Fox Field Farm Flock

[GitaBooks]

He's still learning not to chase them for fun, but he's never hurt them, and the other dogs don't chase them so he is learning well. He loves to herd things though, including the other dogs.

 

[GitaBooks]

We are preparing for winter, the heat-lights will be set-up soon, we have the barns clean (but the recent rain has gotten them kind of dirty). We have lowered our chicken number to around 50 or so, which is better than over 60, but we still have a few more to get rid of so that we can afford to feed them when snow covers the ground. Thankfully, its been pretty warm and snow-free so far, even though it is December.
Princess's two chicks are growing their feathers in already, trying to keep warm, but all and all are doing well. Her poor toes over-grew from sitting on the nest, so I've been trimming little bits over a few days and they are finally down to the right size and ready for the winter.

Anyways, everything here is going pretty well. We lost one of our roosters to a predator, but none since then. Andalusia (better known as Andi) perches in the rafters and so I can't lock her up at night, but nothing can reach her so she is safe. And recently, Ruby (formerly Rudy) has been disappearing at night. Is she broody? During the winter?! I guess we'll wait and see.

When the grass dries, I'm going to collect some of the dry stuff (hand harvesting) to fill up the nest boxes again and finish the winter preparations.

This is Ruby. She is one of my Dalmatians, except she got the red pyle coloration instead of the dalmatian spots


My chickens enjoying the brisk, cool air of autumn (they love cool, cloudy weather)


My new big rooster (I still of Domni, this is just the rooster I'm keeping to pass on genetics). His name is Bubs and he is so very handsome!


Here is my beautiful Dove with a random assortment of other chickens around her. She is the white hen with the dark, silkie black skin


Wild Thing is the chicken in the middle. She is in molt and during cold nights sleeps in the nest boxes to stay warmer


Eagle, finishing up her molt


Epsilon after his hair-cut and some growing. He still herds the other dogs, but he hasn't learned to chase the cats or chickens (more than a few steps at least, just for the fun of it). He's house trained and already learning tricks. He's so smart!


Chiefess, my Silver Laced Wyandotte. She is nearing laying age, but I haven't gotten eggs from her that I know of. Maybe they are hiding them all out in the field. They love going in the tall weeds and thorns where hawks can't see them. Even the white ones can hide with how thick it is.


Blue with her crooked beak


Dominator looking proud


My three Twilights, missing their fourth because he was unfortunately taken by a predator. I plan to only keep the hen, but for now, they eat so little and follow me around so much, I can't make myself find them a new home.


Princess with her two chicks, Autumn and Breeze, taking a short trip out of the broody pen.


A picture of Captain the hen I managed to catch. I had to point the camera behind me, so I couldn't see what I was doing, but I managed to catch this really neat looking shot of her standing on a piece of carpet set over a chair. They liked to play on it.

 

[GitaBooks]

It probably snowed twice this year where we are, and neither time did it cover the ground. So, we didn't get a white Christmas, but I was completely fine with that. For once I wasn't carrying hot water out to the chickens three times a day in below zero weather with blowing wind, huge snow drifts and poor cold chickens that had visible breaths while they all hunched up in whatever sun light they could find.
Actually, they are enjoying the weather so much one just hatched out some chicks! Yep, we're all fine without freezing weather right now, but it sure is raining a lot.The chicken room looks like a cattle barn (and smells like one too) because of the tiny holes in the roof we have tried to fix (and it didn't work). However, I don't have to worry about water because I catch rain water for the chickens so they always have some and its always fresh and clean.

Here are some update photos from just a few days ago (showing how un-white this winter was)

Here is Blue (she was blue as a chick), lit up by the sun


This is my molting EE, Eagle. She looks like she doesn't have a tail, but normally she has a beautiful one.


This is Scarlet, with her wonderfully detailed lacing


These are my autumn chicks named Autumn and Breeze. Breeze is the female on the right (she is darker and smaller then her brother)


This is Yosemite, the White Giant, who jumped up on my arm while I was taking pictures so I had to get one of her.


Here is Spock, one of my breeding roosters


This is Enterprise, my mix-breed pullet


Bubs enjoying some pumpkin


My new chick, hatched two days after Christmas, I named her Rain because it was raining (a TON) instead of snowing when she hatched. Her mother got nervous and left the nest early so I took her in and put her in the incubator. I opened up the breathing hole a little but other then that she hatched all her own. I put her back with her mother right afterwards and she was excepted compeltely


This is Ruby, Rain's mother. Rain also has an older sibling, Noel, who is the chick in this picture (the chick is actually standing on poor Rain at the moment, but Rain was fine even with a little rough treatment at first)



Azul looking a little weird as he stares at the camera (he needs a haircut)


Precious, who I am guessing is a rooster (his comb is too big for his young age and his legs are too long for a hen)


Ruby when she first met Rain. She gently pecked at her to try and help her stand. Rain fell onto her back and her mother wiped her beak on her to try and turn her back over. Poor Ruby was confused when Rain didn't just crawl under her, so I helped out and tucked the chick under her wings.


Dominator and Wynona (Whinnie) investigating a pumpkin


My three silkie chickens. Flo the naked-neck rooster, Possibility the pure hatchery quality white silkie, and Tad the mix-breed pullet who has no crest

 

[GitaBooks]

It has started snowing here, and not only has it started but it won't stop! It is near blizzard like conditions with how hard the wind is blowing. All the snow is going back up into the air from the ground and the drifts are piling up. It is cold, but not as cold as it was yesterday thank goodness.
I've been cleaning the barn the last few days, which is no easy task as it is very old, very large, and VERY dirty and dusty. At some point or another it is probably kept every livestock species there is. Every time I work out there all my clothes turns brown with dust and dirt. The chickens love it when I move stuff around though, as they have a chance to scratch at new food sources. They are always so curious.

I'll try to get some pictures of the snow but most won't have chickens in them as the chickens not only can't stand the wind (they tend to blow away in this weather

) or because of deep snow. After all, they have no fur or feathers on their feet or legs (most of them don't, that is, the silkies have boots) and my chickens are kind of babies about the cold. I'm using that to teach the pullets that live in our other barn to roost in the main barn, as they won't go through the snow back to their old roost.

I hope everyone is staying safe on the roads!

 

[N F C]

Looking forward to some new pictures! How's your youngest pup (Oopsie?) doing?

 

[GitaBooks]

Looking forward to some new pictures! How's your youngest pup (Oopsie?) doing?

Oopsie is doing great. He just got neutered a week or two ago and got over it in about one day. He didn't seem to even realize he had just had surgery, even when we were trying to keep him calm and rested. He is learning his place among the other dogs, who are more willing to play with him then they use to be. He is very smart and learning lots of tricks and rules that are important. He is also LOVING the snow.

The dogs rushing out for a walk


Cinnamon, my dog, running for the joy of it. The basketball hoop blew over from the strong winds.


Precious in the garage, witnessing his first real snow. He will be going to a new home soon, but for now I'm just trying to keep him warm, hydrated and happy. It was so cold today that the schools were closed, but you can't get a day off from chickens. My hands were sticking to all the metal and ice and the poor chickens were walking stiff as they tried to keep their feet tucked in their feathers.


Rax enjoying the field, even in his old age. He is 10 years-old but still acts like a puppy.


Epsilon with his snowy face. This was his first real snow and it brought out the playful nature in all the dogs


Poor Enterprise and Adrian trying to keep warm in the rafters of their shed


Cinnamon and Espilon were semi-playing (Cinnamon wouldn't admit it though

). Cinnamon plays by snapping at the puppy, but his body-language is different when he is angry and when he is playing




Nym our cat and Epsilon playing. Again, they look like they are fighting, but neither hurt one another, even when using their claws and teeth. Nym would have left if he wasn't enjoying it, even if he pretends not to like playing.

 

[N F C]

I'm really enjoying your animal pictures, the snow ones were so fun with the dogs! Thank you for sharing some more photos!

 

[GitaBooks]

All the chickens have learned to gather in our largest, main barn where there is the most space, most perches (they like to cuddle on a roost during the day), straw to nestle into, heat lights, nest boxes, and warm water available as well as where I feed them. It makes it a lot easier on me.


Here is Possibility, my white silkie pullet wishing she could have some of the chick food on the inside of the broody pen.



Ruby with her two chicks, keeping them warm under the heat-light.


Bub's taking his place as second in command as he dances for Cowgirl.


Noel (blue) and Rain (blue and black with silkie feathers) enjoying some food with their mother.


The chickens resting on perches (originally sheep feeders) as they try to keep warm.


Eve showing off her beautiful feathers. She is part OEGB and part Golden Sebright.


A dalmatian hen peeking her head out from a window


Sedgewick, the "rooster"I had asked for from the hatchery that turned out to be a hen. Her short legs are usually only a nuisance to her, but it sure is easier to keep them warm this way.

 

[GitaBooks]

Here are some old photos of how our chickens lost their combs and wattles to frost-bite. The poor things, it must have been painful, but when its -10 F there isn't really anything you can do about it.

A leghorn hen


Dominator our rooster


Sasha our maran rooster (he always had glowing red eyes in any photos you took of him)


And some cute chicken foot-prints!

 

[uzisuzuki]

I love seeing pics of all your birds! Especially the project birds. They are lovely.