The Hen House in the Sky

Three years ago, we embarked on the adventure of backyard chickens.

You may remember, after my Greek-identified sons named two of the chicks Yia Yia and Eleni, I insisted that the third receive a proper chicken name, and christened her Mable.  You can easily spot Mable in this photo - she's the white one, who doesn't look anything like her sisters:

You might also noticed Mable's more pronounced comb. Yeah, Mable didn't look like the other girls because she wasn't a girl. Mable was actually a he, crowing for the first time shortly after this photo was taken. He caught a lucky break, however, and rather than be returned to IFA and someone's frying pan, he moved to my friend Richard's farm in Green River.  But his luck ran out about a year later - unwilling to return to the coop one evening, he spent the night outdoors...and ended up as a coyote's dinner.

Yia yia and Eleni matured and laid beautiful blue / green eggs (joined by their new sister, Mabel 2 - the honest-to-goodness chicken Richard traded us for Mabel.)

Yia Yia went next. Although backyard chickens can live 8-10 years (and potentially as long as 20!), they're realistically bred to produce eggs for 3-5 years and then die. Yia Yia followed that predetermined plan, albeit a bit ahead of schedule. And last week, Eleni quietly joined her sister in the hen house in the sky.

For those, who enjoy the blue / green eggs, not to worry! Mabel 2 is still laying, and earlier this Spring Kelly and the boys brought home four more Americauna chickens, who should start laying in the next 2-3 months.

Upon hearing that Eleni, his original chick, had died Gus said, "Well, it's a good thing we gave 8 more!" Let's see, a lifespan of 8-10 years and possibly 20...oh yeah, that's really a good thing...

Get the hell outta the house, Thalia!