backyard chickens – Ryan Conners – KilkennyCat Art & Photography

Posted on May 22, 2021 by kilkennycat — Leave a comment

Happy Caturday! Black Cat and Spotted Chicken

My newest painting for today! Digital week is over so I thought I’d start back painting with a funky chicken and cat. If you’ve followed my blog for some time, you know I used to have backyard chickens. They were wonderful. Not only because of the fresh eggs, but we raised them from chicks and they were the sweetest and funniest creatures. Puddy cat loved to hang out in the yard while we tended to the chickens.

On a different note, today is also World Goth Day. It’s a running joke in my close circle of friends and family that I’m goth, only because we’ve all been asked so many times by random people if I’m goth. I’m not. Also, I re-did the first version of my Black Cat Lady digital art piece, took away the blue hair, kept the orangey background from the second version, and put the black button up blouse back on her. So that version is also available in my Society6 Shop now. I figured she’s kind of apropos for today. =)

Posted on August 26, 2015August 26, 2015 by kilkennycat — 1 Comment

Hanging Out With Chickens

This year’s spring and summer rain really hindered our garden this year. The soil was so wet, that under the squash and pumpkin plants mushrooms were growing! Anyway, we decided to let the chickens have the run of the garden, so they can clean out the beds and we can get ready for next time.

Of course the chickens were more than happy to oblige! Going right for the beds, laying their eggs in them, and kicking up dirt! I only asked that they leave the marigolds and nasturtium alone.

We also had to make sure we covered the potato area with chicken wire. Still holding out hope that the potatoes will get a bit larger than cherry tomatoes. =P

Anna picked a marigold for her hair, so I took a quick portrait of her by the sunflowers.

Posted on April 8, 2014October 3, 2014 by kilkennycat — Leave a comment

Kind of Spring

This morning started out grey, wet, and muddy. I figured that was the plan for today…or just the plan for the dog. Then all of a sudden, SUN! The chickens were happy, and even though we don’ t have any flowers growing yet, Anna grabbed one of the silk hydrangea stems from my room and we went outside.

Anna with Goldielocks, the chicken who has 9 lives. Seriously, she survived being attacked by something in the night, almost losing a toe or two, but we nursed her back to health in the basement. Then rejected by the ducks and chickens, she somehow got a crook in her neck. She now has her own coop and boks her days away, eating and laying eggs. =)

Posted on May 7, 2013 by kilkennycat — Leave a comment

Anna & Lillian

We love our chickens, a lot. We love our two ducks too…but they’re not team players and don’t seem to like us like the chickens do. I did a quick portrait of Anna and Lillian today, a year later. I also tried to do a portrait with Anna and one of the ducks. The duck wasn’t having any of it and let us know, or let Anna know in a very gross way. hahaha

Anna and her Lillian — Anna and Lillian April 20, 2012

Oh man, my Mom and I were laughing so hard we nearly lost it. Anna on the other hand was so utterly disgusted. After a couple gags, she started laughing as well. So much for the new dress.

Posted on March 30, 2013 by kilkennycat — Leave a comment

Spring said, “Hello!”

Sure it may be for only one day this week, but spring made an appearance today and it was lovely! The kids got sunshine on their faces and I found the chickens making dirt nests to roll around in. Everyone was happy. Yay! Tomorrow brings lots of rain and snow to follow. Ah well, it was nice while it lasted. =)

Egg Collector in Red — Today’s egg collector, in red. See the sunlight back there?

Posted on July 22, 2012 by kilkennycat — Leave a comment

Our Backyard Chickens

I love our backyard chickens. Probably more than is normal, since apparently some people actually end up eating their chickens after they stop laying. I don’t think I’ll be one of those-nei, I *won’t* be one of those. They can carry on, living a lovely life, and not lay eggs. That’s fine by me. They’re such beautiful creatures!

I had this idea, this “vision” of how lovely a chicken would look surrounded by falling down, almost like snow. (Although if I wait a few months, I don’t need the down…) Turns out, chickens actually do not seem to like down at all. So the “vision” wasn’t quite realized, but that was ok.

There’s something about their fluffy butts that is just so cute. We got six hens when they were just tiny chicks. The little town we moved to decided that on March 26th of this year, they were going to ban livestock, poultry, and other ‘farm’ animals from city limits. That was so ridiculous! Here we moved from Portland, Oregon, where you’re allowed chickens in the city, and this rural Pennsylvania town was going to outlaw them? There was a side note, that if you owned your animals prior to March 26th, you’d be able to keep them until they died. That’s when my Mother and I went on a chicken search! We managed to get the chickens the day of the law… Turns out, there’s a lady in town who has alpacas and that’s her livelihood, so she somehow managed to get the city council to not vote on the ban. Yay!