Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[Carolyn252]

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Not yet. Every now and then, I remember the project and spend another few hours online looking at upholstery fabrics or sending emails to online fabric suppliers, or to re-upholsterers online and I ask them for fabric suggestions or sources.

One upholsterer suggested that I look at toile fabrics. Some of them have several different scenic elements and I could choose one for the seat and one for the backrest.

So now I'm looking at those.

It'll probably be months and months before I face up to getting it done.

Yesterday DH and I spent several labor-intensive hours getting the roof panels off the ChickArena and hosing them down, then scrubbing them down, then hosing them down, then buffing them dry and then putting them back up on top of the ChickArena. Today we'll tie them down for the winter and they should be good until next April when we'll do it all again. The panels are those corrugated clear plastic roof panels, so there's lots of light coming in from dawn to dusk.

Right now I'm still frustrated waiting for the two new big Delawares to settle down and stop harrassing my three smaller hens. I put pinless peepers on the Delawares, and that helped a bit.

My little EasterEgger hides from the Delawares all day in the shrubs. She's blind in one eye and I don't think she has much vision in the other. Poor little thing. She's so affectionate and sweet.
The little white splach araucana is still wearing her pinless peeper from when she was offended at the very idea of the EasterEgger joining her and her best friend the Black Marans.

The Marans has always been the Leader but now hides from the bullying Delawares.

One good result is, the Araucana is now huddling and hanging out with the EE, so apparently having a common enemy has made the Araucana friendlier towards the EE.

The Marans is showing her Leadership courage in getting braver and braver every day as she walks closer and closer to the Delawares. The minute they raise their heads and look at her though, she runs away. But she keeps trying. So maybe, maybe, they'll all work it out.
-Carolyn252

 

[ChickenAl]

Hi George, welcome to the thread. Looking forward to hearing more about the shows from you and Roberta.


Al

 

[smkchick]

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Ditto.

We always check out the poultry barn at the Erie County Fair when we go every year, but who knew I'd be a chicken owner. I shoulda paid closer attention. You can be sure I will next year!

The chickies spent most of the day in the run. They had a ball! And the big girls were only upset for a little while. Unfortunately, the dog escaped from the house and frightened everyone. The chicks were safe in the run but FREAKED OUT when they saw her. Gladys was indignant and tried to scare her away. But Agatha ran like crazy and flew over the fence to the front yard. When I got the dog back in the house, Gladys was calling for Aggie and was very upset that she couldn't find her. But we herded Aggie back into the yard and everything was peaceful again. Later I took the dog out on a leash, but Aggie took off again. This time she didn't fly over the fence, but hid behind the garbage cans. She wasn't distressed during either encounter, but I think she was just hightailing it out of there to be on the safe side.

Gladys is almost as big as the dog (chihuahua mix), but Clara (the dog) thinks it's a game when the chickens run, so she gets very excited. For now, I will coop up the chickens when it's time for the dog to go out. I've been letting the dog out only in the morning before the chickens are out and at night when they are locked up. In the middle of the day, she'll be leash walked in the front. I hope at some point everyone will get used to each other. But I'll NEVER leave the dog unattended with the chickens. I doubt she'd hurt them (she never went after Gladys and Gladys showed her who was boss) but why take any chances?

The chicks are so worn out from their adventure, they're all sound asleep on the floor of the brooder box. So cute. I keep trying to hear those little hen snores again...

 

[Cydney83]

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Congrats! I have to add that I had the chance to be in the "lower" part of the state to pick up my new pigeons and I did see some chickens and farms...what a beautiful part of the state. It has been 20 plus years since I was down state..wasn't looking at chickens back then!

 

[smkchick]

Cranky old Gladys is harassing Agatha this morning. What's that all about? She's chasing her and giving her a peck or two (and not in a good way). Could it be because both perches are the same height? Should I give Gladys a space to roost higher? Who knows the way of the chicken mind?

 

[Carolyn252]

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Indeed! Who knows the way of the chicken mind? Someone's been sleeping (and pooping !!) in the nest box for the past three nights. I keep a layer of paper towels in there now, so that I can just scoop the poop out in the morning, and put in a fresh layer of paper toweling. There's only three hens in the playhouse, with about five feet of roostboard, but noooooooooo, gotta go poopie up the nest box all night.

 

[ChickenAl]

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Gladys might be establishing the pecking order since she sees Agatha is now a permanent resident. I like the two height roosts. It worked for us as the pecking order established who got the upper birth. Good luck and keep an eye on them. Don't want Aggie getting roughed up.

 

[magsrags]

Al has a good point. But also seeing/knowing the little ones are around......might get gladys in "pecking order mode" to double insure everyone knows who's boss, including Agatha just in case she needed a reminder.LOL


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Gladys might be establishing the pecking order since she sees Agatha is now a permanent resident. I like the two height roosts. It worked for us as the pecking order established who got the upper birth. Good luck and keep an eye on them. Don't want Aggie getting roughed up.

 

[smkchick]

Thanks for the insight. I'll rearrange the perches so one is slightly higher. It makes sense about having Aggie being a permanent resident, and about seeing the chicks in the coop all day yesterday. Gladys wasn't being overly agressive, mostly bossy - chasing Aggie away and an occasional peck.

And now a new problem: Just as I was leaving and opened the door to the room where the chicks are, I caught all three of them out of the box, on the arm of the couch (pooping, of course). AAAAGGGHHHH!!!!

I wiped off the arm of the couch and covered the whole thing up with an old blanket. Gotta find a way to get them out to the coop without getting attacked by the older girls. I'm going to plan something today at work (right now in fact) and get Inspector Gadget (a/k/a Bobby ("CHICKENS!!??") a/k/a Mr. "You're on Your Own") to set it up for me. I won't be home until after 8.

If I can segregate the babies safely, I'll ninja them in under cover of night. Otherwise, it will be tomorrow. I'm done!

Reconsidering the BO. Not great layers, I hear. Maybe Silver Laced Wyandotte or Speckled Sussex??

Suggestions, anyone??

 

[smkchick]

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Carolyn, I have the same problem! Good idea about the paper towels. Tell me again about how great this will be when they start laying eggs!