
Chicken Phantom Agents...
Our ninja chickens in action!
They were on the hunt for worms and grubs. Bertie’s feet were a blur of speed and determination…
Stalking their prey…
When chickens dig for food, they scratch the ground with one foot, followed by the other, then leap backwards in a dramatic, ninja-like manner and peer intensely at the uncovered dirt, looking for anything edible…
Joanna once told me that this movement was known as “spuddling”. We could watch them doing it for hours! (Click on the HD button if your broadband can handle it.)
ninja chickens.
I like the imagery.
You almost make me want chickens.
Almost.
They’re lovely to have around, if you can find a way to manage them, Heidi. Otherwise they’ll strip your garden bare in a matter of hours. :)
Now I have a tune tumbling around in my head. “you put one foot out, you put one foot in, you do the hokeypokey and then shake it all around….”
It is like a dance, Misk! :)
It’s very funny to watch! :) How lovely to have fresh fresh eggs.
Sue, it’s probably the best thing we “grow”. They’re laying less now as they get older – not sure how I’ll cope when they stop altogether!
They are amazing creatures to watch :)
Tandy, glad you enjoyed it. I’ll take more videos for you all! :)
When I opened this post, it took a few minutes for the pictures to load on my laptop (slow wireless here) and I thought this was a post with a recipe called Ninja Chicken. Then I saw the pictures and I thought, “Goodness! She’s going to show us the WHOLE cooking process… from chicken to dish!” Very pleased that it’s just pics of your super cool chickens. :)
Hahaha…my friend Ellen thought the same thing! :)
Ninja Chickens – love that! Have a Great Day!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed them!
That takes me back to my childhood. I have a clear memory of lying on my stomach in the grass watching this – though ‘Ninja’ was not a word I knew then!
Thanks for the memories.
Pat, they’re pretty cute, aren’t they? I love the intensity with which they peer at the dirt after they’ve scratched it up… :)
Love your title. All the chickens are looking so healthy and happy, They are beautiful and so huggable.
Norma, they’re pretty docile, but not really huggable – Maggie in particular doesn’t like to be picked up. Mind you, she’s bonkers. ;-)
You aare amazing dear Celia, Ninja Chickens… I loved them… It was so nice to watch these videos, Thank you dear Celia, with my love, nia
So glad you enjoyed them, Nia! xx
I love your chooks!!
I know you do, Deb! I took this video especially for you and Sally in Dubai.. :)
I love the idea of Ninja chickens!! And I’m sure I could watch them all day :)
They’re very therapeutic to watch, Claire, especially when life is hectic. A bit like chicken meditation.. :D
spuddle – to make a lot of fuss about something trivial as if it were important –
ninja chickens do make what seems to be inordinate amounts of fuss lol
I love the way chickens ‘chat’ to each other whilst searching
I suspect they’re saying, “bugger off, this is my patch of dirt!”.. ;-)
Love love love them indeed! Awesome ninja moves, the worms don’t stand a chance!
Big improvement with commenting Celia, I only had to log in twice before I could participate this time :)
Glad it’s working a bit better, Becca, I’d miss your comments desperately otherwise! So…when is BigJ going to let you have chookies again? :)
They look like a very happy flock of ladies, Celia, and huge thanks for the word “spuddling” – splendid!
Amanda, isn’t it the best word? We have to thank Joanna’s hubby Brian for that one! :)
Haha hilarious! I wish I had chickens. I’ll just have to live vicariously through you Celia.
Claire, I’ll have to take more videos for you! :)
They look like happy chooks Celia!
Jane, I really hope they are! They do seem to enjoy themselves…
They sure can move a lot of dirt!
Greg, they’re little rotavators…they turn the beds over for us, eat all the slugs and onion weed bulbs, then fertilise the soil. If we stand to close to the chook dome when they’re in action, our shoes get covered in sprayed dirt! :)
What a funny bunch of chickens :P Hehe I really liked that video that you showed me yesterday! :P
Haven’t found a way to post that one yet – the iPhone format doesn’t allow for editing. Lovely to catch up, love! x
They are so cute Celia. What lovely pets and bonus, you also get eggs! Looking at this does make you feel so sad for the ones in cages. That’s not how it’s meant to be – they love to peck and scratch in the ground xx
Charlie, it does make me sad for all the chooks that don’t get to muck around in the dirt. The eggs are a sheer joy!
LOL, love this Celia, Peter and I look forward to the day when, perhaps, we might have some chooks.
Oh, I hope you do get some, Lizzy! They’re such good fun!
More like Morris Dancers than Ninjas!
You may be right, Cosmo.. :)
I would have said barn dancers.
I never grow tired of watching ours.
They’re such a treat, aren’t they? :)
aww they’re so funny. It is wonderful to watch chickens in there natural habitat.
Lucky you my cattle dog would give them a heart attack
http://www.mykitchenstories.com.au
Yes, I think a yappy dog would scare them to death!
Super cute! Need to get your advice when I do my sea change and get a coop. Your chickens look so healthy!!
Christie, best advice ever is from Linda Woodrow’s book, The Permaculture Home Garden. Our garden is set up following her plan – it works well for suburbia!
http://www.penguin.com.au/products/9780670865994/permaculture-home-garden
So fun to see the chickens in action! They look perfectly content. I’d love to watch them all day too.
Mel, Pete and I have whiled away many an hour sitting outside watching the girls – if only we could all be as content as the chooks are!
Spuddling! great word.
Sally, as I was saying to Deb above, I took the videos with you and her in mind – I knew you’d love them! :)
I have the Mission Impossible theme stuck in my head. Bauck, Bauck -pa, Bumbum-pa, dada-DAH Ninja Chickens!
Hahaha…whereas I’ve been humming the Phantom Agents theme music.. ;-)
Brian’s Dad called it spuddling and it has more than one meaning, though they are related I guess. i liked the one about spreading out the embers with a poker. Love your girls Celia, they are so very charming :)
Joanna, I think it’s the perfect word for what they do! Thanks Brian’s Dad! :)
Dear Celia,
These chicken look so plump and happy. I’m a bit chicken of chickens. Do you dare catch them with your hands? I would be terrified lol!
Chopinand, I don’t catch them, but the boys do, and then I get a cuddle.. ;-)
We have pigeons in Manhattan and a few falcons…lots of taxis…our chickens come in a bucket…LOL..they are lovely…
Norma, did you have some eagles there at one point? Amazing to have birds of prey in such a big city!