Stuffed Chickens

Not stuffed as in . . baked in the oven stuffed.  🙂

In the evenings, the chickens run around like crazy chickens, searching for bugs or anything they may want to eat before going into the coop for the night. There’s chicken feed in the coop but they much prefer bugs and things they can find in the orchard. You can imagine how freaked I got the first time I noticed this but, after almost 10 years of having chickens, I don’t usually even notice but last night, I saw this girl and I thought . . honey, you may need to cut back on the bugs!

This girl is so full . . it’s about all she can do to waddle inside the coop for the night. That’s her “crop” that’s so full. During the night, the food will get digested. The crop can get impacted or they can suffer from what’s known as “sour crop”, both of which are serious conditions but I’ve never had it happen to our chickens.

In the morning, their food will all be digested and they’ll look normal . . til tomorrow evening and then it all happens again.

I never notice my roosters’ crops pooching out like the hens do.

Old Wilbur is about as good as a rooster gets. He keeps a watchful eye on me but he never has been the least bit aggressive. In fact, he will stand close enough that I can usually reach down and pet him. He is always on the watch to make sure the hens are safe. I really do like this old guy. He’s probably 4 years old and I’m not sure how long they live. I’ve read that a heritage breed rooster will live 10 – 12 years. I have no idea. I’m guessing 5 – 8 years is more like it. He has a pretty easy life and he’s pretty safe inside the orchard fence.

I do love my chickens.