Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[Cetawin]

I am so sorry about your little boy. Sounds like a freak accident indeed. You could pad the posts or put something around/against them until they get a bit older but padding the entire run is not necessary, they will learn fence respect as they get older.

You are not going to lose your other Del and if something horrible happens and you do, you are not banned from the Dellie thread...we would not even think of doing that, we would just see that you get more Dellies

 

[kathyinmo]

ChksontheRun
I am sooooo sorry that happened! What an awful thing. It really does sound like a freak accident. You would never ever be banned from our thread. No need to worry about that, for sure. If you are interested in obtaining more Dellies or need help obtaining some, I am sure we can help you out with that.

Again, I am so sorry.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm so sorry! It was just a freak accident. Had one chick get its neck broken in the brooder when one jumped on it from their little perch. Amazing the weird things that happen.

 

[joletabey]

I feel for you- I lost a Del baby in a freak accident also- they were getting rowdy playing Leap Del one day, and my Superchick either moved in someone's way or didn't get out of the way fast enough, and his little neck was broken.

And you are MOST certainly welcome, Dels or no Dels!

 

[ChksontheRun]

Thanks y'all, I sure appreciate the kind words. My DH thinks I am silly for being sad about a chicken.... I knew you would understand.

And mostly I was kidding about getting kicked off. But you all are the friendliest group of people I have "met" on BYC and I do so enjoy reading your posts.

I just went out and spent some time watching the chickens in their new place, and they all seem happy, and no more accidents. Ellis (My lone surviving Del--L.S. get it Ellis) is happy as a lark and today, I noticed his comb is starting to turn red.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
It is much more fun than TV, don't ya think! I love your photos, by the way.

Your chicks look very happy and healthy there! They don't stay little very long, that's for sure.

 

[Cetawin]

Well all the latest on the coop project....I have already talked to Cyn about this on phone, at length (poor Cyn listening to me ramble) in light of the recent $ 5700.00+ move across country, the immediate need for painting and etc on the house, a house inspection and appraisal tomorrow, I have decided to cheat! Rather than build my 10-12' x 40', I am starting immediately with a 10' x 20' Amish made barn/shed with added options of three 2' x 3' windows and a steel people door on the 20' side in addition to the double doors on one end. It will also have a burgundy metal roof and it will be delivered in no later than 2 weeks, cost $2575.00 + 325.00 for my added options, and pay only $146 per month to buy it. I will have to add more ventilation, build three separate pens inside (2 large chicken and 1 duck pen), build the runs and etc. But I can get them in a home sooner, pay less for it and then add another 10 x 20 later. So, I have already paid my down payment, the barn/shed will be built for me and then delivered. YAY!

The plans for the 40' version were 5 - 8 x 8 pens w/ 4' walking isle for me but with this one, there will be a 8 x 10 for Thor, 6 x 10 for Severus and a 6 x 10 split ( 2 - 6 x 5) into two breeder areas for the ducks. Huuby is going to add a covered walkway outside for me so the birds can utilize all of the indoor space and I am out of the weather for cleaning, feeding and so forth. I have got to pick up some galvanized garbage cans and lids for food storage and we are thinking of adding a small rubbermaid shed or lean to style at one end of the barn to store food and bedding.

I am making a change in bedding as well. I have used both straw and pine shavings and the mess is still a pain but I always loved our horse stall bedding so I am going to use it in the coop. It is cheaper to use overall with the expense being upfront for the first time layer but lasting 4 months for a horse so at least that long for the birds with my daily raking habit. I suspect it will last 6 months but we will see. The product is Equine Pine and it is 100% pine, to read about how to use it, read here Instructions. as a horse actually urinates as well as defecates, the water content overall for the birds should be drastically less on a daily basis, so daily cleaning should make it last for quite a while. Also, with the 1" layer for a horse (which fluffs up almost three times in volume) that should last the birds quite awhile. What do you all think?

Pics to share from Friday and this evening:

Severus and some of his girls

Thor and Luna (Thor was watching a crow sitting on the fence)

Daddy's Girl (Cannonball)

The new mouser that has started residing in our barn (but was visiting Cheyenne on the porch swing)

This is what worries me...child and cat are way toooooo happy to suit me

PS: ChksontheRun we understand being sad over your loss...yes we know they are just chickens but they are much more to many of us and losing one is always upsetting for me.

 

[kathyinmo]

I think that is a great decision! You will have them all settled in sooner.

That bedding .... I just happened to buy a bag of it for the first time, about a month or so ago. I put it in with the broody silkie and her babes when she hatched. So, that is not a good test for the product. My question is .... you are suppose to activate it, by spritzing it with water. Well, I did that, and I saw no difference at all. I did it a few more times, to fluff it up .... nothing, no change. What did I do wrong? It all still just looks like pellets to me.

ETA: Great pictures! Thor at attention, as his girls continue about their day!
Oh yes, Cheyenne is loving that mouser!

 

[Cetawin]

I am not sure Kathy...I know that some of the pelleted pine bedding does not fluff up. Equine Pine always has for me...I wet it enough that the top pieces looked wet and dark then I waited about 1/2 hour and went to turn it and lightly moistened it then waited a half hour and turned it and it fluffed all up.

I added pics of the new mouser in my previous thread....I got a bad feeling that this cat (with Cheyenne's help of course) will try to move INSIDE the house.

 

[kathyinmo]