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

[Bens-Hens]

In chicken news, the birds in our coop are yet to figure out where to sleep on their own. Every evening after dark I head down there and find them tucked in a corner of the run. I manually stick them onto the roost where they stay the night.

Our younger 3 week old chicks had their first play on grass today, scrubbed down the mobile coop and let them enjoy some sun and lawn for a couple of hours.

 

[Wrightsx4]

In chicken news, the birds in our coop are yet to figure out where to sleep on their own. Every evening after dark I head down there and find them tucked in a corner of the run. I manually stick them onto the roost where they stay the night.

Been there! Eventually they figure it out. After all the others caught on, I would still go out and get Baby from her corner and place her on the roost next to her friend rooster. Her last month or so she surprised me when I went out as she had made her way onto the bottom wrung. The first time she got so excited when I walked in - like she couldn't wait to show me her little feet were going nuts while she looked up at me - too cute. She never did get on the upper roosts on her own, then again she had me trained to come out and tuck her in every night. Hmmm, smarter than we think.
I have a little roost in the brooder and 5 or 6 of them sleep on it already.

Your machine is amazing. Not only should it be marketed in the USA, I think landfills should be required to have it! I have to tell you though, couldnt stop the Dr Suess images of the little Whos doing sorting and grinding in an assembly line with mechanical reaching gloved hands and chutes...inside the container. You know, the stuff going on inside that isn't shown. Haha!

 

[Wrightsx4]

In chicken news, the birds in our coop are yet to figure out where to sleep on their own. Every evening after dark I head down there and find them tucked in a corner of the run. I manually stick them onto the roost where they stay the night.

Been there! Eventually they figure it out. After all the others caught on, I would still go out and get Baby from her corner and place her on the roost next to her friend rooster. Her last month or so she surprised me when I went out as she had made her way onto the bottom wrung. The first time she got so excited when I walked in - like she couldn't wait to show me her little feet were going nuts while she looked up at me - too cute. She never did get on the upper roosts on her own, then again she had me trained to come out and tuck her in every night. Hmmm, smarter than we think.
I have a little roost in the brooder and 5 or 6 of them sleep on it already.

Your machine is amazing. Not only should it be marketed in the USA, I think landfills should be required to have it! I have to tell you though, couldnt stop the Dr Suess images of the little Whos doing sorting and grinding in an assembly line with mechanical reaching gloved hands and chutes...inside the container. You know, the stuff going on inside that isn't shown. Haha!
Seriously though, that kind of reduction is exactly what is needed everywhere. I could use a micro version for my shed!

 

[ozexpat]

It took a minute to process chicken aprons, but I think I get it. A back protector for when they are having 'special time'

Well, one of my machines would go well in your town Pam! If your following along and not interested in my little business, then you may want to skip this post!

I appologise already, as I tend to ramble a bit about my business. I will try keep it brief. So I will start with a story lol.

When I left the Army, I went to work in the mines of North West Australia. A 'fly in fly out' roster. I worked at a few mine sites, and they all seemed to have the same waste issues, they were paying large amounts of money, and not really getting the best bang for their buck in either recycling or transport. I thought I would improve both those aspects, so I designed, built and patented a machine that targets both issues.

Turns out, those issues are everywhere, not just in mining. We are now building Mark Two, as I was approached by a company that runs a government program, they did not want to wait for my to build them a new one, so they bought my prototype. It is now in operation in a country called Nauru, at a facility Australia uses to offshore process illegal immigrants.

Basically, it's a truck portable wasted process station. All fits inside a shipping container and allows sorting and processing of dry waste. Our first unit allowed for separation of 10 waste streams, 9 of those are diverted from landfill and as a bonus, can be on sold to existing markets. he last goes to landfill.

We are now building a higher powered more compact version for another application. We are about half way through the fabrication phase, but I have not yet secured a patent on that so I won;t be sharing much info on that little beasty!



That's me anyway, I have been at it just over 2 years now, it's been a long tough road (much like our chicken adventures) but as they say, from down you can only go up.

your concept is amazing

make sure your patents are borad enough to ptotect copying with simple modifications
brilliant!!

 

[Bens-Hens]

I have done the best I can patent wise, too specific and they can go around, too broad and they can go through. I would love to break into the US market, but that's a hard nut to crack from this side of the globe.

The next one really is a leap forward from the old one, I can't wait until it's finished and looking sharp.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Well good luck with your endeavors. I know you'll persist and succeed - maybe someday globally!
Rarely do I get a Saturday off so getting to be home yesterday and get so much done...it's almost difficult to be home with less on my to-do-list. Not that the list is done, just some big stuff marked off.

Just boiled a couple eggs and chopped them up for the chicks. The first time I did that, they were hesitant but liked it. This time it was an instant frenzy when they saw it. I think they benefit from the protein boost - they peck at each other less for a day or two afterward. A couple of mine a getting pink combs already and chest bumping. I know pullets will act that way too so I'm hoping a couple that are doing it are girls. Like the silkie I got for my daughter from the farm store.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Only our three 'lorps have been chest bumping, everyone else seems to be below them in social order. I have noticed that the sus BV is also one who likes to stand tall and stare when I open the lid. Some do it sometimes, he that one likes to stand it's ground, so I am growing more certain it's a he.

Still, nothing happens until we are certain of either crowing or laying.

I meant to get some nice shots today, especially of Baby and Jewel to hear opinions if you think they may turn out splash. Will try tomorrow after work.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Time for some images!

Our latest hatch has just ticked over 3 weeks old now and seem to be doing well. We are going to begin taking the heat away in the warmest part of the day this week in an effort to ween them off. In just a couple of weeks they will be outside full time.

First up, the three un-named LA's. They are the darker grey ones, with dark legs. Some have dark parts of a comb and beak too. It's quite clear so far they all will have tails. Yet to see any beards or muffs. Should only bee a week or so way I would think before they sprout in that area.



This is Baby, it was born one of the two with lemon colour fluff. Is not feathering out a very light grey, but have seen a couple of area's where the under feathers look darker. (not seen in this pic) Jewel is the second smallest and most affectionate/interested in human contact. These two currently have pink legs with no darkness.


Comparison of the two colours.


We think this is the pullet SPW, we are quite happy with how she is feathering out. The other seems to be growing it's feathers in a different pattern.


We think this is the pullet BV, again, more feathers and smaller comb than the other (and a curly toe)


The 'big boy' He does not like human interaction, kicks and squirms when ever we have to handle him. Pretty clear his it the top boss of the brooder. The other two are feathering in the same pattern, but seem a bit smaller, and have slightly less developed combs, but (I hope we are wrong with at least one!) think they are all boy's.


I saw this in the invention thread, and after looking for something to move some feed about I ratted through the bin to make one. A chopped 3l milk container works an absolute treat! Going to make a few more for bedding in the brooder and a disposable poo shovel for in the run area.


I also came a across a bunch of these while at the fabricators. His neighbor owns a Italian food service....needless to say they go through a heap of olives! These have spin on caps and hold about 20l. I am using some for scratch and one as a droppings container. Next bulk buy I will use one for the shell grit too. I have some round ones, red ones square ones and an almost endless supply as the gent has trouble getting rid of them. Handy containers.

 

[Wrightsx4]

They're so sweet! I've never had a splash so I'm not familiar with how they feather out but there is definitely a difference in yours with the yellow down. I'm very curious as well!
I had to increase the light on mine back to a 40 watt when I moved them to the basement since it's much cooler down there. They're feathering out well though so it should be just a few days before I can reduce again. Good idea on the jug-scoop. Are the sided very strong? Our milk jugs are so flimsy, but I did cut the side out of one and hang it by the handle to use for grit and shell in the big coop. Works great. I also save them to carry water out to the coop, better than carrying buckets and slopping water all through my house.

 

[Bens-Hens]

They are pretty sturdy, hard to explain really. I filled a scoop full of grower feed and walked it down the yard without an issue. Didn't even feel like I would have a strength issue. Not sure how long it would last being HDPE bottle, but we go through them pretty often, and we still recycle the plastic anyway. Well, the council SAY they do at curb side collection but it's hard to track.

We are supposed to average 23C (74F) to 29C (85F) this week, so we plan to make the temp change now, before winter kicks in. I have read that spoiling them with heat can make them less cold tollerant. We are coming into winter so best get them used to it as soon as possible. Not that our winters are cold by most of the US's standards lol

A cold night here in the dead of winter is when there is some frost on the windscreen in the morning! It would very rarely get an overnight low of -2C (28F)

I will get some more pic's in another week, especially of the light grey/splash two.