Screech gets some new girlfriends

We were able to get two more Ameraucanas to flock with Screech.  When we put the new birds in the coop it was amazing to see Screech go right to them and she seemed so relieved.  She had been staying in the coop since Flo was killed.  After the week long ritual of keeping them in the coop they were released to the yard.  The 3 new girls stay together and the 2 bigger girls stay together.  There is a pecking order being worked out but nothing too aggressive.  The bigger hens don't like to give up their coop space so the newbies have to find a little space that is not intrusive.  After a couple of weeks all 5 are beginning to spend time closer together.  Since the two new hen are white and impossible to tell apart I call them the Wrigley twins, Scott calls them Zelda and Zoe.

I began to let Bixby out unattended again on Saturday and then today (Sunday) he and Stella spent the day in the yard while we were gone.  It didn't take him as long this time to understand that he had to leave the chickens alone.  Hopefully when he is outside he will keep predators away.

Sad day in the yard

Today I came home to find Flo's body in the yard.  Something had killed her between the time I was home for lunch at 1:00 and after work at 5:00.  There was a pile of her feathers in the viburnum.  She must have been attacked there and then brought to the yard.  We think the murderer must have been a cat.  Flocon de neige (snowflake) was a very quite bird.  She seemed to get along with the bigger girls better than her flock mate, Screech.  Stan said that white birds seem to be targets more often.  I suppose they don't camouflage as well.  I will have to see how Screech adjusts without her.  I don't know if she will be accepted by the other birds.  If not I might return her to Stan to be with her other flock mates.

Back to the country

October 8:  I had an opportunity to add two more hens to my small flock of two so we headed out to the country to pick them up.  We will also get to see Ernie, aka Spot.  Bert, aka Billina disappeared about a month after we took the young roos to the country.  Stan says it is brutal out there and they end up feeding a lot of the local wildlife.  Bert probably wondered too far from the yard and that was that.  Ernie has turned into a beautiful young rooster.  I think Stan likes him and is giving him extra protection.  He lets him out early so #1 rooster doesn't bother him.
The two new girls are Aracanas, a South American breed.  They are a medium sized chicken that lay blue-green eggs.  They are sometimes called the Easter egger chicken.  Stan brought them out to introduce us.

These birds are smaller and more prone to flight so Stan clipped their wings so they can be habituated to the yard and hopefully will not fly out.

When we returned home with them on Saturday night it was already dark so I opened the nesting box and put the new girls in the coop.  The older girls did not seem to take notice...at least not until the next day when everyone came out of the coop.  I was surprised that Hen was the least tolerant and chased the new comers around.  I decided to leave the new chickens in the coop for a few days and let the older girls out to roam the yard during the day.  Since the coop was closed Ms. Featherbottom has taken to laying her egg in the hay in the doghouse.  I hope she goes back to the coop later!

Tranquility

After about 3 months of training on a leash in the yard and many "leave it " commands, Bixby finally knows that the chickens are just other animals sharing his yard.  He can be outside with the birds and they are perfectly safe with him.  I thought he could do it but he has such a strong hunting instinct that I wasn't 100% sure.

Miss Featherbottom lays an egg

Today, August 2, 2011 at slightly over 20 weeks Miss Featherbottom laid an egg. She is the buff Orpington, on the left in the top picture. She has shown an interest in the nesting box lately so I thought she might be getting ready to lay. The temperatures have been over 100 for the past several weeks so I am surprised she started laying. I let the hens out of the pen during the day so they can get to a shadier spot. They enjoy being under the bushes. They have really enjoyed eating a cold slice of watermelon as well.  I have also frozen a litter bottle of water and laid it on the ground for the hens to snuggle up to so they can cool off a bit.  I put a smaller frozen bottle in the coop at night to help cool off the space.

And then there were two

We have taken the dogs out on a leash to see how they resoond to the chickens.  Stella is fine; she just ignores them but Bix wants to get one.  He has such a soft mouth that I don't know if he would hurt one but the chickens and I don't really want to test him.  So he will be out on chicken practice until I am sure.

The two girls are enjoying the sun.  When they get separated from each other they cackle until they are reunited.  They don't like to be apart.  

I checked on the roos and was told that they are doing really well in the country.  They have been out of the chicken enclosure and eating grass and bugs and they "look really good" out there.  I think I will also be getting two pullets this summer when Stan orders more chicks.  He is getting Aracanas, which are a South American breed.  They look interesting and are good layers.

cockerels to the country

Here is a picture of the chickens inside the coop.  Billina and Hen Maddox Hen are looking at the camera, Ms featherbottom is in the nesting box and Spot's tail feathers are just visible in the bottom right hand corner.
On Saturday morning, May 28th, I heard two distinct voices in a cock-a-doodle-doo contest.  I looked out the window and Billina was crowing and there was Spot sitting on top of the coop door (pictured above) answering the call.  The cockerels start out with a rr rr rrrr before they get into a full doodle doo.  They are 11 weeks old so Billina started at about 10 weeks.  A friend in the country came to their rescue and said he would take them.  We drove them out on Monday, May 30.  They were put in the coop with the other chickens very unceremoniously...gently tossed in.  Billina mingled with the flock and tried to look like he had always been there.  Spot, on the other hand was left in the enclosed area with #2 rooster.  #2 was staring him down waiting for a confrontation.  Spot didn't know what to do and luckily Stan stepped in and shooed them to the outside enclosure.  He said he had several underlings and since they are juvenile roos they might be ok.  Sometimes the newcomers  get beat up.  He was going to watch to see how they do.  They will all stay in the enclosure for 3 days then they will be able to roam the farm.  They could also become victim to coyotes but all in all it is chicken paradise.  When we left the two newbees were in the outside enclosure pecking away and looking a bit confused but I think they will be fine.  I'll get an update sometime later.  I also learned how to sex a chicken (or any animal for that matter).  You need a large metal staple with a string attached.  Hold the staple by the string over the animal to be sexed and start rotating it in a small circle.  When it is gently moving hold your hand steady and let the staple sway on its own.  If the animal is a male it will begin to swing back and forth in a straight line, if the animal is a female it will rotate in a circle.  We tried it on a mother cat, a tom cat, the two roos, and even my husband.  It worked every time!

Outside at last!

The hens moved outside and all is going well. It is a good thing that I put the fence around the coop because it is going to take a while before Bixby looses interest in the chickens. Everything seemed fine until one morning we heard a strange noise. We thought it was one of the cats but then realized it was coming from outside. It sounded like rr rr rrrr. After about 4 days and being in denial we have conceded that Billina is a cockerel. She...he is such a friendly chicken. I don't want to have him reduced to a meal so I am trying to find him a home. It's difficult...you just really don't need many males around, but I am asking everyone I know with chickens. Hopefully some one will show up before the neighbors complain.

The flood is coming!

looking out the window

Miss Featherbottom decided to have some quite time

The hens have outgrown the brooder box and are ready to move to a bigger home.  I am waiting for the weather to warm up as they should not be outside at this stage until the night time temperature doesn't go below 50 degrees.  However, we had a drain problem in the basement and I noticed that the shower drain was plugged...which is in the bathroom with the brooder box.  I got two dryer boxes and put them together and moved the chicks to a storage room in the basement.  They will need to stay there for about a week until the temperature at night is higher. 

Safety first!

After seeing how excited Bixby was with the chicks I decided to add an extra barrier for at least the first year. I bought a portable fence to put around the coop. It is 10 x 10 x 6 feet tall. The chicks can roam around in the pen and I won't have to worry about them with the dogs. Hopefully the chicks won't stick their heads through the fence!

Billina and Spot are the most independent of the 4 chicks, pictured here at ~ 6 weeks. They like to roost on the top edge of their box. Billina, aka Ms Congeniality,  is the most sociable of the 4. She actually jumps up to greet us and wants her chest rubbed. She is starting to get her wattle now also. We really hope she is not a cockerel! They start trying to crow at about 5 weeks and since they are now 6 weeks and no cock-a-doodle-doos,  it looks good. Scott loves her and says she loves him too so she wouldn't be reduced to the frying pan anyway but a rooster in the backyard would not make us very popular in the neighborhood. The hens are starting to out grow their box and it will be good to get them into the coop.

A visit to the coop

The hens had a short visit to the coop at 4 weeks. The weather was nice so I took them out for some fresh air. It was a bit of a process though...catching them and transporting them upstairs and outside without the help of 3 cats and 2 dogs. Then in reverse to put them back in the heated box. The night time temperature is not warm enough and they are not old enough to make the permanent move into an unheated coop. They need to be 8 weeks and the outside temperature not below 50. It has been cooler than usual this spring. However, it will be hot soon enough! When they were in the coop they really seemed to enjoy it. They could manage to slide down the ramp but their legs are not long enough yet to climb back up. The dogs were tooooo interested. Bixby will be a challenge to train.

entering the dinosaur phase

dinosaur strut

new feathers and colors

Billina showing off her comb

Spot showing off her new comb

perching and preening

At 3 weeks the chicks have lost there fuzz and they are starting to get their feathers.  They are at the gangly stage with long legs and big feet and sparse feathers...aka dinosaur chicks.  They are all starting to show the colors and markings of adulthood.  The buffs are getting some of the rust colored feathers, Spot is getting her barred black and white feathering and hen maddox hen is getting her speckles.  They began roosting this week so I added another perch.  I also noticed their combs are starting to show.  They are curious about what we are doing when we look in on them and they cock their heads to one side and look up at us with one eye.  Of course, when I am there I usually refill their feeder so all the more reason for them to be curious.

New addition

barred rock chick...aka Spot

chicks at 2 weeks

The black australorps did not arrive from the hatchery so I decided to get a chick that is the same age as the other chicks.  Our new addition is a Plymouth barred rock chick.  They often have a spot on the top of their heads so we are referring to her as Spot.  She must not have eaten much food at Orchleins because she ate non stop for the first day she was here.  The introduction of a new chick was strange.  The 3 chicks looked at Spot and she looked at them like they were from another planet...  However, the chicks had a change of venue last week. We had new windows installed downstairs so I had to move them into the bathroom closet upstairs during the installation.  I think that helped them all transition together.  They are all sticking together just fine.  When I transported them back downstairs Bixby made the discovery.  He has become very interested since fried chicken is his favorite food!  He stood watch over the door for quite a while to see if he could get a better look.  It is amazing how fast they are growing.  They are starting to get their wing feathers and trying them out with some short flaps and quasi flights across the brooder box.

The chicks are here...the chicks are here!

The chicks finally arrive on March 15th.  I hope the Ides of March is not a bad omen!  I brought home two buff orpingtons and a speckled sussex.  The latter was a surprize as I was told that they would not get this breed.  I think they just get what they get.  The black australorps didn't arrive so I will try for one of those next Tuesday.  The chicks are doing well, eating, drinking and peeping!
Today could have been a disaster for them. I checked on them this morning and all was fine.  I always check to make sure the cats are not around before I open the door to the bathroom where they are kept.  However, when I went home at lunch I stopped to check on them before going upstairs.  I heard a cat but didn't see one but when I opened the door there was Gus.  Luckily for the chicks Persians are not very active.  He was just laying on the floor squeezed between the door and the brooder box.  The cover for the box had been disturbed but Gus is too fat to be able to jump up in such tight quarters.  I will definitely have to be more careful in the future. Sorry girls!

setting up the coop

Ready to assemble

ok, let's see what's next...













It's coming together and starting to look like a coop.



 

Finished!

the brooder box and coop

I set up the brooder box that the chicks will live in until it is warm enough for them to go outside.  I used a cardboard box approximately 2' by 3' with a 1" layer of pine shavings on the bottom.  I positioned the infrared lamp 17" from the ground and I hope it will create the 95 degree temperature that they need for the first week.  I will probably keep it covered to hold in the heat.  The bulb will be raised every week to increase the temperature by 5 degrees until the temperature is about 70 degrees.  Then they should be able to live outside in the coop.  I have attached a picture of the box and of the disassemble coop.  I hope to get the coop assembled this weekend.  The chicks should be here any day now!

Chicken coop

My coop arrived in Topeka by freight line.  I received free shipping to Topeka so I drove over and picked it up.  It fit in my Subaru and I headed home and put it in my garage until we have some nicer weather to set it up.  I ordered it from mypetchicken.com.  It is the saltbox coop.  The website says it only takes 45 minutes to set it up with one person or 30 minutes with two people and the only tool you need is a screwdriver...we'll see.  Maybe Sue will come over and help me!  Hint hint. 
I have a box set up in my basement bathroom with an infrared heat lamp and the food and water containers.  The chicks will use this space until they are about 2 months old then the weather will be warmer and they can be transitioned outside.

creating the home sweet home for the chicks

I am planning on raising four chicks, 3 breeds; buff orpington, australorp, speckled sussex.  The box should be large enough for the chicks to move around but not get lost.  They should be able to move in and out of the heat from the lamp.  The infrared bulb will be suspended 17" from the floor to maintain the temperature for the chicks at 95 degrees for the first week.  The bulb will be raised and the temperature increased by 5 degrees each week until it reaches 70 degrees.

Prepare a suitable home for the arrival of the chicks

Items you will need:
A safe space free from drafts and predators
An infrared heat lamp, 250 watt red bulb
A watering container (specifically for chicks; they can drown if you just provide a bowl)
A feeding container (chicks will not over eat so make sure they have food 24/7)
A box to keep them contained ~2 sq ft per chick