Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[Wrightsx4]

Yes - it's so nice to have a little chick of hers running around the brooder - looks just like her too (minus fifth toe). Those faverolles are addictive! Not positive but I think the chick is half ee. I can't see its comb real well yet. She was pretty faithful to her ee roo. Unlike Betty the australorp, lol! Everyone loves Betty.
Ben you've gotta watch those australorp girls when they get older!

 

[Bens-Hens]

DO they get a bit [bad wordy] lol Our Isa's were reputed to be a bit like that.

Ultimately, I would like a pair of each breed we have. We are nearly there depending on sexing. Might have a couple extra here and there but we can work with that.

Hoping that the LS's are large and protective, without being [bad wordy] I know the roosters can be REAL [bad wordy], but Lucky's luck is going to run out about the 16-18 week mark if you know what I mean.

Milo (RIR) is probably going to be a keeper as long as we can, but we have already talked about that. I would like to keep a Araucana roo too. Have to wait and see how they grow out. I read they are tricky to pick until they get older.

As for sexing, we have had another go at feather sexing Sunday's hatch. It's a long range call, but we got all but one right last time, hopefully we are the same or better this time.

BV 2/2 Pullet
SPW 2/2 Pullet
'Lorp 2/3 Pullet

We will see how that pans out for us in a couple of weeks. Not even going to try with the Arau's!

EDIT: Will try the wet mash for Baby (name is a done deal BTW) but it does look to be improving, certainly walking better, still sleeps a heap!

 

[Bens-Hens]

While you guys were sleeping, I got busy!

Firstly, Baby seem to be on the up. Very glad about that.
Also saw this shot done by a pro earlier today. I can't compete with them but I had a go anyway hahaha. Skater chick.




Secondly, our last hatch had destroyed the roll out lawn, so after a Virkon S spray on the grass last week, I decided to move them onto a 'clean area' Not sure how effective it was, but options were limited. Immediatly a weed was removed (yes!!!!)



The shipping crate that keeps on giving continued to supply today's project. I aimed to get the new nest boxes mounted, and some form of floor for the coop. Made a 3/4 reienforced floor with ladder access. Put a strip around the edges to hold in some bedding. Put some hinges on the front edge so we can drop it down and scrap out the bedding/buildup. Plan to paint it before it gets new tennents.



Then to strip the siding off and mount the first nest box



Then the second


Then closed in the far side facing the house.



The kids did a dry run egg collection, was a great height for them.


Tomorrow the boxes will get a coat of paint, the top edge will get clad and the top gap will get closed in. Also if the crate has a bit more left in it I might make a pair of barn doors for the access end.

Some more photo's tomorrow at the end of progress.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Got to a point I ma happy with on the new/old coop.

Laid some sealer down on the outside exposed area's, and Alicia painted all the exposed timber. Finished the siding and cladding of the nest boxes. Build and hung (albeit not perfect) two barn style doors.

Tipped out the saved bedding to get air time and weathered as a form of mulch.

The 'crate that keeps on giving' is still going. Originally has a 2.5t shredder in it that I imported from Germany for my small business. Might make a tower type feeder, and I need to make a back board for a dart board I got for my birthday. Should be enough left to do both.



Cooper is inside doing quality control.



"Yep dad, I can work these doors just fine" "Good son, you can scrap out the poo then!"


Now have three raised roosts. Need a sand before duty. The floor and inside timber will also get a coat or two.


Passion fruit vines (black and yellow) have really launched since the coop has been empty. This is pretty much the view from our house (except it look smaller because it is further away...boom tish!)


Open section of the floor so we can still get in there, clean and move about.


Ramp and underside where the feeder and water hang. I know they probably won't need the ladder for too long if at all, but it was in there and sturdy so I kept it.


Our teenagers making short work of loosening the lawn and removing weeds.


Pam, I clucked at Cleo and this was the look she gave me back!


That's about it. Might have to work tomorrow so probably won't get much more done. Lawns need a cut and the garden shed looks like a tool truck crashed in it, so I better put some time aside to clean that up.

Chick update: All doing real well. Alicia things we are going to have very high pullet numbers, I am dubious we can have such good results two times in a row!

 

[Wrightsx4]

Looks great! I'm designing our not-so-mini coop right now on paper so I hope you don't mind if I borrow some of your ideas. I'll have to remember that - make doors so small person can do cleanout duty. I have two small people as well
I tried the clucking with my older flock too - they looked worried.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Hahahaha, go for it. Use what ever you feel like. It's what it's all about.

 

[NovaAman]

Cutest pic ever! She's a LT sussex right?

 

[Bens-Hens]

Yeah mate, very nice looking birds, fast growers too and the softest feathers of the few breeds we have.

I have a quick question. Is this thread in the right place? Is there a sub-forum that these sort of threads go? I am on a few car forums and they all have a 'showroom' type area set aside for stories, builds and the like. Not sure if this one is right.

Nova and Pam, I found Nova's article page, but do you have a similar blogs running? Always keen to read up and 'get to know' folk.

OK, that was more than one question hahahaha

 

[Wrightsx4]

Now I need yo go lookup Nova's page - didn't know there was one! I don't have one. Mayne I'll start to write about the building of our not-so-mini coop. We got started on the actual building last night. I never have anything too interesting to write so I just pop in occasionally on various threads.
I do think your page is in the correct area. I don't see another one where it would fit better, maybe Nova knows better than me.
You may find that your australorps have very soft feathering as well. Ours are some of the softest within our flock. Those light sussex are very pretty. The only sussex I have is a huge speckled rooster. Pretty sure I have a sussex/ee in the brooder right now though.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Thanks Pam, and Happy Birthday again....21 all over again! Hope it has been a great day.

Today both the kids were at school (our youngest is in kindy and does 2 1/2 days a week) Alicia and I got a first coast onto most of the coop. I mowed the lawn and did a rushed job on the tool shed.

More importantly, Baby is doing great, still the smallest but active, eating and running about the place.

The older birds have taken a bit of getting used to living outside. The first couple of night they kept trying to sleep in the open part of the mobile coop. I had to send them back to the roosting/bedding area with a board on a stick and close them in. Then I used the same trick to get them in, but removed the board (so I didn't have to get up to let them out at sun rise).

The last two nights I have gone to the roosting door and used a torch to light the way, called them and once the roo Lucky comes to look the rest follow. It seems they have no interest of making their own way to a warm safe place to sleep.

Should I continue to 'train' them, or just leave them to figure it out themselves. Our last rescue birds took AGES to train to sleep on a roost as they kept climbing into the nest boxes.

EDIT: In case you didn't get tiem to look for Nova's article https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/novas-chicken-world