I started converting my shed into a coop

[ChestnutRidge]

The chicks are looking great! I think guineas look so exotic. I might get some one day when I don't have neighbors so close... I love the Sumatra hen. I have wanted some for a while, but there are more beautiful chickens and projects than I have space! She certainly adds some mystique to the flock. I have one Silver Phoenix hen. She adds a little of that flightly/wild/exotic to the group.

It's fun to watch your flock grow. You have beautiful birds.

 

[Rvl Rookie]

Thanks CR, but I lost one last night.

When I went out there this morning, I didn't see that light colored (Lavender) Guinea, so I started looking for how it could have gotten out. It didn't get out, but had gotten down between that tub and the fence, got stuck there, and died. After getting it out of there, I stuffed straw all around so none of the others can do the same thing.

 

[Rvl Rookie]

The Guineas are crazy! They spent a lot of the time in the run flying against the wire, trying to get out. When I let them out, they flew over the run, dropped to the ground behind it, and spent most of the day pacing the wire trying to get back in. After about ten hours of that, I went around there and slowly worked them around to the front where the gate is.

They spotted my chickens, and started attacking them. One of my Copper Marans had been sitting on eggs for a week, and she abandoned them after this attack. I herded the Guineas back into their part of the run, and they started flying against the wire at the center, trying to attack the baby chicks. When they weren't flying at the wire, they'd get up next to it and try to peck the babies through the wire.

They are too crazy and disruptive, so I sold them to a lady who already has Guineas and is familiar with them.

I will never get Guineas again.

 

[Rvl Rookie]

After I took care of the big chickens, and locked them in the main coop, I went into the little coop with the banty hen and babies. I changed their water and all that, then just stayed in there with them for a bit. The hen was standing there looking at me, and then she flew up and landed on my shoulder. That's the first time any of them have ever done that, so I hardly moved so I wouldn't scare her off. She stayed there for a few minutes, and then flew down.

When she landed on the ground, she walked over to the door and wanted out. I opened the door and she went out into the run, followed by all four chicks. They did their normal stuff, but the hen also kept going to the pop door. I thought she wanted to take the chicks in there, so I opened it up again. She walked in, and flew up on the roost.

The chicks started to follow her in, but turned and went back to the small coop. They went to their usual roost, but were squawking the whole time. The hen just stayed on the roost, so I closed both coops and left them that way. It's the first night for the babies to be alone. They're almost as big as the hen, so maybe that's why she's done playing momma. I'm anxious to see how she acts in the morning, whether she goes out to free range with the adults or go back to the chicks.

 

[Rvl Rookie]

She stayed with the adults, and is back to laying eggs and acting normal. The babies want to go out with everyone else, but I'm still hesitant because they're only about one month old. The yellow one is very light colored, and so far every light colored chicken I've had has been killed by predators, so rather than attract trouble I gave that one to the lady who picked up those Guineas for me.

I still want more of the Cuckoo Marans, so I've been saving her eggs to try hatching them. I also saved the eggs from the little hen, so maybe she'll end up with some banty company. There are a few others too, but I don't know who laid them. They could RIR, Golden Comet, or Copper Maran. It's about two dozen altogether, and I hope my first try is successful.

I've been trying to build an incubator, using a metal computer tower enclosure, and various stuff I had around here. I needed a few parts ($10), but I think I have everything I need now I plugged it in about an hour ago, and I'm going to keep checking it to see what kind of temperature I get in there.









The yellow chick, just before I took it to the new home

 

[Rvl Rookie]

Tuesday I tried something new, letting the babies free range with the adults, but most of the time they stayed in the run and their outside coop anyway. I didn't put them in their coop, but left it open and hoped they'd follow the adults into the big coop. They didn't go in there, but roosted as they normally do. I left the door or\f their coop open, but the main coop was closed and the gate to the run was closed. The next morning when I went out there, I found the remains of the black chick on the ground.

Because of that, I'm now making the remaining two chicks roost in the main coop.

This morning everyone was doing fine, and the chicks were getting along with the adults and even following them around the yard. I checked on them again at 9:30am, and everyone was still fine, but at almost noon I went out and my last adult RIR was missing. I didn't find any remains in the yard; she's just gone.

 

[Rvl Rookie]

Success! Guess who's getting shot, about six hours from now.

 

[Rvl Rookie]

Better pic, when I went out this morning to deal with it;

 

[cjsmom]

Way to go.......Good for you!!!!!!

 

[BigRooNTN]

If you dont have enough ammo just let me know and I will mail you some. Then you will have one less predator to deal with.