fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[fuzzi]

On the roost this evening:

Zacchaeus is 4 1/2 months old. The hens have been refusing his advances so far, but he appears to have developed more of a relationship with his cousins, which are 6 weeks younger.

Rahab, Broody Extaordinaire, is still running interference for all the 3 month olds, roosting between the chicks and the older, other hens.

The two biggest troublemakers are on the A-frame roost tonight:

Fluffy butts!


It doesn't look as if I scrape that roost, but I do. Honest.

 

[fuzzi]

Chicks will be 14 weeks old on Friday.

The two on the tire and one on the far right were hatched May 24.

Zacchaeus on left is looking out for Joanna while the adult hens are checking missed tidbits of watermelon.

 

[fuzzi]

Yesterday I went out to the coop just as it was getting dark. The older hens were up on the roost, and Zack was agitated, hopping up on a lower roost and then down to the ground again. The pullets and Silas were getting one last bath in the dirt before roosting, and I think Zack was taking his patriarchal duties seriously.

 

[fuzzi]

Today, corn!

 

[fuzzi]

Annnd...

ZACCHAEUS WAS TIDBITTING THE PULLETS TODAY!!!

​

He still hasn't crowed.

 

[fuzzi]

Brief video of Zacchaeus tidbitting, or trying to until Silas barges in:

I am encouraged. Zack's sire, Samuel, NEVER tidbitted the hens... what a jerk.

 

[kcan2]

Good job, Zack! Was Samuel the suspected one that gave Zack as Little Chick the clunk on the head?

 

[fuzzi]

I found a small egg laid in the run today, thought at first it might be a pullet egg.

However they're all about the same size. It's the one on the bottom right.

Hannah came out of a nesting box as I reached in, and I got a wet egg, hers, top left. She's always laid the smallest eggs.

Back to the pullets... they're just 14 weeks, still young.

But their faces...look at Esther:

And Priscilla:

Joanna still has a white face, no photo.

I checked, I got first eggs last year when the pullets were just a little more than five months old. I'm not rushing them, I want healthy hens, not stressed.

 

[fuzzi]

Good job, Zack! Was Samuel the suspected one that gave Zack as Little Chick the clunk on the head?

Yes. His dad, and attempted murderer.

I'm hoping Zack works out, he had a rough beginning, and he's GORGEOUS. I would like to use him to breed.

 

[fuzzi]

Pretty boy!