A Journey Through a Different Way - Funny Story Pg. 69

[ruth]

Today's updates.

Some of the 8 week olds (from first post) have gotten brave and sleep way up in roof rafters with the rest of the big girls.

Here's the newest batch of Itty Bitties: 4 little Aracaunas hatched two week ago. They loved their first day out of hutch and though it was still cool outside they loved sunning themselves.

Here they are hanging out with the ducks

And they are all waiting by The Yard gate saying "Open, Open, Open"

One of the 8 week old young BR roos (from first post) has taken to sleeping with 16 3-week old young pullets. He's got himself a nice young harem.

My oldest, original flock of 4 black sex links made one year old this week and are officially "Hens". They had a watermellon party in celebration.

And finally, my Ruth - on my lap having her feathers preened.

Well those are the updates from the farm. Hope this helps others who are starting out asking:

1. When can they go outside - right away if sunny and warm.

2. When do they start roosting - right away if provided a perch/roost.

3. When can they start free ranging - right away with certain provisions for safety.

4. When can you mix age groups - right away with enough room for all and enough things to do.

 

[Guitartists]

Ruth is gorgeous! What happy little chicks and ducklings you have!

 

[WillsMama93]

Ruth is just so pretty!! I love the little pile of sleeping chickens in the shade!

 

[bayouchica]

Your flock is growing by the day,lol. Nice colorful flock,they look like they are in heaven.

Those ducks are so cute.

Miriam

 

[montana girl]

I might have missed it somewhere as I read the thread, but Ruth, how did Rex come to be such a mother hen to the babies?

Was he trained for this? Or was it just his natural personality?

Wow.. he is AMAZING!

Darlene

 

[Gindee77]

I love this thread!

I'm sorry about your loss of your Broody, but I guess it's all part of raising chickens.

Your place is gorgeous and I want to find a place like that someday. Maybe when I retire!! I'm one of the townies who will have to keep her chickens in coops and tractors and will be wishing all the time that I could just turn them loose. But if I'm to have chickens at all, they have to be contained ...if my neighbors complain, and they well may...I may find myself w/o chickens at all. So I'll do what I have to until that day I move to a farm!

What a great life you have and your dog is the best!!

Edit: PS...Ruth is so beautiful and healthy looking!!

 

[Parson's Wife]

Love the picture of the flock by the gate! Do they know what's on the other side? Do you have water pools for your ducks? Cute...

 

[ruth]

Parsonswife - yes they know real freedom is on other side of gate and made a run for it the other day. It's hard to get in or out of gate without at least one getting out.

MontanaGirl - I think German Shepherds, because they are shepherds just naturally take to guarding. He's been watching baby chicks in the bathroom since the first batch. Didn't really teach him to do it just showed him the first baby chick and petted it and let him smell it and told him to guard it and he just KNEW what to do. He laid down by box and has been doing it every batch since. I only keep them in bathroom the first week after they hatch and he always knows when there are new babies in there and comes running to get in and lay down and GUARD. Of course he follows them all around outside. We are all new to ducks but he did the same thing with them. He seems more fascinated with them however and wants to follow them around the yard which they aren't particularly fond of a big dog sniffing them and licking them.

 

[WillsMama93]

I am still trying to get my dogs used to the chicks.. they seem to be ok with them as long as the chicks are not moving.. but as soon as one of them makes a move, my dog wants it in his mouth!! My Mom's dog "kissed" one when we first brought them home.. my mom said he wasn't kissing them.. he was tasting them! I am thinking once we get the babies in a temporary run this weekend for some fun in the sun, and the dogs can observe from outside the run, they will lose interest. I hope!

 

[ruth]

Well the ducks are really growing fast and what a mess they make with waterers. I had to get hanging waterers in hen house and stop using open water sources because they kept getting in everything and getting it all muddy and floor of hen house wet. We got them a duckie pool for outside.

I'm still hatching babies. This one hatched a few hours ago and I always get them under light in brooder and have them eating and drinking right away.

Rex has turned into quite the hawk watcher and runs around barking and chasing every big bird that flys over. He doesn't know the hawks from the buzzards and they can have him really foaming at the mouth because he's trying to chase all 10 or 12 simultaneously and they are flying in a circle. Kind of neat to watch though - he takes it so seriously.