Growing my little flock

[2ndTink]

Lately both she and Vanilla Bean are trying really hard to convince me that they're actually meant to be house chickens. Those two are my biggest and fluffiest chickens, but I think they've had enough of this whole winter business LOL.

I don't blame them, warm weather, fresh bugs, and greens to eat instead of cold and mucky. Until it's too hot, then they will be wanting to be house chickens again to enjoy the AC

Are they still loving their extra most perfect nesting box?

 

[DonyaQuick]

Are they still loving their extra most perfect nesting box?

Oooooh yes indeed. All of the hens and all of the pullets (except Raven ) being so very interested in cramming into that one box has actually now cost me a couple perfectly good eggs to the pushing and shoving in the mornings.

 

[2ndTink]

Oooooh yes indeed. All of the hens and all of the pullets (except Raven ) being so very interested in cramming into that one box has actually now cost me a couple perfectly good eggs to the pushing and shoving in the mornings.

Mine still refuse to use the nesting boxes, and all pile into the wooden crate.

Well, at least they are giving you and your amazing nesting box crafting skills a huge compliment

 

[DonyaQuick]

Oh thank heavens - 2 egger eggs went into the other newly-curtained box today. That brought the best-box-ever egg count down enough that I didn't get any broken eggs. My husband found a third old dish cloth thing that I washed and put on yet another unused nest box, which I also moved over between the roost bars in case part of my issue is which wall the boxes are along.

The Raven egg, of course...still in front of the nest box...I think that's just how it's going to be lol.

 

[2ndTink]

Silly Raven I like her dedication to her unique lifestyle.

I'm glad you avoided the broken eggs today, that's a relief!

 

[DonyaQuick]

Holy smokes. Well, Mr. Goober here let the entire bachelor flock out today. It's just lucky those boys don't ever wander far. I casually walked out with some gardening stuff to get some potatoes started and they were right there, so they just happily walked straight into the house.

Forgive the slightly crusty comb; the Goob Man has had a little trouble with the cold wetness this winter because of how long those spikes are, so he's going to have some peeling areas soon.

Fortunately the bachelor flock can't have been out for more than about an hour or two. I'd had them out earlier in the afternoon, put them back, and latched the doors after finishing up chores. However, the door that got opened has three latches on it. I did two of them and forgot what is apparently the most important one, a silly hook latch at the very top. The middle latch is a small barrel latch that sometimes has trouble holding well with temperature swings, so I try not to rely on it exclusively. Therefore, there is another latch below it, which is a toggle hasp thing that can have a padlock put on it but otherwise holds pretty well on its own. I only put the padlock on at night, since I have my latches set up primarily to protect from predators, not stop escapes! Annoying weather stacked up and the door didn't close very well earlier today - and I didn't take that seriously enough and just pushed it in as far as it would go and tried to get the latches set as good as they would go. And then I forgot the hook at the top.

With no padlock because it was daytime, I've now learned that the bottom latch can be opened from the inside by smacking the door in the right place, and then when the barrel latch might not catch fully as the door opens. And with no hook latch at the top...open door and free-roaming bunch of rooster boys. I've seen Goober pecking at the door where the hasp latch is. I've now put two and two together on some recent times when I've found that bottom latch ajar but the barrel and hook latches set. I don't think it was just down to me being forgetful anymore! So now I have two carabiners in place....one on the run extension latch that daddy Monster taught Goober how to open by jumping and pecking, and one on the new lock Goober's figured out how to open by thumping the door in the right spot. And I think I may need yet a third daytime carabiner for the little side door into the coop, since it has the same set of 3 latches...

 

[2ndTink]

Holy smokes. Well, Mr. Goober here let the entire bachelor flock out today. It's just lucky those boys don't ever wander far. I casually walked out with some gardening stuff to get some potatoes started and they were right there, so they just happily walked straight into the house.

View attachment 3757231
Forgive the slightly crusty comb; the Goob Man has had a little trouble with the cold wetness this winter because of how long those spikes are, so he's going to have some peeling areas soon.

Fortunately the bachelor flock can't have been out for more than about an hour or two. I'd had them out earlier in the afternoon, put them back, and latched the doors after finishing up chores. However, the door that got opened has three latches on it. I did two of them and forgot what is apparently the most important one, a silly hook latch at the very top. The middle latch is a small barrel latch that sometimes has trouble holding well with temperature swings, so I try not to rely on it exclusively. Therefore, there is another latch below it, which is a toggle hasp thing that can have a padlock put on it but otherwise holds pretty well on its own. I only put the padlock on at night, since I have my latches set up primarily to protect from predators, not stop escapes! Annoying weather stacked up and the door didn't close very well earlier today - and I didn't take that seriously enough and just pushed it in as far as it would go and tried to get the latches set as good as they would go. And then I forgot the hook at the top.

With no padlock because it was daytime, I've now learned that the bottom latch can be opened from the inside by smacking the door in the right place, and then when the barrel latch might not catch fully as the door opens. And with no hook latch at the top...open door and free-roaming bunch of rooster boys. I've seen Goober pecking at the door where the hasp latch is. I've now put two and two together on some recent times when I've found that bottom latch ajar but the barrel and hook latches set. I don't think it was just down to me being forgetful anymore! So now I have two carabiners in place....one on the run extension latch that daddy Monster taught Goober how to open by jumping and pecking, and one on the new lock Goober's figured out how to open by thumping the door in the right spot. And I think I may need yet a third daytime carabiner for the little side door into the coop, since it has the same set of 3 latches...

Smart cookies! How kind of Mr. Goober to organize a boys day out

 

[DonyaQuick]

Smart cookies! How kind of Mr. Goober to organize a boys day out

Unfortunately that gleeful bit of exploring apparenty also got Goober and Mr. Tengu a nice batch of northern fowl mites I wish I knewwhat exactly they got into to end up those darned things, but I guess what happens during bachelor flock party stays in bachelor flock party lol. They must have had a grand time digging up a rodent burrow somewhere. Fortunately treating them has been easy so far, because to Goober any attention is good attention, so I just powder him first while he makes giggle noises and then the rest line up wanting a turn.

 

[2ndTink]

Unfortunately that gleeful bit of exploring apparenty also got Goober and Mr. Tengu a nice batch of northern fowl mites I wish I knewwhat exactly they got into to end up those darned things, but I guess what happens during bachelor flock party stays in bachelor flock party lol. They must have had a grand time digging up a rodent burrow somewhere. Fortunately treating them has been easy so far, because to Goober any attention is good attention, so I just powder him first while he makes giggle noises and then the rest line up wanting a turn.

Oh my! I'm laughing hard at this about the bachelor flock party and Mr Goober's giggles

 

[DonyaQuick]

Miss Coco has yet to get the hang of foraging like everyone else. She just kind of stands here and there doing nothing until she gets bored and either comes to bother me for attention or waddles off to the front door of the house in the hopes of kitchen treats. Meanwhile everyone else is bent on destroying what little grass survived the winter.

Oh my! I'm laughing hard at this about the bachelor flock party and Mr Goober's giggles

At some point I'm going to have to get an actual video with sound of the mighty Goober at his finest. He is SO LOUD when he's excited - I often get long streams of enthusiastic howling punctuated with the weird giggles.