Day at the DC Zoo ~

 DS wanted to go to the DC Zoo for his birthday.

Last time it was winter and barely any people there.
Not so this time... my goodness...  it was well... a Zoo!
Way to many people.
Also managed to get the last Scooter.

DS enjoying the Birds.  

I would love to have an aviary like this.

This photo was taken indoors, with a weird black netting in front.
Surprised it came out.

Peacock found a childs cracker by my scooter, poor thing thought I was was the one with the treats...
He was trying to sweet talk me into more.

For being the Nations Zoo, they are far behind other Zoo's like San Diego... even the Tacoma Zoo in WA.

Another thing I saw... 

 I was the only one with a re-useable water bottle.

Everyone else, ok, all the adults I saw, bought bottled water.
In the NW where I went, everyone had re-useable water bottles.
I did get a lot of people looking at me, every time I used my water bottle.
Hope I got a few thinking. 
Its a little thing to do, to help save our planet.

 

Blue Berry muffins ~

Decided to bake, since it is too hot out side to do anything.

 Blue Berry Muffins with sheep yogurt......
Blue Berries are from Oregon.

They look orangish because of the bright orange yokes my free range chickens produce.

Chicken Update ~

The Blue Wheaten Ameraucana's are slowly growing up.

Above is a Rooster.
Below, Roosters an Pullets.

I moved them in with the Crested Cream Legbars, as I want to raise them together.

One Crested Cream Legbar,  seeing what is up my pant leg. LOL

All have top knots... 

I have never had a breed like the CC Legbars.  

Is like a Three ring circus .. LOL... 

I can't feed, without one crawling up my body to sit on my hat, have one hanging off my hair, two on my arm and I look.. two materialized into the food bucket I am carrying. 

Trying to just to pour the food into their feeder... wooo boy....

DS loves them of course.

Below are my very small d'Anver Bantams, 2 very nice d'Uccle Roosters and a few white and lavender Ameraucana bantams.
Will only be raising the d'Anvers and d'Uccles next year.

Dexter, is going to be a super, nice Golden Neck d'Uccle. Will pair him

with the d'Uccle Porcelain hens this spring.

This is Remi,  a very nice d'Anver Quail Bantam rooster.

Raised Hen House finished~

Mostly finished the raise Hen house.  Few more things need to be done to it, but its good enough to move the last batch of chicks out of the house.

Double doors on front, one for the birds and the other so I can open and clean the inside.

Crested Cream Legbars seem happy.

For the first time in nearly a year,  there is no playpen in the front room.
First it was for Rose, and then the last batch of chicks.

Now, there are just lots of cat toys and space. LOL Is nice to be able to walk through the living room.

Building a Raised Hen House

DH is making a 8' by 4'  Hen house.

Mostly from scrap material we have laying around.

 Will use it to brood out older chicks that have feathers but still to young to go in the Hen house with the Big hens.

And next spring use it to pair off the chickens I want to raise.

Little over half done. And will need the help of a couple strong backs to move it where it needs to be.

Hopefully we can get it done and out this weekend. 

As much as I love my chickens, I want the last batch out of my house!

Crested Cream Legbar chicks, feathered out enough to go outside.
Once we have a house for them.

Wheaten Ameraucana's ~

 Update on my Wheaten's.....
Think the last time I posted about them, they were

fluffy baby chicks.

I think they are blue Wheaten Ameraucana?
Or is it just first feather coloring?
Either way, I don't care.

In the group shots, can see a big difference between the two Roosters and the Hens.

They are really friendly too. LOL  Very helpful with everything I do.

Roosters have the dark blue feathers and the Pullets are the light colored ones.

New Belgian d'Anver bantam pullets~

This is what greets me every time I step into the Bantam shed.

They are a combo of my full sized Wheaten Ameraucana chicks, the white and 

Lavender Ameraucana bantams, and some d'Anver bantams.
DH and DS helped me put a small hen house yard up, this morning for the Bantam shed, so they have a little more room.

The new Belgian d'Anver Pullets.  

They figured out the frozen water jugs right quick!
Heat index of 111* today.

Not quite sure about things but doing well.

2 Blue hens,  1 Blue Quail pullet, 1 Golden Neck pullet and Millie pullet.

The Blue hens are a little older, so their muff and beards are much fuller.

Is really nice to have a few more hens... now I am up to 10.

Blue hen right, Blue Quail middle front, Golden Neck back left, Millie on the left.