My chickens love treats! I mean, who doesn't, right?! With our family eating melons several times a week during this abysmally hot weather, there is a never ending supply of really cool ways to beat the heat in the summer for our chickens!
They don't mind it when I toss the rind quarters out there but what they really love is when I freeze scratch grain, melon pieces and seeds, and cut up veggies in the rind.
Aren't they pretty? The one on the left just has some various pieces of watermelon, honeydew and the seeds scooped out of the middle. I didn't even add water, just tossed the whole thing in the freezer for a few hours. The middle one sort of speaks for itself; water melon chunks and scratch grain in a honey dew rind. And then the one on the right was filled with the inner scoops from the two melons and some water, then frozen.
The baby chicks are four weeks old and not too sure about this foreign food in their pen. But once one of them tried it, they all came running and tweeting, feverishly vying for a chance at the tasty treat. Of course, the old girls know what is coming when they see one of these rinds in my hand and this day I had two!
I love backyard chicken keeping. Even though we live in the country, we can't let them run wild because of critters. We are in the process of figuring out how to re-model our two year old coop to include these dozen new chicks. But in the meantime, I am happy with them in our front yard where I can keep an eye on them, plus they are such fun to watch! They are learning to spread their wings and fly so I have to be careful when I open the pen door or they get loose! And trying to round up a dozen wild & crazy baby chicks is not something I want to do on a daily basis. Today, I managed to entice them back in with a treat, so yeah, they know what's coming now and can anticipate the cool refreshment heading their way.
Are you a backyard chicken keeper? Or do you have other animals? What cool treats to do you make to give them during the heat of summer?
~Happy Summer~
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Thanks for letting me know about your change, Anne.
ReplyDeleteYour melons look far too pretty for chickens!
Hey Barbara, I thought they came out rather photo worthy this time, too. Seriously, I think I have something wrong with me because I DO want them to be pretty, even for the chickens. ;) Thanks for signing up thru GFC to follow along!
DeleteVery nice and what fun having chickens. I hear that is also a great way to attract butterflies. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteHey Andrea, I have not heard that about the butterflies. We haven't had too many of them this year. :0)
DeleteHi sweet friend! Thanks for letting us know about your URL change :) I wouldn't want to miss your lovely posts.
ReplyDeleteMy, what a tasty looking meal for the chickens! They look like they have a better breakfast than I usually do {{smiles}} Have a wonderful Monay, dear Anne!
Hey Stephanie! They looked good enough to eat except under the top pretties was a bunch of ends to other fruits and veggies, not so tasty or pretty for humans. ;)
DeleteHi Anne! Made it here again to your beautiful blog spot and have subscribed! :) You're a girl after my country heart, even though I live in the city! My grandparents once owned a dairy farm however and helped supply milk to our growing town. How I wish we could still wander down that gravel road, past the swamp either side, through the pasture while looking out for the bull and worrying if I wore red that day, visiting my grandparents, and collecting up the eggs in the huge chook yard. So many treasured memories I wish my children and grandchildren could experience! For myself though, I plan to live vicariously through you.. ;)
ReplyDeleteHey Noela! I'm so glad to see you here. Thanks for following along. I grew up on a mountainside doing the things you mention. Sounds like we are kindred spirits in more than just books!
DeleteRural life is interesting as there are many challenges but it's fun, too. Our neighbor used to have cows but he had an accident and had to sell them a few years ago. Now that I miss; seeing them every afternoon at the fence, feeding them pears off the tree, and watching the little ones frolic in the field. The worst part is he never fully recovered and passed away last December. Such a sweet man who was kind and friendly, always had a smile and a wave for my camera. I have blogged about him a few times. :)
Blessings for a joyful week~
Hey Anne! I found your post about URL change. I didn't know chickens liked melon! Aren't they the smart ones! Love you.
ReplyDeleteThey LOVE melons!!! Really, any kind of fruit or vegetable. :) You need to sign up to follow thru GFC, sister!!!
DeleteOh wow, your chickens are spoiled! You even make their food look beautifully appetizing! We usually put our scraps in a gallon ice cream bucket, and then when the bucket is somewhat full, take it out to the chickens. The chickens have learned to associate a bucket like that with food, so whenever I carry a small bucket for any reason, all the chickens come running--even though I'm not the one who usually cares for them.
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