Chickens and Ducks in the Barnyard, Edgar Hunt (1876-1953)
the first day of Spring
Mar 19
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"Chicken in the bread pan
Scratching out dough,
"Granny, will your dog bite?"
'No, child, no.'"
~ Traditional
Even if your own Spring Chicken days are past, it's Spring - a time of new beginnings and the season of rebirth. With urban and suburban homesteading on the rise, it is now quite popular to keep chickens and have access to fresh eggs. The colours of eggs laid by chickens are dependent on both the breed and the conditions that hens are subjected to .... sunlight, feed, etc ... . Breeds that naturally produce blue and brown tinged eggs can result in eggs of all shades! Easter Egger chickens, a variant of Araucanas and Ameraucanas breeds can produce a variety of egg colors such as blue, green, brown, sage, olive, cream, and rose! 🐣
Spring Chicken
The Vernal Equinox, may put one in mind of spring chickens, both the feathered kind and those amongst our acquaintance!
The term "spring chicken" has origins in its literal meaning. In the early 1700s, Farmers found that chickens born in the spring brought better prices than older ones that had gone through the winter.
Impress your friends with chicken terms:
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Bantam: A diminutive breed of domestic fowl.
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Boiler: A chicken 6 to 9 months old.
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Broiler: A cockerel of 2 or 3 pounds, at 8 to 12 weeks old.
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Cock: A male chicken, also called a rooster.
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Cockerel: A young rooster, under 1 year old.
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Fryer: A chicken of 3 to 4 pounds, at 12 to 14 weeks old.
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Hen: A female chicken.
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Nest Egg: Literally, a china or wooden egg placed into the nest to encourage laying; figuratively, something set aside as security.
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Point-of-lay Pullet: A young female, just about to lay, near 5 months old.
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Pullet: A young female chicken, under 1 year old.
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Roaster: A chicken of 4 to 6 pounds, over 12 to 14 weeks old.
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Rooster: A male chicken; also called a cock.
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Sexed Chicks: Separated into pullets only or only cockerels
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Straight Run: Pullets and cockerels, mixed (unsexed or “as hatched.”)
The Scots Grey, also known as Chick Marley or Shepherd's Plaid, is a breed of domestic chicken originating in Scotland, where it has been bred for more than two hundred years. It was formerly known as the Scotch Grey and until about 1930 was popular in Scotland for both white eggs and meat.
For more on native Scottish breeds, click the Scots Grey rooster!
