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.
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We'll email you this post, so you can refer to it later.
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.
Phyllis Kraemer
Love the colours!
Linda in Illinois
Beautiful bird and eggs. What happened to the other babies? Did I miss one of your posts? hummmm Interestingly enough, when I comment on a post, it goes a little wonky too as in Alena's issues.
Have a great Christmas Karen !!!
Sandy Z
Those are some beautiful eggs!!
Kathleen
When we had one barred rock, one rhode island red, and a beige thingy of sorts, I kept them in line by naming them: Baked, Fried, and Barbequed.
Betty
I have the same problem,really annoying.
Alena
Hi Karen,
A quick question - have there been any issues with your hosting server lately? It happened to me several times that when I try to read (or reply to) a post, the page starts spontaneously scrolling back up to the very beginning and the last two times I posted a comment it did not make it through (although I didn't get any error). The last time this happened was when I read your previous post; among other stuff I asked where you got that nice black wrapping paper. I checked today if there was an answer from you so that's how I found out my post went pouf.
(I will not hold it against you personally).
Merry Christmas!
Karen
Hi Alena! I haven't been having any issues with my server. Not that I've noticed anyway! I remember answering your question! But you're right it seems to be gone! I know you asked it and I answered it. Let me go check if it somehow got put into the spam folder of comments. (not by me but somehow automatically??) ~ karen!
Karen
Hi Alena! I just checked and your comment is still there. It seems to have something to do with your IP address. You seem to be using 2 different devices (or at least 2 different IP addresses) when you comment. And you're apparently only having trouble with the one acting up. The only thing I can suggest is clearing your cache on all of your devices? ~ karen!
Alena
Thanks Karen,
This is interesting. It's the same laptop but I use it both at work and at home.
This is very helpful - thanks for looking into that.
Allison
She's so pretty, even if she is a little schizo. Also: I love that she has feathers that look like mutton chops.
ronda
well, that certainly isn't a come hither look, is it! definitely beware for you might loose an appendage!! but, as others have mentioned, gorgeous eggs from all the ladies.
Merry Christmas! ?
MaggieB
Maybe she needs some thick soled thermal bootees to keep her tootsies warm....? Hysterical post, not about you loosing your eyes of course because that would just be tragic for my Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and beautiful styled photos. Did you make the straw nest inside first? Have a fabulous Christmas Karen and thank you SO much for another wonderful year.
Jo
This is one of the reasons why I am terrified of birds! I made a terrible poultry farmers wife. It was a very dark period of my life. Your a brave woman for raising them.
Kristin
I went out to lock up my chickens last night (we haven't had them such a long time), expecting them to be sleeping as it was 9PM. They heard me talking to the dogs next door (because they were barking their fool heads off), and they all came out of the coop to see me! Now, I do realize they were just expecting treats, but it warmed my little heart to think they were excited to see me ❤
Karen
I know, they're teases like that. They don't care about us at all, lol. Just the treats. ~ karen!
jainegayer
Hazmat suit to protect your whole body cause that little lady's got mean eyes. But oh those gorgeous eggs!
Leslie in Hampton
So pretty and so evil muhaaaaaaa.
Julie
That's one chore you can cross off your to-do list...dying Easter eggs! They're beautiful!
Karen
I know, eh? They're perfect looking Easter Eggs. :) ~ karen!
Janet
Don't let Baby Mouse invite you to a "blind taste test" of which colour eggs taste better.
Ev Wilcox
She is, after all, one smart chic. As long as she gives you pretty eggs she is safe from the skillet! And not laying in winter is not unusual, and she knows it. So she will withhold till spring and innocently begin laying again, always hoping for another shot at those glistening orbs! Ah well, crafty birds are part of the grand scheme, yes?
Beth Lawton
I'm curious if she is also aggressive with the other hens? My experience with this kind of behavior is that she thinks you're another hen and is just trying to be the top of the pecking order - get you in line, as it were! Or even (especially?) if she is lowest in the pecking order, you might be her last chance to be in charge of another hen. They are bizarre creatures but I am sorely tempted to get them again (had to rehome my auracanas and buff orpington before we relocated 3 years ago).
Happy Solstice - celebrate the light!
Karen
Thanks Beth! There's something fun about it being dark by 4:30 at night, but ... I'm over it, lol. So yes, bring on the sun. I think Baby Mouse is probably just young and she definitely thinks I'm a chicken. She loves sitting with me, but definitely wants to keep me in line, lol. It'll stop I'm sure. ~ karen!
Maureen Locke
I think she's beautiful and don't find her eyes to be evil at all. We once had a beautiful grey German Shepherd with eyes the same colour and he was the most gentle of animals... at least to us. Perhaps she just needs more human contact... maybe she just thinks you're "using" her for what you can get... huh?? Ever thought of that. Perhaps a pair of safety glasses and a little more lap time might be in order for poor Baby Mouse. :) ( how the heck can I add emoticons to my replies?? )
Maureen Locke
Oh, I see I just did. The tongue sticking out one doesn't work though. :p
Louise
She looks lovely against the snow - very artistic of you! And your photos of the eggs are very interesting, but I'm dying to see a bright blue egg - you'll post a photo when Sweetie starts laying again, right?
Jani
Wow...what a little pecker head she is!! She should be more kind to the person that feeds her!!