Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[smkchick]

Quote:
George, it sounds like everything will be fine. By the end of tomorrow they'll probably all be hanging around together. Might even have a card game going in the coop.

I always tell my students, "By the time you get on the bus, you'll be friends". Works for chickens, too.

As a matter of fact, it sounds like a lot of relationships I know. Pecking at each other all day, but when it's bedtime, it's all good!

 

[stoopid]

I have heeded the warnings, and put George in the basement with Brooklyn, a rescue rooster, and Peaches, the lone pea chick I hatched this summer.
With the show coming next month, I don't want to take any biosecurity chances. NO, he looks fine, I know he is healthy, but just in case...
Besides, he is living inside! Next, he will be in the living room, and having dinner with the upstairs crowd.
And then, I will have more chickens in my living room than outside.
Madness, I tell you.

 

[stoopid]

OK, so an hour later, I broke the rules. Again.
George went outside. I watched to make sure he didn't get whooped.
I have 2 more of the same breed as George. Paris and Harry.
All Black tailed buff Japanese, except my guys are too stubborn to come in out of the cold.
They are both missing the points on their combs, so I can tell everyone apart.
George does his rounds, wing dances Ethel, and pecks her on the head.
Ethel is one big, fat mama. She just looks at him.
Paris and Harry see this, and start fighting each other. George walks away.
George meets Mikey. Hackles flare, Bigfoot gets in on the action.
Now Mikey and Bigfoot are fighting, George walks away.
I think George can handle himself.

 

[stoopid]

So George had a few tiffs, nothing bad. I put him in the coop a little early, so he wouldn't have to fight for a spot later on.
He is doing just fine.
So far, no freaky side effects from the chemo drugs.
But then I had a flashback to my spinal tap. Everyone was worried about the headaches, they layed me down in the car afterwards.
All the warnings... Nothing.
Then 3 days later, I wanted to die.
We'll see what happens this time.

 

[mjuenem]

After a couple nights in the low 20's or high teens the two bantams are heading for the coop instead of perching outside. The standard faverolles has decided to moult and can't fly to the perch so she is in the coop too. That leaves our leghorn hen (the only I really worry about frostbite) who still needs some prodding. Usually all it takes is her seeing me through the coop window feed the others a bread slice and down she comes. Then I put the door on for the night.

 

[ChickenAl]

Quote:
Roberta, I had a rough day by nightfall after taking my weekly dose. Felt like a Mack truck decided to back up over me a few times. This morning, I woke up with less pain. Go figure...

Everyone says that after a few months the reactions disappear. I guess it's different for everyone.

Get George a set of boxing gloves.

 

[smkchick]

George reminds me of Bobby's uncle, who used to start a fight then leave the room.

We kept Gladys cooped up yesterday until she laid an egg. Today we're going to let her out and see if there's an egg in the box. If she doesn't go back into the coop to lay the egg, we'll assume she's hiding eggs somewhere. Unless, of course, she decides to take a day off...

The waterers were frozen this morning. I refilled them with warm water, but now we're back to the debate about a water heater.

No Christmas lights on the coop, but I did buy 5 small stockings for the fireplace. Ho Ho Ho.

 

[ChickenAl]

Quote:
Suzanne, our water heater works great. No frozen water this morning. It turns on at 35 degrees, so there is no guesswork. It has gotten down into the teens the past couple of nights.

 

[Toxic Chicken]

Quote:
I read in one of my chicken books to keep them in the coop until about noon, until they learn good nesting habits. That's gotta be a bummer for the chickens tho.

That's so cute you gave them Christmas stockings ! I love it !

 

[smkchick]

Quote:
Thanks for the tip. Bobby and I were just discussing that. I think we'll give it a try. He's home to let them out, or I can come home at lunch time.

See how quickly we become chicken experts? I really appreciate the input.

If I don't get more eggs soon there will be coal in their stockings!