Mollie Sunshine Chronicles

I had a scare this morning! I went to clean up a bit and top off the food and water for the littles. Norma Jean (little little) wasn't with the other littles. At first, I thought nothing of it, I assumed she was sleeping under the heating pad. I knew she would sprint out as she usually does, after hearing the others peeping. But she didn't....my heart sank. I was thinking I was going to lift the heating pad to find she had passed. I lifted the pad and she wasn't there!! Now I'm feeling around in the pine shavings....where could she be, the shaving isn't that deep...she has to be in here, she can't fly out or climb out.....I continue to softly feel around for her...I lift the newspaper edges...low and behold! there she is!...tucked under a portion of the paper that was under the pine shavings and heating pad. phew...what a relief! I pick her up, assured her everything was alright and placed her with the others. Once again, all is good in the world.

After the littles were complete, I headed outdoors to feed and greet the other chickies. As usual, with my handy, dandy flashlight I look around the coop to see if I have eggs. Nope nothing in the nesting boxes. I actually said to chickies, "are there any eggs for me this morning?" I start beaming the light on the coop floor. I stepped and heard a crunch...nooooo!! I lift my foot and there it was, a perfectly shaped egg yolk stared up at me. I was so disappointed. It appeared to be a white shelled egg so I don't think it came from my RIR. I am thinking it was from one of the cornish rocks (I have 2 remaining). It's too early for one of the bantams to be laying from what I have read. Tomorrow morning I will stand OUTSIDE the coop and beam the light in, before I step in. So disappointed.
 
Today's my lucky day!! I just happened to check the availability of silkie bantams on the site I order from. They are available!! I ordered black, blue and partridge. It's official, my coop is closed. I might actually need to purchase an additional coop in the spring but I will figure it out then. I know I have plenty of yard space. What I need to do down the road too is drop my rooster count. I would keep tops 2. If I had the nerve to cull I would at this point but I don't so I have to rehome them.
 
I contacted a local 4-H and an egg farmer to see if they wanted to adopt the majority of my roo's. A part of me dislikes having to part with them but in the long run my ladies will be much happier. I noticed when the roo's come in the coop if there are pullets inside, the pullets run in the nesting boxes to get away from them. I feel bad. The 4-H will place my name on a list because as I suspected there are many people who have contacted them about roosters. The farm hasn't contacted me. My roosters are well behaved. Just full of hormones right now. One starts and the rest follows. It stresses my pullets. Maybe it will be ok if I keep them? I do know, that if no one contacts me to offer a good home for them and the stress level of the pullets becomes too high, I will have no choice but to bring them to a processor. It would kill me to do that though. I will deal with it when the time comes. I'm a planner though. I always need a plan of action in my back pocket, for those what if's.

While reading online about bachelor pads for roo's, I came across a product that looks interesting. For those of us that have cold winter months, I saw a person who is using reptile heat rope, snaked on the ceiling of his coop. For all those who may be interested it is a product from Big Apple Herp. I looked it up. It's inexpensive. You do need to purchase a temperature regulator, which also is reasonably priced. I am thinking for those nights and days for that matter, that are brutally cold. It would be beneficial for the chickies and give me peace of mind too. Especially if our winter is anything like 2 years ago! Last year wasn't too bad, they could acclimate themselves fine but that one prior.....I don't think I could do another winter like that one!
 
My gosh, so much has occurred since my last post. I have a feeling this will be the extended version because there's so much to chronicle. I love the designation that someone here used and I have conveniently incorporated when I speak about the chickies. The littles, now going on 6 weeks, plus a chick we bought at a local county fair (Norma Jean, now 4 weeks have all been moved into the big girl coop, in a crate right now. A week ago we received the last and final addition to our flock, 6 silkies, the little littles. One died after a couple of days : ( So sad but I can't think about it, I have to keep moving. The last thing I needed was an addition but I have been wanting more silkies and when they became available I couldn't help myself! Before I jump onto a different event, I will continue with the little and little littles. At least 2 weeks ago I placed the littles in the big coop. The crate I put them in just didn't work out, it was difficult to clean etc. I placed them back in the brooder so they would be with the little littles. I figured, one total integration into the big coop! Watching the littles with the little littles amazed me! At the young age of the littles, I wouldn't have thought they would care for the little littles. One night, I'm looking for the little littles and 3 are underneath Norma Jean! They keep them warm! I noticed they wouldn't always go under the heating pad they would be on top with the littles, under them. Sadly, the littles had to be transferred out of the brooder this weekend because I truly cannot prolong the integration. To watch them together was nice though. I would love to put the little littles in with the littles but I fear for their safety. I have to open that door at some point. I want to this weekend. I am thinking with all the chaos going on, now may be an opportune time. I don't want the little littles to get out. Sure I can devise a separator to keep them in. Then there's the issue of heat. When it rains I can't run an extension cord to the coop. If anyone has ideas please advise.

And on to what has become a royal pain. My last post concerned my roosters and what to do. The overwhelming response I received from those whose judgement I trust was they needed to be culled. This broke my heart. They really are good birds, they just happen to be boys....boys with a tremendous amount of hormones! They cause quite the disturbance in my coop with regards to the pullets. I literally had the processors number in my hand when I received an email telling me this could all work out. So now we are in the process of building yet another coop to house the boys. I will try it. Fortunately, a short time later I received an email from a local egg farmer saying he would be able to take my roosters. I let him know I was going to try to work it out and if my efforts are futile, I will take him up on his offer. The boys are still wrecking havoc in the coop but the good news is theirs is almost complete. Daily, I remove the boys from the coop and feed the girls. It's a lot of extra work but I'm willing to give it try. I would never give my RIR, Sir Romeo away. He thinks he's a lap dog! When I enter the run he literally jumps in my arms and I have to stroke him like he's a cat or dog. I almost expect him to begin purring! He follows me everywhere.....and talk!...always talk, talking at me. I could never betray him. This all started when they got the boot out of the coop. For 2 nights they stayed in the run. I didn't know what to do with them. It was heartbreaking actually. At night fall they would huddle against the chick door. In the morning, there they were, huddled against the door sleeping. When they were out of the coop there existed a palpable sadness inside the coop. Yes, the coop was quiet but the pullets seemed sad. This is no exaggeration. The mood was different. When the boys reentered the coop, I began using the water bottle method for behavior modification. It works, me enforcing the notion of being alpha was the easy part. Now they see the bottle and they turn around. Even a pointed finger works. Until they can't fight the hormones, that is. Then it's a 3 ring circus. The thing that still baffles me is they still either huddle or roost at night with the girls! It's a love hate situation. Can't live with them, can't live without them. I really want to make this work. The dichotomy of the sexes is natural. There's much to be learned from each. To cast aside one sex merely based on it's unfortunate nature seems unjust. They really are sweet. I will still have subdivisions within my boys. The RIR's are too aggressive for my Orpington's. Everything is fine, they can roam together all day long. When time to enter the coop at night, for whatever reason they pick an Orpington and chase it. I don't know if it's dominance to say, I want you in the coop or that rush of hormones and adrenaline. Then I notice they mount a couple of the Orpington's! Now I"m confused, are they male, are the female? They mount the girls so I place them under male. The comb's are smaller and hubby thinks they are girls but I'm not convinced. Dominance perhaps? The ending of this chapter has yet to unfold itself. I will let everyone know how my situation ends. Hopefully a happy ending for all involved. They are mine and I will try to manage them. Provided everyone is healthy and happy I will continue my efforts. Currently, it's extra work for me and chaos for the flock at times. Just a little longer....

On a happy note, I received 2 small eggs this Saturday! They were brown and beautiful. Perfectly shaped. I had them this morning. I almost want to say it was my silkie but everything I've read states they don't lay until almost a year. I had seen her earlier in the nesting box with her tail in the air and fussing with the shavings.

Stay tuned for the continuing saga of Molly Sunshine! Sweet Molly is hanging in there.
 
I think I am finally entering the egg phase! Chickies gave me another egg this morning. They are small and so darn cute! I have no idea which pullet is producing or if it's more than one.

I've had the pleasure of brooding a total of close to 50 chicks in a very short period of time. This weekend, one of my silkie chicks had pasty vent. The first out of all of them! I cleaned her little bum Saturday and again Sunday. Yesterday and this morning all clean. You know how there's always one that just captures your eye. She is the one of that bunch. She's one of the black silkies, slightly smaller than the others and she just seems to romp around with her fuzzy bum. I have to enjoy these last chickies because this is it for a long while. It's weird because I said no more house animals. After the kitties, who are old now (15 yrs), pass, no more. I get too attached and when they pass it is too painful. My heart can't do it anymore. When hubby brought home the chicks I said I think I can do this. No attachment. It is different but I enjoy my chickies. I can spend hours and I do, in the coop with them. Hubby comes out and asks if everything is ok in there. I can watch the littles all day long. They make me smile the way they scurry about.

I do say often, they will be the death of me. Right now they are a lot of work. There are many days I can be heard in my yard saying God, give me strength, before entering the coop. It's usually when the boys are in the midst of their shanangans. My male silkie, Eril Flynn, found himself in a day of isolation this morning. He's very head strong. Five o'clock this morning he's chasing and mounting a silkie pullet. I was tired, hadn't had my fix of caffeine yet and was not having any of his nonsense. I placed him in a nesting box with a gate across the front. This should slow him down for 5 minutes
D.gif
He's such a handsome boy but so darn bad! Any opportunity he sees he jumps on it....literally. I often hold him and ask him why he's so bad.
 
Yaaay! The bachelor pad is almost complete! Hubby just has the roof left to shingle and I have the floor to tile, then it's moving it to it's location (it's built on a trailer) and that night placing the roo's inside. Won't they be surprised with their new digs the next morning! It's identical to the current coop so they will probably think the pullets moved out on them! Who would blame the poor girls.

With the boys out of the coop it reinforces the need to allow the littles to roam the coop. I'm anxiously nervous about letting them out because I know there will be pecking but it has to be done. Both of my mottled bantams still like to jump into the palm of my hand to just chill. They are so soft. Their coloring of course is still that black and gold fuzz. They're still baby's. I know the sooner the better, in comparison to the pullets they are so small. I hate the thought of the littles being pecked on.

The nightly forecast for the weekend is 40's. I'm debating on whether I should offer the littles some heat (heating pad) or allow them to acclimate themselves. The winter will be here soon; I don't want them to have any difficulties adjusting to temperatures. Anyone with suggestions? They are currently 6 weeks and one is 4 weeks. To me, they should have heat(?)
 
This morning I am still stating that the bachelor pad is almost complete! Tonight after work hubby has the main door and the chickie door to do. We do have to take a tree down before we place it in it's spot. There's an old cedar close by. It doesn't look in the best condition so we will take it down before we have regrets. As luck would have it, there's rain in the forecast until Saturday! Because we are not already limited on time...this having to work everyday is really getting on my nerves
wink.png
I gots things to do!! I ain't got time for this.

Can I just tell you how much I love my RIR roo's. Yup, I said the word. I let them free range so the girls have a second of almost peace. They follow me everywhere. I should just put leashes on them and take them for walks. Sir Romeo is the only one who alows me pick him up, the alpha and beta allow me to stroke them only. Yesterday, I named the lower pecking order RIR, Cyrus...I can tell him apart from the others right now because he has no tail feathers. He is the one others mount and is obviously one of the lower pecking order roo's. He rarely allows me to touch him; he's a tad flighty. Would you blame him, he's always getting picked on, the poor boy. I know RIR's are known to be aggressive birds but to be honest, I find mine to be quite calm. The Buff Orpington's are flighty. I have one that used to sit on my lap and yesterday I think he was the one that flew on my shoulder. I don't know which one he is. I didn't take a close look at his comb and waddle. As usual lately, I was too busy and wanted to get things done in there. I did take him off my shoulder and held and stroked him for a bit. I feel as though I haven't even been able to enjoy the little littles as much as I want either. Until the man cave is complete and things return to normalcy, it's work, work, work, have to stay focused. I am looking forward to the day that I can exclaim the boys are in their coop! It's a lot of extra work making certain each pullet eats and drinks everyday. I remain in the coop until they do. Keeping the buff's away from them. I don't always allow them to free range with the RIR's. There are 2 that when it's time to return to the coop at night, inevitably, they get chased until I have to pick him up and place him in manually. This will be something I will need to work on once they are together. I will probably keep the less domineering roo's together. It will consist of the 2 buff's, one of the silkies and Cyrus. Although, for the most part, Cyrus can hold his own. It's that silkie Eril Flynn! He is such a bad boy! The one day of solitary quieted him down a bit. I saw Cyrus chase HIM the other day. He's so handsome but so darn bad! I know I always say it but it's true!

The other day, I purchased two of those electricity rodent eliminators. Works on batteries. It killed 2 mice. I felt bad but I have to protect what's mine. Now that the colder weather is here I want to protect my coop from invaders as much as I can. The little buggers carry too many potential diseases.

I also purchased a couple of nipple waterers. It was nice this morning not having to wash and refill the water jug. I also purchased the deicer just to have in my back pocket just in case.

In a couple of weeks I will be attending my first local poultry fanciers show. When I was at the county fair recently and hob nobbing around the chicken exhibit, they were telling me about it. I think it will be good to increase my chicken networking. There's no one around me that is interested in my chickens or chickens in general and I want to learn as much as I can about them so I think it will be good.
 
Well, it has been a while since posting chickie events. It has been quite hectic!
The boys as of this Saturday are FINALLY in their bachelor pad!
woot.gif
The pullets couldn't be happier. Their coop and run are right next to them so they can still talk and see each other. I would like to place one roo in with the pullets but right now I think a break would be best. I was going to wait until night time to bring them to their new coop but by mid morning they were calm, unlike that initial burst of morning hormones, so one by one I picked them up. They say females of any species are hormonal generally speaking but when it comes to chickies I think the boys have them beat!

I allowed the littles to walk around the coop for a short time yesterday too. Overall, it went remarkably well. I figure every day after work I will open up the kennel and let them go. Although, my mottled cochen's tend to let themselves out anyway. Little stinkers, they walk right past me when the door of the kennel is open, while i'm busy cleaning or filling up their waterer/feeder.

I also placed the little littles back with the littles in the kennel. That didn't go as well as I was hoping. I was hoping the littles would remember who they were and take them right in. It was 3 out of 3. Three, of course the 2 gentle mottles and Norma Jean that took them right in. The Mille Fleur and 2 Wyandotte's were brats. They kept pecking at them. I thought they would be ok but when I checked on them later that evening, I could hear the little littles peeping. They were stressed so back into their brooder in the garage they went. The little littles are various silkie colors and they are becoming so freakin' cute! They are 5 weeks old and literally change from morning to night. They are little puff balls right now. So cute. Since this reunion didn't go so well, I will have to double time getting the littles integrated with the pullets. Two integrations! The very thing I was trying to avoid.
 
I opened the door to the wire kennel again yesterday after I came home from work to let the littles roam the coop, once again, no reaction from the pullets. Very proud of my girls! I will do this all week, then let them out all day Saturday. I can poke my head in off and on to monitor what's going on. This integration is going remarkably well! If all goes well, I will place the little littles in the wire kennel in a couple of weeks and hopefully this integration will go just as well. Life's been insanely crazy lately and I do appreciate the universe throwing me a bone with this one. I dreaded the possible aggravation of integrating this first set. Especially, since I have no clue as to what I am doing! Everything I have read here, it's hit or miss....could go very well or very bad. I got lucky! Thank you, to the powers that be....this ole girl needed a break (hehe, but not so much).

So this is interesting....I KNOW there are 3 roo's in with the pullets. 2 RIR's and one silkie. They are the same age as all the other boys and girls but they do not ever mount the girls. The other roo's will pummel them if allowed to. In the early days of trying to separate the roo's from the pullets (so the pullets could at least eat and drink) I thought perhaps I made a mistake in their sex. I kept them with the pullets and I figured they were different than the other pullets but still pullets. Yesterday morning as I was leaving the coop I heard the beginnings of a crow in the hen house. I quickly opened the door and thought who did that! Yesterday afternoon when I arrived home, I went out back to check on everyone and I eye a rooster in the girls run. Without thinking I said to self, how the heck did a roo get in there! I quickly remembered it was one of the "others". This morning, one of the RIR's crowed big! It's confirmed, at least one of the "others" is a he! Now this brings me to the idea that it's a matter of time before he begins acting like a boy and mounts the girls. Here goes another small coop/run to house these possibly 3! ARRRRRRGH. I figure it's a matter of time before the other 2 show me who they really are. Never a dull moment
barnie.gif
I"m hoping they never find the girls attractive and leave them alone. A girl can dream.....
 
It's official, at least 2 of the 3 "look like a male but act like a female" are roo's. The 2 RIR's were caught mounting the pullets and crowing. The Silkie is still an unknown, although I really think it is male. The RIR's are not disruptive to the pullets so they will be staying in with them. They are very gentlemanly and it's not a constant annoyance. It works out fine becasue I really wanted to have a rooster with the pullets for security. The other 12 roo's are living happily in their bachelor pad. They keep a close watch on the ladies, still in protective mode, but at a distance. They seem more calm too.

The littles were left out of their wire crate all weekend. There was a small amount of pecking from some of the other pullets but nothing to get uptight about. At night I would peek in and there is Tallulah Belle, Belle (Mottled Cochan Bantams) and Miss LaFleur (Mille Fleur L'Uccle) perched on the lower roost, along with the other 3 conspirators, who are unnamed currently. Tallulah Belle and her cohort Belle are quite the charactors. Tallulah Belle doesn't care. She just does as she pleases. She is quite the hoot! When I enter the coop she runs to greet me. And she's so freakin' cute with those furry legs/feet. Her and Belle still like to be held in my hands. This weekend I will be placing the little littles in the wire kennel for at least three weeks as I did with the littles. Hopefully their integration will go just as well. I took some pictures this weekend and will be sure to post soon.

Both coops were winterized this weekend. I bought some plastic from Depot and stapled it on. After the rain stopped on Saturday, both days were absolutely gorgeous fall days. There's something to be said about roo's crowing and leaves fluttering, on a brisk day.

I have one Cornish Rock left out of the 6. She was bought (hubby didn't know there were different types) with the original 3 dozen chicks. She is doing really well! Yes, she is quite large/bulky in comparison to the others but she does alright for herself! She can be seen running around the coop. She keeps the littles in line. She tries unsuccessfully to fly to the lower roost but accepts her lot and has a corner she likes to sleep in. I make sure it is thick and fluffy for her.

Someone here in the BYC community mentioned placing the leaves that have fallen inside the coop. I did this last week and let me tell you, it's a nice mixture with the pine shavings. The pullets love it too. This weekend I started using a product called Dookashi. It's a bit expensive when I think about it but if it works it will be work it. It is all natural and helps break down organic material and eliminates ammonia odor. I have a hard floor and like the idea of deep litter so I will give it a try to see if it helps do what I want. I found that deep litter works to an extent on hard flooring. Hoping that using it will act as that extra catalyst in the break down process. I love what deep litter has done for my run. I want to mirror that inside my coop.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom