We had a blast of arctic air this past week ... our first real taste of winter this year. Temperatures dropped into the 20's. Yesterday, a wintry mix fell from the sky ... some snow, but mostly freezing rain and ice. It didn't amount to that much, but was enough to ice over everything, making travel treacherous. Road crews were prepared, spreading salt and sand on main thoroughfares.

Still, there are plenty of opportunities for slipping and sliding this morning, especially on bridges, back-road, and shady spots. Temperatures are expected to be above freezing by mid-day. Mother Nature will make short work of cleaning up mess this through the power of natural thaw.

The garden is tucked in under protective fabric row covers. The chickens are cozied up in the coop. All is well.

Oh, No-o-o-o!

My favorite Ameraucana fell victim to one of the resident hawks this afternoon.

Number One and First Lady shared the top spot of the pecking order. Number One is the hen that would come right up to me, tilt her head one way or the other in order to give me the eye, while seeming to declare, "You ARE giving us some fresh water today, right?" or "The feed is getting a little low, you know." I knew exactly what she was saying!

I'm sorry that she suffered this end and sad to see her go. She will be missed in the chicken yard. RIP Number One.

This is a Hawk Attack

WARNING:  Not for the faint of heart ...

 ... a big pile of feathers ... the back is pecked out ... the head is missing ... one of my girls is dead ... dadgum hawk ... and where was the bodacious guardian of hens?!

Salad for Lunch

Bo

Bo-Roo-Guard, a.k.a. Bodacious Rooster - Guardian of Hens

Bok Choy!

The egg carton is full again!

As the length of winter days dwindle, so goes the egg production. At or about the time of the winter solstice (December 21) the number of eggs found in the hen house drops to zilch, and remains at that level for up to two weeks.  This is a very inconvenient timing as holiday cooking and baking increases the need for eggs!

Artificial light may be used to encourage continued egg laying, but we don't routinely use it. There's no source for electricity at the barn. Unless temperatures drop severely, to the point of requiring heat in the coop, we don't fool with running extension cords.

After the first week or two of January, eggs are back on the menu. This year, the Ameraucanas were the first to resume laying. The Dominiques were not far behind. Then the young red sex links began laying their first eggs. Their eggs are a rich, chocolate-brown. Combined with the light-brown eggs of the Dominiques and the blue-green eggs of the Ameraucanas ... the color palatte is quite lovely!