Pipd's Peeps!

[Crazy Maizie]

No worries. I've been meaning to ask for awhile, so I wasn't in a hurry for an answer. She's one of the sweeter ones. And, there has been a shift in the pecking order since we have polish. The polish are now even causing my brahma to run the opposite way. But, its kind of sad since she snuggles up to other birds when she is on the roost. She's usually the first one in the coop too. She will come out on her own especially when there is a treat involved. I'm going to have to observe a little on my days off to see what's going on. But, I know it's not horrible, because there's no pecking injuries.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

That's interesting, I'd always heard that Polish were the ones to be bullied, not bullies, themselves! It sounds like that might be the cause of her change in sleeping spot, then. Pecking injuries with bullies, in my experience, are much more common with cramped conditions where they have nothing better to do than to peck and nowhere to hide if they are being pecked, so you must be covered in that regard. What I would do is go ahead and move her to the perch every night after dark so that she can snuggle with her friends without being pushed off. By then, anyone bullying her should be asleep and their night vision isn't great so they should leave her alone once it's dark.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I had extra time this morning. She was out with everyone else, eating and waiting on treats. I'm not sure what is going on, but I know my brahma runs from the two polish. She used to just give any bird a mean peck that got too close. Lol The australorps don't take anything from those 2. The cockerel has had head feathers pulled, but nothing severe. He can be a pain sometimes though. So I don't blame them. I carry him around when he forgets his place, then he cries to be let down.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

He's trying to be a manly rooster and you're ruining his reputation out there! Anyway, glad your hen isn't completely isolating herself at least! Must be she's just intimidated by the bedtime shuffle in the coop.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Juniper laid her first egg today! She's the first of the silkied Cochin pullets to finally start laying!!

Judging from their vents, the Blue girls, Harley and Washburne aren't too far behind, either! That means... Silkied Cochin babies soon!! I've got to get coops rearranged still, and let them get past the pullet egg phase of course, but I want to hatch from my Blues as soon as possible.

Harley was up to roost already and didn't want to pose for a picture, but here's Wash also being a cutie.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I'm thinking of enclosing my run to make it a large coop. We have a contractor coming out to give an estimate. They will have windows and plenty of ventilation. We want more chickens - by we, I mean this is my husband's suggestion. Ha. So, maybe I should start looking at ordering some chicks. Cochins seem like a great variety to add.
Juniper is very cute!
Oh, I put Maizie on the roost last night, went to check after putting the ducks away and she jumped off. I watched her so I know nothing was going on. Shes just being silly I guess. I checked her over and couldnt find anything.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I really like that idea! What are you going to do for your run space if you do that? I've been looking into hoop style enclosures lately because they seem like they're a lot more affordable per square foot than traditional building methods for putting up covered runs or coops, maybe that would be something for you to look into as well?

I could certainly help you with locating some Cochins, especially if you're interested in the silkied bantam variety. I have some experience with a few of the major hatcheries' smooth bantam and large fowl Cochins as well. I love me my Cochins! (Also you should get some Dorkings, too, if you adding new birds! I might be a bit biased because they're my favorite breed, but I strongly believe everyone needs a Dork in their flock. )

Crazy Maizie! Chickens will do what they want, I guess!





Man, I feel like every time I make good progress with my silkied Cochin groups I have another setback. Now my last Blue boy, Diesel, is acting glum and not eating. He was in a fairly small pen with Jack and Pete for the winter, so I'm hoping that he was just being bullied away from everything and now that I've moved him to his own space he'll be okay. I'm ready to tube feed him if need be, though. I really don't want to lose him. I love his color and I was really hoping he'd pass it on to his chicks so I could breed toward it rather than the dark Blue of the girls who almost look Black until you really look close. I don't want to have to gamble on buying more hatching eggs and hoping I get another lighter Blue male out of them.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Man, I feel like every time I make good progress with my silkied Cochin groups I have another setback. Now my last Blue boy, Diesel, is acting glum and not eating. He was in a fairly small pen with Jack and Pete for the winter, so I'm hoping that he was just being bullied away from everything and now that I've moved him to his own space he'll be okay. I'm ready to tube feed him if need be, though. I really don't want to lose him. I love his color and I was really hoping he'd pass it on to his chicks so I could breed toward it rather than the dark Blue of the girls who almost look Black until you really look close. I don't want to have to gamble on buying more hatching eggs and hoping I get another lighter Blue male out of them.

Well, that is concerning. Hopefully, he will be ok once he's moved.

As far as a run, they would still have a dirt floor. Their coop would still be in there for laying eggs - plus I don't think there is any way to move it. It's a strong and heavy structure.
I would also get some premier fencing and have them outside when I can. But, they can't be out without us out there until the fox has definitely moved on.
I'm also considering leaving the main entry door as hw cloth and maybe put a tarp over it in the winter.
I'm not 100% sure. There is stil a lot to consider.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

It is concerning. I hope he snaps out of it. I had just been talking last night about how the weather's supposed to be nice all next week and that would be the perfect time to give all the coops a spring cleaning and get birds rearranged. Ugh!


I'd definitely leave the door open wire! Depending on which direction it's facing and how your winds blow, you could even leave part of the door uncovered in the winter for a bit of extra ventilation. I might be tempted to leave most of the least windward wall open wire and tarp it over for the winter, especially if they'll still have their current coop in there to roost in. But, how well that much open wire works would depend on where you are / how your summers and winters generally are there, of course!

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Yeah, I don't even know if I want to do it honestly - more birds equals more worry.
All I really want is hardware cloth vs the fencing I have now.