2021 Chick Order

[JacinLarkwell]

I love that you call it "The neighborhood"!

Well, it's a bunch of little houses. Plus it sounds the same as when there's a bunch of barking dogs, only with crowing. Especially with that polish cockerel . He's so loud! And that's coming from me!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Working on cages a bit. A roll of the 24"×15' 1x1 wire does almost 1 layer of cages (missing doors and one half of the roof), and each layer will be one standard and one bantam cage

Plan is to paint the wire black so it matches the zipties. Might try to paint the wood shelving black too (maybe white though?).

Floors will be the wood with shavings so the birds aren't standing on wire all day.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Keeping am eye on a barred Cochin male too. He is the bottom of the new pecking order, poor guy, and he was either bold or desperate enough to jump and perch on my shoulder yesterday when I was sitting in the pen.

He didn't do anything else, but where he was would have been incredibly easy to just peck my eye in a second or kick out at my face or neck.

I trust him more than some males in that pen, but I don't trust him like I do my sebrights. Thats actually probably where he learned it from now that I think about it.

Ratios are off a bit again now. I moved one male away yesterday, yes, but also 3 girls, so now there are 3 less to antagonize. Still can't add my new pullets (probably just going to have to add them when I remove all the boys), because I can only carry 2 at a time and as soon as they're in there, all the males make a beeline for them, and I'm not mean enough to let young pullets fight off probably a dozen males at a time

 

[NatJ]

Still can't add my new pullets (probably just going to have to add them when I remove all the boys), because I can only carry 2 at a time and as soon as they're in there, all the males make a beeline for them, and I'm not mean enough to let young pullets fight off probably a dozen males at a time

If it's just an issue of all the males jumping on the first ones before you can carry the rest, you might be able to move them at night. That way they are all there at once in the morning.

I'm not clear on how many females are already in the pen, or how many you want to add, but I can certainly see that a dozen males could cause trouble for new females.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If it's just an issue of all the males jumping on the first ones before you can carry the rest, you might be able to move them at night. That way they are all there at once in the morning.

I'm not clear on how many females are already in the pen, or how many you want to add, but I can certainly see that a dozen males could cause trouble for new females.

That's a good idea. I have to catch them at night anyways and the pen really beds down (even if they miss a meal, they don't leave to go eat if it's night.

I might have miscounted, but I don't think so. According to what I can remember off the top of my head, exact numbers are 18 females (between 4-6 to add still, might be buying Silkies from a woman I got birds from earlier)

And I guess 9 males, not a dozen.

So ratio is still pretty sucky, but no one gets overbred apart from the new ones,hence why they're still not added.

On the bright side, the dominance squabbling is done, it looks like. Cochin tried to jump on me again, but I was standing and he couldn't get quite high enough. No kicking though, and I already had a bird on me, so I'm thinking that he honestly isn't trying to assert anything

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Look at this fella! He's so big! Also ignore the poop, been cleaning pens today since class was cancelled so I've got an extra few hours.

I'm honestly surprised the branch can support him jumping up and down all the time

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My polish don't know how to get into the house part if their coop. But they wedge themselves in the corner furthest from the door so I can't grab them either.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I finally have someone not laying white in the 2021 pen. And I actually have finally gotten 4 eggs in 3 days from them. New record

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Polish finally all seemed to put themselves away. The black crested girls are still sticking their heads out the door, but I think they're getting used to a 4 sides house still. Hawkbait, the buff laced one, is the most comfortable in there, but she's basically legally blind between her crest and beard so she probably isn't really away of how closed off she actually is.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Cut another whole roll of cage wire. Got some spray paint too, so Saturday I'm planning to spray the wire so I can start building. Not a moment too soon either, because Zach has not stopped picking fights. His comb is all bloody and he's been chasing everyone still so he may end up having to be separated soon, which I fear may cause a domino effect