Chicken Updates

Whatcha lookin' at?

I noticed while looking back upon past posts that I probably should update a few items that I blogged about previously.  I know, you've probably been having a hard time concentrating on your own lives without hearing about what is happening around here.  Let me keep you in suspense no longer...

The little roosters

Of the 15 chicks we bought from friends of ours, seven of them have turned out to be hens.  Eight are roosters and are cracking me up with their pathetic little crows.  A couple of them I believe are going to be quite beautiful so I am sad that they are destined for my crock pot.  I have heard of folks that keep an upcoming rooster in case their veteran dies unexpectedly but I doubt we will do that but things change around here sometimes by the minute so who knows how that will end up.

First day in the big coop (six of seven hens)

Last weekend we introduced the hens into the big coop with the adults.  They had access to the outside for the first time and the process went rather smoothly.  We put three in the first night but one threw a fit trying to get back to the others in her group that we put her back temporarily.  Looking back the next morning, I wonder if perhaps that one was a male.  Either way I paid more attention the second night and put the remaining five hens in under the cover of darkness.  They still have not figured out the roosting bars but they have figured out how to get the heck out of the way of the older hens.  John seems comfortable with the little ones already and is quite attentive to them just like a good big brother should be.  If I was to do it again, I think I would have moved all of the chicks in at the same time - because I think the quantity of new faces actually spread out the pecking of the older ones and was less stressful for the new chicks.  Just a theory.





The 4-H chicks are growing fast!  Here they are today enjoying themselves in the nursery outside in the big coop.  We still do not have a clue what we are supposed to do to show them at the fair but the kids have been handling them loads so they should be friendly enough and used to whatever we throw at them.

The new "chicken pasture" was finished a few weeks ago.  We fenced in a larger area of grass and removed the old fence from the paved portion.  The adults are loving it and have already scratched out a couple of holes to "bathe" in.  We decided to try an unconventional way of keeping the chickens in the pen by running string across the top of the fence.  So far it appears to work - although we did have a couple of escapes we think it was through the gaps they created at the gate.  We have now barricaded that area and so far no more escapes.  Either that or they were so traumatized by not being able to get back in the area that they have not tried again.  I know you can clip a chicken's wings to keep them from flying but this would also take away their only real defense against predators so I'm not ready to take that step.  I also have no idea how to do this so for now the wings will remain unclipped.

To those of you that would wonder why we do not allow the chickens free range - I can answer that in one word:  neighbor.  Our chicken coop is directly on our property line and the first time chicken's escaped I found them in the road.  Silly birds.  I love the birds and I love having a friendly relationship with our neighbor.  'Nuf said.

Happy Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day today, our family planted three of my all time favorite flowering trees - the Purple Leaf Plum.

I can only dream of the day when mine look as lovely at the one pictured above though because obviously it is going to be a few years before we get to that size.  But I am so thrilled to have them back in my landscaping.  I had one at my last home that we planted at the corner of our house but thanks to some hopelessly tenacious squirrels we had to remove it so as to stop their route onto our roof and eventually into the attic.  It happened more than once so I know it was inevitable.

Out here on the farm we have yet to see a squirrel anywhere in the neighborhood.  Coyotes, yes, but not squirrels.  Call me crazy but since the coyotes have kept to themselves for the last year I feel more affection to them than I ever will again for a squirrel.  I am sure that will all change the first time they get into my alpaca pasture.

I will finish today's entry with a photo of the eggs we put into our new incubator this evening.  Assuming that we get some to hatch, they will be ready the week before my son's 9th birthday.  I thought it might be a fun new family tradition to hatch a batch of new chicks around the time of both of the kid's birthdays each year.  That would be spring and fall chicks.  What do you think?