

Zip demonstrates her dirt throwing technique.

...and she and Weeds have a little friendly dirt-throwing competition.

Crack climbs in and messes up the entire procedure by stuffing under Weedcat.

But gets it together pretty quick, becoming a beak rest for Zip..

Weedcat by now has attracted so many hens that he is ousted and decides to sunbathe next to the tub, where Bug does her best to annoy him by tugging on his cape & comb.

'Are you dead?  Are you dead?  Does this bug you?  Hey, you dead, big guy?'

Meanwhile there is a line forming at the tub.

Zip is falling into a dustbathing coma.

Bug continues in her quest to get a healthy fed-up rooster peck.

Eventually Bug bugs him enough and he rejoins the girls in the tub.

I just wonder why it is always the biggest girls who insist on all trying to cram into the tub with Weedcat at once.

The more crowded it is, the better they like it, silly chickens.

...And Chicken Bliss

After a tough morning's work of handing a hawk its ass, what better way to unwind than a good dust bath?

At least Phoenix thought so...

Of course, God forbid he get a moment to himself to relax, he immediately had hens crowding in with him.

Fran, the buff Frizzle, was being especially obnoxious, stepping on his head and pulling his tail. Phoenix, of course put up with it gracefully but did shoot me a long-suffering look.

They just kept coming until he had quite the adoring hen audience.