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I'm hoping i have babies left later, i have been slowly trying to intro them to the flock in short bits; Today was nice enough that i put them all out and they all went and dug craters 
Then they were all tipsy acting after so they were not really trying to be mean or to run. Even the babies got into the digging, and didn't even budge when their nemesis came and did a halfhearted peck (a jealous cookie) so i think cookie is satisfied of her superior status. (It seems that if they take off quickly the birds think the babies aren't accepting their authority) ??
Then i tried it all again with everyone in the coop, it was good for at least 45 min before i gave up in hunger and went home for a bite!
At the rate these babies are going the big birds are going to be kinder in terms of damage! I don't think anyone wants them dead, they seem to just be establishing authority but the way these babies scream and run it kinda gets the others excited.......... but they are actually bigger than the d'uccles by a bit, so if they can be calm and learn the "rules" of the other girls all will be well. Otherwise i'll rope DH into assisting me with a wall building, because he has the electric saw and won't entrust me with it, lol.
Henry is starting to consider the babies his to protect, because when the yard millie roos came to the fence he ran over and stood by the babies. When one of the hens was mean he did a wing kick at her, was nice to see. Maurice has grown bold being the new #2 rooster, he crows and he kicked the tar out of the poor visiting roo yesterday before i could scoop him up; and for some reason he has decided that he likes them big- instead of putting moves on "his" girls he chased down cookie today. Didn't get her, her big butt panicked and ran to me and demanded protection. (She's HUGE) she could squash him easy, but don't know her power, lol. She's much bigger and heavier than even my orp was! His adopted mom (booted bantam, very tiny) flares her neck and puts him in his place quite frequently.
Those little hens are very fiesty!!!
Then they were all tipsy acting after so they were not really trying to be mean or to run. Even the babies got into the digging, and didn't even budge when their nemesis came and did a halfhearted peck (a jealous cookie) so i think cookie is satisfied of her superior status. (It seems that if they take off quickly the birds think the babies aren't accepting their authority) ??Then i tried it all again with everyone in the coop, it was good for at least 45 min before i gave up in hunger and went home for a bite!
At the rate these babies are going the big birds are going to be kinder in terms of damage! I don't think anyone wants them dead, they seem to just be establishing authority but the way these babies scream and run it kinda gets the others excited.......... but they are actually bigger than the d'uccles by a bit, so if they can be calm and learn the "rules" of the other girls all will be well. Otherwise i'll rope DH into assisting me with a wall building, because he has the electric saw and won't entrust me with it, lol.
Henry is starting to consider the babies his to protect, because when the yard millie roos came to the fence he ran over and stood by the babies. When one of the hens was mean he did a wing kick at her, was nice to see. Maurice has grown bold being the new #2 rooster, he crows and he kicked the tar out of the poor visiting roo yesterday before i could scoop him up; and for some reason he has decided that he likes them big- instead of putting moves on "his" girls he chased down cookie today. Didn't get her, her big butt panicked and ran to me and demanded protection. (She's HUGE) she could squash him easy, but don't know her power, lol. She's much bigger and heavier than even my orp was! His adopted mom (booted bantam, very tiny) flares her neck and puts him in his place quite frequently.
Those little hens are very fiesty!!!
I looked at hardware cloth today, not cheap! Biggest i could find was only 3' x 10'. ??? . Why don't it come taller??? 
