Latest Posts

My New Chook: Prim

By 08:09:00 ,


I have a new addition to my chook family. She is actually an early Christmas gift from my granny. It started because I decided I would go to the monthly chook auction to have a look as what was there. But just as I was leaving Granny said that if something there caught my eye I could buy it as a Christmas gift for myself. Who would say no to that!


There were a lot of boxes of birds there! And a few rabbits too..... As soon as I saw the three stripy chook I wanted them, well one of them. I thought about getting a few of the ducks and some other things, but they went up to high. But I got Prim. I think it was actually a lorikeet that sold for the most, around $60 for just it... the other thing that went up over $50 were three guinea fowl in a box. They were so noisy, and I heard someone else wondering why anyone would want something that made such a loud dreadful noise, and I might add, almost constantly for half an hour... or longer.....



She was sold as and I though she was a Plymouth Rock, as that is the only breed I had heard of that looked like that, though I was rather sure they did not have rose combs like her. Afterwards I did a bit of research and found out that she is actually a Dominique hen. Which it fine by me..... I only wanted her because she was so pretty. 

I have found a problem about her being 'pretty' though, it turns out that 'pretty' also blends in with the dappled light, leaves and sticks under the bushes in the yard and she can be SO HARD to find!

Apparently Dominiques are meant to be fine in extreme weather, and considering the heat wave we had the other day that is good! And they also don't need to be fed a lot of food, again, great. They are also winter layers, which is just what I need.



Prim has laid an egg every second day since I got her, which I am rather happy about. And they are also very small which I take as a good thing, because it means she must be young still. I was kinda worried she would be a useless ancient hen. But she isn't, and she is also slowly getting less scared of me, and is not being picked on quite so much by all my other hens. This was the first time I have introduced a lone hen into my flock. 

It was kinda funny to see two of my other chooks ganging up to pick on her. Those two are by no means at the top of the pecking order. They are just two white, Araucana hens, not all that old either, and smaller than Prim! But they ran around with their heads stretched high in the air cornering poor Prim and pecking her. All the other chooks mostly ignored her, unless she came to close, but those two white chooks were plain evil for a day. I had to spend a while searching before I could find Prim to lock her up that night. She had laid herself flat under some leaves of the mulberry tree that touch the ground and also around behind some junk that is in the yard. 


I was only going to photograph Prim, but Sweet-pea (have I ever written her name before????) kept sicking her head in the photos and almost pecking the camera.


Almost like she was saying "Look at me! Look at me. I'm pretty too." She is so old now, that she is pretty useless most of the time. But I am getting about one egg a week from her at the moment.

And Pippi or is it Microsoft..... I am not sure which one this is. Yes I named one of my Australorps Microsoft...... You see I got her as a chick and she was small and fluffy..... micro and soft.... 


Any other chook lovers out there?
What breeds have you got?

,

About the Author

Clare Farrelly is a professional photographer. She is an Australian and lives in NSW Australia. In her free time she likes to read, do random crafts or sewing projects found on Pinterest, journal, write articles and stories. Most important, she is a daughter of the living God, saved by his grace.

You Might Also Like

6 comments

  1. jordan sky4 December 2015 at 09:34

    We used to have Buff Orpingtons (I have no idea if that's spelled right), but they all turned out to be roosters. So we...um...ate them. lol. We're hoping to get more soon (that'll actually end up being girls).
    Your chickens are all so very cute!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Clare4 December 2015 at 15:32

      Hope you have more luck with your next lot!

      Delete
  2. Anna5 December 2015 at 22:25

    She is so cute! I couldn't stop thinking of "The Hunger Games", though, when I heard her name. ;)
    ~Anna
    https://the3musketeerssite.wordpress.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Clare6 December 2015 at 08:02

      Yes.. well she is kinda named after that Prim, at least that is where I got the idea for the name from.

      Delete
  3. CG @ Paper Fury6 December 2015 at 20:23

    Omg Prim is entirely gorgeous! My sister has chickens...and her children terrorise them so much I will be surprised if they recover from PTSD enough to lay. 0_0 They've been raising them from tiny chicks and they're just all plain...average chickens I guess?? Yours are totally more pretty. xD

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Clare7 December 2015 at 08:00

      Thanks! I don't often let my little siblings terrorize them... but it happens. I raised a few of mine from chicks, others I bought and still others my hens hatched.

      Delete