Fantastic time for 11 birds from scratch. And seriously, if I had an Amish anywhere close I'd be banging on his door. They are reasonable, usually a couple of bucks. Totally worth it in my opinion. I had to go make myself a drink after listening to your trials and to Ralph whine.
Linda Grab a BIG bottle or box of wine before reading this!!!
Last night was trying!
I wanted to go to Menard's for some needed building supplies, so I went to put the baby CX's to bed early. I first add to feed the turkeys a treat as they were following me and would not allow me to feed the babies without their blocking the door to the brooder/tractor. After feeding the turkeys, I got my pitcher out that I bring the CX's their feed in. As soon as they babies see the pitcher they come running. They are wild tonight and I was almost trampled in the stampede.
Before I tell the rest I need to describe the brooder a tad, I have a door for them on the south side of the middle 4x4 box. There is a door on the east side that connects to the other 4x4 box and one on the west side that goes into the tractor. I put the babies to bed by simply dumping the feed on the ground through the wire roof of the tractor. The birds enter the south door and then need to make a left turn to exit the west door into the tractor.
Whew,,,,,,, The CX's kind of jam up at the doors as they wiggle through the doors. The doors are pretty small designed for small birds. Everything was going fine, until one of the babies got stuck in the door. He tried to wiggle through and got one wing stuck inside and one stuck outside. I had to lift the box reach under and help the poor little guy out of the door. It was traumatic! We all remember the first time we got stuck in a door, and how embarrassing it was......
Once they all wiggled into the tractor I did a quick count, and a recount, I was one bird short. My heart dropped. I counted again and again. I looked In the other boxes hoping to find one in them. There were no more white birds. Then I noticed the one missing was my white Easter Egger that moved in with the CX's.
I went on a search for her. I checked the open machine shed, I looked everywhere she was not there. I checked the other coops, not there. I only have 3 white birds other than the CX's. A Delaware, white rock and this EE. The EE is special to us, she is the bottom of the pecking order, she is a tad flightly but a sweetheart. We had her in ICU for about 2 weeks recovering from a nasty pecking assault were she lost a ton of back feathers and a bad wound. Once they are in ICU they become real special. I have lots of treasures piled around the farmyard. I checked around and under them, I looked under my lumber piles. I looked in the woods. I spent about 45 minutes looking for her. Then I headed to the house to tell my wife her ICU baby was gone. I was really feeling low, thinking a predator came into my yard during the day with the dogs running free and took a bird. I was swearing at the birds of prey as they are my worst fear.
I went in and told my wife the ICU baby was gone, she immediately broke into tears, not the reaction I expected from a woman that claims they are my chickens and she does not like them. I had to console her which is not easy for me as I feel like crying myself. It was getting late and I needed to get to Menards. It had become dusk by now, so I went to lock the other chickens into their coops.
I went to the coop nearest the CX's first as it is closest to the trees and gets shadowed first so the birds there go into the coop earlier. All the birds are in the coop, except for one that wants in to the CX area. I scoot her towards to the coop, this is a little RSL that moved into the CX tractor a few days ago. I figure she can go back to the coop she belongs in. It took me 10 minutes to put her into her coop. I turn around and there is my ICU baby! She is walking around like nothing happened.
I tried to get her into the coop. She refused. Have you ever noticed how a chicken that nearly trips you when you walk, can run so fast and far from you when you want her? I ended up following her to the other coop, where she again refused to go in. Then She ran into the trees and around another big shed. I followed. From there she ran into the open shed. I followed her through it. TWICE!!!
Then through the trees and back to the original coop, were she refused to enter again. She ran to the gate to the pen surrounding the CX brooder/tractor. I tried to catch her, fat chance I am going to do that! Finally I opened the pen to the CX's and she ran to the brooder door and waited for me to open it for her. When I did she walked in like none of the drama had happened and just sauntered over to the feed and started eating.
Now it is nearly pitch dark, I figure the EE must have started laying eggs, that is the only reason I can think of she was not anywhere around. I looked last night, I looked this morning, I will be Da&^ed if I can find the nest. I will be building a run off my coop that is covered to keep the birds in, she is moving whether she likes it or not! I need to get all the chickens into one coop and the guinea hens out.. My night was terrible.
After reading this whine I do not think you should drive Linda as you Blood Alcohol level will be twice the legal limit! It was such an emotional night.....Whine over!
