fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[fuzzi]

Today's supplements included one ear of corn, thinned out turnip seedlings, and about a dozen cabbage or army worms that I found on my collards. They were pretty small, 1/4" or so, but still enthusiastically received. Oh, and an earwig, yum yum.

 

[fuzzi]

I came home from work feeling totally exhausted. But I dutifully headed out to the hoop coop to check on my chicks.

Abigail appears to be totally miserable in her hard molt. She showed no interest in corn on the cob or shredded cheese. But when I moved the feeder and a wave of crickets came out from underneath suddenly she was there, gobbling them as quickly as possible.

At that point she seemed to perk up. When I added a flake of straw she got busy scratching.

She's the Dominique on the far right.

I also removed a few leaves from the collard plants and brought them to the flock. They were appreciated by the hens including Abigail, who stuffed herself! I was pleased to see her interested in eating.

And my fatigue? It seemed to melt away as I cared for my feathered friends.

 

[fuzzi]

A couple weeks ago we had a new roof put on our house, including a gutter across the back. The downspouts were supposed to be installed at the same time but only one was in stock, so the north side just has a hole in the gutter while we wait for the second one. I placed one of my rain barrels underneath the hole.

Today we got a couple inches of rain from a tropical disturbance and it overflowed that 55 gallon barrel!

Once the second downspout is installed I will set the barrels up on blocks and connect them so water overflow will move to the second barrel.

We will then have a source of water for the gardens even when we have our dry spells.

 

[kcan2]

Helpful Abigail with the cricket mitigation! Those crickets just weren't too smart, choosing the chicken run to hang out in. Protein!

 

[fuzzi]

Helpful Abigail with the cricket mitigation! Those crickets just weren't too smart, choosing the chicken run to hang out in. Protein!

When I go in the coop at night the straw litter on the floor is covered with crickets and brown roaches (aka water bugs). They hide underneath the feeders during the day, but the chickens have learned that little fact. They surround me when I reach for the feeder bucket, bwahaha!

 

[kcan2]

When I go in the coop at night the straw litter on the floor is covered with crickets and brown roaches (aka water bugs). They hide underneath the feeders during the day, but the chickens have learned that little fact. They surround me when I reach for the feeder bucket, bwahaha!

I only wish my chickens were as enthusiastic about devouring stink bugs, which are currently attempting takeover via en masse. But dead/dying stinkbugs smell musky, and I guess my chickens don't want stinkbug breath, for which they can't be blamed. Crickets or brown tasty water bugs would probably be less objectionable to their palates

We got a new roof, too! Your rain barrels are a great use of all that water runoff. Edit to ask if roof granules affect rain barrels in that they get inside and must be cleaned out?

 

[fuzzi]

I only wish my chickens were as enthusiastic about devouring stink bugs, which are currently attempting takeover via en masse. But dead/dying stinkbugs smell musky, and I guess my chickens don't want stinkbug breath, for which they can't be blamed. Crickets or brown tasty water bugs would probably be less objectionable to their palates

We got a new roof, too! Your rain barrels are a great use of all that water runoff. Edit to ask if roof granules affect rain barrels in that they get inside and must be cleaned out?

Some of my flock will eat stink bugs, some decline. But they LOVE crickets, lots of protein!

I'm not using the initial rain runoff as I can see it has the shingle granules in it. I'm going to drain and rinse out the barrels before starting the storage process.

 

[fuzzi]

Zacchaeus (5 months old)

Joanna (17 weeks old)

 

[fuzzi]

Abigail's molt

She's active, chasing after the crickets, and also she gobbled down a couple collard leaves by herself. I can't see anything wrong, but just looking at her makes me cringe!

 

[CoopBoots]

Abigail's molt

View attachment 3946732
View attachment 3946733

She's active, chasing after the crickets, and also she gobbled down a couple collard leaves by herself. I can't see anything wrong, but just looking at her makes me cringe!

Bless her heart. She's still so beautiful, though. I have a couple also looking similarly ragged; I'll be glad when molt season is over!