The tale of the Henitentiary

[steny03]

Yep, NovaAman, my next concern is shade. I planted some grapevines, but obviously those won't provide shade right away. I may put up a tarp for shade. Luckily, the run is half shade until about 2 or 3 in the afternoon.

This weekend was all about getting a secure place for the hens...as I don't know when they will arrive, but it is supposed to be this week.

I would love to put in some sort of roosting bar in their run! I would actually like to find a small old wooden ladder to use..but will probably just have to build one. There is one area where it would be highly convenient to use the cross members of the frame and just nail a board in....it will probably become my next 'chicken project'

steny

 

[StephieSky]

Steny,

Its lovely! Almost make me want to be a Nevada chicken I have several pots of my great grandmas climbing roses. I've been dragging them around afraid to put them in the ground. I think I'll swipe your tall chicken run idea and plant them so they grow up over it. I'm not familiar with the growing climate where you are but here I can grow almost anything year round with the proper care. I just feel so bad keeping the roses pruned down all the time and I can really see myself happy in a run like yours enjoying a little shady afternoon tea with my chickens lol The tall run is a must!

Somthing like this, only without all the pvc trellis and with the pots inset, bottoms opened up to give the roots soil access would be perfect. Then if I ever do sell I can take my roses with me
Stephie

 

[NovaAman]

That is cool!

 

[steny03]

StephieSky - That is so pretty! I wish roses grew well where I'm at, but they don't. They take a lot of time and work, for only a few blooms. Luckily, grapes seem to thrive here, so at least I can grow one of my favorite things.

Yesterday I finally got the email from the hatchery saying that my pullets have shipped! So there is a chance that they will show up tomorrow morning! I went ahead and put the Sweet PDZ and shavings in their coop so that its ready. If they do show up, it will be around 5 AM, or at least that is what my local Post Office told me.

steny

 

[NovaAman]

YEAH! How exciting! Pics as soon as you get them, or it didn't happen. LOL

 

[StephieSky]

StephieSky - That is so pretty! I wish roses grew well where I'm at, but they don't. They take a lot of time and work, for only a few blooms. Luckily, grapes seem to thrive here, so at least I can grow one of my favorite things.

Yesterday I finally got the email from the hatchery saying that my pullets have shipped! So there is a chance that they will show up tomorrow morning! I went ahead and put the Sweet PDZ and shavings in their coop so that its ready. If they do show up, it will be around 5 AM, or at least that is what my local Post Office told me.

steny

Grapes? Yummm... I can't wait to see your chickys!!! I'd be camped out on their stoop checking my watch every 10 minutes. You could drag the boyfriend with. I bet he'd peel the grapes too! Mine doesn't do anything. No joke. His idea of how to use a hammer is to hand it to me :x lol

YEAH! How exciting! Pics as soon as you get them, or it didn't happen. LOL

x2 Pics Pics Pics! I want to see!

 

[steny03]

Great news! I got the call bright and early at 5:30 this morning that my birds had arrived! Even though I was nearly to work already, I turned around and ran to pick them up (had already made arrangements with my work). Admittedly, I was a little worried....I was expecting 4 birds...but there were only two boxes.....and they were pretty silent.....

However, as soon as the boxes were nudged, a chorus of strange growling/trilling noises could be heard.

The girls sat with me in the front of the car for the short ride home...They kept up their chorus of soft little dinosaur noises....




Once we got home, I scrambled to get their food and water ready so I could get to the fun part of opening the boxes....They appear very healthy....two to a box, but no sign of injuries or pecking issues. Their feathers are super soft, and no one seems to be missing any. They already have a nice green/blue/purple sheen to them.

I put them in their run, and it didn't take them long at all to find the coop and nesting boxes. I did, however, have to go into work, so I snapped the photo below right before I left. They are a bit skittish of me...so it was difficult to get a good photo.



Later that afternoon when I was able to sneak away from work, I spent some more time just hanging out with them. They still run for cover when they see me...but I threw out some scratch and some grass cuttings....which distracted them for a bit. They would peck and scratch happily for a while, and then remember I was there, and run for the coop again! Silly things. But I was able to see that they had found the food and water...and watched the whole flock settle in for a long drink. I felt so relieved, as I was worried that they wouldn't.

Also....the grape vines that I planted around the Henitentiary are showing early signs of producing!


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[StephieSky]

Oh MY GAWD! THEYRE B. E. A. U. T. I. F. U. L!!!!
How did you get them? I was expected... well... something else. lol Those are some gorgeous chcickens! And you got them in the mail??? Wow ...
I'm so impressed at how healthy and gorgeous they are. They match your coop and run! Everything is so pretty and perfect. You better take lots of pictures before they start pooping! LOL
I had to giggle at "dinosaur noises" Gracie is like living with a vertically challenged T-Rex haha

Congratulations! You scored! A great bf who'll actually build you a Henitentiary <3 A beautiful coop and run and now beautiful chickens too?! <3 <3
And grapes too! Lucky duck!

I have to ask - what hatchery? Man do they have some good looking chickens!

 

[steny03]

Thanks StephieSky! I was also expecting something a bit worse...I ordered started pullets from Murray McMurray and was afraid due to the wide variety of reviews out there. I'm sure they don't meet the high standards that breeder quality Australorps should have, but I am very pleased that they seem healthy. I was also very concerned about shipping. I know baby chicks can go without solid food for a certain amount of hours, but I didn't know about half grown hens.

I will try to get better photos in the sun. So far they try to hide from me. I plan on bribing them with treats.

I do feel a bit lucky that everything seems to be falling into all the proper places!

steny

 

[StephieSky]

Breeder quality is in the eye of the beholder
I've seen lots of mutt chickens on BYC that I personally think are prettier than the pure bred ones that meet the breed standard! I just don't say so ...because someone would be offended, I'm sure. lol I really like yours. I'm not sure what they are supposed to look like but that would be it for me. Just like yours

I think the average standard breed layer is supposed to eat 1/4 lb of balanced layer feed per day, plus whatever treats you give her And water should be consumed at twice the rate of feed, per hen. So a good average for when they are mature and producing eggs would be: 1 hen x 7 days x 1.75 lb of feed and 2 lbs of water ( 1 quart ) for every lb of dry ration/feed. In healthy adult chickens feed consumption decreases as temperatures increase above 68 degrees F while water intake remains the same up to 77 degrees F. Pelleted feeds and higher protein feeds increase water intake also. '
^ You might want to know that in Nevada! It gets hot, huh?

You're givng me a bad case of chicken'itis! When the boxes mysteriously show up at my house before I've mentioned I want that real chicken house and a tall run .... I'll tell Tommy you told me I should get the chickens first .. so he can measure them LOL
Gah.. you are so lucky Steny. I can hardly believe those came from Murray McMurray. Its something for me to think about for sure

I'm so glad you decided to share all this! The tall run and how you're building it ..and the hens. You're really inspiring me. You guys have such good ideas and tremendous good luck with the hatchery pullets.
I can't wait to see more pictures And I want to know what the chickens personalities are like too.