Spring 2017 first timers post!

[lilmarie84]

They are only a little over a month old I wasn't sure if I had to kind had to put them on the roost a couple of times here and there to get them accustomed to it kind of teach them

 

[Blooie]

They'll get it. As long as the roost is accessible I wouldn't worry one little bit.

 

[dobermanacres]

One of my of 4 really enjoys roosting (the potential rooster currently named Beverly) on the roosts in the coop/run and the other three don't seem as enthused. Now when they're inside at night, all 4 perch on the edge of the Rubbermaid tub Sometimes they nod off while perching on the edge, but they usually prefer sleeping in the pine shavings. Love their little personalities and behaviours!

 

[lilmarie84]

My babies have been moved to the coop now and I have been letting them out to run around the yard everyday since. I was wondering tho it rained all last night and its been cloudy since the moment I woke up today the ground is still wet and its still looking like the rain isn't done; Do I leave them in the coop or let them out to run around a little before it starts raining again?

 

[bajabirdbrain]

We put our girls in the coop at 10 days old with their Mama Heating Pad. We have a small door and ramp from the coop to the run which is fully enclosed and grassy(for awhile). We would open the door and the chicks would slowly make their way down the ramp for outdoor play. With some prompting they would return to the coop for rest periods. After the MHP was removed we put down a towel in a corner of the coop and that is where they still sleep at night. We have 2 very nice roosts with a ramp inside the coop but they only use the roost for daytime naps. The girls were 9 weeks old yesterday. Inside the run we have multiple place for them to roost, a swing, a tree limb low roost, a ladder type structure, a corner roost, and several chairs. They love to group up on the chairs for a rest period or on the roosts during the day.

As to returning to the coop for the evening, they pretty much always put themselves to be on their own. The little coop door had a plexiglass window in it and when they would be let out in the am they would be looking out waiting for BB to release them. Even though we "think" their coop/run is secure from predators, we decided that they should be locked in the coop at night. As they get older we anticipate being gone for periods of time and will have to rely on others for watering and feeding the girls as well as letting them in and out of their coop. We ordered the Chick Safe automatic door opener and instsalled it. The first night one of the girls was almost locked out by our timing. We moved the closing time back 15 minutes and this seems to be about 10 minutes later than the last chick going to bed which is what we want. Of course we have to check them every night to make sure all are in bed and the door is closed. We are optimistic that this bed check will be come unnecessary as the system proves to be reliable.

For the past several weeks we have had free ranging sessions several times per day. These are conducted under the watchful eyes of BB and Slave(armed with a .22 rifle with bird shot)! So far no issues as the girls stay pretty much together and love the long grass that we have. They love to go under our travel trailer and forage and now they want to wander around our shop area. Yesterday we had our first scare. With most of them under something BB saw something soaring over our property but pretty high up. Soon thee were up to 8 eagles in the area!!!! We have never seen more than 2 so this was disturbing. They never got threatening lower or lingered over us but it sure put us on high alert.

Treats for the girls consist of meal worms, grapes, spaghetti, water melon, and the occasional ear of corn. For most the biggest challenge is distributing the treats so that a flash mob scene is avoided. Some of the girls are slower than others, want to be fair!

Ok, that is about the total update. Sure has been fun and should continue for a long time. TBC,BB

Started off with pine shavings but have switched to sand, much better, easier to clean and not at all messy.

Yes, there is now screen on the left side

Chicks are much bigger now but still love the closeness of a group nap

Gets stripped in 5 minutes!

The playground, not seen is dust bath, a mixture of peat moss and wood ash

New auto door opener and closer. Reflective tape so we can see from house

An example of a "near coop" free range. They now are allowed to range much further away but still being "mother hened" by BB and Slave

 

[naturegeek168]

@bajabirdbrain, are you sure they were eagles and not turkey vultures? I don't think you would ever see that many eagles in one area

 

[bajabirdbrain]

@bajabirdbrain, are you sure they were eagles and not turkey vultures? I don't think you would ever see that many eagles in one area

I am very familiar with Bald Eagles after living in BC for a number of years and having them land in trees on our lake front property. I have never seen this many before around our home here on Whidbey Island!! We routinely get a single bird doing a high fly bye but even that is like a weekly event. Hawks are another matter, they are seen often around here. I have been told that when an alfalfa field is mowed the eagles will group up to prey on rodents displaced by the mowing. On another note, we drove to the Skagit River this winter to see eagles feeding on dead salmon, pretty neat and many bird watchers with huge camera/lens set ups to photograph the event. One last note concerning Turkey Vultures. Until Nov of '15 we spent the preceding 16 winters in southern Baja. Our place was on a small bluff facing the Sea of Cortez. When the wind was blowing off the water turkey vultures would cruise the bluff, back and forth, and no further away than 50 ft from us, again, quite a show. BB

 

[lilmarie84]

The chicks were moved out into the coop last week and I have been letting them out to free range in the yard as much as I can as long as someone it out there with them but it is suppose to rain all week this week so I'm not going to be able to let them out in the yard but I really don't want to keep them cooped up all week. The coop has an attached run with roof on it so is it okay to let run around in the run so that they are not coop up in there cuz they made such a mess in there yesterday

 

[lilmarie84]

Here's a few shots of the coop

 

[bajabirdbrain]

@bajabirdbrain, are you sure they were eagles and not turkey vultures? I don't think you would ever see that many eagles in one area

Hi naturegeek168! Our house is in the Skagit Bay Audubon Important Bird Area which is home to 600-800 pairs of Bald Eagles. Turkey Vultures are actually not very common here on the island and one was noted as an unusual bird sighting on today's Whidbey Audubon website. They don't call me birdbrain for nothing! Birding is my passion!