So, I've decided to stop harassing the people around me with non-stop chicken talk and rant someplace where people might actually care or understand half of what I say. haha I joke. My SO cares(as long as he doesn't have to clean chicken poop),he just gets a bit sick of all the chicken and animal talk 
I don't think I talk all that much, but when it comes to chickens I guess I have lots to say. BE PREPARED! for a loooong post now and many many more stories, pictures, and rants to come!
I've been addicted to these guys for a couple months now and have been a victim of chicken math from the very beginning. It all started early this summer when the mother of my SO (we live on the same large property) noticed that a few of this years order of chicks looked like they might be a different variety. That should have been the first clue When they started to be let out into the run where I could see them easier, at about 2 months old, it soon became obvious (to me at least) that one of them was no lady chicken, and when he started to crow it was obvious to everyone. He was given the name Chester (as in Chester Fried Chicken.Not sure if that's just a Canadian thing or what) and offered to us if we wanted to keep him. The SO's parents did not like the idea of a potentially aggressive roo or the loud sound of his crow so near to their house. When we finally finished setting up what I hope is an impenetrable run(except for aerial attack) and cleaning out/preparing the old cement shed near the house, Chester and his siblings where already 5 months old. The run is a bit smaller than I would like but it will be winter soon anyways and the SO says he wont pay for anything more except feed. So if I want a bigger run or more chickens I will have to pay for it myself and I don't have any spare funds until next summer at the earliest. So alas I will have to be patient hah. The old shed is solid cement walls with a shingled wood roof and sand/small gravel floor. I Haven't yet measured the dimensions but I will post a pic later. It has a heavy wooden door with a sturdy latch and exterior deadbolts if i need them for extra security....not sure why they are there too begin with its kinda creepy. for ventilation there is a small chimney (Big enough to fit an arm in) that is covered from the rain, as well the door doesn't sit perfectly in the frame anymore so when closed at night there is still some good air flow. Inside the shed there are 3 shelves that are about two feet wide and go all the way around the left and back walls. The lowest is about waist height and the highest at eye level. I will be adding some roosts on the right wall in a couple days if/when I can find the time. When we went down to pick up Chester and two ladies to keep him company we where attacked by chicken math for the first time. It turns out another one of the chicks was a cockerel, just much later in developing than Chester. So we ended up bringing back 6 chickens, the 2 cockerels and 4 ladies. Nobody is immune to this chicken math I guess. Whew, now that I've described the coop and run in such excruciating unnecessary detail lets get on with introducing the flock.
(jkmu9'|98upoOOO77777777777YYY21111111111111111111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111111xBHHOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLKBFFF DNHK
+*/++....this was typed by one of the chicks. I got up for a sec to re-heat my coffee.This is what i get for having the brooder next to the couch)
Chester
+-
Chester is the head roo of my little flock. He's so sweet and gentle I often joke he wouldn't be in charge if he wasn't the biggest. When he was still small, in a flock of near 50, he was easily pushed around by the others and didn't try very hard when it came to competing for treats. He doesn't much like being touched or picked up, but that is mostly due to the lack of handling as a chick. I've slowly been making progress with all of them and for the most part none of them are afraid of me anymore. Chester is one of those white knight roosters you hear stories about all the time. He's always on the lookout for danger, calls warning for anything bigger than a magpie, and sends everyone packing into the coop while he stands guard at the door if he see's anything he considers a threat. He cuddles and grooms his ladies, and calls them over right away if he finds a tasty snack. He also comes running if any member of the flock, even Zeno, calls for help. Though he only watches carefully if the scream is caused by me picking one of them up. He's smart too, he recognizes that my kitty cat Nikola is not a threat when he comes into the coop with me (silly cat loves to steal chicken food) and the other day when my sister and mom came over while we where out and gave them some kitchen scraps, he apparently kept everybody in the house until we got back even though there was the lure of tasty snacks. He's my big beautiful boy and no matter how tasty everyone says he looks he will never be eaten.(Unless he becomes violent towards people or the ladies. I will not tolerate any roo that doesn't treat his ladies right. They are named after goddesses for a reason!)
Zeno
Holy Merlin Zeno is one handsome cockerel! Although he is the same age as Chester he has been significantly slower to develop and has only recently began to try and crow. Unfortunately this guy is a little A-hole. He isn't aggressive towards people and wouldn't dare challenge Chester due to the size difference, but he is definitely not popular with the ladies. He is aggressive towards them often, in the way hens sometimes are when trying to climb the pecking order, and the will not mate with him willingly the way they do with Chester. They scream for help if he tries and in the case of Hera, fight back angrily. He is also the kind of guy that will find or steal food and run away to hoard it for himself. Honestly we're just waiting a bit for him to size up before he is sent off to freezer camp. Since I switched the food to a slightly higher protein level he has been growing fast. In the mean time his adorable, backwards attempts to crow are very amusing.
Hera
As far as I can tell Hera is the dominant hen in the flock.The others, even Zeno, cower away if she makes any sudden or threatening moves. She will also attack Zeno if he tries to mate with her. I love her adorable floppy comb. The BF thinks it makes her look like a judge haha.
Lilith
Lilith, named for her pretty red colour, is very hard to get a good shot of. she''s always on the move.
Inanna
Inanna on the other hand is insanely photogenic. She is the lowest ranked hen, but definitely the feistiest. She will attack any small animal or bird that enters the pen and I frequently see her chasing insects. When it comes to Chester though she is the sweetest thing. She cuddles and grooms him all the time.
Isis
Don't tell the other hens, but I think Isis is the prettiest hehe.
Even MORE pics!
Chester and Hera with Lilith and Zeno in the back.
Zeno and Hera
Chicken butts!
Chester in a graceful stretch.
Front of the coop.
Chilling and grooming on top of the simple structure I built for shade and shelter from the elements. Makes for a prime dust bath spot.
Inanna giving Chester a kiss.
Zeno shaking after grooming.
Zeno getting ready for takeoff.
Nikola trying not to look suspicious...
..And failing ahah.
Enjoying some stale bread snacks.
Isis and Lilith dust bathing.
Kay sorry for the crazy long post. It took me a few days to put it all together Hope you like the pics and stories!
I don't think I talk all that much, but when it comes to chickens I guess I have lots to say. BE PREPARED! for a loooong post now and many many more stories, pictures, and rants to come!I've been addicted to these guys for a couple months now and have been a victim of chicken math from the very beginning. It all started early this summer when the mother of my SO (we live on the same large property) noticed that a few of this years order of chicks looked like they might be a different variety. That should have been the first clue
When they started to be let out into the run where I could see them easier, at about 2 months old, it soon became obvious (to me at least) that one of them was no lady chicken, and when he started to crow it was obvious to everyone. He was given the name Chester (as in Chester Fried Chicken.Not sure if that's just a Canadian thing or what) and offered to us if we wanted to keep him. The SO's parents did not like the idea of a potentially aggressive roo or the loud sound of his crow so near to their house. When we finally finished setting up what I hope is an impenetrable run(except for aerial attack) and cleaning out/preparing the old cement shed near the house, Chester and his siblings where already 5 months old. The run is a bit smaller than I would like but it will be winter soon anyways and the SO says he wont pay for anything more except feed. So if I want a bigger run or more chickens I will have to pay for it myself and I don't have any spare funds until next summer at the earliest. So alas I will have to be patient hah. The old shed is solid cement walls with a shingled wood roof and sand/small gravel floor. I Haven't yet measured the dimensions but I will post a pic later. It has a heavy wooden door with a sturdy latch and exterior deadbolts if i need them for extra security....not sure why they are there too begin with its kinda creepy. for ventilation there is a small chimney (Big enough to fit an arm in) that is covered from the rain, as well the door doesn't sit perfectly in the frame anymore so when closed at night there is still some good air flow. Inside the shed there are 3 shelves that are about two feet wide and go all the way around the left and back walls. The lowest is about waist height and the highest at eye level. I will be adding some roosts on the right wall in a couple days if/when I can find the time. When we went down to pick up Chester and two ladies to keep him company we where attacked by chicken math for the first time. It turns out another one of the chicks was a cockerel, just much later in developing than Chester. So we ended up bringing back 6 chickens, the 2 cockerels and 4 ladies. Nobody is immune to this chicken math I guess. Whew, now that I've described the coop and run in such excruciating unnecessary detail lets get on with introducing the flock.
(jkmu9'|98upoOOO77777777777YYY21111111111111111111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111111xBHHOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLKBFFF DNHK
+*/++....this was typed by one of the chicks. I got up for a sec to re-heat my coffee.This is what i get for having the brooder next to the couch
)Chester
+-
Chester is the head roo of my little flock. He's so sweet and gentle I often joke he wouldn't be in charge if he wasn't the biggest. When he was still small, in a flock of near 50, he was easily pushed around by the others and didn't try very hard when it came to competing for treats. He doesn't much like being touched or picked up, but that is mostly due to the lack of handling as a chick. I've slowly been making progress with all of them and for the most part none of them are afraid of me anymore. Chester is one of those white knight roosters you hear stories about all the time. He's always on the lookout for danger, calls warning for anything bigger than a magpie, and sends everyone packing into the coop while he stands guard at the door if he see's anything he considers a threat. He cuddles and grooms his ladies, and calls them over right away if he finds a tasty snack. He also comes running if any member of the flock, even Zeno, calls for help. Though he only watches carefully if the scream is caused by me picking one of them up. He's smart too, he recognizes that my kitty cat Nikola is not a threat when he comes into the coop with me (silly cat loves to steal chicken food) and the other day when my sister and mom came over while we where out and gave them some kitchen scraps, he apparently kept everybody in the house until we got back even though there was the lure of tasty snacks. He's my big beautiful boy and no matter how tasty everyone says he looks he will never be eaten.(Unless he becomes violent towards people or the ladies. I will not tolerate any roo that doesn't treat his ladies right. They are named after goddesses for a reason!)
Zeno
Holy Merlin Zeno is one handsome cockerel! Although he is the same age as Chester he has been significantly slower to develop and has only recently began to try and crow. Unfortunately this guy is a little A-hole. He isn't aggressive towards people and wouldn't dare challenge Chester due to the size difference, but he is definitely not popular with the ladies. He is aggressive towards them often, in the way hens sometimes are when trying to climb the pecking order, and the will not mate with him willingly the way they do with Chester. They scream for help if he tries and in the case of Hera, fight back angrily. He is also the kind of guy that will find or steal food and run away to hoard it for himself. Honestly we're just waiting a bit for him to size up before he is sent off to freezer camp. Since I switched the food to a slightly higher protein level he has been growing fast. In the mean time his adorable, backwards attempts to crow are very amusing.
Hera
As far as I can tell Hera is the dominant hen in the flock.The others, even Zeno, cower away if she makes any sudden or threatening moves. She will also attack Zeno if he tries to mate with her. I love her adorable floppy comb. The BF thinks it makes her look like a judge haha.
Lilith
Lilith, named for her pretty red colour, is very hard to get a good shot of. she''s always on the move.
Inanna
Inanna on the other hand is insanely photogenic. She is the lowest ranked hen, but definitely the feistiest. She will attack any small animal or bird that enters the pen and I frequently see her chasing insects. When it comes to Chester though she is the sweetest thing. She cuddles and grooms him all the time.
Isis
Don't tell the other hens, but I think Isis is the prettiest hehe.
Even MORE pics!
Chester and Hera with Lilith and Zeno in the back.
Zeno and Hera
Chicken butts!
Chester in a graceful stretch.
Front of the coop.
Chilling and grooming on top of the simple structure I built for shade and shelter from the elements. Makes for a prime dust bath spot.
Inanna giving Chester a kiss.
Zeno shaking after grooming.
Zeno getting ready for takeoff.
Nikola trying not to look suspicious...
..And failing ahah.
Enjoying some stale bread snacks.
Isis and Lilith dust bathing.
Kay sorry for the crazy long post. It took me a few days to put it all together
Hope you like the pics and stories!
