First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

The coolest thing happened with my young ladies! Well, in my opinion anyway.
At 6 wks old, they've gotten pretty cramped in their brooder (rain is prohibiting coop building so we're behind). I have a small area full of cranky, smelly chickens so on a whim, I tossed in a long sprig of rosemary. This morning, they're calm and quiet!! Also, the smell of rosemary overpowered the poo stink. I'm a happy chicken mommy today!!


Cool! I'm setting up a big herb garden for the coop right now. Hope to harvest and dry enough over the summer to be able to toss a handful in the bedding on a regular basis.
 
Cool! I'm setting up a big herb garden for the coop right now. Hope to harvest and dry enough over the summer to be able to toss a handful in the bedding on a regular basis.

I'm buying more herbs this weekend for the chicken supply! I have to say, I'm loving raising chickens more each day and definitely way more than I ever imagined!
 
I need to figure out how to post videos. I got a ridiculously adorable video of red coming when called. He's an awesome little cockerel.
I post it to YouTube. Then I play it and while it's playing I right-click on the URL in the box and click copy. Then come here,open a new post or reply, and click on that little movie film icon. A box will pop up that says it supports Vimeo and YouTube. Click in the box, click on Paste, and then submit. All done.
 
I just let my older (13 week) chicks out to free range for the first time while I cleaned out the kennel. They LOVED it! I was worried about various things, but it was time to bite the bullet...and everything went great. The goats were unconcerned about the chickens, the chickens were unconcerned about the goats. Nobody flew over the fence.

Only issue was that they didn't want to go back! Tried to entice them back in with BOSS, but only a few took the bait while the goats were occupied with their own treat. Had to close the door (because the goats got nosy about the chicken food) and catch them one by one. I'm going to let them out again tomorrow for at least several hours this time...hopefully this will start cutting down on the feed bill a little!
 
5 week old portraits.... They are SO ready to be moved outside. I am putting them out in the daytime when I am home, and they LOVE it. But I always feel like when I go to bring them back inside, they are WAITING for me and want to come with me. Hahaha. As soon as we have the coop officially finished, out they go! (still need to caulk a few places, and add the last bits of predator proof locks/latches)

Without further ado....

Lucy (BO), the sweet one.


Ethel (BR), the spring-loaded one.


Rose (EE), the purdy one.


And Lacey (SLW), the curious one.


I have to keep a hand on them because otherwise they jump up my arm, to my shoulder, and then down to the floor to find crumbs. Which I don't mind, but only AFTER the portraits.
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New to chickens myself me and my wife had talked about getting rir at SOME point but we haven't decided how many or wear we was going to house them will my wife made the mistake of telling a buddy of mine our plan for the near future well yesterday he comes over with 6 red rangers and feed now other than they are meat birds i know nothing about this breed i have been reading everything about rir couse thats the breed we decided on but im still happy to have them but worried that we aren't sit up for them so i got alot of work to do
 
kekstrom--that is the same feeling I get form mine when I let them out for a few hours--then start to pack them up for the ride back to the house. By five weeks mine will be out all the time, I think. It should be warm enough by then. But out all day and in at night is a very nice arrangement. :) Your chicks are beautiful!

Neisa--love your photos!
 
I just picked up my chicks last night! Everyone is under their adoptive broody and doing well. I got 5 Black Copper Marans (feather legged), 4 Barred Rocks, and 4 "Olive Eggers" (I got those from a separate person and have my suspicions). Big shout out to JBJ Poultry in Moody, Texas for being so helpful and taking their time to really help make sure I got what I wanted!
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My favorite Olive Egger thus far.
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kekstrom--that is the same feeling I get form mine when I let them out for a few hours--then start to pack them up for the ride back to the house. By five weeks mine will be out all the time, I think. It should be warm enough by then. But out all day and in at night is a very nice arrangement. :) Your chicks are beautiful!

Neisa--love your photos!

Thank you! Aren't they so funny.... Just like toddlers. I am looking forward to them moving out. Room for more chicks! ;)
 

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