They may say flock, but they're more like family! :)

[chickneggs]

This is an awesome picture of my flock! It shows the birds personalities even while they just chill at home base. The Australorps in the middle there, (as they are in the pecking order) rarely leave each others' side. Whether they're chilling, dust bathing, foraging for bugs, they're always near one another. The Orpingtons are at different ends of the pecking order (second and fifth) and pretty much do their own thing, whether at home base or out hanging in the yard. The Ameraucana on the door, is at the bottom of the pecking order and really doesn't do too much with the others, while the Ameraucana on the ground looking up at them, is the top chicken, despite her being the smallest. She is the most friendly to me and will follow me around and allow me to pet her. And even though they all were given names after they came to stay with me, Miss Queenie has become the top chicken's new name, while the others respond to "Chicky chicky chicky...". This is my first year raising chickens and now that we're heading into the winter, we do have an actual coop being built. We're hoping we can finish it before too much snow comes, but as so many times, life can really get in the way. But I do have straw packed in both their coop and underneath it, as well as a heated waterer for them. I'm happy that they have made it to about 6 months of age and I'm hoping to see them flourish and grow more, even through the Michigan winter.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Hi there fellow Michigander. It is funny how chickens have such individual personalities and despite her small size Miss Queenie is still the boss.

 

[chickneggs]

Hey! Yeah, I'm surprised she's just got that BIG of personality to take charge. How's the weather over there in west Michigan?

 

[scratch'n'peck]

There is a cold wind today, and we had a dusting of lake effect snow this morning. There was reportedly more snow accumulation near Lake Michigan. Winter is coming... Hope you get the coop done, but your flock would stay warm enough in the coop pictured, too. Chickens are quite cold tolerant.

 

[theoldchick]

Nice family photo of the chickens!

 

[chickneggs]

Nice family photo of the chickens!

Thanks! One of those once in a blue moon, perfect description, type picture! Lol Maybe one day I'll get the dogs and my rabbit in the photo-nothing like bringing the family together!

 

[chickneggs]

There is a cold wind today, and we had a dusting of lake effect snow this morning. There was reportedly more snow accumulation near Lake Michigan. Winter is coming... Hope you get the coop done, but your flock would stay warm enough in the coop pictured, too. Chickens are quite cold tolerant.

Guess if things go as we planned, we should have the coop livable, not necessarily completely finished, but livable enough for the chickens for the winter. The issue I'm having in my heart: while my mom picked up the chicks as a surprise for me, my brother picked the coop up for me as a gift. (I've ALWAYS wanted my own chickens. ) And they were both bought at different times, though truly appreciated. (Chicks lived in my garden tub with a heat lamp til the time came for them to be moved out, which is when the coop came.) But long story, short. The coop is only built for 4 birds, while I have 6 out there. If I peek in it after they all go in, I see them piled up together anyways with LOTS of extra room, but it still bugs me that it's not necessarily big enough. But by 8am every morning, I open their door to let them out. Then they can roam the cage area where the coop sits or go back into the coop. But at night now, I have extra straw in the coop and beneath it for added warmth. And the waterer is heated. First year doing this and I really wanna do it right. But once the larger coop is finished and we get chicken wire put up around it, the chickens will have more freedom than what they know what to do with. Just hoping the next couple weeks go as planned.

Oh, lol and the chickens do get time out of the cage to roam the yard. And usually if we are out working on the coop, the chickens will follow us around the yard as we work. Kinda funny-like our little shadows.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I hope everything goes smoothly for you. The heated waterer is the most critical part of being prepared for winter, so you are set in that department. By the way, I learned the hard way that chicken wire alone is not a great material for the chicken run. It's not really strong especially after a season exposed to the elements. If I had read more on Back Yard Chickens from the start, I would have known that galvanized welded wire holds up better.

 

[chickneggs]

Thank you so much for the heads up. I have had a hawk issue, so that is good to know about galvanized welded wire! Thank you!

 

[lrayle]

what do you use to keep their water from freezeing