Updates on my little flock

[Zemeraire]

Rather than constantly bumping my intro thread, I thought I'd post updates and pictures of my chooks and progress of my coop.
So just in case you haven't seen my intro threat (wow guys so many people said hi thank you!), here are my chookies.

On day one, the small baby Coriander was 3 weeks old and the larger baby Butter was somewhere between 4 and 5 weeks old. They stayed inside full time for the first week and a half, which is when I got the coop. From then on they spent most of the day inside the coop so long as the weather was nice (not to hot or cold), and came inside the house to sleep overnight.

Three weeks later they look like this.

And here is the little mobile coop.

So now for the actual update.
For the last few days they have been fine without a lamp while sleeping in my lounge room, and now that Coriander is 6 weeks old I feel comfortable moving them outside into the shed at night. Last night I moved their little sleeping cage into the shed, light on and covered, and they were fine. I gave them a handful of lettuce when I put them out (their favourite treat), but they didn't seem distressed over the new sleeping arrangements. They were perky and loud when I called to them and were extremely exited to see the lettuce.

In addition, this week I have plans to get a lavender Araucana pullet that is closer to laying. She hatched early October. There is a slight hitch in the plan, as I don't have a car and the seller was going to drop her off, but she messaged me earlier today and she broke her ankle over the weekend so I will have to ask a friend to give me a lift.

As far as the permanent coop, I need to organise a trailer to haul away this big metal... thing? that is sitting in the middle of the space. A friend's mother used to live here and apparently it was already there when she was here a decade ago. It looks like a washing machine or something. Other than that, I need to clear out the back corner (I found a solid pretty looking bird bath back there), clear out the weeds (which is mostly oregano for some reason) and then get started on the fence.

This payday I also want to get a proper chicken waterer. What kind would people recommend for such a small space?

Also bonus for today. My indoor only, has only gone outside on a harness, cat Arya decided to poke her head out today while I was with the chooks. BF's outdoor cat and she have been playing for the last few days (massive improvement, they hated each other a few days before that), and he decided to leave as soon as the door was open. This upset Arya, who came outside crying for him

 

[sourland]

Beautiful cat.

 

[TwoCrows]

Nice photos, thank you for sharing!!

 

[Zemeraire]

Chooks have now spent several nights in the shed and are doing fine.
I'm going to be picking up my new Araucana pullet today and I'm so exited!

Also found someone to buy wheat off that is far less expensive than in stores, so I'll add that into the mix I've been feeding the little ones and see how they like it. I wasn't able to get chick feed when I got them so I have had them on a mixture of wheat bran, quick oats, rolled oats, egg supplement, cooked eggs, and bits and pieces from the kitchen (lettuce, bits of tomato, occasional spaghetti, cauliflower, shredded coconut, carrot), plums from the tree out back, weeds and any bugs they find on the lawn (I move the coop every other day), and the odd snail if i step on one at night by accident.
Does this sound good? I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to put them on layers pellets yet as they are little, and they have certainly grown big in the time I've been feeding them the above.

Should I keep the new chook isolated from my existing two initially? Its been a long time since I've had to introduce a new chook to a flock.

 

[Zemeraire]

I picked up the new chook a couple hours ago and had her sitting in the closed off house for about an hour as I had nowhere else to put her. After that I let her in with the other two and have been supervising since. Also I have named her Cashew.

So she hatched out early October, and is a lavender Araucana. From what I've found, in Australia we call what in america are Araucanas and Ameracanas the same thing. Its a bit confusing tbh.

She doesn't seem to care about Butter and Coriander, but they have been running away from her with a look that screams "WHY DID YOU PUT A DINOSAUR IN HERE!" X3 They have never met an adult chicken or even chicks older than themselves. I put a handful of lettuce, gooseberries and dried mealworms in there and everyone was enjoying it.

So the lady I got Cashew off also has gotten chickens from the same person I got Butter and Coriander off, and has also had bad experiences with chickens advertised as purebred clearly not being purebred.

 

[BY Bob]

So Cashew is an adult chicken and the others are pullets. If I am understanding correctly you have already put them together.

Keep an eye out for excessive pecking. I have had issues with a pullet and a full grown hen living together. As long as the pullets can't be denied access to food or water and have areas to get away if they can, it can work out. It's better if they can get up out of the way if they need to do so. You may need 2 feed and water stations if you see Cashew denying them access.

 

[Zemeraire]

Cashew is not laying yet and not at full size yet. I'm going to find a way to block off the part of the run under the hen house so she can't get in but they can. I tried bricks (they were easily accessible) but couldn't make the gap small enough for her to be blocked. I'll try something else tomorrow. They are only together supervised right now and all are inside overnight as its unexpectedly cold and wet and I think there is a storm coming.

 

[BY Bob]

Cashew is not laying yet and not at full size yet. I'm going to find a way to block off the part of the run under the hen house so she can't get in but they can. I tried bricks (they were easily accessible) but couldn't make the gap small enough for her to be blocked. I'll try something else tomorrow. They are only together supervised right now and all are inside overnight as its unexpectedly cold and wet and I think there is a storm coming.

That sounds reasonable. It is always best if they can look but not touch for a while. I am glad she is also not full grown. That should make things easier. Cashew is very pretty.

 

[Zemeraire]

So yesterday I rigged up the ramp that came with the coop (its too flimsy to attach it if its being moved regularly) with a couple bricks on either side to block off the area under the house from the main open area, with enough room for the two little ones to get in and out but Cashew can't follow them. I watched them closely for the first few hours and they were fine, then checked on them every hour or so the rest of the day. They were totally fine, and for the first time were actually in the house in the evening (normally they sit at the door to wait for me to take them inside) so I think they followed Cashew inside. It was pretty warm inside and cashew was chilling on the other end of the box, so I decided to check on them a couple times before bed before I made the decision to put them inside or not for the night. It was still warm and they were fine so I left them in overnight and they were totally fine first thing in the morning.

Today Ive checked on them every couple hours and watched them for a while, and it seems they understand that the closed off space is for them and come and go as they please. I've seen Cashew peck at them when they tried to use the food or water at the same time as her, and they dart back into the closed off area.
I gave them leftover spaghetti at around lunch time and cashew didn't seem interested initially until Butter and Coriander went nuts for it. I put some in both ends of the coop and once they had finished theirs, the little ones went for Cashew's spaghetti and that earned them a peck.

Here are a picture of how I blocked it.

Also as a bonus, not chicken related, my best friend gave me a late birthday present. Its artwork of the same character (Its not from anything, I designed it) as in my profile picture. We realised it has two left paws and so she is going to message the artist to fix it. I love it so much regardless ^-^

Edit: Just found BF's cat Boi like this. Silly Boi

 

[drumstick diva]

Very interesting artwork