My (not what I thought it would be) Journey With Chickens

[nayeli]

You have a supportive family!

 

[dermerchickens]

Thanks! So you'll still read along, even if I am a 'kid'?

 

[nayeli]

Yeah, I don't practice ageism. You write well and are mature =)

 

[dermerchickens]

lol! Thanks!!


okay, so today I went to the Culpeper TSC Monthly Poultry Swap, they had peacocks, rabbits, goats, and of course poultry (ducks too!) I brought a pullet and 2 Roosters, I got rid of them. BUT, came back with 8 two week old CHICKS! I was supposed to sell, I think I am running a mini buisness. I got 3 that are a cross betwen a cochin and a barama (I think). I also got 5 white Leghorns! They are SOOO cute! I will post a few pictures!

Here are 'The Hobbits', as my mom calls them:
They are the Cochin mix. The black one is Frodo, I don't know what the rest will be. Suggestions?



One a even better note, I modified the coop today, doors with hinges, bigger, better roof, and chicken wire on the outside so nothing can get in (or out). Then I added a run, pictures in a day or two. The chicks love it. Some little kids came over to see them earlier, they loved them! I want these chicks to be very social. The 2 weekers are staying in the coop tonight with the 7 and 4 days olders! They seem to 'like' each other, the big ones are kinda like 'what is THAT?' LOL


It was like 5 (sun sets at 8 about) and the big'uns came into the coop, before I started modifiying it, and got on the roosts and started going to sleep! LOL! They are out in the run now, gotta go put them to bed and check on the lils before they are locked up for the night.

A super nice neighbor that also has chickens gave us some chicken wire, he had a roll (not a full roll), that was going to go to the dump, and he was like 'it's a little bent, but it was going to the dump, so if you want it come get it!' and I was like YES! I used that on the coop. Like I said, pictures later. I gotto go tuck the lils into bed, (put the lils on the roosts, lol!) I'll update again tonight if something I want to say comes up.

Thanks for reading!

 

[nayeli]

Nice. Are you building the coop by yourself?

 

[dermerchickens]

I've had a little help, but mostly by myself.


All 8 lils made it through the night, but today, one ran out of the brooder, and we looked and looked but couldn't find it. It was a leghorn.
So now I have 11 chickens, I went and got the lils a regular water for when they are older, and a quail water, they have the small 'trough' thingy, so they don't drown, and it helps shavings not get in it. I also went to the Dollar Store and got a stuffed caterpillar for them to snuggle up to, they love it so far!


The big chicks, one or more of them has cocci, I guess they didn't get it the first time around, whichever one(s) have it, and I can't figure out how they got it, because they have clean food, water and coop!! I sprayed and cleaned the coop, scrubbed it real good, and put some ACV in their water. I tried to see which one it was, but I guess they don't poop as often as it seems, and I had stuff to do, so forgot that plan, hopefully the one I am guessing has it, stays in the same spot on the roost tonight, and I can tell in the morning. Big achievement for the teens! They all got on the roost by themselves tonight! That was a very short training process.

One of my friends that has chickens is going to take one of those feather feeted Brochins, when they get bigger and we can tell their sexes. So that's all for now. Have a goodnight or day!

 

[nayeli]

I might have to try a stuffed animal for them to cuddle with.

 

[dermerchickens]

Yeah, oh and I won't be updating as often anymore. My parents think we spend too much time on the compoter so a couple times a week probably

 

[nayeli]

Lol, sorry sweetie. Anyway if you named one frodo you could name the others from LOTR characters like Arwyn, Eowyn, Gandalf, Legolas, Sam Wise, Merry, Pippin.

 

[dermerchickens]

lol thanks. So today will be the last day I will reply more often. The chicks are good, we lost one. It ran off, jumped out of my hands and we couldn't find it.

I like Merry, I'll have to think about it. But anyways I'll update as often as possible. Oh, and I found out it might not be cocci! It might just be shedding of the ceca, I am going to keep an eye out, and see if blood continues. It wasn't a lot of blood in their poo, not like clots... I can't explain it. Anyways if I see more I'll take 'poop pictures'. We are still going to ACV their water though, it's good for them anyways. Gotta go!