Privacy for Hens

Ah - Spring! The days are longer, the chickens and ducks are laying like crazy, and some of them appear a bit broody. (No not depressed - in poultry language, this translates into an instinct to set on their eggs and hatch babies.)

So I decided to make my girls some chicken curtains. For privacy.

Since I have multiple hens laying, as well as three duck hens all jostling for a spot, I figured that they might prefer more privacy. (And actually was inspired by a blog post about it over at a great chicken site called The Chicken Chick.)

Privacy? My husband choked on his food. Why do chickens need privacy?

Heh, what do men know?

I bought a remnant of barnyard plaid for only three dollars and stapled it to the wood. Hint: I only went partway across, to let them get used to the idea, and will probably extend the curtain after a couple of days. (Chickens can get a bit hysterical over something new in their surroundings.)

So this morning - SUCCESS! I had three duck eggs in these nests before the sun came up (ducks lay early.) And here is my hen Daisy, who seems to like the idea, don't you think?

I hope to raise some baby ducks soon (although I'm not sure if a chicken or a duck will set on the eggs.) But that will be a topic for a further blog post. Stay tuned!

The Springtime Cat

Announcing - my newest release, and the second in a series of short reads called Cat Tales:

THE SPRINGTIME CAT.

Eleven-year-old Dee Chase finds an injured tabby cat hiding in a blackberry patch. As the animal regains health and sneaks its way into Dee's heart, it helps Dee handle a rough patch going on with her family. But the cat keeps coming up with surprises, and ultimately will heal Dee's family in unexpected ways.

This short story from Linda Benson, award-winning author of books about the human-animal bond, will surely touch your heart in any season.

The first in this series is called THE WINTER KITTEN, and this newest story has different characters, different plot, and a different cat. And to paraphrase one of my reviews from the first book: "it's not (just) about the cat."

Hope you enjoy THE SPRINGTIME CAT. Once again, it's priced at only $0.99. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Springtime-Cat-Tales-ebook/dp/B00IBOQZU6


And for those of you still stuck in snow, rain, or ice, I hope Spring comes soon for you!