They are so excited to greet me at the fence, waiting for me to let them out for some supervised free ranging time. Some of them head over to check out the creek, others march up towards the house to find some yummy morsels of clover, and the rest search for moss on the trees and visit with the guineas.
After a thrilling evening of scratching and exploring, they reluctantly head back to the coop for bed. One of my favorite rituals of the day is counting them all to make sure they're in the coop and then saying goodnight. Ellie is usually on the roost right by the door, so I tell her a special goodnight and watch my fingers when I shut the door, because she likes to peck my hands whenever I'm near her.
Then it's inside to make dinner and tend to the duties inside the house. I have to say, I enjoy my time outside more :)
~Tammy
Shared with Weekly Top Shot, Sunny Simple Sunday, Tuesday Muse, Rurality Blog Hop, Down Home Blog Hop, Coop Hop, Eco Kids Tuesday, Backyard Farming Connection
It must be so nice to be able to get outside and enjoy the fresh air with your chickens! They sure are cute and it sounds like they know how much you love them!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite things, too! Wow, you already have green in your yard. Mine has not progressed that far yet, so I am not letting them out until It gets a little warmer, on a regular basis. But feeding them and having them follow me around the yard all summer is one of my greatest pleasure!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Susie
Hanging out with the chickens sounds like a great place to be. :-) Is that Ellie in the last photo? Her comb is interesting. Is it a rose comb?
ReplyDeletelove the feather butts!
ReplyDeleteThat last portrait you took is beautiful. Hens and roosters are endlessly photogenic. I've always been fascinated by some of the rooster's colors and their wattles I see around here. Here in PR., there are many wild roosters, even in urbanized settings, which I think it's kind of irresponsible because they can easily stray and wander away. But this is like a cultural idiosyncrasy. I don't know if you're familiar with the term "jungle-fowl", it derives from the original wild fowls from Asia which gave rise to all other chicken breeds. They are like the real ancestors of the domestic chicken. But the term continues to be used for wild chickens that roam about with no owners. Some of them have the most striking colors that still haunt me when I see them.
ReplyDeleteYou do have some lovely looking chickens. The days are growing shorter here in Australia but still it is light until about 7:30 pm because of Daylight Saving. The mornings are dark but we will switch back an hour later this month and lose our evenings.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was working, I enjoyed evenings best, too.. I would sit down and watch "Chicken TV" and relax as they ran about! I totally agree!
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this. When you're coubnting them as they are filing back in, have you ever noticed one missing and then later found him/her?
ReplyDeleteLove that sweet pic of Ellie!
ReplyDeleteTammy, thanks for this visit! I loved being out there with you and your dear feathered friends:)
ReplyDeleteNice pics of your feathered friends! We've gotta get busy on our garden. We have pear trees and blueberry bushes that really put out last year - hope the same happens this year too. Corn is our main crop, but we love yellow squash!
ReplyDeleteI love being outside with my girls too :) x
ReplyDeleteI'm with you and the chickens, I like it being light outside longer too...and outside play time is def. better than inside work time. :)
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your Friday pics.
ReplyDeleteI've nominated you for a Liebster Award.
Check it out:
Liebster Award Nomination
Being outside is so much more fun and with these cuties how could you resist?? I love the shot of them with the sun setting? and the close up - what a nice pose she gave you! Hope you have a great weekend my friend :)
ReplyDeleteOh I like outside more to Tammy. Love your chickens they are so pretty. B
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy your Friday feathers and your cute chickens. I think Ellie is giving you a peck goodnight. Have a happy weekend, Tammy!
ReplyDeleteI swear I have an abnormal fascination with chickens...I think they are just so interesting to watch. I love your pictures so much, especially the one of Ellie by the door of the coop. Until our work/home life settles down so I can raise my own chickens again, I will have to live vicariously through your posts :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you for these Friday Posts.
Holly
Would it be possible to borrow a chicken picture or two for a post I am working on for my blog? I will not only include credit with the photos, I will also directly mention this post and link to your blog...pretty please with sugar on top, lol.
I'm with you, I'd rather be outside. And to have chickens to hang with? Even better! Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteThat is a sweet, last shot.
ReplyDeleteBoy it does indeed look nice outside! Still looks like winter outside here! Love the pictures. That last one is just perfect.
ReplyDeleteAh Tammy nice you have more time outside now. That picture of Ellie is so cute, like she was posing for this post LOL. I too count all my chickens before I shut up the coop ~ I also count my chickens before they hatch ~giggle I'm just silly tonight. Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteI really like the longer evenings, but for some reason, it seems to get late quicker than I expect! Love your chickens -- so pretty!
ReplyDeleteSuch pretty ladies! I am so jealous (and so are my ladies) of you not having snow covered ground!
ReplyDeleteI work out of my house, and my office overlooks the yard and gardens so it is hard to keep myself from going outside during the day when i should be working, although I usually do. I also look forward to the end of the day when I put up the ducks, play with the dogs in the yard and just walk the gardens to see what is growing.
ReplyDeleteLove your photos, especially the last one!
Ellie is a gem of a photo ~ Wow! ~ Enjoy ^_^
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely story Tammy. Say a goodnight to your pets from me.
ReplyDeleteWhen the weather is really gorgeous and I've had a great time doing something outdoors, I hate to come inside and waste even one minute of daylight. That's how I feel when I am in the States for the summer. Especially when it stays daylight until 10 p.m. We don't do any time changes here so it's always dark pretty early. Saw a rooster and his chickie mama while we were out walking today. I don't think "free range" here is quite the same as in your neck of the woods. :) Have a wonderful day. Tammy
ReplyDeletelove the chicken poking her head out shyly for a portrait!
ReplyDeleteHey Tammy, just wanted to follow up and let you know that we bought the camera today!!! We ended up going with the Nikon D3200. We got an extra 70-300mm lens and a bunch of accessories for fun. I also bought a book called "Nikon D3200 for Dummies" lol, thought I could really use the extra help learning how to use this thing.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to thank you for all your help. I look forward to visiting the chicken coop soon!
Have a great rest of the weekend!
Holly
I really don't like changing the clocks, but I do love the lighter evenings! I love your sweet evenings with the chickens!
ReplyDeleteThe pleasures of routine are so important...even to chickens it seems! Glad they enjoy their evening outings!
ReplyDeleteTammy .. I love visiting your neck of the woods.. I am back sister .. HUGS and so happy you loved a little bit of the beach I sent to you .. HUGS and have a blessed week. NOW I am off to figure out how to subscribe to your next post below.. HUGS
ReplyDeleteI love the fact that the light is returning!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of your friends - wonderful expression in the last shot.
That last photo is simply lovely
ReplyDeleteLove these captures of your beautiful chickens.
ReplyDeleteAw, love your chickens. My parents got chickens a few years ago - but they don't let them have free range time...I'll have to ask them about that (perhaps they think the chickens wouldn't come back!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds wonderful! Once again, I admire how much you love your animals!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures of your feathered friends!
ReplyDeleteI especially love the last picture...what
a ham!
Corinne
Great pics - and the sentiment is spot on! I count mine every night too.
ReplyDeleteLove your chickens!
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful chickens!Sounds like your a regular member of the flock ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm a little late, but I had to check on your chickens. My neighbor's chickens have decided they like my yard better and spend the whole day here free ranging.
ReplyDeleteFarmhouse hugs,
Cindy
Ellie is such a pretty girl! I'm sure they enjoy that part of the day as much as you do when they see you coming! :)
ReplyDeleteMarissa
xx
Good times with your evening ruitual with the chickens, lucky you,
ReplyDeleteI have to count my chickens more than once every night because I worry about leaving one out. Mine are out free ranging all day and it's amazing how much ground they can cover.
ReplyDeleteAll week I kept on wondering about Feathered Friend Friday, I love these stories. Now that I got a bit of time, here I am smiling at such pretty chickens! :) It looks like they also enjoy their time out!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos - I see lots of fluffy butts! Always love hearing your stories :)
ReplyDeleteI adore I chickens too, lovely to have if you can spare the space for them. Yours look so healthy, proper characters.
ReplyDeleteI love my chickens. I wish I had property where they could free range. Today I am excited as I will receive an order of Hatching Eggs of the Barnevelder Breed. I Will put them in the Incubator and hope to get a good hatch.I will add a couple of my own Black Copper Marans Eggs as I love these breeds that lay the darker brown eggs. Right now is their peak laying season and I have lots of Eggs. I must call my customers today and unload my refrigerator! Now to get out and feed them this morning....we are having a Spring shower so they are not pleased..they do try to get outside anyway for a bit....
ReplyDelete