fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[fuzzi]

When I came home from work the temperature was in the mid 60s, so I took the chicks out for play time but didn't close off the pen. I actually turned it so they had a view.

Some of them hopped out, making brief sorties:

Then, when my back was turned...

There was no looking back! Off they went, exploring...

I put them back in their brooder in case they were getting chilled, but most of them came back out within a couple minutes!

At one point they all went back in the brooder on their own, so I shut them in for the night.

I anticipate they'll be wanting OUT in the morning... good thing I will be home tomorrow!

 

[fuzzi]

I opened the brooder door about 9am and pushed the chicks' playpen against the door opening. There was a slight breeze, a little cool (50°?) but it didn't seem to affect them.

A couple went back inside to warm up, but the others...

... started exploring! They came over to the end of the coop where I was drilling and attaching stuff. The drill noise didn't bother them, though when a dog next door barked loudly they hightailed it for the brooder!

The west side of the hoop coop has a pallet as part of the structure. I was planning on enclosing it so chicks and wouldn't get caught between the boards. I added a 1x4 on each side to close it up and give me something to attach the other boards to.

Then I said to myself "Silly! Why cover up the ventilation when there's hardware cloth left over!"

Call it a revelation.

I closed up the top with three boards, utilizing more lattice pieces as shims.

Not bad...

Then I took little pieces of HWC to close off a possible trap for chicks:

Annnnd...she's-a-done.

Ta da!

 

[fuzzi]

Saturday:

Let the chicks out about 7-8am. They were waiting on the branch inside the brooder. Within about 10 seconds there was a flow like a stream of chicks hightailing it for the run.

All 10:

It was very chilly, damp, but when some headed back into the brooder for a warm up they nested on top of the heating pad... but only for a few minutes.

I held out my fingers at chick level. One came over and tentatively pecked my fingers, then left, but another fluttered up and INTO MY HAND!

Blondie

 

[fuzzi]

Sunday: three weeks old!

Red/blue is a wide-open chick, has to be first in everything! (not named yet)

Five chicks have a single leg ring, the others have two rings.

I topped off the feeder and there was chaos!

Yep, all TEN of them at once...

 

[3KillerBs]

I held out my fingers at chick level. One came over and tentatively pecked my fingers, then left, but another fluttered up and INTO MY HAND!

 

[fuzzi]

Monday

I opened the brooder door in the dark this morning, about 5:50am. It was 30°F, but I heard a couple tentative peeps coming from under the MHP as I locked the run/coop door behind me. I didn't have anyone else to let them out early, but I was pretty sure they'd be okay.

When I got home from work the chicks were happily pecking and scratching in a sunny corner of the run. I picked up several of the chicks and took selfies.

"Blondie"

The only chick I've named, Blondie, decided to explore vertically this afternoon. S/he hopped and fluttered more than halfway to the top of the roost I built.

 

[Krugerrand]

They sure are looking happy and healthy!

 

[fuzzi]

They sure are looking happy and healthy!

Thanks. I'm just doing the best I can!

 

[fuzzi]

"Blue" (leg ring)

"Arby" ("RB"=red and blue leg rings)

This one lost its leg ring.

Arby again?

Sitting on my lap

Three of the chicks have been "visiting" with me as I am sitting on my chair in the run. They come by my feet so I pick them up, place them on my lap and stroke them. One even pecks my shoe to get my attention, think it's Arby.

I picked up one antsy chick, and s/he kept fighting me. I brought it over to my chair, sat down, placed in on my stomach and brought my t shirt over the chick, like a little cave. It stopped fighting so I started stroking its back. Like a cat, it closed its eyes and relaxed. When I opened up the "cave" I kept stroking, and the chick didn't move.

I want them to be my friends, am working on it.

 

[fuzzi]

I cleaned out the brooder this afternoon, bent the MHP into a little taller shape, and moved the waterer and the feeder into the run. I think it will be okay since the chicks don't eat or drink in the dark. They'll have more room in the brooder, too.