the shnitzels' first day outdoors with the girls

[nok13]

today was relatively warm and i have had the four young pullets/cockerels in our colder bedroom withthe window open to get used to ambient temps.
the mess is already horrendous so downstairs they went, into the big girls' outdoor pen.
they were pecked abit, but i had set up several feed stations plus one station of extra yummy treats to keep the big girls busy (hangy leafy greens that can be plucked and pecked).

this evening the girls went up inside their nesting area and the shnitzels huddled in a clump under the coophouse so i scooped them up as they shrieked in protest while i tried to keep their mouths (beaks) shut up so the neighbhors wouldnt call to find out why chickens are screeching..which of course made all the dogs in the area start barking hysterically. they were actually happy to go back in their small nighttime cage with an extra scoop of food (just in case the big girls didnt let them eat their fill).

theyre almost completely feathered out, they have little red combs, so we are going to have to make some decisions about their place of continuation fairly soon. there is no way they can go in with the thai fowl, as that is for the wiseguys... but they cant stay with the layers cause i will get in trouble. but husband is refusing to do the deed and help them move in to our refrigerator.
the other problem is my lhasa apso male. he has become fiercly protective of teh shnitzels and stood the entire day cryng and whining with his nose pushed thru a fence link, and refused to stay in the house. now that they are back up stairs he is laying in front of their door guarding them. im not sure if he sees them as flying food, a fun game, or actual beings that need protection. he is a very protective dog, especially of me, and he is showing the same behavior so who knows.
meanwhile have the thai babies in a new improved cardboard carton with fencing cover, perch, hideyhole house, new improved big chicken waterer, grit, food and small amount of crispy veggies to get used to. they are litterly flying around in side their box.
the tiny babies are filling out, using their feet, only one has foot problems, (hen hatched) but seems to manage. wont be able to manage in with the wiseguys though, since thai fowl use their feet to fight/spar/run, so he/she will have to become someone's personal pet... hope its a female as her future is better then ifit was a male.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Sounds like a good day.

 

[nok13]

thats it. officially downstairs in the the outdoors; i made them a makeshift mini coop to sleep in at night; i spent all eveinging after work crawling on hands and knees (under the coop, no room to even sit) and i tied two plastic veggie crates to the sides of a metal frame table that is supporting the coop, closed off one side with some metal fencing, and herded them in.. closed off witha board that i can barely move back and forth... not toatlly predator proof, but for the next few days will do. storm is supposedly coming in on tuesday so may then put them upstairs in the coop with all the big girls, although a bit overcrowed, fortuantely leghorns dont seem to stress out from crowded conditions as long as there are enough feeding and water stations... probably been bred to deal with close quarters...
at least not in spare bedroom anymore (whichis right off my salon so the whole house smells like coop. so fun to crawl around and get clean dirty (as upposed to , like, frying oil in a kitchen dirty, or office work type work) and feel that i accomplished something...
i always like it when my animals have a new clean bed and food/water for them... now just have 18 babies twittering in the sort of pantry off the salon... they will be much harder to deal with since they are thai fighting chickens , tall, intelligent, they already fly, they are very active in playing kicking, pecking.... but we have two more months of possible cold weather and even a tiny amount of snow again...