My Flock Story -- 2023

[3KillerBs]

When I went out to close them up I decided that if the June babies could be in the integration pen without a brooder plate or anything on a night that's not going to drop below 72F, the May babies certainly didn't need to sleep in the nest boxes with the broodies anymore so I moved them all to the perch with the adults.

 

[NagemTX]

I wish it was 72 at night here. We can't get under 80 right now.

 

[fuzzi]

I wish it was 72 at night here. We can't get under 80 right now.

We get that every summer, 80° plus at night and humid. It's a chilly 72° right now but the humidity is still up there.

 

[3KillerBs]

We get that every summer, 80° plus at night and humid. It's a chilly 72° right now but the humidity is still up there.

Yes, for all the news about heat, here in NC we're having a cool summer with hardly any days over 95F this year so far.

 

[3KillerBs]

The current crop of for sale birds are absolute hooligans, continually getting out by rushing the door when I open it to feed them.

Today it turned out to be a very good thing that Rameses is one of the most laid-back and tolerant roosters on the face of the earth because one of his 6-month sons, a lovely splash, didn't just get out of Camp Cockerel but got into the main pen. Rameses, Seti, and Khufu didn't react with more than mild curiosity, even when he started to mate one of the hens (she didn't protest particularly).

I looked around to make sure there were no irate roosters charging before stepping into the situation, snatched the young fellow off her, and tossed him over the fence.

Khufu did react when I grabbed one of the other young hooligan cockerels and he squawked but only to look at me.

 

[3KillerBs]

The integration pen is open, but no sign of the little ones coming out yet.

I have a possible buyer for the Java's eggs so, in order to ID them, I put some food coloring into her vent. She was NOT pleased, but didn't bite me.

 

[3KillerBs]

I took a load of photos this morning because of trying to sell a bunch of these birds.

The for-sales are so pretty and the keepers are even better -- except that I've got too many barebacked hens because I can't move the last few extra males out of the main coop until I've got the other pens cleared out.

I kept too many males in the main pen while I was choosing the final keepers and it's coming back to bite me.

 

[3KillerBs]

Neverending broodies.

I even have two brooding in the same nest today:

 

[3KillerBs]

Remade nests today. Had to move 3 broodies and managed to not get bitten even once.

Repecka slept out last night.

I had an early appointment so I didn't open up first thing and there was a thunderstorm shortly after I got home. If I'd remembered she was out I'd have left my late breakfast and gone out to open the door, but I'd forgotten.

She was safe due to the very deep eves and sheltered areas in the run, but she was quite upset.

Maybe she'll learn and stay in the coop at night.

 

[3KillerBs]

Newest addition to the flock is a gift from a friend.

Her name is "Nugget" and she's modeled on photos of Auntie. My friend made the design on her Hero Forge Pro account and printed her on her own printer before hand-painting her.