- May 5, 2011
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I always wanted chickens my whole life and now finally HAVE some. I have 20 regular chicks and 2 meat birds that I will be butchering in a couple weeks.The regulars consist of 6 Auracana, 4 SLW, 6 BO, 2 RIR, and 2 Adelusiaons-A buff and a blue all maybe 2 days old when I bought them Mar. 21st (The meaties were already at least a week old).
A few days ago here on the western slope we had a terrible storm. I rushed outside to tie the tarp down on the temp pen I built so they wouldnt get rained on. Sigh. The pen was too light and while I was downwind behind it the wind took it, nearly crushing me and then it flew off into other parts of the yard. Little chickens running everywhere. They all ended up in their boxes I had in the pen for them to roost on and I got them all into the house in the small pen they were tiny chicks in. Terribly overcrowded, but safe for the moment.
I've spent a lot of time with them, and there were some not so friendly holdouts. That night, all of a sudden there was massive anxiety in there, rising tones of peeping, shrieks and I dont know what caused it, nothing differant. I went in, and instead of leaning over the pen like usual, opened the pen door kneeling in front of it. THAT was a mistake!
I was rushed by 20 unhappy and still terrified half grown chicks, I kept shoving them back and more would pop out, more in, more came out, the ones most persistant were the holdouts from being friendly. AUUUGGHHH!
I finally gave up and it ended in a moment with chicks roosting on my neck, my arms, under my elbows, in my armpits and in between my knees on the floor, all nestled as close as they could get to me and each other. Not another sound from them for a few minutes as they all were in what seemed to them a safe spot.
This moment was worth all the time and trouble and I will never forget it the rest of my life. I sat there for a hour till my legs were numb just letting them roost there.
And ya know what? No one pooped on me!
The next day, got a far better pen built with posts in the ground and all safely inside, and they all seem okay so far. Thank you, Lord.
A few days ago here on the western slope we had a terrible storm. I rushed outside to tie the tarp down on the temp pen I built so they wouldnt get rained on. Sigh. The pen was too light and while I was downwind behind it the wind took it, nearly crushing me and then it flew off into other parts of the yard. Little chickens running everywhere. They all ended up in their boxes I had in the pen for them to roost on and I got them all into the house in the small pen they were tiny chicks in. Terribly overcrowded, but safe for the moment.
I've spent a lot of time with them, and there were some not so friendly holdouts. That night, all of a sudden there was massive anxiety in there, rising tones of peeping, shrieks and I dont know what caused it, nothing differant. I went in, and instead of leaning over the pen like usual, opened the pen door kneeling in front of it. THAT was a mistake!
I was rushed by 20 unhappy and still terrified half grown chicks, I kept shoving them back and more would pop out, more in, more came out, the ones most persistant were the holdouts from being friendly. AUUUGGHHH!
I finally gave up and it ended in a moment with chicks roosting on my neck, my arms, under my elbows, in my armpits and in between my knees on the floor, all nestled as close as they could get to me and each other. Not another sound from them for a few minutes as they all were in what seemed to them a safe spot.
This moment was worth all the time and trouble and I will never forget it the rest of my life. I sat there for a hour till my legs were numb just letting them roost there.
And ya know what? No one pooped on me!
The next day, got a far better pen built with posts in the ground and all safely inside, and they all seem okay so far. Thank you, Lord.
