I got my first chicks back in 2016, and raised them carefully. Over the years, there were some losses, and I added some point of lay pullets. I learned the hard way that production breeds do produce but don't live long lives. When I got down to two of the original chicks, I figured I'd let them live out their lives, and be done.
Today I bought five growouts-- they seem to range from about 9-12 weeks, but were all in the same group. Sure hope they are all pullets-- 3 should lay blue eggs, one olive green and one might lay blue or could lay tan based on the parents. They settled in pretty well to a repurposed horse stall. They ate, they scratched in the shavings, they drank and soiled their water repeatedly. Basically settling in very nicely, practicing their dust bathing, a couple of skirmishes between two of them who must not have hung out together in the larger group they came from.
It was all going too well. At lights out, instead of sleeping, one flew/climbed up the stall door. Made it about 7' up, and fell back. Thankfully did not break it's neck. Then another tries it. Then another-- and this one gets to the top and is now perched 8' up on top of the row of stalls/stall doors. I need two knee replacements, but I had to climb a ladder to get this idiot down. Both of us huffing and puffing and stressed, but she "seems" okay. I have NO way to add a ceiling to this stall so I closed the barn door and hope that when I open it, they are all actually in their stall and no one has broken their neck or legs. I've NEVER seen chickens scale a wall! It's a stall I've used for chickens before, during bad weather. But these are my first Americaunas, maybe they fly and climb?
Wish me luck!
Today I bought five growouts-- they seem to range from about 9-12 weeks, but were all in the same group. Sure hope they are all pullets-- 3 should lay blue eggs, one olive green and one might lay blue or could lay tan based on the parents. They settled in pretty well to a repurposed horse stall. They ate, they scratched in the shavings, they drank and soiled their water repeatedly. Basically settling in very nicely, practicing their dust bathing, a couple of skirmishes between two of them who must not have hung out together in the larger group they came from.
It was all going too well. At lights out, instead of sleeping, one flew/climbed up the stall door. Made it about 7' up, and fell back. Thankfully did not break it's neck. Then another tries it. Then another-- and this one gets to the top and is now perched 8' up on top of the row of stalls/stall doors. I need two knee replacements, but I had to climb a ladder to get this idiot down. Both of us huffing and puffing and stressed, but she "seems" okay. I have NO way to add a ceiling to this stall so I closed the barn door and hope that when I open it, they are all actually in their stall and no one has broken their neck or legs. I've NEVER seen chickens scale a wall! It's a stall I've used for chickens before, during bad weather. But these are my first Americaunas, maybe they fly and climb?
Wish me luck!
