TaylorGlade Tails of the Banana Chicks

[TwoCrows]

Thank you. In all seriousness though, we are integrating these birds. Of course they are all stressed by the heat and irritated but it seems to be going well

Yes summer has been absolutely brutal this year, I hope the integration goes well for you with no big to-do's!

 

[TaylorGlade]

Yes summer has been absolutely brutal this year, I hope the integration goes well for you with no big to-do's!

It started off with the young Cockerel chasing the big Australorp hens around. Then, sweetie would jump on him. I found lots of black feathers in the run today. But, he isn't chasing the australorps and he and sweetie are drinking from the same fountain. I don't know what she said to him, but I think she made her point.

 

[TaylorGlade]

Things are going super smoothly with Operation Chick Integration! Our 11-week-old cream leg bar buddies are now hanging out in the run alongside the older Australorps and Ameraucana pals. It took us about a week to help them get comfy with sleeping in the big coop instead of the mini intro spot, but guess what? Now they're making their way there all on their own! I've noticed The three senior members of the gang have switched up their roosting spots. Sweetie, for instance, has a liking for roosting close to our young cream leg bar cockerel, Bubo. It's like they've formed a feathered friendship up on those roosts!

Now that the Cream Leg Bars are done with their mini run, we're shaking things up a bit. We've begun introducing the four-week-old Australorp pullet (crossing our fingers they're all girls) chicks to the mix. It's like a social gathering for our little feathered friends to meet and mingle!


The crew set to build our second coop reached out, and they're all set to kick things off this Wednesday. Can you feel the excitement? Our little ones will soon call that coop their home sweet home. They will share an adjoining run so we want to make sure they are well integrated.

Oh, a side note: today, the run got a fresh alfalfa makeover. The chickens went wild, having a "hay day" with it!

And, our 11-week-old cream leg bar cockerel, all set to flaunt his vocal prowess, belted out his very first crow. Combining cuteness with determination, he treated us to an adorably squeaky sound. Think of it as a little chicken taking its tentative debut steps into the world of vocalization, a heartwarming milestone in his feathered journey. I happened to catch the squeaky serenade on video:

Lastly, two of our hens, one 23-week old Ameraucana and one 22-week old Australorp, are right on track to start laying eggs. But there's a twist! Our other 22-week old Australorp is keeping us guessing. We said goodbye to its rooster buddies in June, and they were already crowing at just 3 months old.

But Bonzai is different. Its comb is small, but the sickle feathers have a curious curve to them. It hasn't crowed yet, and no eggs from it either. But, it's no where near the size of the roosters we relocated. It's the same size as the hen. It also ran from our baby cockerel (who chased all the older ladies until Sweetie put an end to it) and is extremely docile. No rooster-y behavior at all in fact. Around here, some folks say Bonzai looks like a rooster, while David thinks it's a hen with unique feathers. One thing is sure - time will tell.


The two Australorps and the 23-week-old Ameraucana haven't laid eggs either. Patience is the name of the game, but let me tell you, we're eagerly waiting to see our own eggs in the nest!

 

[WhoDatChick]

I love your stories! Very fun!
I bought eight new pullets this April, or so I thought… three turned out to be roosters
I found a home for two of them and decided to give Anthony a try.
He is doing okay so far.. and he is beautiful!

 

[TaylorGlade]

I love your stories! Very fun!
I bought eight new pullets this April, or so I thought… three turned out to be roosters
I found a home for two of them and decided to give Anthony a try.
He is doing okay so far.. and he is beautiful! View attachment 3631289

He is gorgeous. What is he?

 

[WhoDatChick]

He is gorgeous. What is he?

He is a silver laced Wyandotte

 

[TaylorGlade]

He is a silver laced Wyandotte

I'm glad he's working out for you so far. I hope the trend continues

 

[WhoDatChick]

I'm glad he's working out for you so far. I hope the trend continues

Me too! Thank you!
Btw, you have a very nice setup! And a tip for keeping them cool… I put the hose out and set the nozzle to mist and leave that on for them all day! It’s really the only thing that has been saving some of my older gals.

 

[TaylorGlade]

Me too! Thank you!
Btw, you have a very nice setup! And a tip for keeping them cool… I put the hose out and set the nozzle to mist and leave that on for them all day! It’s really the only thing that has been saving some of my older gals. View attachment 3631299

Awesome. And thank you

 

[TaylorGlade]

The day got off to a rather rocky start as we discovered that an unwelcome visitor had infiltrated our chicken run overnight. Thankfully, our coop remained unbreached, either due to the predator's inability or perhaps lack of effort. We dedicated or morning to fortifying our defenses against future intrusions, working on predator-proofing measures to ensure the safety of our feathered friends.

While we worked, we allowed the 6-week-old Australorps have some free time in the larger run with the older chickens. Anticipation hung in the air as my attention zeroed in on Bubo, the 13-week-old cream legbar cockerel. I had a hunch we might witness some lively feathered theatrics, but to my sheer delight, Bubo turned out to be a real charmer! He assumed the role of a feathered explorer, deftly plucking down tantalizing sweet potato vines that dangled just out of the chicks' reach and shared the delectable tidbits with his fledgling companions.