Farming Friends

August 17th 2007

The Poultry Gallery

Welcome to the Poultry Gallery. Here you can meet the Poultry in our farmyard.

White Leghorn Hens

Meet Hatty and Hetty the White Leghorn Hens.

Photographs of Hatty

Hatty running. Laying in the straw. Eating barley.

Hiding in the hedgerow. Egg sitting. Up a tree!

Laying an egg! The egg.

Hatty laid her first egg of 2007 on Friday 19th January.

Hatty has laid 101 eggs in 2007.

Hatty laid her first egg of 2008 on Thursday 25th January.
2008 Hatty egg count = 3.

Hatty likes to rule the roost and the greenhouse! Here she is helping me with the planting in the greenhouse or should I say overseeing the planting.

Hatty the hen is my White Leghorn chicken. She is about 3 years old and she was given to me by one of our kind neighbours along with Hetty in 2004. Unfortunately Hetty is no longer with us but Hatty has befriended the flock of guinea fowl and when she isn’t finding somewhere new to lay her white eggs, she can be seen running around the farm yard with Charlie, Camilla and Diana the guinea fowl.

Here is a video clip of Hatty pecking her way across the garden.

At a family gathering recently, my niece thrust a piece of paper in my hand saying that this was Hatty the hen. Not only has this lovely hen touched my heart but that of my niece too. Here is the lovely picture my niece drew. I love this drawing.

Now having looked at the photographs and video clip of Hatty, I challenge you to have a go at drawing Hatty the hen. I would love to see your pictures so take a photo of your drawing or scan it into your computer and email the Hatty portrait over to me with your name and age, if a child has drawn the picture. Here is my attempt!

I’m sure you can all do better, so pick up that pencil, crayon, chalk or paint today and create a Hatty portrait!

If you like the look of Hatty the hen and the Cool Chick picture then visit the cafepress shop for Hatty the hen - Cool Chick merchandise.

15 Comments »

One of my 8 hens has gone broody & is sitting in the nest box all the time. The other hens squeeze in and lay their eggs around her. How can I stop her being broody - she is in the way!!

Comment by Maggie — March 5, 2007 @ 2:24 pm
Hi Maggie,

If broody hens are left sitting in the nest box, a loss of body weight and egg production can result.

Try to remove her from the nest as soon as possible, but preferably at night so that she has time to settle in the new site.

If you wish her to sit then resite her in a comfortable nest site away from the other hens with pot/plastic eggs in the new nest to encourage her to re-sit and then add the eggs you wish her to hatch when she is settled.

If you do not want her to sit on the eggs then put her in a broody coop which has a wire or slatted bottom to discourage her from sitting in the coop. You can suspend the broody coop from the ceiling of the hut and provide water and feed. After a few days the hen can be returned to the rest of the flock.

I hope these suggestions are helpful. Good Luck.

Sara @ Farming Friends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — March 5, 2007 @ 2:48 pm
Have you trained those hens to help in the garden by leaving their droppings in exactly the right place?….lol. Yes, I realise that poultry manure will burn plants unless well composted, etc. but at least I guess they provide you with plenty to add to your compost.

I love the farm photos. Makes me all nostalgic.

Comment by Alice — August 17, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
Hi Alice,
Wherever I lay my foot there is poultry manure!! yes it is put to good use in my veg garden.
I’m glad you like the farm photos. Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — August 17, 2007 @ 8:53 pm
Beautiful animals! Lovely hens! Color, color, everywhere! You are magic, my dear!

Comment by BoggyWoggy — August 18, 2007 @ 2:29 am
Hi BoggyWoggy,
Yes Hatty and Hetty are lovely looking hens. sadly only Hatty is still around to peck her way around the farmyard.
Thanks for your regular visits and lovely comments.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — August 18, 2007 @ 6:38 am
What is Hattie doing up a tree - is that normal??

TopVeg

Comment by TopVeg — August 18, 2007 @ 1:18 pm
Hi TopVeg,
Yes Hatty will fly up into the tree if she thinks I am too late opening the door to her hut which I keep shut during the day so that the cats or other predators don’t go in!
Thanks for your regular visits and comments.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — August 18, 2007 @ 6:26 pm
Hatty is a wonderful hen. Perhaps she can become a film star, like Mrs Boss. Your photos are great!

Comment by Cottage Smallholder — August 19, 2007 @ 5:34 pm
Hi CottageSmallholder,
I am glad that you like Hatty - she is a star in my eyes and the star of the farm. She even recognises me and my voice. When she sees me coming on a night to open the hut for them all she runs towards me and then follows close at my heals. I love this hen and yet I was a little afraid of picking her up when I first got her. How things change!
I will have to try filming her if she will allow it but she is the boss so we’ll have to see!
Thanks for your regular comments and visits.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — August 19, 2007 @ 8:57 pm
Your beautiful White Leghorn Hens are featured at Chicken Flicker’s One a Day feature where we have a chicken related item every day.

Looking forward to more photos in the Poultry Gallery.

http://chickenflicker.com/1aday/

Comment by hen — September 2, 2007 @ 12:50 pm
Hi hen,
Thanks for letting me know - I am honoured. I am pleased that you like my white leghorn hens. Hetty is sadly no longer with us but Hatty is doing well.
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — September 2, 2007 @ 8:28 pm
[…] 1 white leghorn hen called Hatty. […]

Pingback by Farming Friends » Photo Hunt : Theme I Love… — November 16, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
Sara,
I love your white leghorn hen because it has a beautiful red comb that stands out.

My mom loved her farm animals and she would put some duck eggs on the hen’s nest. When the duckling started to get into the water, the mother hen was confused. My siblings and I think that was hilarious.

Thanks for sharing your wonderful farm in the hunt!

Comment by jesie — November 18, 2007 @ 2:38 pm
Hi Jesie,
Thanks for your comment and visit.Hatty is a beautiful and charismatic hen. She has a great comb and beautiful white feathers.I am glad that you enjoyed finding out about my farm.
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — November 22, 2007 @ 6:29 pm