What did you do with your flock today?

[Juliesflock]

Hello! This is a place to post pictures/talk about what you and your flock have done today.

I was on a zoom call earlier and Iris, my rooster, decided to stand behind me and crow repeatedly. Thankfully I was on mute, but it was still annoying. They couldn’t see him, but they could see me trying to make him quiet, which was a little embarrassing.
Here’s a pic of my boy with some mini roses.
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What about you guys? Have you done anything interesting with your flock today?

Here are a few pictures of my birds.
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Beautiful chicken's. I change water and make sure they have food always available and make it a teaching lesson. I also handle and lightly finger pet the chick's so they get use to coming to me and no fear.

 

[nchls school]

Today I'm trying to decide what to do with the 11 ducklings in the bathtub. They have outgrown the tub and have started to jump out. Warm weather, even cool weather, they'd have been outside weeks ago. But the nights get way cold, but truthfully, I'm more concerned about the local hawks. The ducklings are small enough to be an easy lunch. Plus it's worrisome to put the two runners outside. When there's only two... I have an empty pigeon loft, so I guess that's one possibility.
I'll have to think on it. I'm going to miss tub cleaning and play time.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Today I'm trying to decide what to do with the 11 ducklings in the bathtub. They have outgrown the tub and have started to jump out. Warm weather, even cool weather, they'd have been outside weeks ago. But the nights get way cold, but truthfully, I'm more concerned about the local hawks. The ducklings are small enough to be an easy lunch. Plus it's worrisome to put the two runners outside. When there's only two... I have an empty pigeon loft, so I guess that's one possibility.
I'll have to think on it. I'm going to miss tub cleaning and play time.

Oh my gosh ♡♡♡ I want your problem for about 1 therapeutic hour. Please send me another photo so I can refer to it during any stressful moments I may have today .
Ok. So i like have no stress in my life but come on, bath tub ducklings just too cute to not share

 

[kurby22]

Well Puff is feeling a lot better, and also feeling his new found testosterone! He is challenging Fluff and trying to make some of the pullets submissive to him. Ms Frizzle is not interested in his teenage ways and stood up to him, so he was chasing her all over the run and cornered her in the coop. So she sat there frozen and squatting for a good 2 mins. I felt so bad for her—maybe it’s not a good idea but the second time he did it and I heard her squawking I went and got Puff and brought him inside for a time out. He sat with me and clucked and crowed a bunch like a whiny child However, it’s been quiet since I put him back outside!

I am thinking they all feel better, I’ve heard a lot of squawking and egg song like ruckus lately!! Betty is laying again finally, Elinor is a very consistent layer, and AJ, Mumble, Ms Frizzle and Newbell have all been caught checking out the nest boxes! Betty is the first and only chicken that full on squats for me when I pet her…she’s definitely a hen now Charlie I think has finally caught the dry pox and isn’t feeling 100% so she quit laying, but she’s not acting super ill.

Got a visit from Coco right when I sat down—she’s a big bird to have fly up on your shoulder! And even Emilio, who NEVER gets close to me came by for a short visit and let me pet him! The sun has helped all their moods!

 

[FrankieDoodle]

Happy Saturday all! It is finally a beautiful day! Sunny, blue skies, soft breeze and high of 57. I’m LOVING it and so are the chickies and the old lady Frenchie!

Betty White is so happy it’s nice out, she finally laid her first egg since early November. Everyone is sun bathing, dust bathing and foraging while happily chattering with each other. It’s so lovely. And Newbell is being her usual loud self, preening, foraging, and eating treats. I’ve been out with them for over an hour and it feels amazing Hope you are all having a great day as well!

Ahhhh that’s too bad about the sweet little bantam girl! It is good she found a home but better if it had been YOUR home! She was so pretty!

I think your plans for Silkie babies sounds awesome! If/when I expand someday, I am soooo getting lots more silkies hehe. If you get some, you will have to post lots of pics!

You are really very talented! I wish I could paint that well! Love!!

I will! Where did you get your silkies from? Did you get them from a feedstore, or did you order them online?

Hello, I am new to this group, fairly new to BackYardChickens.

My flock consists, at the moment, of four geese about nine months old, an older group of nine hens and one rooster (almost a year old), my middle group consists of three roosters that were part of a group that I incubated myself (about two months old), and the youngest set of two that I truly hope will be hens!

My husband really wanted a rooster, but he and this rooster do not see "eye to eye" except for stink eyes. I think the rooster is doing a great job with his hens, but he does like to challenge me, I think it is when I have not given his girls enough treats.

My young roosters do not look anything like their father, one is completely out of left field. He is also gorgeous. I am thinking about replacing the current dominant rooster with one of these three when they are about the same size as Rooster.

The geese are a delight. I had no idea they were so interesting, entertaining and loving. The only that I am sure is a male and his breed, is the Sebastopol. He is also the smallest. I thought we had one male, and the rest female, but it may be one female and the other three are males. I guess we will be able to be certain come this spring.

I love to talk about my flock. Although I am certain that it is similar to people talking about their grandchildren, not everyone is as interested in daily comments!

We live in northern Nevada where the winters are not too cold, and the summers are not too hot. That does appear to be changing though, like everywhere.

Welcome to BYC!

Beautiful chicken's. I change water and make sure they have food always available and make it a teaching lesson. I also handle and lightly finger pet the chick's so they get use to coming to me and no fear.

Thank you!

 

[FrankieDoodle]

There’s been a loooooot of stuff going on recently, but I don’t want to type it all out right now. XD
I got some pics of the peeps, and one of Roach.

On a different note, I have no doubt that Sonny is a boy. His wattles are getting a little red in the corners today. : (

 

[TropicalBabies]

There’s been a loooooot of stuff going on recently, but I don’t want to type it all out right now. XD
I got some pics of the peeps, and one of Roach.
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On a different note, I have no doubt that Sonny is a boy. His wattles are getting a little red in the corners today. : (

So fun to see babies and your photos are always outstanding
Rocking that do.

 

[kurby22]

I will! Where did you get your silkies from? Did you get them from a feedstore, or did you order them online?

Welcome to BYC!

Thank you!

I got them from someone locally that had her backyard silkies hatch, so they're not at all high quality but they are purebred. I belong to a Facebook group called CA Silkie/NN Breeders and there are a bunch in SoCal, you might have some luck joining that site and seeing what is currently available?? https://www.facebook.com/groups/1712227735474065 I know there are several around me that have a bunch of day olds up for sale right now...I wish I could get a couple right now! I don't know where exactly you are in SoCal, but I know Buckaboo Farms has a lot of nice looking silkies and they are in Orange County. She also ships eggs. Since Sonny is a boy, will you have to rehome him? If so, I think you need to get at LEAST 2 silkies to keep the other one company My next silkies will come from a local breeder, I really want some lookers and fun colors. I love the paints and chocolates!

 

[629864]

@kurby22 your Emilio is beautiful. I'm so thrilled you all seem to be having one better day after another. It's wonderful!

@TropicalBabies you have a way with your birds. My roos haven't ever given me flack *yet* and all continue to steer clear of me. I walk where I want and never ever sidestep a rooster. I make them get out of my way. But I am certain I wouldnt succeed in picking them up to give them a football hold timeout if they ever did decide to be cheeky. I'd more likely end up looking like a lunatic chasing him around the property until inevitably I twisted my ankle or fell on my backside...probably resulting in even more cussing and lunacy. So, it's probably best if they all stay sweet and slightly afraid of me.

@FrankieDoodle your silkie is hilarious and I love him. TropicalBabies found the perfect doppelganger for him.

 

[629864]

My two new buff orpington ladies are on their way and should arrive tomorrow. I've got a large crate set up in the enclosure for them with a roost, nestboxes, and feeder/waterer and will add an additional "minirun" after a day or two. I want them to rest and recover from their journey before venturing too far. They've been vaccinated, so mareks shouldn't be a problem. I do worry about integration squabbles, though, so I want these ladies strong before they have to deal with my reds being bossy...or boys being boys. The travel will likely break their broody, but that's ok. They'll go broody again.

Now to another slightly different note. My brown leghorn pullet who started laying eggs on January 4 has laid 5 eggs so far in those 7 days. I know it's the same hen because she lays in the same box every time and at around 3pm each time. All small, but consistent in size. Since I know the roosters have been mating with the hens, is it possible these eggs could hatch, despite being small?

Leghorns are supposed to lay large eggs. So not sure if it would be a waste to put these under one of the BOs if one actually stays broody after she arrives. Also, they've been refrigerated, but I didnt allow any to stay outside in the nest box long enough to freeze. What do y'all think?