Chicken Math strikes again

[MacTech]

I just went to the Agway for another bag of grower crumbles for my EE pullets, really I did...

But there, ready for the purchase, was a vertical brooder with a layer of Golden Laced and Silver Laced Wyandottes, how could I resist, I lost my sole remaining PPR a few days ago (not sure how, she was just dead out in the field) and I haven't seen Chiana, my EE all day today, but she's great at hiding, I'm still searching for her...

So, three 3 day old GLW came home with me, I've got them set up in the first brooder, and they seem to be adapting well, they're pretty calm, but also quite assertive, Cooper, my Portie was leaning into the brooder, wanting to meet the new chicks (he's absolutely safe with them) and one of the golf-ball sized chicks strolls right over to him, and pecks his nose, pretty hard too!

Cooper was rather startled by that, a 40 lb dog getting pecked aggressively by a few ounces of chicken...

YAAY for Chicken Math
So, once all the new hens reach laying age, I should have a dozen laying hens, heh, the potential for a dozen eggs a day, good thing I have co-workers who are hopelessly addicted to my free range/pastured eggs...

 

[cheekiechickie]

Nice flock then. I'm just starting with a good 6 hens. It's a lot of disapline to walk by and say no to little ones at the store lol

 

[b.hromada]

Congrats on the new babies!!

Enjoy!

 

[MacTech]

[VIDEO]

 

[lizzychick]

I ordered 8 from the hatchery in hopes that 6 would survive. Only 5 did. So my husband walks in the house with 2 replacement birds in the hopes of making Mama happy. He didn't know I already scheduled to pick up 3 chicks for the next morning. So, my math adds up to: 8-3+2+3= 10 chicks. And just my luck, I have 9 different breeds in the mix and half of them are black. Where's the variety?? I'm going to have to go out and get some more....

 

[MacTech]

Went back to the agway today to get a chain for my chain saw, they looked over the saw, said there was nothing wrong with the existing chain, and I should keep running it until it dulls, and then get a new chain and have this one sharpened...
Gotta love honest retailers.

While I was walking out, I saw they still had the chicken brooder up, and there were a few Wyandotte chicks left....

...you all know where this is going, right?

Yep, picked up two more chicks, silver laced this time, they're in the brooder tub with last weeks gold laced chicks, and getting along great

So, the flock now consists of;
A Buff Orpington, my last remaining layer from last season
7 Easter Egger pullets, about 9 weeks old, all feathered out and free ranging happily
5 Wyandottes, 3 gold, 2 silver
2 roosters (soon to be one, either due to rehoming or Freezer Camp)

Currently 15 total, soon to be 14, and eventually 13 of them layers

That should hold me for at least two seasons with minimal (hopefully no) losses

Heh, went in for a chainsaw chain, came back with chickens... Hey, they both start with "ch" that's worth something, right?

 

[MacTech]

Latest updates;

A couple weeks ago, my sister got a batch of six mail order chicks, Wyandottes and Easter Eggers, her first batch of 3 day old chicks, normally she gets ones a couple weeks old, she put them in her unheated barn, and lost two to chill, I stepped in and added them to my heated brooder...

One of the EE was a little wobbly and unstable, borderline case, but she's fine now, actually all four additional chicks are fine now, 2 SLW, and 2 EE, adding them to the brooder saved their lives

They're still noticeably smaller than my five chicks, but they all cuddle together and play together fine, the two batches integrated flawlessly

Mine are starting to enter the "awkward teenage dinosaur" stage, and are starting to really feather out nicely

I moved this batch of nine into the dog crate, as the sterlite brooder was getting a little cramped, they're really enjoying the extra space to stretch their wings and legs

Mine should be ready to be introduced to the existing flock in the barn very soon....

 

[MacTech]

I'm really falling for the Wyandotte breed now, amazingly docile and friendly....

I'm nursing one of my five chicks back to health, she seems to have picked up a case of botulism

, I've caught it in the early stages though, right now she is a bit wobbly and has a slight partial paralysis of her right foot

I've got her isolated, which she hates, keeps calling for her sisters, and I'm feeding her moistened wheat bread which she loves, I also have some capsules of penecillin that I'm breaking open and lightly sprinkling on the moistened bread, so far, it seems to be working, she's walking more, preening herself, and she's even stretched her wings a few times, she's on the mend...

What has totally stunned me is how social she is, when with her sisters, she's quite stand-offish with people, but since I put her in quarantine, she's been miserable, calling and calling for her sisters....

So, a couple hours ago, I put a ratty old blanket on the bed, and set her on it, Cooper, my dog immediately jumped up and laid down the blanket, the pullet (I've decided to name her Pip) wobbled over and laid down next to Cooper, leaning against him, totally trusting (Coop is absolutely safe with chickens) for a good 10 minutes

After that, he jumped off the bed, Pip looked dejected, then wobbled over to me, nestling in the crook of my right elbow, I rested my head near her, she wiggled closer, as close as she could get, and started preening my hair....

Right now, she's at my left elbow, happily "purring" and dozing off as I type this....

I have never seen a chicken as affectionate as this little pullet, she clearly absolutely trusts me, likes me, and I imagine she somehow "knows" I'm doing my best to try and help her beat her botulism

.....shh, be vewwy vewwy quiet, she's sleeping now.....

I'm not looking forward to putting her back in her quarantine cage tonight, but she can't sleep on the bed with me either, don't want the comforters to get pooped on, the blanket only covers a small section of bed

I'll put the old blanket in her quarantine box, that way she can have something with my scent on it...

Oops, she just woke up, has gone back to my right elbow and is preening my t shirt...