constructing a single chicken family unit for porch

[centrarchid]

STRONG WEATHER FRONT COMING IN AT 0617


A strong cold front is coming through with lots of wind. House is shaking. Brownie and her brood are also getting ready to come off roost but wind is knocking them around a bit. As they are coming off they are staying bunched up around dogs' feet. Dogs are a bit antsy as well. The rain is also coming and it is the cold type. This will likely be a weight loss day for flock.

Shortly I will go out to pens to police up damage there. Covers are setup to come off pens so pens do not get rolled by wind. Getting rolled inside a pen is often lethal for the chickens.

 

[memphis]

Same front will come thru here tonight. Supposed to be bad. Spending the day securing things!

 

[centrarchid]

FLOCK WEIGHT LOSS DAY FOR SURE


The rain is nearly continuous and cold. The birds are getting out to forage but insects are hard to find and the birds must work hard to stay warm. I went out on to porch to sit resulting in Brownie bringing brood over to me where most of the half grown brood jumped up on to my lap and quickly settled in for a nap. After I shooed them off they resumed foraging but everytime I go out and check on them they are under cover with only short bouts of foraging. They have not consumed enough for proper crop fill yet today. If weather system would persist they would adapt to feed even with very crappy weather. Tomorrow the weather will improve although will still be cooler. Birds out in pasture are even more exposed but I am compensating their needs for increased food intake. Problem is the food gets wet quickly and makes for waste when it gets onto ground. I will put more intact grains out for day and pop them with ground feed just before dark making so todays protein will be low but tolerable.


BLACKBIRD FLOCK ALSO PILFERING WILDLIFE PLOTS OF BERRIES INTENDED FOR WINTER

A flock of black birds, mostly red-winged with a few Brewers and Common Grackles mixed in, have settled in and begun to consume fruits that most years would support songbirds into winter. They are also hammering insects which will impact chickens. Most years such flocks which number in the thousands of individuals do not hit me; just bad luck this year. I bet their is a good 1000 of them and they are eating in one day what the residents eat for the whole winter.

 

[centrarchid]

HARVESTING PESIMMONS FOR MAKING PUDDING


After rains finally stopped I went and collected fruit. Dogs followed and participated more than I wanted actually eating some of the ground. They went after the mushy ones but also got a couple out of my basket before I new what was going on. Other critters, birds smaller than chickens were also doing a little harvesting as well. I think the darn black bird flock is involved with that but cotton rats may also be getting their fill as well. I am cooking the pudding now and it was easy to get enough make a pretty big batch. I need to figure out a better way to get the seeds out of the pulp.

 

[scottcaddy]

HARVESTING PESIMMONS FOR MAKING PUDDING


After rains finally stopped I went and collected fruit. Dogs followed and participated more than I wanted actually eating some of the ground. They went after the mushy ones but also got a couple out of my basket before I new what was going on. Other critters, birds smaller than chickens were also doing a little harvesting as well. I think the darn black bird flock is involved with that but cotton rats may also be getting their fill as well. I am cooking the pudding now and it was easy to get enough make a pretty big batch. I need to figure out a better way to get the seeds out of the pulp.

Do know how long it's been? Persimmon pudding, pie, and even Ice-cream? I'm in a fix now, want the Persimmonn taste!

Scott

 

[centrarchid]

The pudding went over quite well although next batch more pulp will be used in the mix. The pulp was rather pretty and was easy to detect in the final product.

 

[centrarchid]

I am posting link to image because we caught one while tending grape vines getting ready for winter.

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/3643

We have lots of these little dudes around here and chickens don't seem to eat them like they do other snakes. Chickens will pass them up but eat a much larger baby copperhead which is poisonous. Red tail I think is important.

Reason behind posting is we have one running loose in house. I put critter in jar and when I was not looking Trueman took jar into house and released it. I will probably find it dried into a stick this winter. Trueman did like playing with it.

 

[scottcaddy]

I am posting link to image because we caught one while tending grape vines getting ready for winter.

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/3643

We have lots of these little dudes around here and chickens don't seem to eat them like they do other snakes. Chickens will pass them up but eat a much larger baby copperhead which is poisonous. Red tail I think is important.

Reason behind posting is we have one running loose in house. I put critter in jar and when I was not looking Trueman took jar into house and released it. I will probably find it dried into a stick this winter. Trueman did like playing with it.

That is a good thing IMHO, A child should know alot about snakes.

Scott

 

[centrarchid]

BROWNIE HAS STOPPED CLUCKING

Chicks are about 9.5 weeks and most have entire juvenile feather set in place. Replacement of juvenile feathers has just started in the same sequence they came in as replacing the chick feather set. They drift much farther from Brownie now.

Pullet below during the very brief time when most if not all feathers are juvenile. The pointy lower tail feathers are juvenile but retain the point nature of the chick feathers. The pointy ones where first replaced and will be first to be replace by adult feathers




Cockerel with older juvenile feathers already falling out.


Trueman looking at a female Carolina praying mantis up close.


Same mantis even closer up.



Praying mantids, even the big females of the Chinese species are very tasty to chickens.

 

[scottcaddy]

BROWNIE HAS STOPPED CLUCKING

Chicks are about 9.5 weeks and most have entire juvenile feather set in place. Replacement of juvenile feathers has just started in the same sequence they came in as replacing the chick feather set. They drift much farther from Brownie now.

Pullet below during the very brief time when most if not all feathers are juvenile. The pointy lower tail feathers are juvenile but retain the point nature of the chick feathers. The pointy ones where first replaced and will be first to be replace by adult feathers




Cockerel with older juvenile feathers already falling out.


Trueman looking at a female Carolina praying mantis up close.


Same mantis even closer up.



Praying mantids, even the big females of the Chinese species are very tasty to chickens.

And what bug isn't tasty to a hen?

Scott