The chickens have stopped laying almost entirely (I get an egg every other day, more or less) and have started to molt.
But not Harriet, of course, because she is the prettiest and she insists on staying that way.
I think if she starts to molt, she will sneak out at night and get a weave. A chicken weave, of feathers. So that no one can tell she has bald spots.
Ethel is looking a little patchy, too. You can tell she’s stopped laying, because her comb’s gotten all small like when she was a pullet. I think this picture is adorable.
Slightly less adorable is Dolly. I am sad to say, she has lost all of her neck feathers and has only a collection of hideous pinfeather spines.
It’s okay to laugh – I won’t tell! She looks like a Skeksis right now.
I suspect people think I’m exaggerating when I say the chickens are approximately 50% fluff by volume. But as you can see, it is completely true! All of their necks are the same size – it’s just that Harriet’s and Ethel’s necks have their feathers in.
In sadder livestock news, Mongolia is having an unusually harsh winter. And if it’s “unusually harsh” for Mongolia, you know it’s bad!
Livestock are dying left and right. The death of even one goat means Very Bad Things for the family that depends upon it. Mongolia’s famous small, talented horses are suffering high casualties, as well.
CAMDA, the Cambridge Mongolia Development Appeal, is working in the area to help support the nomadic families. Please consider making a donation.
Your chickens are adorable, even Dolly!
Thank you, thank you so much for spreading the word about Mongolia. It must be awful to watch your animals starve and not be able to do anything.
I think I’m molting. But much less cute. The dryness d/t radiators & waiting for the bus twice a day. eck.
But like you point out, there are worse things then a few flaky spots.
The Dark Crystal is my 5-nearly-6 year old’s FAVOURITE movie. We can both pretty well recite it. I like to call it Muppetry For Art’s Sake. Full of win, isn’t it!
Ethel looks disgruntled. Dolly looks murderous. Harriet better sleep with one eye open, or they’ll be stealing her feathers…
Skeksis FTW! Spot on observation.
so do chickens have an off season? what’s the deal!
Ethel looks tres charmant, quite the coquette with the leetle head tilt.
And yes, Dolly looks….well….looks very much like a creature who Skred from the old SNL Muppets cast would want to get funky with….lending new and bizarre meaning to the “Funky Chicken”…
i luvs yer blog!