Introducing the Ideal Dozen

[3KillerBs]

Get one of those infrared laser gauges.
No poops and they will chase the red dot.

 

[3KillerBs]

It's a cold day, but they're happy with the 250w lamp, their huddle box, and their training perch.

 

[3KillerBs]

We are big girls now at 2 weeks old!

I may have missed one or have more than one photo of the same one. But they're all growing like feathery weeds.

 

[3KillerBs]

I gave them access to the entire 4x8 space, changed out the little feeders for a larger one, put in a bigger waterer and the nipple waterer, and generally remodeled a bit to account for their rapid growth.

But I left one smaller waterer in until I'm sure they understand that water is in the big thing too.

With the vents open they now have a view of the wider world.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I gave them access to the entire 4x8 space, changed out the little feeders for a larger one, put in a bigger waterer and the nipple waterer, and generally remodeled a bit to account for their rapid growth.

But I left one smaller waterer in until I'm sure they understand that water is in the big thing too.View attachment 2700025View attachment 2700027View attachment 2700028View attachment 2700029

With the vents open they now have a view of the wider world.

View attachment 2700030View attachment 2700031

Fantastic!

 

[3KillerBs]

It's pouring rain for the first time in the babies' lives. I don't know if they're huddled in fear or chill so I put their 150w bulb on -- secure in the knowledge that they can get out of the heat if they need to.

When the rain eases up I'll need to grab a hoe and scrape out a little diversion ditch since there are a flew places that are puddling. I couldn't do it before because the dry ground was so concrete hard that I'd have needed power equipment. It does, however, seem to be warm and dry inside.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I want to add a cochin, but want sure how they'd deal with the heat. They are so fluffy

We get well into the nineties with high humidity. My fluffy blue Cochin does okay as long as she can stay in the shade and in front of the barn fan. when it gets that hot I make a wet mash of their chicken chow and freeze it in a silicone cake mold. Around noon, I take it out to the run for the girls to peck at. They seem to think that their chow mixed with cool (or warm, depending on the weather) is a special treat!

 

[3KillerBs]

The sun came out for a little bit so here it is, a 2" diversion ditch hacked through where the puddles were:

 

[aart]

The best time to dig drainage trenches in the pouring rain.
Not fun, unless you are thirsty for rain and/or have good rain gear,
but rather satisfying and efficient to see where the water is flowing.

 

[3KillerBs]

The best time to dig drainage trenches in the pouring rain.
Not fun, unless you are thirsty for rain and/or have good rain gear,
but rather satisfying and efficient to see where the water is flowing.

Yes.

I couldn't, however, because the ground was hard as concrete until some rain soaked it and I could only get 2" down before it was too hard to dig more without getting out the pickaxe.

I will, however, check the flow during the next rain band -- it's going to keep on raining for a couple days -- and enlarge the ditch as necessary.