Virgin Chicken owner...the beginning of the journey!

[MrsMommaB]

My oldest and youngest playing with the coop after we assembled it (It only took 1 hour to assemble. Easy peasy!!)


They sleep so funny! It took me a while to get used to how they just doze off anywhere and everywhere.
They still didn't have names at this point because I wanted to make sure all of them survived before they had names.... Don't judge me! I get attached easily!

 

[MrsMommaB]

I quickly found that the blue andalusians were very curious about jumping/flying out immediately after we brought them home.... the hard way. But alas, she survived her adventure and we attached chicken wire to the lid so they couldn't escape!


My boy max wanted to "play" with them right away. As my little man says, "NO DOG!"

*As a side note, I also found that putting a tupperware under the water to raise it up a bit helped SOME with the mess!

 

[MrsMommaB]

This became little Amelia... our sickly one.


Her poor bottom when I first got her. They said it looked like this just because she was being pecked at constantly. Which she was...but there was more to it.


"Betty White"



Max is like, "PLEEAAASE! JUST ONE TASTE!"


So strange how they get their snooze on....


I love how they snuggle.

 

[MrsMommaB]

Got the coop outside in it's area!


This was their first time in their coop. They just stood there like statues for a while.


Began exploring!




See Max over there in the corner by the gate?? He was staring at them!


Brooder versus coop size comparison

 

[MrsMommaB]

So in the following pics, we'd had the chicks for just over three weeks and finally decided to name them all!

Our little Amelia... she had been struggling something fierce. In the first few weeks, she had a completely bald bum.... She actually was constipated severely. Her vent stuck out a lot and she'd squeal when she tried to poo. It would never come out all the way. I had tried putting some vaseline and triple antibiotic on it several times a day the first week. It didn't do a whole bunch.... Another pullet had pasty butt. I cleaned off the poo and put TA on her bum as well and she never had another problem. After Amelia wasn't getting better or growing, I decided to put a little of the apple cider vinegar in their water for a couple days and give them all hard boiled egg yolk. I did not ever separate them.... Also, I gave Amelia warm "baths" for a few days. Her constipation cleared up straight away! However, about a week later I noticed traces of blood in her stool for several days and she just wasn't growing like the rest. They were all starting to get to the ugly duck stage of their first molt and growing like weeds and she just wasn't..... So, I treated them ALL for coccidiosis at that point and after just a couple days, she improved significantly!

Also, in these pics, you'll notice Amelia and Betty look very different. They were both supposed to be white leghorns... Their differences, I had attributed to Amelia's sickness until a dear friend of mine informed me that my dear Mrs. White is most certainly NOT a leghorn but a buff orpington instead. I will admit some disappointment in the beginning because I got the legborns specifically for their excellent egg-laying and now all I had was poor little Amelia to be my champion layer. But..... I must say I love my fluffy Betty just the same and I adore her fluffy bottom!!

Amelia


Betty White


Mother Clucker (Mother Hen to the kids)


Aunt Maxine


Izzy


Aretha

 

[MrsMommaB]

My dear, patient husband building walls for the chicken run

 

[MrsMommaB]

So there were a couple mishaps in the building of the chicken run... but this is after it was up!
The 2x4's we bought were much too tall so they need cut off at the top. We have hardware cloth surrounding it, including the top. Some of it is small squares and some (like the top), are 2x4 rectangles. We ran out of it close to the door and at the same exact time, it started pouring rain. My husband put those boards up in front of the open area just to get it "sealed off". After seeing them, I thought we should just keep a board there, but a little nicer looking one as these are from the back of kitchen cupboards that had been taken down, and make it a sign!! I'm up for some suggestions for the name of our chicken castle if any of you have any ideas....

We promptly hung the feeder and waterer which has been amazing!! So much less mess. I also put a chair in there for them to play on and me to sit on. I put it upside down when I'm not in there though or they poo on the seat. Also, there's a swing and a long roosting branch as well. The roosting branch is not in it's final location yet though. It's just sitting there for now!

 

[MrsMommaB]

The kids love the hens and hanging out with them out there with me! We give them lots of snacks and try to give them snuggles every time we are outside too. However...those blue andalusians are now nicknamed "the road runners" because they are flighty and don't want to be held!



Sisterly love


Snack time


Amelia is FINALLY almost done with her "real" feathers and growing like a weed!! Hooray!




I have found they'll climb around on ANYTHING!

 

[MrsMommaB]

I got some "pine shavings" at murdoch's. That's how they were labeled at least. But then the bag says mixed shavings and they're a little different in color. More reddish....

 

[MrsMommaB]

Betty is like, "Why are you staring at me?"


I tried to transplant some sunflowers. They wilted immediately. Hopefully they'll come back!!


Transplanted some mint. They're small... the girls may eat them up before they have time to grow!


I put a rosebush in there too! They love it!
I put a dust bath area there too. It has potting soil, dirt, and food grade DE in it. They've been walking around in there but I haven't seen them take a bath yet!