I hope all you IA folks are surviving the snow! It seems we got about a foot but it was light and fluffy and not too bad to drive in in my big 4X4 dodge. I drove everywhere in it Friday and Saturday just fine, then just about got wiped off the highway on the way to work today by someone losing control on what appeared to be a clean road. Go figure.
I finally got the tractor out yesterday and cleared out between the barns. The cats were happy, they were having a heck of a time getting around. The horses didn't mind but the chickens just looked out the door shook their heads and went back in.
The big hens have given up on their old coop section and now roost above the horse stalls. I think they are tired of all the children! I admit 33 teen chicks swarming over everything is a little overwhelming. The BRs and some of those Cochins are as big as the adult hens now!
My white cochin mama decided she was done with hers and started laying eggs in the brooder so I let her out. The babies are 7 weeks and seem OK with a heat lamp. They've been out with the others but I don't leave them unattended. The buff Orps and the BR are pretty big but they get in trouble a lot.
The Iowa Blues are uncontainable. They fly really well and have extended their boundries quite a bit. The cats are terrified of them and the turkeys keep their distance as well. They are a little pesky though, they hunt me down as soon as they hear me come in the barn. The first time I discovered this I was I was throwing hay bales out of the loft and by some miracle managed not to squish any.
Now I know I have to toss them some scratch to keep them busy first
Decided to give up on Iowa! (only for a day or two). Have come to the cities to take the boys to the Mall of America. Have 3 Orloffs hatched so far and letting the chicken sitter handle the rest.
Other then that, things are fine at the Sheraton!
I have given up on the seramas until I can have a secure pen for them. While we were eating dinner Christmas day a hawk swooped down and got Prince Charming. My dogs chased down the hawk through the yard and were able to get Charming, but he was already dead. It was weird because I didn't think any of the chickens were out of the coop - they rarely come out in the cold and snow. I saw the hawk go around the back of the garage and my dad is like "He took something" I was already bolting out the door at that point. I saw him fly up and off with nothing in his claws so I thought well my dad was just seeing things, so I came back inside. The dogs had also taken off after him and when I rounded up the dogs my newfie mix had brought his body up to the gate and was standing guard over it. There were definate claw marks down his side. I am just glad all the young birds are still living in the garage and the hawk(s) never mess with the big chickens.
On that note, one of the Iowa Blue hens that got sick is really stunted in her growth along with my female silkie. Everyone seems to be well now though and putting on good weight. They look like a bunch of crows sitting on the edge of the brooder.
Hey Eric - as a joke I told my hubby I was sick of the weather and we should go to Vegas for the weekend to get away from the cold. He told me to make the arrangements and we could go somewhere warm. Where should we go? My kids are pretty good about babysitting the menagerie if they have too. Especially my 16 year old - she likes the chickens and the animals. My son just likes the cats and his own ferret.
If you want someplace fun to go, go to the FL Keys! Sit on the gulf side or ocean side beach and suck up the sun! Sit in an outside cabana bar and suck up some suds! Don't forget to go to "Bobs Bunz", in Islamorada. It's a small town cafe that has good simple food and homemde pies and fancy creme filled stuff! Key West is really cool but busy, touristy. Thats where you will see the wild chickens too!