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

[Bens-Hens]

I already know I am off kilt, always have been but I pride myself on that fact that it's just enough without being over the top....except with some things, like chickens and running hahahaha.

Fancy, I sure hope you are right, but if we get one of each we will be pretty happy. More just makes choosing harder!

 

[vehve]

Ben, nothing wrong with being a bit eccentric

life would be quite boring if everyone would be normal. Oh, I meant to ask, leghook? Is it exactly what one would assume from the name or is this some Ozzy thing that I lack the cultural knowledge to understand?

Fancy, took a look at your egg forming link. I thought it took 19 hours for an egg to form, but perhaps I'm misinformed. I do however disagree with the statement that all commercially produced eggs would be infertile. I had 4/4 start developing from your everyday store bought organic eggs.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Yeah, I just made one of these.



A video here, I don't lift the bird up like he does, but it does allow me the time to get a hand on them and carry them like a foot ball.

 

[vehve]

You just have to love that southern drawl

Yeah, I think I should put together one of those, could come in handy. With two people the herding isn't that bad, but if you need to get them in quickly when you're alone that might be useful. Wouldn't do much of the lifting though, with a pullet it might be ok, but once a bird gets some heft I think that could put unnecessary strain on joints. (As a side note, due to that video, as I'm typing Matthew McConaughey is reading this out loud in my head. Alright, alright, alright)

 

[vehve]

Apparently we have aggressive chickens. We we're showing the neighbors the ropes, since they'll be taking care of our flock next week (and probably get to experience the first egg, made them promise to send a picture of it), when Vilma the Marans pecked the neighbors foot. She told me afterwards that she had drawn blood. So hopefully we won't have to worry about predators here, since our birds are thirsty for blood.

Ben, when will we get pictures of the broody? And how are the rockers reacting to solitary confinement? And while I'm in an inquisitive mood, do you play the didgeridoo?

 

[Fancychooklady]

Apparently we have aggressive chickens. We we're showing the neighbors the ropes, since they'll be taking care of our flock next week (and probably get to experience the first egg, made them promise to send a picture of it), when Vilma the Marans pecked the neighbors foot. She told me afterwards that she had drawn blood. So hopefully we won't have to worry about predators here, since our birds are thirsty for blood.

Ben, when will we get pictures of the broody? And how are the rockers reacting to solitary confinement? And while I'm in an inquisitive mood, do you play the didgeridoo?

Lol, I often say that if I were to fall and hit my head on a rock whilst in the chook yard, they would see the blood and peck my brains out.
On all things australian, my friend in the US is currently watching ' Mcleod's daughters, she loves it. She emailed me the other day to say " I can't believe Claire died " . She also watched ' red dog ' , bawled her eyes out.

 

[vehve]

Lol, I often say that if I were to fall and hit my head on a rock whilst in the chook yard, they would see the blood and peck my brains out.
On all things australian, my friend in the US is currently watching ' Mcleod's daughters, she loves it. She emailed me the other day to say " I can't believe Claire died " . She also watched ' red dog ' , bawled her eyes out.

They air McLeod here too, Karin used to watch it a bit at one point. Beautiful scenery, but a bit soapy for my taste. Haven't seen Red Dog, but just added it to my imdb watchlist. When it comes to Finnish Cinema, there's not a lot to mention. We have a couple of actually good movies, usually displaying alcoholism in a comical light, but they're all in Finnish. One thing I can recommend though, a series that describes Norwegian life and is not really that far from Finnish life, is Lilyhammer. Check it out.

You better keep those rocks cleared from the run, the chickens might be scheming to add you on their menu. And if you wear too large gumboots, remember to shuffle

 

[Fancychooklady]

When I wear my ' crocs ' in the pens they peck my toes.

 

[vehve]

When I wear my ' crocs ' in the pens they peck my toes.

With dogs I usually train them to keep out of my feet. Stepping on them a few times usually gets the message through (I don't do this on purpose, I just don't like having to mind my step every time I move an inch, so I'm not carefully avoiding stepping on them either), the chickens seem to have adapted the same behavior without me actually stepping on them. They just move out of the way. Except when I bring leftovers. Then it's a frenzy.

I actually went and bought a pair of those cheap crocs copies too. Super practical for stepping in and out of the house continuously (Us Finns don't wear shoes inside, don't know how it's with you upside down people. Perhaps you don't wear them outside

), but I can't understand how people wear them in public. Karin loves to annoy me by wearing hers anywhere. Then I threaten to burn them.

 

[Fancychooklady]

My hubby works in the hyperbaric chamber at the local hospital , they get them cheap. All the nurses wear them in post OP. A word of warning , they are lethal in the wet. I broke my wrist 2 years ago so I don't wear them in the winter. My orthopedic surgeon told me that since the invention of crocs, his business was booming. I have my trusty ' sloggies ' as my chook shoes.