i love these chickens!

[mopinko]

i think they are a stitch. i have 7 that are about a month old. mostly feathered, running around acting like chickens. they were a little over a week old when i got them, and seem to have grown a million fold. but i picked up the backordered 5 today, and they are only 2 days old. little balls of fuzzy air.
4 are araucanas, all different colors. and one more wyandott, as a certain god damned little terrier got one. boy i turned my back for one second. but she knows now, and wants nothing to do with the chicks.
bully pup is very interested in them. he isn't a hunter, but he does love to chase things. i have faith that he could not inflict anything on a creature able to move more than his usual 5 miles an hour or so. i think he is just curious, and has shown signs of feeling like he should guard them.
i think with a little time we will work it all out.

[Kali]

1. cute

my second batch (skunk got the first) are getting close to laying age. Another couple weeks I think. That also translates to a common time I lose them to predators, but since the last skunk incident we have been super-vigilant about closing the coop early at night. Daytime coyote may come through but there are three dogs and a new road behind the barn where they used to sneak in so hoping to be overwhelmed by eggs soon. It has been so long since we had extras. We have been at 0 to 2 eggs per day for the last two years.

I have 3 Spanish black banty roosters, a black standard hen (australorp?) an older standard barred rock and the 16 new ones are standard barred rocks too. supposed to be all pullets but got one rooster too. that is OK kind of needed another.

[Denninmi]

2. Thanks for posting.

I bought or hatched a ton of birds in the past few years. Not doing either this year, I have too many now, the price of feed goes up almost every time I go to the feed store, it seems, and I'm all stressed out taking care of what I admit are too many. I'm going to cut back on the size of my flock, and may end up re-homing some if I can find someone I could trust not to turn them into soup.

So, I get to enjoy yours. Next year, I may do some different kind, thinking about some Muscovy ducks, never had those.

[EFerrari]

3. mo, you know that brooder you made out of the plastic bin?

How did you arrange the warming light in it?

Did you stick a lamp in there or how did you do it?

Yesterday, a coyote got one of my border's big beautiful barred rock hens. He didn't believe me I guess when I told him they would walk right off with them. He put together a house for them in the afternoon and hopefully, they will be safe now.

[mopinko]

4. my main source of heat is a crock pot.

the only thing i spent money on was a thermostat. the main heat is a crock pot that is inside a big soup pot, mostly out of paranoia. i am sure it would be fine by itself.
i clamp the lamp onto the soup pot, and drape the blanket/insulation over the top. the lid is propped open for air. i can control things by covering it more or less tightly. and i can turn the light off at night. they love that they can belly up to the soup pot if they feel cold.
when they get to where they start wanting to hop out, they are about big enough to move up to the big cage. but i can put that off for about a week with a lighter blanket that allows a little air and light.
these are my first chicks, but i have raised a lot of little birds.

[EFerrari]

5. I had a love bird lay two clutches in the coupon drawer.

Grace was a great mom and took care of everything so all I had to do was watch them when they were learning to fly. I never had to try to keep them warm.

[mopinko]

6. new chick pics

more at my fb.

[mopinko]

7. tricked again

like the 4th buff orpington that turned out to be a red star, this yellow one that was supposed to be a white arucauna is also a red star. thought i saw that telltale stripe down her back.
i don't mind, but they are not the friendliest of the bunch.
i'm sure the eggs will be fine, tho.