Friday, July 22, 2011

You can get good Help these days

My new hens – Minny, Aibileen, and Eugenia – should start laying eggs any day now. They're around 24 weeks old.

They're healthy, strong, and already larger than year-old Clara and Peach. For those of you who may need a refresher, that's Minny, a Hampshire Red, on the left; Aibileen, a Barred Rocks, in the middle; and Eugenia, a Delaware, on the right. All three breeds are known to be good layers. Like their namesakes from my favorite book ever, "The Help," Minny is never shy about speaking her mind, Aibileen is a quiet force, and Eugenia is...well, she's the white chick.


The movie based on the novel "The Help" is coming out in a few weeks, and I can't wait to see it.
Eugenia (a.k.a. Skeeter) is the central character, not unlike the Eugenia in my flock.


She can be shy and flighty at times...


...but she's the first one to race to the porch to meet me at mealtimes...


...and she is wise beyond her years, which means she knows better than to eat wasps.



21 comments:

  1. An omelette for breakfast anyone? There is nothing nicer than a farm fresh egg no matter which way you fix it. Yum.
    Best always, Sandra

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  2. Beautiful birds, Linda!

    I loved that book. Hope the movie version is good, too. :)

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  3. I love your chickens I have some too and they are hilarious.

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  4. Love the chickens and their names. I finished reading that book not long ago, great book. You never know how the movie will be, hope it does the book justice.

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  5. Such beauties! I'm curious about the book and movie.

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  6. Estella from Co.7/22/11, 6:59 AM

    They are just beautiful..what a pretty site to see every morning.

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  7. Nice photos of your Delaware! I have 8 new chicklets this year and one of them started laying already at 4 months. I was shocked to find her little egg, but all breeds are different, I guess.

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  8. I just downloaded that book on my Kindle...can't wait to start reading it! Your new hens are lovely.

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  9. Gorgeous girls, the lot. I'm very hopeful that I'll be able to keep hens in our new place. You & Danni are on my list of women to go to for advice on all things chicken.

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  10. Didn't you just love that book? Thanks for letting me know about the Buck movie......great!

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  11. "She's the white chick."

    I laughed out loud. Thanks!

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  12. Beautiful chicken photos. :)

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  13. I listened to the audiobook version of The Help. It was wonderful and I can't wait for the movie to open.

    Great pictures of the new girls. Especially that 2nd one of Aibileen; she looks so intense. Love how you named them based on The Help.

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  14. My Barred Rocks are my favorite...much more mellow than my Rhodies. I love your close-up of the "white chick"...she is a good-looking quacker. (OK, I call all birds quacks--except for our pet conures, which are Tiny Quackers).

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  15. I like the last one. The all-knowing chicken eye.

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  16. The book reminded me so much of stories I heard when we lived in the south. It was great read and the movie should be wonderful.... but, I love that your hens 'play the part' so well!
    Hope they begin to 'help' real soon - what will you do with all of the eggs you will get?!

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  17. What time is breakfast? I'll bring some muffins and coffee cake.

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  18. i saw the previews for the movie and couldn't remember who was just talking about it..... and oh yea.... it was you :)

    fun shots as always!

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  19. Love those last two pics!! Pretty chickens!

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