and then I went down the chicken hole

Okay, I know the expression is down the rabbit hole but, oh, I found out so much about chickens that it seemed more appropriate.

Here's how my brain works -  as I am stamping and deciding what colour to use, I wonder: are all chickens female? Hello google, are all chickens female? No, chicken is the species and hens (or pullets) are the females and roosters (or cocks) are the males.  Okay, so it's just the roosters that have the combs though? Hey google, is it just roosters who have combs? No.... and so it goes. Many, many minutes later - sometime hours - I stop thinking of things to ask google. So just in case you were wondering, here's my version of chickopedia:

• both the males and females have combs and wattles (hey google, what is the thing that hangs under a chickens chin called?) but the males tend to have bigger ones and they tend to be a deeper red. Apparently the bigger the wattle, the more attractive the chickens find the rooster. Hubba hubba.
• one of the most interesting things - the comb and wattle aid in blood circulation around the chickens head to help them stay cool in hot weather.
• Egg laying chickens are all female but meat chickens can be either - these are called broilers.  You don't need a rooster around for hens to lay eggs, but you do need one if you want the eggs fertilized and adorable baby chicks.
• In the wild (that made me laugh when my cartoon brain starts picturing wild chickens - hint: imagine the wild west) hens only lay eggs seasonally. They like it when it's warm enough for the chicks to thrive (forward thinking mamas they are) and won't generally lay when it's really hot or really cold.  They are also influenced by daylight hours - I bet they hate daylight savings too! Domestication has lengthened the laying time of chickens but they are still influenced by temperature and sunlight.
• Chickens live 5-7 years and the oldest one on record lived to be 16.
• You can buy a saddle for a chicken but it has nothing to do with riding it - more for protection from mean coopmates.
• And finally (there is way more but I had to stop somewhere) you can get diapers for chickens so you can keep them in your house as pets. Who knew.

Don't worry - there is no test on the material covered today. He he he.  I so amuse me.

     

  

Now, who wants to talk about cards?  I have been having so much fun with the chickens and I'm not done yet. Spoiler alert - everyone is getting chicken cards for their birthday.

    

Better yet - who wants to make some cards. I have made these all as birthday cards but some just say "let's celebrate you" so that could be for other occasions too.The granny apple green one is a waterfall card - and I think would make a cute baby card if you know anyone who is about to hatch.

These cards use a lot of different colours - I really do like to colour.  So knowing that not everyone has as much stamping stuff as me - but I "know a guy" if you want to ;) - and because the weather is getting nicer and because restrictions allow for it and because it would be so nice to see people, I give you:  driveway stamping!

Yep, I'll try just about anything once.  Click here for the details on class offerings and protocols.

Don't worry if chickens aren't your thing - I have mountains and trees on deck. Details on that coming up next week as there is Stampin' Up! deadline that needs to be met.

Let me know who needs what.

Happy stamping.

Tracey