Killdeer: Builds its Nest on the Ground

Speckled eggs near the center of the photo

Can you spot the 4 brown speckled eggs in the middle of the photo?

They are the eggs of the Killdeer, a brown and white medium sized plover bird that likes to build its nest on open ground, often in sparse grass, dirt, or gravel, even in cities.

The Killdeer is a shore bird that likes to hang out in yards and on golf courses. A noisy bird, the killdeer reacts quickly to any disturbance. If you end up too close to their nest, you will witness the famous broken wing act for which it is famous.

If you see a bird like this running around quickly acting like it has a broken wing, stop right where you are. Look carefully and step lightly away as you leave the area, so you won't step on the eggs or baby chicks.

Youtube has some fascinating videos of this smart little bird in action: Broken Wing Act.

Chickens with Salmonella: Should You Worry?

The recent recall of eggs has caused much concern among egg lovers everywhere. It's actually the treatment of chickens in large factory farms that led us to get our own backyard flock. Our chickens are pets, and we do not eat them, but we do love the eggs they give us.

Thelma Lou, Butterball, and Cream Puff

Do we have reason to worry that our chickens might come down with salmonella and pass it on to us through their eggs? 

According to what I'm reading, my chickens have less chance of becoming infected than those in the large farms. Our chickens are our pets, and they roam free in our yard and garden all day. But, we do have some cleaning to do. Barney, Thelma Lou, and the rest of their family sleep in the greenhouse every night to be safe from predators. It's been a while since I've cleaned it. 

Factory raised chickens usually get salmonella when rat droppings get mixed in with their food. We have frisky cats to keep rats out of the greenhouse, so hopefully we don't have to worry about the chickens accidentally eating rat droppings. However, food and water can get soiled with droppings from the chickens too. We do keep the food and water containers clean, but I think it's time for me to scrape all the bedding and soil from the floor of the greenhouse. This material makes wonderful fertilizer when sprinkled in my flower beds, since it is full of chicken manure. That's a chore that is long overdue, so I'll be tackling it later this week.

If you'd like to read more on this topic, there's a wonderful site with much information on raising chickens. I found some useful suggestions about about protecting chickens from salmonella on this site: My Pet Chicken.

Chickens in the Garden

If you’ve been out to our garden, you’ve probably seen the chickens. Barney the Rooster was an Easter chick a few years ago--a gift from our little girl's classmate.

When we decided Barney might be lonely, we obtained a mate for him and named her Thelma Lou. She has been a wonderful addition to our family, providing delicious fresh eggs regularly. Each day we let them out of the greenhouse which serves as a night time shelter from predators.  The chickens scratch around all day long, eating bugs and fluffing the mulch.

One day we decided that our garden was just too much work for 2 chickens, so we added the Fun Girls, Daphne and Skippy. Together they wander around the garden all day long, keeping insects under control.

Last summer we noticed a definite reduction in the number of Japanese Beetles. I’m certain that is a result of the chickens enjoyment of them the previous summer when they would rush to my side each time I walked near the arbor where grapevines grow. At that time, the grapevines were covered with Japanese Beetles, and if I tapped the vine, what seemed like hundreds of the pests would drop to the ground. I wish you could have heard the clucking of the chickens as they enjoyed each one! 

In addition to providing eggs and helping with insect control, chickens are a great hobby, offering amusement and fun in the garden for children and adults. In other words, the chickens make me laugh. I just get tickled when I see them running to catch up with the others when they find something tasty!