Introducing Baby Mouse. You may remember her as this little thing ...
Baby Mouse has achieved full grown hen status and started laying eggs for me a few weeks ago. I'm using the term "for me" very loosely here, because the closest she's ever come to doing anything for me is when she very much on purpose, tried to pluck my left eye out. Repeatedly. After jumping in my lap for attention. She's kindda out of left field that way. She'd make a terrible service animal. For one thing you may start off with a mere anxiety disorder when you get her but you'd end up missing 2 eyes, part of an ear, definitely some soft cartilage and suffer from PTSD.
She sure lays some pretty eggs though.
And luckily, I can still see them. A few more lap dances from her and you'll have to describe them to me by pressing your finger into the palm of my hand and drawing them.
Yeah. You can see the danger in her eyes.
Baby Mouse is what's called an Olive Egger. It isn't a breed per say, so much as a mix of 2 breeds that have unique qualities. One of its parents is a dark egg layer and one of its parents is a blue egg layer. Put them together in a motel room with a heart shaped nest and what you end up with are a bunch of little chickens that will eventually lays olive coloured eggs. It's all basic colour wheel stuff.
Baby Mouse comes from Ameraucana (blue egg laying) lines and Copper Marans (dark, dark brown egg laying) lines.
Which means I now have hens in my coop that lay dark brown, blueish/green, bright blue and olive coloured eggs. They're produced by my Easter Egger, Cheez Whiz, who lays blueish/green eggs, my Copper Marans, Mabel and Josephine who lay dark brown eggs, Sweetie who lays bright blue eggs and now Baby Mouse who lays her olive coloured eggs.
Not pictured are the eggs from Sweetie who has gone on egg laying strike; a very common affliction for hens in winter. I'm not entirely sure of the science behind it but basically hens who don't lay eggs throughout the winter stay here in Canada while their ovaries take off to play horseshoes in Palm Beach.
Baby Mouse. The man eating chicken. Such poetic irony for such a pea brained animal.
And such a big breast if she ever tries to blind me again.
Thandi
Baby Mouse you gorgeous beastie! She really is very pretty.
Birdbird the cockatiel is "affectionately" called Schnitzel and The World's Tiniest Chicken Sandwich. The budgies, Dot and Dash, are collectively known as The Nuggets. Girl birds: the most precious and evil of all creatures.
Gina
*giggle*
Karen
Hey Thandi ... um ... have you read Monday's post? ;) ~ karen!
Thandi
I MISS ONE POST AND IT'S THE BEST ONE EVER?!?!!! Let the celebratory samba commence! *squeals with joy at a pitch only dogs can hear*
I am so excited I may have to pee.
Sherry in Alaska
Phtttt ...........Face it - chickens are evil - just like goats. They are useful but evil. Just look at their eyes... So it's a trade - food & care in return for eggs or milk (if you're dealing with goats - which you're not of coarse but just in case you ever do). Never should you expect anything more. And never should they be approached without proper protection. I suggest a baseball bat. Grab those beautiful eggs and get the hell out of danger!
Merry Christmas to you and the girls, eh!
PS: Only full on purple! No nasty eggplant near me.
Karen
Ha! ~ karen
Nancy Blue Moon
That is one scary looking chicken....but the eggs are very pretty!
Mark
I enjoyed this article more than watching Babe Ruth knock one out of the park on YouTube!
Paula
My two aren't very 'friendly' either, but they sure are pretty. They are both definitely still so very skittish! They are bigger than my other 'plain' chickens but they still act like they are half the size of the others, lol. As they aren't yet laying, I still call them 'the babies' among other names, but 'Fric and Frac' are the names that seem to be sticking :)
Karen
She'll sit quietly in my lap and isn't skittish at all Paula. She's just ... ornery sometimes, lol. If you're desperate for eggs I'd suggest using a light in the coop. If you already have one in the coop make sure it's set to be on for 15 hours. No less. Set it to come up early, early morning, as opposed to running late into the night. So say, 3 a.m. - 6 p.m. ~ karen!
Raymonde
She really looks pissed! She just might hate winter...
Mindy
She looks friggin' cold to me. And she definitely has crazy mom eyes. Not that I would know anything about that.
Mark
Threatening your chickens!?!?!?! Does it work?
Melissa
She's a sweet little beauty, but darn if she doesn't have that crazed look in her eyes! That "come hither, but beware" look.
I guess unless you have an affinity for eye patches, or pirates who wear them, you might keep her at arms length. Even though, she does look like you could just hug her sweet fluffy self....just don't. Aye Matey!
Karen
She's so nice sometimes though, lol! She doesn't even move an inch when I go to pick her up! Most chickens either run away or wiggle and shift at the very least. :/ Oh babyyyy. ~ karen!
Catt in Kentucky
Perhaps some chicken-handling goggles from Santa? Body armor? Love those jewel-like eggs ..so artful.
Lisa
That's definitely a "tanty" coming on - her expression is priceless. You have snow! I am so so so jealous. Currently 35 celcius here - hot and sticky with a "monster" storm needed to break it (our storms comes out of nowhere with a "whump" then it's gone again and even more humid). Enjoy those wonderful feathered girls and have fantabulous Christmas. You deserve it. x
Ardith
Fantastic photos, Karen.
I'm sorry to hear that this pretty "baby" has evil maiming tendencies. It just goes to show you cannot judge a fowl book by its cover. Cheers and Merry Christmas, Ardith
Maggie Van Sickle
I love the colour of the eggs and the fact chickens are affectionate slays me. Who would a thunk?
Bobbles
Oh, she's beautiful! But with her beetled brow and evil eyes, I'd only visit her while wearing safety glasses!
Jan
yes, she has murder in her eyes. They're orange, afterall. perhaps she needs to meet a frozen brethren to understand that she has a choice as to where she ends up.
Louise
LOL! I can just see Karen standing out in the chicken coop with a frozen chicken carcass, showing it to the chickens while yelling out threats. Her neighbors will be calling the guys in white coats with butterfly nets!
Jan
It's cold enough to just leave one out on a table for them all to contemplate.
Cruel perhaps, but I wouldn't want the rest of them to get any ideas.........
Jackie
She's beautiful - and dangerous.
Tracy
But she looks so sweet!
Grammy
Safety goggles. I know you have some.
They are beautiful eggs. Be a shame if you couldn't see them.
Becky
I've often threatened my girls when they do something I don't like...something along the lines of "pot pie" "chicken noodle soup" just as a reminder.
Laura
She is very pretty!
Jen
I was going to say the same thing! What a looker.