fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[fuzzi]

Now that the push mower is running I can work on the yard in stages. I mowed almost half of the backyard on Tuesday, finished it this afternoon.

(red flags mark a fire ant nest)

It looks SO much better!

 

[CoopBoots]

Silas did something this afternoon that I hadn't seen him do before...

...he tidbitted!

When I have offered extras like bits of fruit or seeds Silas would gobble without regard for the hens. I threw a handful of wild strawberries in the run this afternoon, and noticed that when Silas found a strawberry he called the hens to come and get it!

He's almost 11 months, and growing up.
View attachment 4100668

He is so darling in this photo!! I realize his fiery red isn't preferred for his breed, but I think it makes for a really pretty contrast.

There just needs to be a brighter-red subtype of Speckled Sussex

 

[fuzzi]

He is so darling in this photo!! I realize his fiery red isn't preferred for his breed, but I think it makes for a really pretty contrast.

There just needs to be a brighter-red subtype of Speckled Sussex

He is handsome, and now he has his own harem of four. Lucky boy

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Silas did something this afternoon that I hadn't seen him do before...

...he tidbitted!

When I have offered extras like bits of fruit or seeds Silas would gobble without regard for the hens. I threw a handful of wild strawberries in the run this afternoon, and noticed that when Silas found a strawberry he called the hens to come and get it!

He's almost 11 months, and growing up.
View attachment 4100668

Oh, that is so sweet!

 

[fuzzi]

He is so darling in this photo!! I realize his fiery red isn't preferred for his breed, but I think it makes for a really pretty contrast.

There just needs to be a brighter-red subtype of Speckled Sussex

THIS is a prize-winning bantam Speckled Sussex rooster...

He's not mine.

 

[fuzzi]

This morning I caught Silas vocally encouraging his hens as they lay eggs:

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This morning I caught Silas vocally encouraging his hens as they lay eggs:

I have a GF rooster that gets into the nesting boxes with the girls and does that or sometimes he's in the nesting boxes by himself covering himself with shavings and straw making that noise.

I went out there one day and he was in the box carrying on, all the girls were standing in front of the box just looking at him.

 

[fuzzi]

Friday

I ordered a second elderberry from an online nursery, and am expecting it to be delivered this weekend, so I decided to prepare for it.

I tried to dug a hole, but hit a piece of carpeting that somehow got missed when the tree guys cleaned up the overgrown area in February. To get it out required a lot of digging around, lifting up the edges, scraping off the disturbed soil, and then cutting a ton of roots that had grown through. Whew.

Once the carpeting was removed I finished digging the hole, hitting solid clay about 12" down. I added some older chicken bedding , then some soil, then peat moss, and mixed it well.

When the elderberry arrives I will deep water the hole, then work in more peat moss during the transplant.

After the hole was finished it was about 11am, so I went to Lowe's for concrete blocks (for remaining rain barrels' setup, other stuff). I also needed two chain link fence hangers for the driveway gates, so Chris can finish the job on Monday. It was a very frustrating experience, Lowe's website wasn't working so I couldn't ask for curbside service (20 heavy blocks!), and no one seemed to know what they were doing. Then Baily showed up and made everything work. I gave her a fantastic review.

After I got home I puttered around the yard, cleaning up the ponds area, watering gardens, adding additional landscape staples around the new hoop coop, and extra screws/washers on the back. I also wanted to make things look less junky, picked up odd items, moved branches to the burn pile, etc. I took a couple breaks, sitting in the coops and enjoying Chicken TV.

I have deducted that the perch on the left in the new hoop coop is a little high, so I added a log underneath and a chair. They can easily access the perch with the chair.

Silas really likes the new log, he hops up, looks around, hops down, looks around.

Esther seems to like the perch, but I put her there before taking this photo.

Morning sun:

Area has been mostly dejunked, mowed, but I need help moving the rocks, and the clothes pole.

Afternoon sun:

The area will get some, but not too much direct sunlight, which will help keep the coops cooler on hot summer days.

 

[fuzzi]

Happy Easter to all!

 

[fuzzi]

I just looked outside and saw a looooong black racer by my ponds, was probably hunting for frogs!


It's hot today, SO glad I got the north side yard cleared yesterday.

Before

After

Found my rose (middle) and freed the Crepe Myrtle (far right).