Chickens by Easter .... Maybe

[45lk9p459gm-w]

The chicks have survived two nights out in the coop now and are adjusting well .... I think.

They spread out, usually, in groups of one or twos and roam from one end of the coop to the other and seem to be ... happy. The only thing that I'm starting to see now is that they will pair off and spar with each other now and again. This consists of two chicks bumping breasts and flapping wings at each other. Every now and then they will come off the ground and use their feet to grab at each other. These encounters only last a few seconds and the chicks don't seem to be trying to hurt one another.

Is this behavior them just getting the pecking order lined out or just chickens being chickens?

I have wittnessed the same behavior in wild birds at the feeders when they que up to eat.

 

[aart]

Is this behavior them just getting the pecking order lined out or just chickens being chickens?

A little bit of both.
I find it rather amusing and it rarely continues unto bleeding.

 

[45lk9p459gm-w]

Tomorrow these silly girls will be one week in the coop and … ruling the proverbial roost. Even though only a few of them have actually been up there exploring. The lugs on the ramp are spaced too far apart for their little legs so they can’t walk up it without sliding backwards. Now they have learned, some of them, to run up the ramp and bounce from lug to lug until they reach the droppings pan. They have explored up there but I haven’t witnessed any of them roosting up there during the night, or dust bathing either.

One morning while doing a head count I kept coming up one short. I finally found her part way under the hardware cloth and the floor. Thought she was dead at first but she was still breathing. I managed to bend the wire up enough for her to get out and was surprised that she had no injuries. Not even any blood. That was day before yesterday and she is running around like normal so all is good.

 

[45lk9p459gm-w]

June 3 they will be 4 weeks old.

 

[3KillerBs]

View attachment 2696814View attachment 2696815

June 3 they will be 4 weeks old.

Totally adorable!

 

[45lk9p459gm-w]

If it will stop raining long enough maybe I can get the run and a 3 foot x 3 foot window finished. Got the post up today and hoping to get the fencing up tomorrow.

We decided that it was a little dark in the coop so the window will add some light and more ventilation.

 

[45lk9p459gm-w]

High today was 91 degrees and 76% humidity. The coop hit an all time high of 95 degrees and 65% humidity.

The chicks (small chickens) are doing well in the heat as far as I can tell. Still drinking water, eating and not displaying any signs of heat stress such as panting and holding wings out. If it gets any hotter I will place a fan in there for them and should have the new window cut and ready in a couple of days. Thinking about putting ice cubes in their water in the morning too maybe.

Trying to get the run finished for them but it is taking forever. Hopefully it will be ready for them in a week or less.

 

[aart]

Here's what I've found to work best for heat waves:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

 

[45lk9p459gm-w]

Hope you don’t mind if I post chicken stuff on this thread …. . The folks down the road at the train wreck wouldn’t understand.

The Girls are starting to acquire distinct personalities now and can be very amusing these days. One thing is that a few of them will come up on the perch, if they aren’t already up there, and check out my poop scooping. Several of them insist on a “belly rub” before they wander off on their own and leave me alone. Mostly I think they are hoping for a handout but they do seem curious all the same.

This morning things were a little different. They did the usual come and see what I’m doing thing but, they all gathered around staring at my head. The poop tray is a little higher than my waist so my head wasn’t that far from them. And most of them were stretching up toward me and they wouldn’t get out of the way. Little unnerving after thoughts of Hitchcock's movie “The Birds” starting coming to mind.

Anyway, while washing up at the house afterward I noticed in the mirror that I was wearing a bright red sweatband. Now I know not to wear red if I want to get anything done in the hen house.

 

[45lk9p459gm-w]

Got tired of all the wasted feed so I started the girls on the "Grandpa's Feeder" a couple of weeks earlier than I had planned. Didn't take long for them to get the hang of it in beginner mode and there is virturaly no wasted feed now. That alone justifies the price of it in my opinion.