Our Mixed Flock Journey!

[drstratton]

This is SO nice!!! I love it! Really beautiful

Thank you so much! This area has turned into my peaceful place (except sometimes ) and I was not expecting that. I'm so excited for the grass in the pen to grow...like you, I love to see chickens walking across the lawn, I just hope it grows well!

 

[drstratton]

As I stated above the garden, chickens and rabbits have become my peaceful place...except sometimes! We had a bit of drama in the pen tonight. As you know Little Roo has been king of the coop. Well tonight I believe Roo 2 had finally had enough. He chased him around the pen, into the coop & back out again, catching him a few times. At one point I opened the coop door to find Little Roo with his head hanging low in the corner. I reached out to pet him & he actually let me. I then left him alone and closed the door. Not long after that the chase was on again. Back in the coop they went, most of the other chickens were in at this time trying to settle in for the night and I could tell that they were all a little bit stressed too. Little Roo jumped up onto the roost next to me and ducked his head down under some of the hens...poor guy...lol! Roo 2 came over and I know he was looking for him, he jumped up onto the roost right in front of me, only one hen away from Little Roo...I reached out to pet him and then I moved him over so that there were 2 hens between them. I closed the door and we didn't hear anymore ruckus from the coop! I'm kind of anxious to see what tomorrow will bring. I love both of these roosters and I have the 2 FBCM up and coming...I'm afraid that it's going to be rough going until we can let them out into the free range pen! So, my peaceful place...except sometimes...

 

[N F C]

As I stated above the garden, chickens and rabbits have become my peaceful place...except sometimes! We had a bit of drama in the pen tonight. As you know Little Roo has been king of the coop. Well tonight I believe Roo 2 had finally had enough. He chased him around the pen, into the coop & back out again, catching him a few times. At one point I opened the coop door to find Little Roo with his head hanging low in the corner. I reached out to pet him & he actually let me. I then left him alone and closed the door. Not long after that the chase was on again. Back in the coop they went, most of the other chickens were in at this time trying to settle in for the night and I could tell that they were all a little bit stressed too. Little Roo jumped up onto the roost next to me and ducked his head down under some of the hens...poor guy...lol! Roo 2 came over and I know he was looking for him, he jumped up onto the roost right in front of me, only one hen away from Little Roo...I reached out to pet him and then I moved him over so that there were 2 hens between them. I closed the door and we didn't hear anymore ruckus from the coop! I'm kind of anxious to see what tomorrow will bring. I love both of these roosters and I have the 2 FBCM up and coming...I'm afraid that it's going to be rough going until we can let them out into the free range pen! So, my peaceful place...except sometimes...

Peaceful, except when it isn't!

I suppose the boys will eventually work it out (hopefully).

 

[drstratton]

Peaceful, except when it isn't!

I suppose the boys will eventually work it out (hopefully).

I hope so too! It was pretty wild last night. I need to decide which Marans rooster will be going to my friend, I don't need 4, I think it's going to become even crazier! I hope our new grass grows quickly, more room for them will definitely be better. I haven't gone out to the pen yet, but I can hear Little Roo crowing. The Marans also crow, but I haven't heard Roo 2 give it a go yet! Crazy birds...lol

 

[drstratton]

Well, I think things have leveled out, but it's kind of funny how! Before the squabbling of my roosters...Little Roo would wait and make sure everyone made it into the coop...those roles have now changed, but...Little Roo still struts around like he's the boss until it's time to go in for the night, now Roo 2 has assumed the job of making sure everyone's inside...the dynamics are so interesting...funny chickens! It's like they have decided to share responsibilities...crazy as it seems...lol!

 

[N F C]

Well, I think things have leveled out, but it's kind of funny how! Before the squabbling of my roosters...Little Roo would wait and make sure everyone made it into the coop...those roles have now changed, but...Little Roo still struts around like he's the boss until it's time to go in for the night, now Roo 2 has assumed the job of making sure everyone's inside...the dynamics are so interesting...funny chickens! It's like they have decided to share responsibilities...crazy as it seems...lol!

Maybe if they divide up the duties, things will smooth out for everyone!

 

[drstratton]

Maybe if they divide up the duties, things will smooth out for everyone!

Yeah, It's like that's what they've done...it's so weird!

 

[drstratton]

Good morning! Well, I let the new Silkies have direct interaction with the rest of the flock this weekend. The first day they spent quite a bit of time in the safety of the dog kennel that I use as their coop. Now they seem to be coming out and mixing in quite a bit better. I've been making sure that they get their morning mash, because they really aren't pushy enough to get it on their own, but today I think I'm going to stand back more and let them work for it as they do seem to be mingling with the other chickens! I need to figure out how to get them into the main coop at night. When we put the roost bars in I wasn't thinking about how hard it would be to move chickens around and they all seem to like roosting right in front of the door...lol! There is still a lot of room in there, it will just be hard for me to place the Silkies on the roost bars. I might just move their little roost bar into a corner of the coop today and then go out tonight to move them into the coop and place them on that and see how it goes! Then they can decide when they want to get up onto the main bars! I will also remove the dog kennel.

Little Roo seems to be getting more aggressive, I don't know if it's because Roo 2 quit being bullied by him. He bit my wrist pretty hard this weekend and made it bleed. I was just adding food to the feeder and wasn't even paying attention to him! I haven't been trying to pet him anymore, he won't have any of that. We'll see how aggressive he gets...makes me sad, but I will not keep a mean rooster. I'm hoping that once he can get out into the free range pen things will get better, the enclosed pen is just too small to completely avoid him! Time will tell!

 

[Riv-6]

Thank you Rei! I love having my own berries, it will definitely be nice to have them again. We had them for many years and then they just kind of got away from us...my husband planted blackberries with thorns and they became a nightmare...we are still trying to kill them off in the new chicken pen! A gallon a week would be amazing, I can't wait!

I'm not sure if I've been to Helena! I've spent lots of time in the Flathead and Glacier area! Montana is so beautiful!

Thank you. I love living here!

 

[Riv-6]

We did a little coop and pen beautification! I still need to get some flowers for the little blue pot at the corner of the pen, I hope to pick something up tomorrow! I have Marigolds planted in front of the pen. To the right of the blue pot I planted a Lemon Balm and to the right of that are the Hosta plants...the chickens love them both! Under the nesting box we planted some red & white Geraniums! My husband put in the red pavers in front of the flowers, I finished putting the rest in front of the door today! We also have grapes growing on top of the pen...it is a volunteer plant, it starts behind the pen and it also goes almost to the top of the evergreens behind it!

We have the sprinklers set up and the ground in the new pen all ready for the grass seed...we will be spreading it tonight when Dale gets home from work!!! Then hopefully we will be able to let the chicks out to enjoy it in a couple of months!

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Beautiful set up, Rene! I'm sure your chickens are very happy