. Lovely introduction and what a beautiful flock and Terror ♥. We could share stories about chickens and gardening. 
It's amazing how endearing a little feed can make you.Early days, yet, but its crop is fuller this time today than this time yesterday.so definite improvement.
They eat like locusts, lol.
She's a very good mama. And at long last, I have chick(en)s that aren't afraid of me. The whole-hearted acceptance of the babies is soul-restoring. And Mama grudgingly respects and accepts me, too, now. She is very grateful when I bring food.
I've given placed a few grains of plain sugar every half hour for energy inside the mouth of a lethargic chick. I hope they all make it. Are they protected form predators? Don't know what you have in SA but where I live snakes are the worst.
), while occasionally getting a leg over.
And more rewarding in every way
The chickens will have their wings full for about another 2 or three weeks before the weenings start. Then YOU will have your hands full in trying to figure out what you will do with all the little boys that are running around right now with their mothers! To me, having to remove the cockerels from the flock is the only double edged sword about letting broodies raise chicks.I am enamoured of my chickens! I am also exhausted! All 15 babies have survived thus far. The oldest are now 3 weeks old, and the youngest 2 weeks. We also have middletons.
The adults' lives have also been complicated so much by the chicks. Each mama is fiercely protective, very busy turning the earth, and the Roo is constantly doing traffic control (moving them, herding them, enticing them), keeping an eye out for hawks, checking the kids (so cute when he lets them ride on his back
I never knew they were such an interesting and intelligent species. It's nice to know humans have a bird brain, too. The male chauvinist relic. That is why we understand each other.
I bet they are longing for their carefree, chickless, early adult days, lounging around, not having a care in the world.
The last time my life had been so full of activity...hard to remember. It is such fun catering to them, building bridges, modifying the coop interior to accommodate them better (each one wants their 2x1m of property) with an big enough house to keep the kids in. And keeping them out of the veg patch!
Specks has 8, while Iddy has 5 (she adopted one from Penny who was caught by a genet one night. Another story...), and Miss Marple 2. All were born within a week of each other, but it is incredible what a difference 3 or 4 days can make in a chick's life!
Great to see the parents teach the kids our rules. A communal life without rules is chaotic.
My chickens can name different birds. The sound for a hadeda ibis is different from the sound for pigeon or for the little fretts (tiny finches).
View attachment 2359468
Here Specks' kids are just over a week old, hen still happy to keep them in the coop. They are now all over the yard.
We put up shade cloth over the veg patch because of the sun and they love this area; much safer from aerial predators and there are compost bins everywhere!
We built a chicken caravan, but they found it too restrictive. I also couldn't move it by myself and my constant need to find a better place for it got a bit irritating for my DBF.
I used to love playing SimCity, but playing ChickenRun is better!
r
I can tell from here how much you are enjoying this chicken adventure!! Love the photo!I am enamoured of my chickens! I am also exhausted! All 15 babies have survived thus far. The oldest are now 3 weeks old, and the youngest 2 weeks. We also have middletons.
The adults' lives have also been complicated so much by the chicks. Each mama is fiercely protective, very busy turning the earth, and the Roo is constantly doing traffic control (moving them, herding them, enticing them), keeping an eye out for hawks, checking the kids (so cute when he lets them ride on his back
I never knew they were such an interesting and intelligent species. It's nice to know humans have a bird brain, too. The male chauvinist relic. That is why we understand each other.
I bet they are longing for their carefree, chickless, early adult days, lounging around, not having a care in the world.
The last time my life had been so full of activity...hard to remember. It is such fun catering to them, building bridges, modifying the coop interior to accommodate them better (each one wants their 2x1m of property) with an big enough house to keep the kids in. And keeping them out of the veg patch!
Specks has 8, while Iddy has 5 (she adopted one from Penny who was caught by a genet one night. Another story...), and Miss Marple 2. All were born within a week of each other, but it is incredible what a difference 3 or 4 days can make in a chick's life!
Great to see the parents teach the kids our rules. A communal life without rules is chaotic.
My chickens can name different birds. The sound for a hadeda ibis is different from the sound for pigeon or for the little fretts (tiny finches).
View attachment 2359468
Here Specks' kids are just over a week old, hen still happy to keep them in the coop. They are now all over the yard.
We put up shade cloth over the veg patch because of the sun and they love this area; much safer from aerial predators and there are compost bins everywhere!
We built a chicken caravan, but they found it too restrictive. I also couldn't move it by myself and my constant need to find a better place for it got a bit irritating for my DBF.
I used to love playing SimCity, but playing ChickenRun is better!
r
