An update on my new Blorps.
The 8 Blue Orpingtons I got from Kimberly up near B'ham that is.
They are a bit over 2 weeks old. They had really outgrown the big plastic storage container I had them in so I moved them outside to the coop. The coop is close to bullet proof and does have a heat lamp on a timer. It was once a tractor that was too heavy to actually move so it became stationary.
Today I opened the pop door which leads to a 2X4 perch and then a ramp. One little peep was looking out the door when one of her sisters decided to boot her out! It was a 3 foot fall onto plenty of mulch in the bottom of the coop. She also did a credible job of flying to break her fall.
After the 7 others saw her gain a new freedom another ventured out onto the perch. She decided to try to fly up to sit on the top edge of the pop door. She didn't make it and also ended up unhurt on the floor. By the end of the afternoon all 8 were on the lower level and were roto-tilling the heck out of the mulch.
I later tried to teach them to go up the ramp by first hand feeding dried meal-worms. I then started placing them on the cross strips of the ramp and got several to trek 1/3 of the way up the ramp.
I'm going out in a few minutes, as it's near dusk, and check on them. If they are still on the lower level I'll hand install them back in the top coop level and close the door.
They are just TOO darned cute!
The 8 Blue Orpingtons I got from Kimberly up near B'ham that is.
They are a bit over 2 weeks old. They had really outgrown the big plastic storage container I had them in so I moved them outside to the coop. The coop is close to bullet proof and does have a heat lamp on a timer. It was once a tractor that was too heavy to actually move so it became stationary.
Today I opened the pop door which leads to a 2X4 perch and then a ramp. One little peep was looking out the door when one of her sisters decided to boot her out! It was a 3 foot fall onto plenty of mulch in the bottom of the coop. She also did a credible job of flying to break her fall.
After the 7 others saw her gain a new freedom another ventured out onto the perch. She decided to try to fly up to sit on the top edge of the pop door. She didn't make it and also ended up unhurt on the floor. By the end of the afternoon all 8 were on the lower level and were roto-tilling the heck out of the mulch.
I later tried to teach them to go up the ramp by first hand feeding dried meal-worms. I then started placing them on the cross strips of the ramp and got several to trek 1/3 of the way up the ramp.
I'm going out in a few minutes, as it's near dusk, and check on them. If they are still on the lower level I'll hand install them back in the top coop level and close the door.
They are just TOO darned cute!
