I strolled by the chicken coop and lo and behold, there, nestled in the straw, was AN EGG. Shock.Disbelief. Joy. Jubilation. Celebration. At long last, I have confirmation that my hens can lay. Due to this recent event, I have formulated a theory on my hens laying habits.
Yay!
Right now its the middle of winter here, and my hens have only become old enough to lay a month or two ago. (Aside from the two that are probably too old now. ) I believe that my hens only lay in warm weather. This past week has been lovely weather, in fact, it feels like spring. Birds are nesting, flowers are budding, and all our neighbors’ roses are in full bloom. Quite recently we had a partial lunar eclipse, which is usually a spring or summer thing. I think that this past warm weather has fooled the nature around us to believe it is spring.
But alas, such things do not last forever and its currently pouring rain. I think the hens will stop laying for now, until the real spring. But nonetheless, it is a cause for celebration!
The eggs aside, there is another pressing matter I must share.
We bought a new guinea pig!
Meet Big Chungus, the large, healthy albino guinea pig we bought a week or two ago.
Big Chungus is my personal guinea pig, hence the absolutely meaningless and ridiculous name.
I’m unsure of its gender, but I think we’ve all subconsciously decided that Chungus is male and Rainbow Dash is female.
I have also recently began trying to sell all my non-breeding budgies, since I really only need my breeding pairs. My cocketiels are all healthy and happy, and are enjoying the toys and treats I regularly give them. My chickens are also bursting with health since I have been giving them extra mineral supplements. Their feathers have never been so soft!
In conclusion: All is well!
However, I will keep you updated about the egg situation!
What a blog this is turning out to be. I should change its name to “The tradegies of life.”
I awoke a few days ago on Saturday, was enjoying my morning coffee and general school vacation feelings, when a dreadful announcement was made. My brother charged into the living room and cried, ” THE GUINEA PIGS ARE DEAD!”
There was a moment of silent horror, in which I thought it might be a prank. My mother and brother hurried off to the room. I followed. A dreadful sight met our eyes. The guinea pigs were lying stiff and cold in their cozy indoor cage. My brother was furious. He bought his guinea pig for himself, he took care of it, and here it was, dead. My mother was shocked and horrified and was intent on finding how they died. That’s when I noticed that there were only three. My little sister had taken out her guinea pig earlier today and was sitting on the couch with it.
Interrogations. Investigations. Soon we discovered the culprit. My youngest sister.
So far, this is what we could conclude from the situation:
Firstly, my five year old sister went and fetched her guinea pig. She accidentally left the door open to the room.
Shortly after my mom went to shower. My brother and I were still asleep and therefore unable to watch the children.
Then my youngest two year old sister sneaked into the room. She decided she also wanted to hold a guinea pig. All of them.
But since little children aren’t as in tune with their surroundings, she held them a little too tight. The rest is history.
Now, all who remains, is Rainbow Dash. The irony of the situation is that everyone supposed that if one of them died, it would be Rainbow Dash.
Alas, now Rainbow Dash must roam her runs and cages alone.
Poor Rainbow Dash…
A few days after, my brother and mother drove all the way to the next town to get another guinea pig. Guinea pigs are sociable creatures and need company. Unfortunately, the pet shop we bought our guinea pigs from was busy taking their guinea pigs to the vet.
Guinea pigs are experts at hiding injuries/disease. Turns out the Guinea pigs were sick. We’re still unsure whether our Guinea pigs died from disease or toddler, but Rainbow dash still lives. Alas we must wait for the pet shop to get more Guinea pigs, and until then Rainbow Dash will be alone.
Besides this, a quite recent tradegy occured.
Lady Lemon, prized breeding female budgie, became eggbound.
My prized pair, Mr Milkshake and Lady Lemon.
Since it was Sunday and the vet was on the other side of town and probably closing, I dashed over to my neighbor. Uncle Danie, who has a few decades of bird breeding experience behind him, swiftly got the egg out. Unfortunately, the day after, Lady Lemon passed to a higher plane of existence.
May Noot Noot Spaghet, Pinny Gig, Throckmorton, and Lady Lemon rest in peace.
As you all might have heard by now, I have suffered a great aviary tragedy. Something, or someone, pushed open the bottom part of the aviary door, which resulted in me losing half of my cockatiels. I got two of them back, but my precious speckled opalines and all sorts of fancies are gone forever.
I wondered what could have opened the aviary for a while. I have a large brick at the bottom of the aviary door I placed there due to the gap at the bottom. The gap was caused due to the fact that the wire hook I use to shut the door is at the top and cannot pull the entire door closed. So I put the brick at the bottom to keep the bottom part of the door closed and for extra security. But somehow, something pushed the brick aside, leaving the small gap open. The gap is just-just large enough for a cockatiel to slip through, and so 8 of my precious birds flew the coop.
The aviary before the Great Escape
I figured it was a dog, because a cat couldn’t do that… But after seeing a Maine coon larger than a Yorkie sneak up on my chickens, I knew. I don’t have any proof, no evidence, but I am pretty darn sure it was that Maine coon.
Maine Coon cat
But that’s not all, my dearest neighbor also has an aviary. He has stunning diamond doves and finches of all sorts, and a budgie.
A Diamond Dove
Sadly, the same horror has befallen him. Something burrowed underneath the ground by the side of his aviary, and hence most of his birds flew the coop. But Uncle Danie is sure he knows who or what the culprit is. He has seen a cat hang around his aviary, and he says he has seen it in our garden. Someone has a huge, fat, aggressive Maine coon with no manners. Uncle Danie has seen it stalk around his aviary, he knows who the owner is, and he has confronted the person about it.
Other people with chickens or birds also have complained about the cat, but the owner won’t do anything about it. As any other owner would say, they want photographic evidence of the cats crimes first.
I’m not sure if Maine Coons can burrow under aviaries or push aside bricks anyway, so I am a bit skeptical of this. But they are pretty big and muscly.
However, I am going to get to the bottom of this mystery if its the last thing I do. Until then, the aviary is being fortified and the door hook being replaced.
Please comment your thoughts on what sort of critter the culprit of these aviary disasters could be!
We got guinea pigs! (As if we don’t have enough pets already!) You guessed it, we strolled past a pet shop, spotted the four fluffy tykes through the window, and couldn’t resist!
We’ve also been planning to buy some for a while, because my little sisters need pets too and biting budgies just won’t do. One of the four is my personal pet guinea pig, who seems to enjoy worming into my jacket already!
A rather blurry image of the gang piled-up together.
So far they have been named Rainbow Dash, Noot Noot, and Throckmorton. (Throckmorton is a temporary title until a replacement can be found.)
They are tiny, they are fluffy, and they are super cuddly!
Noot-Noot settling on my lap for a cuddle!
They are being housed in the aviary with the cockatiels, in a cardboard box. We’re building them better accommodation, but until then into the box they go.
Nibbles, nibbly as ever, seems to be a mite jealous of the attentions the guinea pigs are receiving. I gave him a snack, but he gave me a bite.
“THIS IS FOR CUDDLING SOMEONE ELSE!!”
I bought him a swing, so I hope that will help him get over it.
“OH RIGHT, BECAUSE A SWING IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE THIS ENTIRE SITUATION AND THE STING OF YOUR BETRAYAL SO MUCH BETTER!!”
The guinea pigs are nice and comfy in their new home, and the cockatiels have not been down to the aviary floor to investigate just yet. I think Nibbles is the only one who has noticed them so far.
I will keep you all updated about the little guinea pigs and their interactions with us and the cockatiels.
But we still need to name two of the guinea pigs, so feel free to comment some names!
Whilst browsing the net the other day, I discovered a series of images that intrigued me. Pet Shaming.
Basically, you write down the sin of a pet of yours, hold up the piece of paper in front of them, and take a pic.
Here’s an example.
After seeing about ten of these I decided, since I haven’t made a post in a while… (Sorry about that, busy, busy, busy!) ..that I am going to shame my birds for all their crimes. However, some have more crimes than others so one crime each. Two max. I’m probably not going to shame ALL of them, some of us are truly perfect…
I hope these images of my naughty pets amuse you!
And that’s why mommy’s on the brink of financial disaster, kids. True story. If they didn’t I could leave those bowls for days. Love is painful. There’s a reason he’s called Nibbles. Koeksister, back at it again with the using-the-couch-as-a-toilet.Fruit Salad has committed homicide. The image is blurry because I was shaking from fear. Mr Milkshake is the bird equivalent of Houdini. Sibling rivalry these days!Maybe it’s because of your sister…Teenage rebellion? IN MY AVIARY?! I will not have this.
Amusement aside, Koeksister and Beentjies have officially buried the hatchet. All it took was to feed them fresh cooked corn.
I’m very happy that they’re friends now!
Another interesting piece of information I’d like to share, I scored several large bags of free seed! Friends of ours work across a local store, and always get their damaged produce. This time they got seed, and gave it to ME!
I’m very happy about this, because bird seed is expensive and I’m struggling to keep 30 pets a live with my measly teenage pocket money.
I can’t even remember the last time I bought myself a chocolate…Motherhood.
Chickens are a wonderful addition to the family, and make great pets. Most people see chickens as only ‘those egg-layin’ birds that live on farms and taste delicious’. I’m not objecting, but chickens are far more than that. You can keep them in your backyard, you don’t need to live on a farm!
First of all, when raised by hand and tamed properly some have been known to take on the attributes of dogs. Literally. You can even put leashes on them.
Look at these stunning hens!
Chickens make great pets for children as well. The same as dogs, however, its important to get the right breed. Do some research before getting a chicken as a pet for you family. Another plus side, is that chickens are the only pets that give back. Sure, dogs are loyal and give protection depending on the breed, and cats…er…..
Anyways chickens lay eggs, so they sort of pay back all the effort you put into their care. Plus, having several egg-laying hens in the backyard is an awesome idea. Its not as difficult as it seems, chickens can thrive in backyard conditions as well as farms! If you’re considering getting a few, there are an important few things for you to note.
Look at these gorgeous backyard hens!
Is it illegal to keep chickens in your area? If so, don’t. I personally had done enormous amounts of research on keeping chickens before I got my first two hens. Proper care, management, and the local regulations on keeping chickens. I even went as far as to personally visit all my neighbors and ask for their permission to keep chickens! Funnier still, I was only going to get two hens, but I wanted to be sure the neighbors wouldn’t mind. I was dead serious about this matter, because if my hens were to bother the neighbors I might have lawsuits to deal with. What can I say? I’m a slightly paranoid person.
However, despite the ridiculousness of this, I advise you to do the same. I recommend not getting a rooster. Hens lay eggs perfectly fine without a rooster, and it would go down better with the neighbors if you don’t have rooster screaming at four am. It would certainly be best to keep no more than six hens, as that is the perfect total for an urban flock.
Some people enjoy hearing roosters crow, but at 4 am? Nah.
The rest of the research you should go do on your own, but it’s important to make sure your neighbors don’t mind. Chickens tend to be noisy and stinky and not all people will bear it. You of course, would certainly bear it, but since the neighbors probably won’t get the satisfaction of chicken cuddles and fresh eggs, you should ensure they approve. If you sense unease among the neighbors, handing out baskets of fresh eggs is a great way to appease them.
Chickens tend to be a lot of work as well, but despite all these negative points, its worth it. Keeping chickens is a real pleasure, especially egg-laying hens. They earn their keep!
Chickens lay eggs, and who doesn’t like a freshly-laid egg for breakfast?
People these days are really into the ‘organic’ and ‘free-range’ stuff, so its rather easy to make an egg-selling business. Even if you decide to get two or three chickens just as pets, they are still amazing to have. They might appear dull and uninteresting, but once you have them you’ll discover have amazing personalities and unique traits.
Honestly, I really recommend getting chickens as pets. Sure, other animals are cool, but chickens are the only pets that poop breakfast! How cool is that?! Chickens are worth far more than that however, and make excellent companions.
A tame hen chilling indoors!
Keeping urban chickens is a real responsibility as with any other pet, but the results of your labor is worth it!
Of course, before you even consider it, research, research, research!
With this I confirm that Brigitte is a ninja. Yep, you guessed it, false alarm. She’s alive and well.
I can’t believe it though. I searched far and wide, high and low, even into the neighbor’s garden. I even checked under the shed!! Well, Brigitte must be a ninja. Or she left the property and dashed down the road. Because for the rest of the day after the hawk scare she was NOWHERE to be seen. Then, this morning I stroll outside and THERE SHE IS. Chilling on the porch.
I’m glad she’s back, but now I’m kinda worried. What if she does this ninja disappearing trick again? And what if she doesn’t come back next time….
Poor Brigitte. She never saw it coming. No one did…
I’m chilling, animating on our PC, when I hear a strange sound. A scuffle, chickens shrieking, cockatiels screaming and the flapping of wings. I run out, expecting to find my chickens fighting or something.
Instead, I find the cockatiels going berserk, the chickens cowering in the Wendy house, and I see the tail feathers of a hawk disappear over the wall and into the trees. I fear the worst. I check on my aviary, finding all well. So I decide to herd the chickens back inside their coop. I do so, and find that Brigitte is nowhere to be seen. 15 minutes of searching later proves my worst fear.
Brigitte has been abducted by a hawk. She’s probably being eaten as I write. What can I do? I can’t fly, so I can’t go find her.
‘Tis a sad truth. Brigitte is no more. May she rest in everlasting peace.
A week or two ago, I woke up nice and early. I made some coffee and strolled into the garden to say good morning to my cockatiels. A horrific sight met my eyes. The brick I always kept against the bottom door of the aviary for extra security had been moved aside. There was a gap. Big enough for my cockatiels to slip through. Then I looked up and found to my horror that exactly half of my cockatiels had disappeared! The first thing that went through my brain was, “Oh dear. Maybe this is just a bad dream.”
Six of my dearest remaining cockatiels
That’s when realization hit me. My cockatiels had escaped, and I had only 8 left. I hurriedly secured the cage and notified my family.
The next few days I heard my escapees calling merrily in the distance. Taunting me. So I got onto social media, the local Facebook group, and such. I got a lot of replies, people seeing cockatiels fly around our area, some chirping in their garden. I set out traps by the dozens.
Then, today, to my utter joy, someone caught one! They phoned us and we rushed to her house. The lady had spotted it chilling in the middle of the road, and quickly threw a towel over it. She then rang us up. I was so happy to see the little bugger, despite all the grief it caused me. Sadly, it seems to be half-starved and has one hurt eye. The cockatiel, a grey male called Rocky, appears to have some opaline ancestry. Therefore he is pretty valuable to me! I’m glad to have him back, but I’m still missing several others. Hopefully I’ll catch them all!
Rocky the cockatiel being driven home
For four to five days I got phone calls, messages, and visitors saying that they have seen and or heard one of the cockatiels. It seems these guys where getting all over the place! I attempted to pinpoint where they were spending most of their time, but being migratory birds, they were basically everywhere. So I scattered seed on the ground outside the aviary, set up a trap, and hoped for the best.
One little female was always hovering around our yard, but despite all my efforts, I could not manage to catch her. She’s chirping in the tree outside the window as I write this. I have decided to name her “Ms Houdini”.
However, I did manage to capture one of my prized males, Mr Potato, with my trap. I’m glad to have him back. He’s a cinnamon, and a gorgeous one too!
Remember this sweetie-pie? She’s flown the coop as well.
But, alas, though two have returned, the battle for the other six continues. Some have been paying visits to the garden, and I see that their crops are full. I’m pretty sure they’ve started discovering the bird feeders most people have in their backyards. They have also become good at swiftly escaping my grasp. It is during these moments that am more convinced than ever that birds are capable of mischievous intent. The evil glee in their eyes and maniacal chirping when they evade my traps is almost human-like.
Its nice to know their enjoying themselves, but danger lurks.
The other night I spotted an owl chillaxing on our neighbor’s roof, then lazily gliding down in my aviary’s direction! Now, an aviary full of vulnerable birds is a jackpot for an owl. So, armed with a broom, I marched out to secure the aviary. I know someone who had to physically bat an owl away with a mop from his aviary, so determined was it to get to his birds! Despite the owls’ natural fear of humans, they seem to be rather reckless when there’s prey around. As I moved the smaller cages with the newly capture cockatiels to safer positions, I heard the soft hooting of an owl above me. You can imagine the horror. I was tempted to camp out there all night and defend my aviary! Luckily for me, the aviary is pretty much covered by the two large trees above.
Look HOO’s here!
The owls in our are what I like to call ‘savanna’ owls, the type hoo glide over open ‘Renoster-veld’ and prey on the small animals who make the long, dry grass their homes. Quite close to our suburb is one such grassland, but we usually don’t see owls around in the neighborhood. These owls have large wingspans, adapted for open gliding, not flitting between trees. Therefore it is safe to assume that my cockatiels are safe from owls. But there are also these large, predatory birds called African Harrier Hawks. There are several pairs around here, but there is one I have dubbed Terminator. He is beauty, he is grace, your small pets are never safe. This fellow has taken to preying in the suburbs.
Death to all small critters. I have heard many tales from people who raise backyard chickens. The chicks never last long. Many times Terminator has lazily swooped over our yard, causing panic and chaos among the chickens in the coop and the cockatiels in the aviary. Screaming, squawking, and the crazed fluttering of wings usually implies that there’s an African Harrier Hawk is around. I’ve seen one in action, rocketing after a pigeon. It was bloomin’ magnificent, so swift, so efficient.
My point? The chances are slim for my escapees. I can only hope.
Whilst surfing the web the other day, I happened to discover the two coolest mythological birds I’ve ever seen. I wonder if these mythological birds might be based on real birds, so if anyone knows of any real life equivalents, let me know in the comments!
Forget griffins or phoenixes, get ready for the allicanto!
THE ALLICANTO
The Alicanto or Allicanto is a mythological bird of the desert of Atacama, pertaining to Chilean mythology.
Legend says that the alicanto’s wings shine at night with beautiful, metallic colors, and their eyes emit strange lights. Gorgeous! Alicantos bring luck to any miner who sees them because they live in small caves containing minerals and feed on gold and silver. How cool is that? Sadly, there isn’t much about this bird on the internet. But they sound pretty darn awesome! I wonder if they hoard precious stones like dragons??
A gold eating bird?!
Of course, as with any legend, there’s an evil plot twist to this bird. If the lucky miner follows an alicanto without being caught, they can find silver or gold. But, if the alicanto discovers them, the bird will guide the greedy miner off a cliff and cause them to fall to their death.
Angry bird….
If anyone knows of a real-life golden desert-dwelling cave bird, let me know in the comments!
THE BOOBRIE.
The boobrie? What? WHO NAMES THESE THINGS?! Now, don’t get confused with the blue-footed booby, this bird is way more dangerous.
Sorry blue-footed booby. Its not.
The boobrie is a shape-shifting bird from the mythology and folklore of the Scottish Highlands. Rather than using its wings to fly, it prefers to act like a penguin and used them to swim through the lakes and wells where it hunts. Unlike the alicanto, this one sounds slightly more believable at this point.
Well-known as a mimic, the boobrie will often imitate the cries of an injured baby animal, grabbing and drowning any adult animal curious enough to come close and investigate. It prefers cattle and sheep, but will also eat otters if needed. Otters? Nope. I prefer the allicanto already.
Found this on the internet. Boobries are pretty terrifying.
The boobrie also has the ability to shape-shift into a horse and walk on water in this form, and it can also turn into an insect to suck the blood from horses. I honestly don’t understand some of these legends, but the shape shifting bit is awesome!
This makes me wonder if boobries are based on an extinct kind of penguin or puffin.
There are tales of hunters who have sworn they have seen a water-horse—another mythical creature of Scottish folklore—but upon closer inspection of the tracks left behind, they see the distinctive, antler-shaped tracks unique to the boobrie.
Here’s a link if you want to check out a water horse!
According to eyewitnesses, the boobrie has a long white neck, wide wingspan, long beak, short legs, massive partially-webbed feet, and a cry that sounds like a bull.
Any idea what the real life equivalent of this awesome bird might be? Maybe its an extinct species of puffin or penguin that was very elusive and rare, and so it became a topic of folklore and superstition?
When one breeds birds, there is one important thing all breeders know; your birds should be allowed to go on break. From finches to parrots to pigeons, any bird you breed should not have to constantly be nesting. Hence my once-every-2-3-clutches-break-time policy.
A rather blurry image of my more mature female and her most recent clutch.
This month I’m putting my pairs on break. My cockatiels are officially out of the breeding business for a long time, as they have been breeding insanely for the past few years. But my budgies are still nesting away, and some of my pairs are due for breaks. One stunning pair of mine, on the mature side but excellent in the breeding cage, are only allowed one or two clutches before break time. Other pairs, like the younger more new to the breeding birds, are usually allowed two or three clutches before I put away the nest boxes. Currently, the pair of more mature birds are on a break. The other two pairs are still nesting, as one still has eggs and the other I just put together recently.
So, its kinda dull here.
Cocketiels enjoying their vacation….
But, despite my parrot-like birds being on a luxurious vacation, there is no peace in the coop. My hens, although not laying eggs, are nonetheless determined to keep themselves busy with other things. Namely kicking up dirt and straw into their water and food bowls whenever they can. Also, Koeksister and Beentjies are having dominance show downs along the chicken wire wall between their separate homes. Its a terrible thing, knowing that they would not hesitate to try and kill each other if they get the chance. But its also kind of adorable watching them attempt to rear up to twice their size and fluff out their feathers. I should’ve actually taken some photographs when they were at it this morning. I can occasionally hear them screaming at each other, probably yelling profanities and insults in Chickenese. Good thing I have a fence between them, or else there would be..er….violence.
THE BATTLE RAGES!
However, I am sure things will quiet down soon, because Koeksister pretty much got over her disdain for the other new chooks. But until then, the fence battle will rage. Hopefully none will sustain injuries from launching themselves at the fence!
Oddly enough, Koeksister is starting to seem almost…..rooster-like. Maybe the ‘being the boss’ stuff has gone to her head. I won’t be surprised if she tries to crow…
It is with great excitement that I inform you of YET ANOTHER addition to my flock. A chicken called Beentjies. Her previous owners are moving away, and had managed to give all their chickens new homes. Except for Beentjies. Because Beentjies is a special chicken.
She’s handicapped. Beentjies was born with a slightly twisted ankle and toe bones in the leg, making it difficult for her to walk. Nonetheless, she can hobble along just fine. Hence the name ‘Beentjies’, literally meaning ‘leggies’. Beentjies, however, could not run away from the roosters at her previous home. So, a rather hen-pecked Beentjies arrived, still recovering from a broken leg. But this tame little hen is proving to be a tough chick, hobbling about the yard and charging full speed for a snack.
Despite her complaining, I’ve separated her from the rest of the bunch for now. Koeksister could be rather unpredictable, and I’m not sure if I should let Beentjies interact with them if she can’t run away. Good thing I don’t have a rooster.
Beentjies has her own separate coop!
Beentjies is a boschvelder hen, a stunning, mottled-color breed of chicken.
Boschveld chickens, or the boschvelder, or the Boschveld Indigenous Chicken was bred on Mantsole Ranch, near Radium. It was bred from crosses between Venda, Ovambo and Matabele chickens and is recognized as a synthetic indigenous chicken breed.
A typical boschvelder specimen
In general they are light brown with white feathers in between that gives the Boschveld Chicken a unique colouring that blends into Africa. Alertness and survival skills are a strong trait when it comes to defense of predators. Hardiness is an inbred trait to withstand poultry diseases and to produce in free range conditions. The Cocks are strong, aggressive and with a noble conformation. Plus, they are absolutely stunning!!
A gaggle of boschvelders
The chickens survive and produce on what nature can provide, with only a small amount of maintenance feed to boost production. I’m pretty sure this is why they are so popular on the farms. They have inbred hardiness, which helps them to withstand poultry diseases.
All in all, Beentjies is a versatile breed, and I am pretty sure her hen-pecking recovery will be fast. For now, however, Beentjies will be given an extra helping of TLC and a watchful eye. Until her feathers re-grow and her full healthy vigor returns, Beentjies will be separated from the rest of the gang. In the meantime, she’ll get a daily dose of garden walkies.
But that’s not all! I have imported a stunning blue male budgie from my cousin’s aviary, and he’s currently being paired up nicely. Along with him came a flightless budgie, who seemed to have either damaged something in the wings or suffers from Rickets. The little green fellow is called “Ninja”, due to his ninja-like abilities to clamber on the wire walls of the aviary.
However, the charming, feisty male doesn’t have a name. I was thinking Pewdiepie, but if any of my readers have any ideas, feel free to comment a suggestion!
The Kakapo is probably the most adorable parrot ever to grace this earth.
The kakapo (:Maori: kākāpō, meaning night parrot), also called owl parrot (Strigops habroptilus), is a species of large, flightless, nocturnal ground-dwelling parrot of the super-family Strigopoidea, endemic to New Zealand. Oh, and their also the ONLY flightless parrot. Like, ever. So these guys are pretty unique.
It has finely blotched yellow-green plumage, a distinct facial disc, a large grey beak, short legs, large feet, and relatively short wings and tail. Those huge beaks of theirs give them a special owly look as well. A combination of traits make it unique among its kind; it is the world’s only flightless parrot, the heaviest parrot, nocturnal, and herbivorous. It is also possibly one of the world’s longest-living birds. Sadly, these adorable sweetie pies are going endangered or something. Terrible.
A male Kakapo called Sirocco
Like many other New Zealand bird species, the kakapo was historically important to Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, appearing in many of their traditional legends and folklore; however it was also heavily hunted and used as a resource by Maori, both for its meat as a food source and for its feathers, which were used to make highly valued pieces of clothing. Who would eat them, though?! Kakapo were also occasionally kept as pets. And boy, do I wish I could have one of these. JUST LOOK AT THEM!! They are giving my bird loving heart butterflies.
The kakapo is critically endangered; as of February 2019, the total known adult population was 147 living individuals, all of which are named. I have 32 birds and they all have names too. Because of the introduction of predators such as cats, rats, ferrets, and stoats during European colonization, the kakapo was almost wiped out. Conservation efforts began in the 1890s, but they were not very successful until the implementation of the Kakapo Recovery Programme in 1995. Same story with the dodo, and the African Penguins. People bring cats, rats, pigs, and stuff and they eat everything. Bummer really. Humans should stop destroying nature.
Greetings. I have formulated a theory on Brigitte the chicken’s ranking in the pecking order. If you have no idea what I am talking about, read my previous posts.
I think she is a..
(drum roll please)
“I’M JUST HERE FOR THE FOOD” chicken!
“Listen, I don’t want any trouble, I’m just here for the food. “
Brigitte literally only exists for food. Other chickens eat to live. She lives to eat. She has a passion for food and will suffer through ANYTHING for a spoonful of rice or a bread crumb.
As a matter of fact, much to my joy and exultation, she took a bite of cheese out of my hand the other day.
I think I will be able to acquire her trust through food.
For the past month or two I have been very excitedly observing my new flock of chickens. You might already know the story if you have read my other posts. As it always happens with the purchase of a new pet, you observe them closely over the weeks. You begin to see their personality, likes, dislikes, and interesting little quirks and traits.
I have been very busy training my new chickens, and in doing so I think I have figured out the flock pecking order.
Koeksister, my tame, ferocious hen is the matriarch. Aka boss. The new hens follow her around like sheep, and do her bidding. Its adorable really, but she is a tyrant and pecks them when they are out of order.
Koeksister
The middle hens: Alexia, Becca, Sarie Marie. These three darlings are the ‘middle hens’. They are kinda all the same in personality and try to avoid Koeksister and her pecking as much as possible. But each of them are adorable in their own ways. Alexia and Becca have a special bond. They are never too far apart from each other. Sarie Marie just sort of lopes along behind them like a lonely third wheel.
Middle hens
Kartoufelin: The lowest of the low in the pecking order. Kartoufelin is the ‘introvert’ chicken. She detests the company of other chickens and anything really. Being the lowest in the pecking order, I can understand that. Everyone pecks on her. She is always the last to eat or drink as she is always chased away. I try to sneak her some snacks, but the disdainful little bugger always ignores my gifts. She’s also an expert at hiding from cameras. The only footage I have of her is the rare time she and and the others were bunched together. She’s very good at hiding.
Then there’s Brigitte. Brigitte’s a mystery to me. I can figure out if she’s a middle hen, contestant for the matriarchy, or something else entirely. For one, she is the fattest and boldest hen of the bunch. (Koeksister of course, is even bolder.) She’s the only one brave enough to come sit by my feet and wait for food when I feed them. Only Koeksister dares to do that, and therefore Brigitte usually gets chased away. As a matter of fact, Koeksister always gets first pick of the snacks. No hen goes against this sacred rule. EXCEPT FOR BRIGITTE. I swear she’s just so brave for the food. Brigitte will do anything for a snack. She will put up with Koeksister pecking her, toddlers chasing her, and of course the natural fear of humans for a bread crumb. Extraordinary. The other hens eat to live, she lives to eat.
Brigitte eyeing my sandwich
And now I better explain the names of my chickens. What absurd names for chickens! Well, they all have their own origins. Koeksister I named so, because her original companion was named “Kaaskoek.” Direct English translation: Cake sister and Cheesecake. ‘Koeksister’ is an African dessert. Sadly, Kaaskoek has passed to a higher plane of existence. Then Roosdoring (also deceased), whom I named after an Afrikaans pet name. Its almost like when you call a toddler, “Sweetie pie”, or a husband calling his wife “Honey”. Except your literally calling them “rose thorn”.
Then Alexia, Becca, and Brigitte. We had relatives from foreign countries over, and they were the ones who picked up the new chickens for me in a nearby town. SO of course I had to let them (and my aunty Brigitte) name three of the chickens. Well, I was very disappointed to find that they did not have as much ‘foreign creativity’ as I hoped. They basically named them after themselves. BUT, I do not mind. Because now every time I talk about the chickens, someone thinks I’m talking about the human versions and I find myself in rather hilarious situations.
Then Kartoufelin and Sarie Marie. Kartoufelin means ‘potato’ in German. I got the idea of this from my German class. I am learning to speak German, so the day before I got my chickens was German class. I then managed to get everyone to choose a name for the chicken. The results were pretty hilarious. They ranged from ‘Lunch’ and ‘Nuggets’, to ‘Empress of the South China Sea’ and ‘Sylvester Stallone’. Extraordinary what people name their pets these days. Eventually I settled on the most ridiculous name of all. Because it was the only German. And now I have a chicken named Potato.
Sarie Marie I just named for no apparent reason. It was one of those situations where you wake up in the middle of the night with a random name or something in your head and then you suddenly have the answers to everything.
Well, I am going to keep observing the social patterns in my chickens.
Okay, now that is probably something any person who owns a bird knows. But for those who don’t, I am going to explain the interesting phenomena of bird personalities.
I have a lot of birds. Sometimes I think too many. Therefore I have encountered a lot of unique birds.
For instance, budgies. Budgies are small little parakeets with BIG personalities. But aside from petty likes and dislikes, they also have a core personality. Some budgies are just born evil. They bite, screech, and hate the world. Even hand rearing them will not change whats in them. However, these ‘wildies’ have a greater chance of survival should they escape. They are feisty and bold and have extraordinary stamina. They also do quite well in the breeding cage, as they are strong and sturdy. But some are a slight more evil and these should be kept from colony breeding. They kill their own chicks and will kill other budgies’ chicks if they have the chance. I have a budgie like this. She was hand-reared and never bred, but she is pretty vicious. So when I paired her up with a male, well, it wasn’t that nice. She took care of her eggs alright, but she would abandon them for hours or even days! Also, she was very abusive and would taunt and bite the poor male senseless. Suffice to say she will not be breeding any time soon. And the male? My poor prized breeding male is so traumatized he is currently on a nice, long, breeding break.
Who knows what will come out of a nest full?
Then there are the ‘sugar pies’ as I like to call them. These are the frail, small, budgies, usually produced from a nest where it was the only surviving chick. These guys are sweet as sugar and super easy to tame. Unfortunately, they are exceedingly ’emotionally needy’ and require absurd volumes of care and attention. They, strangely enough, seem to prefer the company of literally anything except budgies. Hand-reared or not, they are sweet and usually won’t bite at all. I have one like this, a young chick called Kiwi. Kiwi is a sweet, timid, attention-loving little budgie. I suspect it to be a female. She absolutely loved being held by me and prefers my attention to that of her parents and or cage mates. I think she will be easy to sell.
A sugar-pie little cocketiel
Then there are the neutral budgies, who usually are a mix of both, creating the perfect balance and therefore perfect pet. Most budgies are these, sometimes leaning more to one of the other personalities.
Chickens also seem to have this personality thing.
As you might know already, they have a pecking order. The matriarch/rooster is usually bold, brave, tame, and ferocious. The intermediate chickens are all unique, some tame and chill, others hyper and wild. Then the lowest in the pecking order. Poor hen. This hen is usually shy, timid, constantly terrified and pecked on. I like to call this hen the ‘introvert’ as they prefer to wander off alone then hang out with the other social chickens. (I’ll do another post about my flock’s personalities).
Cocketiels have a similar personality to the budgies, but are a mystery to me. They have a widespread variety of personalities, along with the basic ‘wildies’, ‘sugar pies’, and ‘neutrals’.
Now that I think of it, all birds have personalities. From the smallest sparrows to the magnificent eagles, birds vary. But despite my birds’ evil/good tendencies, I love them.
Any other lover of birds could relate, I’m sure. No matter how your birds are you love them. Wildies, sugar pies, or neutrals.
Well, its been a while now, and Koeksister (the spoiled brat) is still pecking the other chicks like there’s no tomorrow. However, her treacherous chasing and pecking has become increasingly less. Also, I have begun training the new chickens and trying to get them to become more accustomed to humans. Its not working very nicely. But nonetheless, today was the day. Today I let out the ladies for a stroll in the garden. All of them, new untrained chooks and all.
Well, you see, chickens have this thing where they will ALWAYS return to the same place to roost. So, since the coop has already been established as their roosting place, I had no worries whatsoever. The timid little chicks would return to the coop to roost no matter what, and this I know from experience. Plus their timidness and fear of humans makes them easy to herd, because the slight clap of my hands sends them rocketing in to the coop. Therefore I can rest assured that my girls will be back home by sunset. But it seems they prefer to stay in the backyard. Koeksister is the one who hops over the wall and wanders off to who knows where, so I don’t need to worry just yet. Unless the younger girls follow their matriarch over the wall, because then I might have problems.
As you might deuce by now, Koeksister has established herself as the boss and the younger girls tag along behind her like ducklings. Its pretty adorable, because they follow her around despite some being twice her size. Maybe they look up to her because she’s the only chicken brave enough to sit on my lap.
Well, I am very happy to conclude that Becca, Alexia, Brigitte, Kartoufelin, Sarie Marie, and Koeksister are all enjoying their free reign.
One fine Friday, my family and I piled up into our minivan and went on an outing to the nearest city. Let’s call it East Town. (I’m really paranoid, okay?!) My father had business to do in East Town, a meeting or something. So off we went, two screamy toddlers and two teenagers along with their parents. We dropped my father off and then decided to find somewhere to stay and wait for his meeting to be over. Then it hit us. Butterfly Paradise. (Close, but not too close..)
Butterfly paradise was a place full of butterflies, birds, and an assortment of other animals. We decided to go there as it was child-friendly, had a coffee shop, and of course animals. Off we went. When we arrived, the first thing I heard was the familiar chirping of budgies. We strolled in and on the front porch of the coffee shop an absolutely wondrous sight met my eyes. An aviary full of budgies and other parrots. But the wondrous part was the bird hiding in the corner. An Eastern Rosella.
Now, a little bit of background. Eastern Rosellas are the most beautiful birds ever. They are parrots, but usually aren’t kept as pets. This is due to their slightly aggressive temperament and the fact that they haven’t exactly been ‘domesticated’. But I would love to get my hands on a breeding pair of these babies. Their coloring is absolutely stunning and would make a peacock jealous.
I tried to snap a photograph, but it just hid in the bushes in the corner, making it difficult to get a clear shot. But a stock footage image will do the trick just as well!
An eastern Rosella
My mother and older brother could not understand why I got so excited over a pretty bird, but I’ve been wishing to see one since I saw it on the internet. I spent a lot of time swooning over the birds in that aviary. There were bourke’s parrots, a pair of hand-reared rainbow lorikeets, crested doves, and finches and more. However, my brother managed to drag me away and we headed to the animal exhibits.
The first exhibit was a room full of plants. It had a rainforesty atmosphere, and there was a pond full of terrapins. There was a pair of little doves, in the most vibrant colors I have ever seen, collecting nesting material. A blue backed parrot flapped about happily. There were butterflies, but not as many as we expected. But there were butterflies.
]The next exhibit housed two iguanas, fowls, lizards, several tame parrots, little blue buck, duiker antelope, and louries. There were pools of fish with a pair of waders peacefully preening beside it. One of the large parrots took a liking to me and waddled behind me the whole time I was in there.
The third exhibit was full of fish tanks and snakes and rodents. A huge pair of Pythons stared coldly at us from behind the glass. I got the shivers just looking at them. As we stared in morbid horror at the pythons, I heard the familiar chirping of cocketiels and budgies once again. So I moved onto the next exhibit. A sign on the door proudly stated, “Before purchasing an animal, please note they have been donated.”
The next exhibit was practically swarming with guinea pigs. Okay, I might be exaggerating a little but nonetheless there were a lot of guinea pigs. The floor was straw. There were birds and perches everywhere. Flocks of budgies swooped from perch to perch. There were several large blue and gold macaws, cockatoos, a galah, and cocketiels and African greys. It was awesome. There were two ring necks who squealed an assortment of greetings in several languages.
It was so amazing in there I stayed for half an our while my mother and siblings went to the coffee shop for food. After a brief lunch and coffee, we headed to the outdoor area. The first thing we say was this ginormous cage. And it was full of ring necks, budgies, and lovebirds. It was amazing.
The next area was the creepy crawly room, which I did not even enter. On the porch of the room was a cage that supposedly housed a ferret, which was probably asleep under the blankets. There were hairless rats and hairy rats in a cage, chameleons in tanks, and two cages housing the usual mix of parrots. They were new arrivals in the recovery ward. I also discovered another enclosure with several marmoset monkeys, who chirped and tittered excitedly. Now, butterfly paradise was more of an animal sanctuary than a ‘zoo’, so of course half of these animals were rescues. There was a pen that contained an arctic fox. It had been imported into the country through the illegal exotic pet trade, but because it had made contact with the local wildlife it could not be sent back to the Antarctic. Because of disease. And because no zoo would take him in, Foxy had to stay in Butterfly paradise. He had a nice air conditioned room and a huge outdoor pen. One of the staff noticed I was trying to spot him so they got a treat and called him to the outdoor pen.
It was adorable. Poor Foxy, however, was from a cold environment and now had to boil in the African sun. Thank goodness for air conditioning.
Aside from all that, there was an enclosure full of tortoises. Some where about the size of a golf ball and others were so large my little sister could’ve ridden on it. They were all leopard tortoises. Then there was a little pen with meerkats, who had been brought here as tame little pups. Meerkats are adorable little African mongoose thingies, but people mistake them as pets. They are not good pets and then people find out the hard way. Luckily, Butterfly Paradise takes them in.
Boy, do these little guys know how to pose!
There was another exhibit with two vervet monkeys, and another with an assortment of fowl and small antelope. This one was pretty cool, because it had a walk in “hide” to observe them from. The vervets just shrieked and bounced around madly.
Then there was the crow exhibit. It was awesome. It had four crows who were rescued from people who decided to keep them as pets, and failed to take care of them properly. I talked to them, and they cawed back. It was pretty cool.
But the most amazing thing? The owls. It was a large exhibit with a walkway and a little hide to watch the owls from. I spotted two, resting in the grass. Owls are nocturnal, so they were fast asleep. Then I strolled into the hide and was met with the sight of a huge, scowling owl. I got such a fright I almost fell over. However, the owl did not react. It just stared at me through those narrowed yellow eyes. Then it gave me a wink, and closed it eyes to sleep.
I’m sure it was probably thinking, “Ugh, more humans to disturb my afternoon nap with their flashy cameras and loud talking.” Luckily, I knew how the poor chap felt and left it alone. All the time I spent in there was very awkward, because Owly McOwlsen (as I duly dubbed it), stared at me with judging eyes. Those eyes made me remember the cookies I stole from Sunday School when I was five. Suffice to say I didn’t spend much time in there. I later found out that the larger owl is usually a female, so Mrs Owly McOwlsen was more suitable.
But nonetheless, the whole experience was wondrous. I bought some slime and a butterfly buff at the gift shop to remember this day by.
It was amazing, and I would definitely go there again.
A few days ago, I was curled up on the couch, reading a book. Chill as can be. Then, cue the chicken. The wind opened the back door just a crack, and Koeksister pushed it open and came storming. She flapped onto my lap, sending book pages and coffee everywhere. This was the last straw. I had to get her a new companion, before it gets worse. You see, since her best bud and life long companion Roosdoring passed to a higher plane of existence, she has become increasingly TLC demanding. So, I rang up a lady in a nearby town to buy a chicken. But I was not just going to get one. I got 5 ten week old ladies.
I named them after some family members, a folk song, and a potato.
Alexia, Becca, Brigitte, Kartoufelin, and Sarie Marie.
The two grey hens are Alexia and Becca, while the biggest, fattest, darkest koek koek is Brigitte. The other two koek koeks are Sarie Marie and Kartoufelin, and of course Koeksister.
Becca, Alexia, Sarie Marie and Brigitte.
But there was an eensie-weensie problem. Koeksister, the jealous little bugger she is, went bananas. She kept viciously pecking the poor new girls every time they strayed to close to her. Suffice to say Koeksister got a time out.
I thought I might’ve had to get a rooster, because roosters usually ensure that peace reigns in the coop. Chickens have a strict pecking order. Rooster, normal hens, and the smallest in the pecking order. The one who gets pecked on the most. But when there is no rooster, the hens take things into their own hands and the battle for dominance begins. But once the matriarch/ alpha female’s reign is established, peace reigns once again. But there are still the occasional squabbles and of course the poor hen who gets picked on the most.
At first I was concerned that maybe Koeksister is too used to being around humans and not chickens, and that this battle for dominance would be never ending. So I consulted some friends and the internet. Turns out chickens who were living peacefully beside each other in separate cages viciously attacked each other when put together. It’s just a dominance thing.
BAD CHICKEN!! I had to pick her up because she chased them around so much!
But I know, in two or three weeks, it will all be peaceful in the coop once again.
Birds are mainly known for their singing. This is why I decided to blog about birds and music. Probably the most adorable thing is a bird listening to music. Budgies usually chirp along merrily, others bob their heads and prance about . Some of the more vocally accurate birds might succeed in singling a line or two, but usually not in tune.
Anyone with a pet bird knows that they love music.
But my budgies? I’m not so sure. As soon as I start strumming my guitar, they chirp along merrily. But when I start singing they go crazy.
A budgie eyeing the camera curiously.
Perhaps they don’t like my voice. I am not sure. But nonetheless, it is a rather amusing sight. Me trying my best to practice my guitar playing while my budgies echo with demented shrieks. There is a reason I close my door when I play guitar now. I don’t know if the shrieking of my birds means they are attempting to join the music, or if the sound is displeasing. to them.
Cockatiels have a similar reaction, but more low-key. They just chirp along softly. The males usually start singing, which is absolutely adorable.
This cocketiel is silently observing me playing guitar.
If you have a pet bird, try playing some music to it once in a while. Preferably classical. It’s very calming and I have used it to calm down chicks when its nest inspection time.
Birds and music are certainly meant to go together, but I am not so sure about my birds. Maybe they don’t like my taste in music. But one thing I noticed: They prefer classical music.
Okay, so, I have a lot of birds. A lot. As a matter of fact, birds are my passion.
Bird watching, bird breeding, bird conservation, BIRDS. So, this is a shout out to all my bird lovers out there.
I’m not going to tell you how amazing birds are. You already know that!
But I will tell you what you can do to enjoy them more, and maybe even help them!
Bird conservation. Get into the local endangered species. Learn about them. Do research! Get involved in Bird conservation groups. There are already so many birds that have gone extinct. Recently, in fact!
Bird watching. I am saying this because its the best way to enjoy birds. Get a bird book and some binoculars and observe the local birds in you area! It might sound boring, but really, its great!
Media. Get on the internet, check out website, go on YouTube! Or, make websites and photograph birds and all sorts of other thing!
Get a pet bird. This, my friends, is HIGHLY recommended. Doesn’t matter what type, shape, color, or personality. GET. A. BIRD. They are absolutely marvelous pets and you will learn a lot about birds you didn’t know!
Read books! There are hundreds of AWESOME novels about birds. Or even just plain old boring bird encyclopedias! Reading is a great way to learn more about birds.
Get some bird art! Okay, I just said that because a painting or two of birds in your house really brightens it up. Give it a shot!
Okay, I know I already did a post about my chicken, but I love her so here goes.
Whatcha doing, mom?
Koeksister is (as you should know by now) an African breed of chicken called “Koek Koek”. Or Plymouth rock. I raised from the tender age of a month and she has been my loyal companion for two years now. All the technicalities aside, let me talk about Koeksister.
First of all, she loves food. I feed her full, and she comes running for more with her full belly. Crazy, right? I don’t understand how she can eat that much food!! Maybe a chicken’s metabolism is so fast it has to constantly keep eating. Because, large meals and snacks excluded, Koeksister wanders around the garden and eats bugs and grass. Wow. Maybe that also explains why she just randomly poops. She would just be walking, minding her own business, and then SPLAT!!
Second, she’s an attention loving little creature. She digs it. She comes into the house and flaps onto my lap regularly, demanding cuddles and love and selfies. I think it might be because she thinks she’s a human. I raised her since she was a chick after all, so she has obviously imprinted on me. Koeksister is an outdoor pet, but recently she started sneaking into the house. One day, as the sun was setting, she comes flapping into the house and settles herself down on the dinner table to sleep. So I just let her. Strange, though, considering that chickens usually prefer sleeping on perches.
And thirdly? She’s spoiled. Spoiled rotten. I spend so much money on her. Food, mostly. But things such as food bowls and accessories count as well. I mean its okay to spend money on your pets, but the reason I think this is important is because half of it is wasted. Koeksister regards my gifts as nothing. Ooh, you bought me a water bowl with circulation to keep it fresh 24/7 for 200 bucks? I’ll just drink out of this muddy puddle on the grass AND COMPLETELY IGNORE THE WATER BOWL. Oh, you got this food feeder that keeps the bowl topped up for 300 bucks? I’ll just COMPLETELY IGNORE IT and beg for food every time you walk past me.
We all know chickens as egg laying, not so intelligent, docile creatures. But have you ever heard of one as a pet? I mean sure, backyard chickens is a relatively common thing in some parts, but a household pet? Nah. I beg to differ. Chickens, docile and seemingly stupid as they appear, are in fact not. They are intelligent, loyal, and absolutely loving pet. I say this from a place of experience. A pet chicken might sound rather odd, but they really are lovely little creatures. To illustrate this to you I will tell you about my dearest pet hen. The pet of chicken I have, appropriately named after an African pudding, is as sweet as cotton candy. Koeksister (which directly translated means ‘cake sister’) is supposed to be an ‘African breed’ called ‘Koek Koek’. She looks like a Plymouth Rock to me. I raised Koeksister from the tender age of two weeks. Now, all grown up, the little hen happily strolls around the garden. She lays me around four to five eggs a week.
But that’s not the point. Egg laying aside, she is a loving animal. She absolutely adores TLC and hates being excluded from excitement. Like backyard birthday parties. They usually end up with a chicken on the table and chips all over the grass. If one were to wander outside with a sandwich, she’d come running, begging for a nibble. I’m sure she only does that for attention, because yesterday, despite just having lunch and being positively bloated, she stole a piece of pizza right out of my poor mother’s hand. And ate the whole thing, right at our feet. We were yelling at her and shooing her but she just kept eating. I swear chickens can have emotions, because she looked smug.
Despite being a little attention seeker, this old girl is cuddle crazy. If one were to begin weeding the garden, she’d waddle along and come sit beside you. She loves being cuddled and would occasionally sneak into the house. If I leave the door open, she’d stroll in and plonk herself onto the couch beside me. Then she’d edge onto my lap and settle herself down for a nap.
Someone sneaked in….
Chickens imprint on people, and form a close bond to the person who regularly feeds it. So if you want a chicken to love you; feed it. Usually Koeksister would follow me around the garden, but one day my mom fed her left over rice. Now every time my mother does some gardening, Koeksister runs along behind her like a duckling. Chickens are very easy to maintain. They simply need a garden to wander in (preferably large), a constant source of water, enough food, and a suitable amount of TLC. They are also surprisingly hardy. This chicken of mine has eaten a variety of things from a piece of rubber to turkey meat.
The rubber incident happened in her chick days, when she had a pal called (directly translated) Rose-thorn. One of them found the broken off rubber tip of a toy snake and went bananas. They charged around the garden snatching it from each other. By the time I caught them, Koeksister had swallowed it. And she’s still alive after taking a slurp of my coffee mug after I left it on the porch. That was a bad idea. But who would have thought the chicken would come drink your coffee, tip the mug, then stroll off like nothing happened. She’s even drunk soda!
Another interesting thing about chickens, is no matter how far they wander off into the neighborhood, they always return. They know where the food’s at. One fateful day in Koeksister’s chick months, she went for a stroll outside the property. Into the road. Luckily, our tenants found her, and took her in. They had absolutely no idea where she came from or who she belonged to. So they fed her bread, chicken feed, and food scraps. For three days she lived with them in their flat. By this time I thought she was a goner and already had a replacement. (Rose-thorn). Then, one day, my older brother walked past the tenants washing their car and they told him about the chick. They asked him if he had any idea who it could belong to. So, five minutes later, there’s a knock on the door. And there, in his arms, was Koeksister. Back from the dead! I was so relieved I just held the poor thing for half an hour on my lap and cuddled her. Then I introduced her to her new sibling, Rose-thorn.
Sadly, and quite recently too, Rose-thorn passed away. And by passed away I mean brutally murdered in cold blood by a dog. She was strolling around outside our property (which is perfectly legal by way), when the neighbors accidentally let their huge pit-bull out. Which I am sure is not legal. ITS A PIT-BULL COME ON PEOPLE!! Anyways, that was the tragic end of ‘Roosdoring’ Rosie the first.
Despite the tragedy of the loss of her friend, Koeksister took it well. She stopped laying eggs for a week or so then she started again. When chickens get over-stressed or frightened, they tend to stop laying eggs. Only now there was one problem, with her friend around Koeksister was less interested in our goings on and left us alone. But now? Now she is a little attention seeker. If we have people over? She comes right into the house. If there’s an outdoor dinner? Chicken at our feet. Chicken. Chicken. Everywhere.
Chicken on the wall
But aside from now being an attention seeking, TLC demanding, cuddle-bug chicken, she’s still as sweet as ever. Except now it’s up a level. But it’s really cute, and we don’t mind her shenanigans.
So if you are now considering getting a chicken, here’s some important notes to consider.
You need to have a suitable backyard, and a space for a chicken coop. If you have a dog it won’t work. Dogs can’t resist taking a snap at a chicken. You will also need to ensure that there is a nearby shop to buy chicken feed. You will need food bowls and a water bowl. The water bowl must be constantly topped with water. Ensure your garden has a fence secure from flapping chickens. My chickens were known for leaping across two meter high walls.
But all that aside, here are the benefits.
Benefits of keeping a chicken as a pet:
It poops breakfast.
It’s the only pet that gives back! (Eggs.)
Its a chicken. You don’t need to get it shots or stuff.
If you don’t have feed you can feed it tidbits from the kitchen.
They are adorable.
You can train them. Yes, you can train them. I taught my chicken to come for her food. I did it like so: every time I fed her, I said a specific phrase. I would repeat it over and over, until she associated it with food. So, every time Koeksister is strolling around outside the property, one peep of the food call and she flaps back as fast as her little legs can carry her. Here’s a list of breeds that are good for household pets; Silkie bantam, Plymouth rock, Buff orpington, Australorp, Cochin, Polish, Faverolle, Easter egger, and Wyandotte.
My personal fave? Plymouth rock. They are the most chill chickens you’ll find. I mean, Koeksister gets carried around by toddlers and chased in circles by four-year-olds but she still lays eggs. Other chickens would scratch, peck, or leap for freedom when grabbed by a toddler. Plymouths? No such thing. If you get a Plymouth from a young age, under a month, and raise it? The chicken would bond with people to such an extent that it’d act like one. But if one were to get a pet chicken, no matter what breed, I recommend getting one female. Maybe when she’s older and gets broody you could get a rooster. Or if the taming doesn’t work out, you could get her a pal or two. But really, any chicken as a pet is a wonderful critter to have around.
I love birds. They are extraordinarily interesting creatures. The variety in birds is breath taking, from the smallest humming birds to the largest ostrich, sizes vary. From the dullest little brown job to a peacock, the colors vary. Even in the small selection of your garden birds, you will notice the diversity in personality, size, shape, and color.
This is why I enjoy bird watching. Going out early on a crisp Saturday morning, piling up with family into our minivan and trekking to a bird hide literally in the middle of nowhere. Despite the rain, still stubbornly peering through the binoculars to spot a new bird. Walking on the damp path to the hide with not a bird in sight. Entering the leaking hide, drenched with rain and sweat from a two kilometer walk. Then, while snuggled up with a flask of coffee and binoculars ready, finally spotting a new bird. The scrabbled rush through the pages of the bird book, the panicked jotting of notes as it flies away. I love it. Even just sipping tea and observing our garden birds is a satisfying experience. Sometimes, observing my pet birds gives the same feeling. Most people think bird watching is just a hobby. I think its more than that. It’s a learning experience. An outing. Call it what you want, but its more than a hobby.
Bird watching or birding as it is more commonly known can be done anywhere. As long as there are birds of some kind. Seaside? Absolutely. Country? Of course. Small town? Worth a shot. City? Go for it. Mountains? Undoubtedly! Even if its just a gaggle of city pigeons or a lone seagull, observing is just as fun as identifying the varieties. Bird watching is not called ‘bird watching’ because you constantly identify birds. Its not just twitching, ticking birds onto your life list, its observing. Watching. Even when not bird watching. Keeping your eyes peeled, alert for the dart of a robin or the cumbersome flapping of a pigeon.
Bird watching always starts out as this immense task. But really, the best way to start is in your garden. Or a nearby park. Just observing and identifying those birds will build confidence. Then you can move to seaside birds or wild birds in nature parks. Avoid birds of prey and little brown jobs until you get the hang of it. It would be best to get a book about the common garden birds of your area first, then expanding to a book about every bird in your country. A pair of binoculars are definitely a good idea too.
Bird watching is a wonderful way to spend your free time. It is an absolutely wonderful learning experience, and one is never too old to learn. Even just watching birds and not doing the bird books or trips or binoculars is still fun.
A Bird Nerd's Blog 
