My First Chickens!

[CStulceSmith]

Marinade. Lol. Sweet and sour. Teriaki.

 

[CStulceSmith]

Masala. Fried rice. Kebob. BBQ. Casserole. Beer Batter. Curry. Stirfry.

 

[3KillerBs]

I took some more pictures of the Big, Red Boys so that I could put up a for sale ad.





I know packing peanuts aren't worth much but I didn't want 12, can't have any roosters, and don't have space to raise 12 to adulthood so they have to go.

 

[3KillerBs]

Noodle, the smaller of the two dark brahmas, has definitely short-listed herself. I walk up to the coop saying, "Chick, chick, chick, chick," so that they know I'm coming and learn to associate it with food. I barely have the door open enough to put the ear of wormy corn in and Noodle is up on the frame waiting to be picked up and petted.

 

[CStulceSmith]

Awww!

 

[3KillerBs]

So, just now, I went out to check the chickens before dark. They'd knocked over their feeder and their water was, as expected, nearly empty.

I open the door and Noodle, is, as always, there to be petted. I pet her, put in the green pepper trimmings from preparing dinner, and pick up the waterer. No sooner do I turn around to clean the waterer than I hear wings behind me.

Tally by the time the waterer was filled -- 5 birds out scratching in the dirt (Noodle, Rosemary, the smaller Delaware with the black spots on her neck (tentatively Sesame), and two of the Big Red Boys), 7 birds in pecking at the peppers.

I managed to catch and pet all the hens except Barbie, the Australorp. She's standoffish and has discovered that I can't reach into the far nestbox from the door.

Rosemary is becoming quite willing to be picked up and doesn't mind at all being petted while she's standing in the doorway. Nugget, the apparently bantam Langshan, squawks with this funny, high-pitched squeak when I catch her and takes a while for her to settle. She's got attitude and doesn't want me to boss her anymore than she lets the other chicks boss her.

My DH has almost finished the run -- he's putting tarpaper on the roof over the area where the feeder will go right now. But its going to take extra muscle to move it to the coop because he builds everything SOLIDLY. And we goofed on the door latch -- the strap isn't long enough to reach from the framing to the catch. Still pondering the solution.

 

[CStulceSmith]

Sounds like everything is coming along nicely! Im way behind. My 2 chicks are growing fast and still living indoors. I still dont even have any materials for coop building. Hoping this weekend!

 

[3KillerBs]

The run is finished and attached.




The feeder is hung and the waterer on a block. But I have to have a step for Nugget, who was not supposed to be a bantam.




Noodle can't resist being picked up and held.




I am starting to worry that Rosemary, the Light Brahma, could be a rooster. I ordered two Light Brahmas, got only one plus a 5th red boy, and really fear that I could end up with no Light Brahma hens at all.




The first traffic jam.




Crowd shot.

 

[CStulceSmith]

The run is finished and attached. The feeder is hung and the waterer on a block. But I have to have a step for Nugget, who was not supposed to be a bantam. Noodle can't resist being picked up and held. I am starting to worry that Rosemary, the Light Brahma, could be a rooster. I ordered two Light Brahmas, got only one plus a 5th red boy, and really fear that I could end up with no Light Brahma hens at all. The first traffic jam. Crowd shot.

Loving these pix! Keep em coming! It would be heartbreaking if she is a he. I only have 2 chickens -- Chickadee and Lil Momma. Chickadee is a BR and Lil Momma is a mix, Americauna/Bantum. We are soooo in love! But I really need to get them outdoors soon. They are 5-6 weeks now.

 

[3KillerBs]

That's the same age as mine and they LOVE scratching around in the dirt.

When I got home from work this afternoon I found the unnamed Dark Brahma engaged in a blissful dustbath.