2018 Newbie Chat!

[Anna Ranieri]

I kick myself daily for not doing that roof.


Have you tried keeping Pedro in the coop for a couple days so she can observe but not chase? I know when I was integrating I kept the teo okder girls in the coop for a couple days and they seemed to get it. A couple times I had to do a couple rounds of a couple days for them to get the point. I gave them treats when the others got them and treated everyone the same. A time out for birds...lol[/QUOTE
Might be worth a try just depends on egg laying though, Lilah usually lays shortly after I've let them out, Jellybean usually follows shortly after, then Pedro so run being used up until at least the start of mid- day, so would have to be after that. I think on it and see if I can make it work.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

We're finally going to get snow here over the weekend. We're only supposed to get 2-4 inches I guess. Not much really. But yeah then below zero. I'm going to add more pine shavings to the coop, probably after the snow but before the freeze. That way I can just push some of the old shavings into the run to cover whatever snow might be in there. Hopefully not much cause the run is covered.
I'll definitely be concerned about them, but they'll be ok (trying to convince myself, lol). There has not been a single day yet that they haven't spent all day outside. And there's enough ventilation, the hygrometer that I hung next to the roost has been ok except for the days when it was just high outside.

I'm with you on that! People keep telling me they are hardier than I think but doesn't stop me worrying. It's stopped snowing now and thankfully the snow didn't lay but our weather report say we're in the minus' tonight so I've just been and doubled up on their bedding and it is already very very cold out here but the birds don't seem to be minding it.

 

[CannedMonster]

We got 10 eggs today!!
And I sold 3 dozen this morning to the ladies at the dentist office.
They aren’t all laying yet either.
Almost all of them but not quite yet.

My DH put temporary fencing in the gaps of the unfinished privacy fence so he could let them into the side yard for the first time today.
They’ve never been over there...not even Red.
He said they had a field day scratching through the leaves and in the strawberry bed!
He didn’t let Pippin and Cleo out there though.
I’m still nervous about predators with Cleo and I want to be sure she’s big enough that she won’t go through any gaps in the fencing.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

We got 10 eggs today!!
And I sold 3 dozen this morning to the ladies at the dentist office.
They aren’t all laying yet either.
Almost all of them but not quite yet.

My DH put temporary fencing in the gaps of the unfinished privacy fence so he could let them into the side yard for the first time today.
They’ve never been over there...not even Red.
He said they had a field day scratching through the leaves and in the strawberry bed!
He didn’t let Pippin and Cleo out there though.
I’m still nervous about predators with Cleo and I want to be sure she’s big enough that she won’t go through any gaps in the fencing.

Awwwww hi beautiful really missed seeing you on here and reading your great posts - glad your back
Great news about the eggs!
How are Pippin and little Cleo doing? Have you managed to integrate her into the flock yet?

 

[CannedMonster]

Awwwww hi beautiful really missed seeing you on here and reading your great posts - glad your back
Great news about the eggs!
How are Pippin and little Cleo doing? Have you managed to integrate her into the flock yet?

Thank you, you’re sweet!
We are slowly working on integration.
When the weather is reasonable, DH will put Pippin and Cleo out in the dog play yard with some chicken wire over the top so the flock can see them and they can see the flock.
The main problem bird is Charlotte. She really wants to dominate Pippin.
I don’t free range them without supervision yet.

 

[No More Empty Nest]

Gosh I love my chickens! Lol! My husband and I were doing some work in the backyard while it's still warmish and not snowing. They were wary of what was going on and immediately calmed down when I spoke to them in their language. The little soft clucks, the higher pitched drawn out sound. All the little noises they make when happy. Whenever they looked like something might be confusing to them, I'd do it again and then all was right with the world. I let them out when we were almost done. My husband wanted them to move away while he was covering the grill so he wouldn't step on them. I walked away and called, "Here chickies!" And they all came running.
I know this is not unusual at all for any of us, but I just love it!

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Thank you, you’re sweet!
We are slowly working on integration.
When the weather is reasonable, DH will put Pippin and Cleo out in the dog play yard with some chicken wire over the top so the flock can see them and they can see the flock.
The main problem bird is Charlotte. She really wants to dominate Pippin.
I don’t free range them without supervision yet.

Winter seems to delay quite a lot of flock related matters, I really cant wait for the longer daylight hours and warmer days - Roll on summer!

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Gosh I love my chickens! Lol! My husband and I were doing some work in the backyard while it's still warmish and not snowing. They were wary of what was going on and immediately calmed down when I spoke to them in their language. The little soft clucks, the higher pitched drawn out sound. All the little noises they make when happy. Whenever they looked like something might be confusing to them, I'd do it again and then all was right with the world. I let them out when we were almost done. My husband wanted them to move away while he was covering the grill so he wouldn't step on them. I walked away and called, "Here chickies!" And they all came running.
I know this is not unusual at all for any of us, but I just love it!

Awwwwww this is a lovely story
I gave up trying to mimick my birds, I always ended up sounding like I had something stuck in my throat

 

[llombardo]

Gosh I love my chickens! Lol! My husband and I were doing some work in the backyard while it's still warmish and not snowing. They were wary of what was going on and immediately calmed down when I spoke to them in their language. The little soft clucks, the higher pitched drawn out sound. All the little noises they make when happy. Whenever they looked like something might be confusing to them, I'd do it again and then all was right with the world. I let them out when we were almost done. My husband wanted them to move away while he was covering the grill so he wouldn't step on them. I walked away and called, "Here chickies!" And they all came running.
I know this is not unusual at all for any of us, but I just love it!

I work around mine all the time. I never made chicken noises but I did tell them it was ok. Now I can now the lawn, drill, blow leaves, and vacuum etc without issues. The ducks are more skiddish. They run then peak around the corner. They don't care what I say, it's on their terms..lol

 

[llombardo]

Another coyote attack on 3 dogs this time. 2-50 pound dogs and one 20 pound. Seems the bigger two were protecting the small one. 1 pit bull mauled, second pit bull with very very bad injuries and small dogs with some scrapes on the ears. May the one RIP..she gave her life for the other one.

Another reminder to watch all small pets and this includes chickens--this hapoened at 3 in the afternoon.