Hi everyone,
First time chicken lady here! We just finished our coop (using altered plans from here!) last week and adopted our first three hens on Sunday!
They were not in good shape when we got them but they are improving more every day.
They are Dorothy, Blanche and Rose! Dorothy is a 1 year old RIR, Blanche is a 1 1/2 year old Buff Brahma and Rose is a 1 1/2 year old Plymouth Rock. they have already fairly established their pecking order (Dorothy at the top and Rose at the bottom - though Rose is definitely the smartest of the bunch!). They are loving their homemade diet that I concocted and are already free-ranging around our huge yard with no issues! Last night they were in their coop for the night before I even went out to gather them up. They are laying fine, though sparsely due to being in a new home and are eating soooo many bugs.
They are/were very skittish due to their past owner but today I finally got all three to eat out of my hand. It is their first time not being dirty, trapped in a filthy pen and coop and not being terrorized by many roosters. They are loving it. Their favourite treats so far are slugs, june bugs and meal worms. And oh man, do they love dust baths!
I'm posting some pictures but I'll have better ones soon. They are missing a lot of feathers. Not due to moulting, I don't think but due to stress pecking and too much rooster love!
Their first day home in their makeshift, temporary run. Rose in the foreground, Blanche behind her. Dorothy in the background being aloof.
Rose and Blanche free-ranging under the lilac trees on their second day of glorious freedom.
All of the ladies enjoying a fine dust bath.
First time chicken lady here! We just finished our coop (using altered plans from here!) last week and adopted our first three hens on Sunday!
They were not in good shape when we got them but they are improving more every day.
They are Dorothy, Blanche and Rose! Dorothy is a 1 year old RIR, Blanche is a 1 1/2 year old Buff Brahma and Rose is a 1 1/2 year old Plymouth Rock. they have already fairly established their pecking order (Dorothy at the top and Rose at the bottom - though Rose is definitely the smartest of the bunch!). They are loving their homemade diet that I concocted and are already free-ranging around our huge yard with no issues! Last night they were in their coop for the night before I even went out to gather them up. They are laying fine, though sparsely due to being in a new home and are eating soooo many bugs.
They are/were very skittish due to their past owner but today I finally got all three to eat out of my hand. It is their first time not being dirty, trapped in a filthy pen and coop and not being terrorized by many roosters. They are loving it. Their favourite treats so far are slugs, june bugs and meal worms. And oh man, do they love dust baths!
I'm posting some pictures but I'll have better ones soon. They are missing a lot of feathers. Not due to moulting, I don't think but due to stress pecking and too much rooster love!
Their first day home in their makeshift, temporary run. Rose in the foreground, Blanche behind her. Dorothy in the background being aloof.
Rose and Blanche free-ranging under the lilac trees on their second day of glorious freedom.
All of the ladies enjoying a fine dust bath.
