My First Flock in Years

[ihatedarkroast]

Heyas, I wanted to share a few pics of my new flock I cobbled together. The last time I had chickens, was about twenty years ago while I was in college. Now I am doing things totally different this time. My previous flock were Rhode Island Reds with a Pheonixy looking rooster and a few unknown breed hens added in later. But I basically had all one kind and color of chicken. Tractor Supply at that time didn't offer a whole lot, as far as I remember. It was all utility production breeds.

This time, I started with two white broad breasted turkey poults (for Christmas cheer) from Rural King. Mom says I'm crazy for doing this. But she wants one!
Then from three different local-ish Craigslist sellers:
2 Polish bantams, 4 months old, splash. One's a rooster. we named him Beethoven and the pullet, Minette. Seller said they will get more dark feathers as they age.
1 Sebright X Marans/EasterEgger. She is small and black and second to last on the pecking order. I was going to get two of them, but swapped one for...
1 Copper Marans X Blue-laced red Wyandotte. Those are both 5 month old pullets. The Wyandotte cross is very friendly. Blueish? I'm not good at chicken colors.
1 Delaware, white with some black feathers. She is coming out of molt, and currently the bottom of the pecking order.
2 Ameraucanas, buff colored
1 Silver-laced Wyandotte mixed with something...maybe Delaware or Ameraucana?

I can't wait to see what the eggs look like.

The last 4 chickens are 1.5 years old, supposedly. One of the Ameraucanas immediately established herself as the coop boss, by putting the Polish roo in his place. The seller called her Martha, but my husband wants to change it to Madea since she has 'tude. She also has a history of going broody and hatching chicks. Hoo boy!

They are all totally different from my old Rhode Island Reds. I'm quite pleased. They are already either tame or half tame. Beethoven is not bloodthirsty like my old Rhode Island rooster, BuckBuck, was. He hates the baby turkeys, but otherwise is fairly pleasant and submissive. I have no idea what egg colors I will get. I imagine most will be brown, but am hoping for some fun colors from the Ameraucanas. The hubs is plotting to can spicy pickled eggs as soon as we get some. And my 3 year old son is ecstatic!
Wish me luck!

 

[Callender Girl]

Quite the crew you have there! Thanks for sharing.

 

[N F C]

Congrats on a new flock!

 

[ihatedarkroast]

Thanks!
Ah, the Sebright really doesn't want to sleep inside the house but on top of it, even after I placed her inside after dark. She came right back out. lol Is this a bantam thing? Or did she possibly get booted out by the bigger hens? Will I have to lock her in when it gets cold at night? Sorry, never had bantams before.

 

[Outta Here]

Heyas, I wanted to share a few pics of my new flock I cobbled together. The last time I had chickens, was about twenty years ago while I was in college. Now I am doing things totally different this time. My previous flock were Rhode Island Reds with a Pheonixy looking rooster and a few unknown breed hens added in later. But I basically had all one kind and color of chicken. Tractor Supply at that time didn't offer a whole lot, as far as I remember. It was all utility production breeds.

This time, I started with two white broad breasted turkey poults (for Christmas cheer) from Rural King. Mom says I'm crazy for doing this. But she wants one!
Then from three different local-ish Craigslist sellers:
2 Polish bantams, 4 months old, splash. One's a rooster. we named him Beethoven and the pullet, Minette. Seller said they will get more dark feathers as they age.
1 Sebright X Marans/EasterEgger. She is small and black and second to last on the pecking order. I was going to get two of them, but swapped one for...
1 Copper Marans X Blue-laced red Wyandotte. Those are both 5 month old pullets. The Wyandotte cross is very friendly. Blueish? I'm not good at chicken colors.
1 Delaware, white with some black feathers. She is coming out of molt, and currently the bottom of the pecking order.
2 Ameraucanas, buff colored
1 Silver-laced Wyandotte mixed with something...maybe Delaware or Ameraucana?

I can't wait to see what the eggs look like.
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The last 4 chickens are 1.5 years old, supposedly. One of the Ameraucanas immediately established herself as the coop boss, by putting the Polish roo in his place. The seller called her Martha, but my husband wants to change it to Madea since she has 'tude. She also has a history of going broody and hatching chicks. Hoo boy!

They are all totally different from my old Rhode Island Reds. I'm quite pleased. They are already either tame or half tame. Beethoven is not bloodthirsty like my old Rhode Island rooster, BuckBuck, was. He hates the baby turkeys, but otherwise is fairly pleasant and submissive. I have no idea what egg colors I will get. I imagine most will be brown, but am hoping for some fun colors from the Ameraucanas. The hubs is plotting to can spicy pickled eggs as soon as we get some. And my 3 year old son is ecstatic!
Wish me luck!
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View attachment 2862022

Beautiful assortment--what fun!

 

[ihatedarkroast]

We made a new ramp for them. They are enjoying climbing up and down way more than necessary. XD So does my son! We had to make it extra heavy so that he wouldn't break it using it as a step-up to peer in the hen house. It's all I can do to keep him from climbing around inside. lol. Thank goodness the house has a 3 entrances he can peek through so he feels less inclined.

The side door of the new coop broke in half the 2nd time I opened it, so I will have to make another repair at some point. Note to get wood glue instead of using screws cuz that "fir" wood is so thin. The hens keep knocking the roosts down. This kit is not too well designed. :/ I'm gonna hafta upgrade at some point. But it's enough for now. I weeded my front garden, pulling out a lot of lamb's ear and gave it to the chickens as a treat. They went ballistic over it.

I also decided it was as good a day as any to dust with diatomaceous earth. The hens are a bit miffed now. The dog did not mind. I'm also working on training the dog not to bother the chickens. He had a good ole time making the skeery Polish fly around every chance he got. (Every time my son let him out unsupervised ha.) But I'm glad to say the new older hens are not impressed and mostly ignore his attempts to make them jump. Therefore instead of chasing, he just stares intently. This might be possible now. I don't want the dog to be on a leash every time he goes out. And I don't want the chickens to never get to free range.

 

[ihatedarkroast]

We had some visitors today by the chicken coop. 1 doz wild cousins! The hubs tried for one with a crossbow, but we weren't prepared for this. I'm wondering if they were coming to visit the white broad breasted poults I had outside?

 

[BleuSaphir]

Nice flock!

 

[ihatedarkroast]

 

[theoldchick]

Nice! Someone is excited over his egg.