Edens Acre - The Story of My Flock

[MommaG2023]

This morning I went out to check my flock and give them some scratch and just enjoy their early morning company. I realized that in such a short time they have evolved and will continue to change as the days and weeks and months pass. To date I have 5 Golden comets..

All of which love to greet me every morning before the other ladies and gents. I also have 3 Easter Egger pullets who make me giggle everyday because of their mohawks and beards coming in

they are beautiful and sweet though a bit flighty. I have two cockerels that are gorgeous and I am excited to see what their chicks look like in a few years

and a few prairie bluebells. One is from my original flock, and she has grown into a beauty

and 5 new chicks that are not ready yet to join the main flock

and last but certainly not least are my 3 silkies. We are pretty sure Maple and Ombre are cockerels but with Silkies time will tell and Marble is just so adorable we hope she is a she

but oh how they have evolved from those cute fuzzy butted babies only a short time ago...

I hope you enjoy my stories and updates...I also wanted a little PSA for Easter Eggers...the following is a picture of my Cockerel and gis sisters...it is very obvious the feather difference from female pullets and male in it...maybe it will help others see about the striking difference in male feathering and female feathering easier

 

[TwoCrows]

This morning I went out to check my flock and give them some scratch and just enjoy their early morning company. I realized that in such a short time they have evolved and will continue to change as the days and weeks and months pass. To date I have 5 Golden comets..View attachment 3506199View attachment 3506200
All of which love to greet me every morning before the other ladies and gents. I also have 3 Easter Egger pullets who make me giggle everyday because of their mohawks and beards coming in View attachment 3506203View attachment 3506204View attachment 3506206they are beautiful and sweet though a bit flighty. I have two cockerels that are gorgeous and I am excited to see what their chicks look like in a few years View attachment 3506209View attachment 3506210and a few prairie bluebells. One is from my original flock, and she has grown into a beauty View attachment 3506211and 5 new chicks that are not ready yet to join the main flock View attachment 3506212and last but certainly not least are my 3 silkies. We are pretty sure Maple and Ombre are cockerels but with Silkies time will tell and Marble is just so adorable we hope she is a she View attachment 3506214View attachment 3506215View attachment 3506216but oh how they have evolved from those cute fuzzy butted babies only a short time ago...View attachment 3506217View attachment 3506218View attachment 3506219I hope you enjoy my stories and updates...I also wanted a little PSA for Easter Eggers...the following is a picture of my Cockerel and gis sisters...it is very obvious the feather difference from female pullets and male in it...maybe it will help others see about the striking difference in male feathering and female feathering easierView attachment 3506221

They grow SO fast, you blink and they are full grown. Beautiful!

 

[MommaG2023]

They grow SO fast, you blink and they are full grown. Beautiful!

They really do. I am excited to see their first eggs in a few months and the new chicks in a few years... They truly do bring me and my family joy

 

[TwoCrows]

They really do. I am excited to see their first eggs in a few months and the new chicks in a few years... They truly do bring me and my family joy

It's a proud moment when you find that first egg! And it never gets old finding those treasures in the nest boxes. I am so glad you are enjoying your flock!

 

[MommaG2023]

My husband and I are working on a good run for our babies...again the procrastination bug bit us and thinking we would have everything up and ready by this time or that has not worked out. My babies get outside time in a large pet tent that I cut the tarping out of the bottom and they are using the run ramp to walk into it and then back in the Coop. I cannot trust that my chickens would not be harmed free ranging due to feral cats, rogue doggies and coyotes as well as a resident black bear and Fox . The setup is not the optimum for them or me and they love being outside but the getting in and out of the tent has been stressful to all of us. I am so looking forward to letting them have more freedom with safety. I began this thread to share my life with my chicken experiences and this one has been one that we are finishing the chapter on this week. I am adding a few pictures but I wanted to add something that makes me so happy every single morning that I have experienced with my Chickies. I don't know how many others have this experience but for me it makes my morning. As I head down to the Coop, I have to walk down to the pasture and I bring my coffee and hope my babies weathered their evening well. When I get close enough I start to tell speak and tell them "Good morning my lovelies" and proceed to get their scratch out. The sound of excitement at my arrival (I refuse to believe this is cupboard love though yeah...the scratch may have a bit to do with their excited chitters and clucks lol) and I open the Coop and spend a good bit of time petting and talking to them. As mentioned earlier, Fern jumps onto the water bucket and tells me the nightly gossip, and Leroy comes over for pets and to be told what an absolutely handsome young gentleman he is becoming. I love their clucks and noises. They sound so happy . I hope that if you haven't experienced the sound of an elated chicken you get to. It is as heartwarming as a puppy whimper when they see their owner after a short or long absence. I will be so happy to open the run door and let them explore their new real run in the following days. They do yoga and floppy dirt bath and all the antics a happy chicken has when getting to be out of the Coop. I look forward to that day.

 

[TwoCrows]

My husband and I are working on a good run for our babies...again the procrastination bug bit us and thinking we would have everything up and ready by this time or that has not worked out. My babies get outside time in a large pet tent that I cut the tarping out of the bottom and they are using the run ramp to walk into it and then back in the Coop. I cannot trust that my chickens would not be harmed free ranging due to feral cats, rogue doggies and coyotes as well as a resident black bear and Fox . The setup is not the optimum for them or me and they love being outside but the getting in and out of the tent has been stressful to all of us. I am so looking forward to letting them have more freedom with safety. I began this thread to share my life with my chicken experiences and this one has been one that we are finishing the chapter on this week. I am adding a few pictures but I wanted to add something that makes me so happy every single morning that I have experienced with my Chickies. I don't know how many others have this experience but for me it makes my morning. As I head down to the Coop, I have to walk down to the pasture and I bring my coffee and hope my babies weathered their evening well. When I get close enough I start to tell speak and tell them "Good morning my lovelies" and proceed to get their scratch out. The sound of excitement at my arrival (I refuse to believe this is cupboard love though yeah...the scratch may have a bit to do with their excited chitters and clucks lol) and I open the Coop and spend a good bit of time petting and talking to them. As mentioned earlier, Fern jumps onto the water bucket and tells me the nightly gossip, and Leroy comes over for pets and to be told what an absolutely handsome young gentleman he is becoming. I love their clucks and noises. They sound so happy . I hope that if you haven't experienced the sound of an elated chicken you get to. It is as heartwarming as a puppy whimper when they see their owner after a short or long absence. I will be so happy to open the run door and let them explore their new real run in the following days. They do yoga and floppy dirt bath and all the antics a happy chicken has when getting to be out of the Coop. I look forward to that day. View attachment 3514249View attachment 3514251View attachment 3514252

Your run is looking great! I live in an area too with lots of predators so birds do have to spend a lot of time in the run, supervised free ranging only. Nothing more heart warming than excited chickens that cluck, cackle, and stampede you when you come for a visit. Wait until they run to you from a far, it's both hilarious and emotionally stirring. Glad you are enjoying this adventure!

 

[MommaG2023]

Your run is looking great! I live in an area too with lots of predators so birds do have to spend a lot of time in the run, supervised free ranging only. Nothing more heart warming than excited chickens that cluck, cackle, and stampede you when you come for a visit. Wait until they run to you from a far, it's both hilarious and emotionally stirring. Glad you are enjoying this adventure!

I hope I get to have that experience. Although I talk to them for a lot of the day...I visit them several times a day and of course lock them into the Coop at nighttime, but I know some of my lovelies are just not into being handled and I respect this. I only handle the chickens who want me too. My Willow is a "I'll come but don't touch me" pullet. She has been standoffish in that manner since she was a day old. She is my "no touchy" Lady lol. . Ozzie for all his photogenic behavior also really dislikes being handled. He puts up with it as does Willow when it has been necessary due to baby pasty butt or checking feet for bumblefoot or routine health checks for mites or issues and I speak calmly to them and hold them securely but again I only handle if I am concerned about them. I hope to win them over with gentle and being respectful to their comfort level of touching. Who knows maybe she will warm up more when I can sit in the them and enjoy the larger run and fun. I hope so.

 

[TwoCrows]

I hope I get to have that experience. Although I talk to them for a lot of the day...I visit them several times a day and of course lock them into the Coop at nighttime, but I know some of my lovelies are just not into being handled and I respect this. I only handle the chickens who want me too. My Willow is a "I'll come but don't touch me" pullet. She has been standoffish in that manner since she was a day old. She is my "no touchy" Lady lol. . Ozzie for all his photogenic behavior also really dislikes being handled. He puts up with it as does Willow when it has been necessary due to baby pasty butt or checking feet for bumblefoot or routine health checks for mites or issues and I speak calmly to them and hold them securely but again I only handle if I am concerned about them. I hope to win them over with gentle and being respectful to their comfort level of touching. Who knows maybe she will warm up more when I can sit in the them and enjoy the larger run and fun. I hope so.

Some birds just don't like to be handled, definitely spoil the ones that don't mind though. Sit with them a LOT. And pick each one up every day, walk a bit with them and set them down gently. Chickens don't like their feet off the ground but picking them up every day, eventually they get easier to handle. And this is a good thing in case you need to handle them for medical reasons. Handling them gets them used to feet off the ground and reduces their stress. And once they mature they definitely get more calm and affectionate. They are teenager now, in the stage where they don't need mommy anymore. They will come back around as they age.

 

[MommaG2023]

Some birds just don't like to be handled, definitely spoil the ones that don't mind though. Sit with them a LOT. And pick each one up every day, walk a bit with them and set them down gently. Chickens don't like their feet off the ground but picking them up every day, eventually they get easier to handle. And this is a good thing in case you need to handle them for medical reasons. Handling them gets them used to feet off the ground and reduces their stress. And once they mature they definitely get more calm and affectionate. They are teenager now, in the stage where they don't need mommy anymore. They will come back around as they age.

Boy I know how touchy human teenagers are...Chickies are much easier lol

 

[TwoCrows]

Boy I know how touchy human teenagers are...Chickies are much easier lol