Hope everyone is doing well and surviving this crazy wind. I get a kick out of seeing the chickens try to get around in it!
So we're getting more serious about this winterizing thing. Now our question is what would be best for feeding. We have read and read til our eyes about come out of our heads and we don't come up with a common answer. I know everyone does things different, but I just don't want to do anything wrong!
Like I've said before, we only started this chicken thing in May, but Aric and I both grew up in situations with chickens around....we were just not responsible for them so we don't remember how things were done. I know my sister (18 years older than me with a large ranch) would fatten up her chickens with cracked corn and leftovers, but lately I've been reading that's the wrong thing. Ugh, there's so much debate out there!
We aren't worried about the water thing because even in the winter we would be out there a lot so the water would always be changed.
The one good thing is it seems we are turning the corner with the molting. It appears the high protein diet has definitely worked! We have also licked the colds it seemed a handful had. So maybe we're doing some things right!
On another good note...Kim, I wish you could see Jax now! Yesterday we were sitting and watching his behavior. We let all the ducks into the chicken run to spend time with them longer than they normally do. Usually I would let them in there 10 minutes before everyone went into the barn for the night. But yesterday we let them in there about an hour early to see what Jax would do. EVERYWHERE he went, Opie followed him! If Jax happened to walk away from him and Opie's head was turned, Jax would walk up to a hen or Sadie and Opie was RIGHT THERE! He would always stand between Jax and Sadie and twice he bit him when Jax went near her. Opie did the same thing if he headed for a hen!! I have 2 very large hens and 2 large rooster cochins and they would NOT let Jax touch them. 3 times my big BLRW roosters I got from Tiempo a while ago pecked Jax too. So, I think he's cured! After about 15 minutes of this, poor Jax was standing in the middle of the run like a geeky high school kid with no friends!
Today things were calmer. All 7 ducks spent time in the pond together many times and Jax seems to have made friends with the calls (4), laying in the sun with them and napping next to them. Today was cheese and corn day. Jax LOVED that!! He's a talker though! He doesn't say anything until I walk out there then he quacks non-stop! Aric was out there most of the day painting shutters and he didn't say a thing, but every time I went out there he went on and on lol!
Well, hopefully tomorrow isn't as windy! I have a massive ear infection (probably thanks to the teeth I had pulled and problems after that), so every time I went to visit the animals and see Aric's progress on the shutters, I was in horrible pain. I'm in the process of making baby blankets for gifts (I've been trying to get to the point to make them for money but friends keep getting pregnant! lol) so that fortunately keeps me inside!
Have a great night!
