New Chickens Today

Yesterday, I asked the woman who sold me the two tiny pullets to bring me two more, explaining how the last two she sold me were pulled through the fence by raccoons. Today, I went to her work to pick them up. She brought them to the car and I paid her and thanked her.

Two minutes later, I carried them to my pen. Since I did not want the mean hen to peck them continually, I decided I would let her out of the pen and just let her fate be determined by the first predator that came along. I did recant.

I put the box of chickens in the pen, went into the house for oats and returned. Devil-hen was walking on my feet to get food. I lured her from the pen and sprinkled oats. She rushed out to eat but rushed back in when I tried to close the door. So, I stepped out of the pen and so did she. Then, she tried to get back in when I went in. This is the hen that I shove back into the pen repeatedly when I try to get in or out of the pen.

Finally, she was locked out. She was pitiful trying to get back in...sigh. When I opened the box, I was shocked. I had gotten two tiny Rhode Island Reds the last time and asked for the same this time. She only had on RIR and asked me if I would like to have a Black Star or Dominicker. I tried to give you a link for Wikipedia, so you could read all about the Dominique I chose.

This Dominicker was huge. Plus, she is laying now. On the other hand, the RIR is tinier than the others. She said the other pullet she promised was actually a rooster. She had failed to tell me the Dominicker was large, so all was well after the initial shock.

At any rate, I had to go to the doctor again for fasting blood tests. Yesterday, he seemed surprised I had not fasted. Since this is a walk-in clinic and he did not know I was coming, I wondered why he was surprised. However, he is so nice and such a good doctor, I said nothing and promised him I would come back today. I did.

After the blood+letting drawing session, the wanted a urine sample! I assured them that after fasting and going twice since 1 am, I was dry as a bone. Since I had to go to Walmart to get the prescription I could not get yesterday because I could not afford it, and I had a bottle of water with me, I told them I would return. I did. Walking funny, I rushed in as much as I could rush, and told them, "I am ready NOW!"

When I got home, the white devil hen was sitting in the back of the house in a ladder that fell down, just like she had found herself a nest.

I won't lie. My head wanted to leave her out for the raccoons. My heart would not let me. She follows me around the back yard like a dog. So, she went with me to the pen, trying to rush in when I opened the door, backing off when I tried to pick her up. Finally, I managed to trick her and picked her up. She is sooo heavy and so loud. She frightened the other two. I put her in garbage can jail. She was banging around trying to get out to peck the new girls. Usually, she just sits down.

In order to be able to catch the new girls, I sat outside the pen, waiting for it to be dark enough so they could not see me coming but still light enough for me to see them...ha! The Dominicker tried to roost on the waterer. The little one followed and flapped for almost a minute trying to maintain her precarious foothold. Since the waterer did not work out, the Dominicker flapped hard and tried to stick to the ceiling by flapping. When she fell straight down with a thump, she was through looking. She decided she would sit down on the ground near the little one.

I had removed the top Rubbermaid box and put it on the ground. So, I grabbed the large bird and stuffed her in. She made not a sound. She is going to be a good bird. Then, I picked up the little one and put her in. She made little sounds, but did not resist. Success! I covered their doorway with a broken chair and a metal pan. Later, I took another oven rack out to use instead of the pan and chair.

All three are safe tonight. Tomorrow, I will put the white Devil-hen in the yard and keep the two new ones in the pen. A friend promised to put up 1/2 inch hardware fabric, but I cannot afford it yet.

There are pictures, but they will be posted later. promise

Wikipedia states that in the 50's Dominiques were almost extinct. That is strange to me because my relatives we visited in Mississippi all had Dominickers. I remember that because I thought it was an unusual name.

If you live near me and have spare 1/2 hardware cloth, let me know. If you live near to me and want a huge fat hen, let me know.

Your turn
Have you ever had Dominickers? Have you ever heard of them?