What did you do with your flock today?

[pennyJo1960]

Sorry about that unless you were looking for a new good boy.

Yup had decided to raise on of Smudges boys to help him too many hens for one boy.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Yup had decided to raise on of Smudges boys to help him too many hens for one boy.

Well, then great luck! Now you have "good choice".

 

[kurby22]

Hello! It’s been a few days! We are on a quick vacation to watch basketball and it has been so lovely! In the past two days I’ve gotten over 30 hours of sleep! I have tried to limit my worrying about all my chickens and quail. My chicken sitter had a bad first day trying to put them all away early and my OD rooster freaked out and found a hole in the bird netting and flew into our backyard. She spent 15 mins chasing him all over and finally went back in the run and opened a space in the netting close to him and he flew back in. She was so upset and crying. I felt so bad.

I made an impulse buy today…I was sad I only got 2 d’Uccles from my 13 hatching eggs to survive and there was someone selling 6 self blue d’Anvers on eBay so I decided to do it. Hoping maybe one or two hatch to up my odds I don’t have all boys from the tiny chickens that hatched. I figured I could set them for the Easter HAL and hope for the best!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Your welcome to join our hatch on the 30 the also
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/join-us-hatch-date-3-30.1515926/

 

[629864]

Hi everyone. Things on the farm and with work have been super busy this past week or so. Yesterday I got all the fruit trees and the muscadines planted. Planting, berming, lining with rocks, hauling water, staking, wrapping in chicken wire, coating with liquid fence....it took all day long. By the time I got to bed, I was wrecked. But today, there was more: 45 strawberry plants, 12 started spinach, 12 started runner beans (a little early, but they were outgrowing their second transplant indoors so I hope they'll be okay), 12 clumps of started carrots, and three varieties of potatoes. Earlier in the week, I got three rows set up, staked, and twined for the bazillion pepper plants that will be going outside in April. Today I added another row because I have WAY too many pepper plants sprouted. My boss is on vacation for spring break all this week, so I may take a few days and get more things outside. The corn is going into a raised pallet bed and all I need to do is get DH to scoop some of the compost pile into that bed...then I can get the corn outside. I'll be digging holes for the three blueberry and three raspberry plants tomorrow probably. I have tons of herbs and other medicinal plants started and no actual idea of where they're going to go. I'm going to be flying by the seat of my pants for the next month or so.

As for the chickens, the nice weather has been good for all of us. The chickens and guineas have been wandering off to explore further every day. Sometimes they go up into the woods even. 6:30 pm is my cut off though. Anyone who isn't in the coop by then can just roost outside. I can't chase rogue chickens (and usually three dumb guineas) across 36 acres. They all come home every evening though and none have been lost....so far. At 6:15, I'm usually yelling across the field to the birds still scrounging up bugs in the woodline "You're going to get eaten by coyotes! It's time to come home!" And just when I've given up, here comes the last chicken. Tonight though, the guineas will be roosting outside the run because they didn't bother coming home until 7pm. After 2 full days of planting, I hurt way too much to go rescue wayward birds.

The chickens are soooo much happier with the warmth and greener, farther pastures. And they've upped their egg laying game as well. They rid our land of ticks and give us food. Chickens ROCK!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hey all good hear your all doing pretty well. Lesson I learned from my Grandmother years ago. Do not chase a bird call them walk away .. Trust me ...
My own Smudge about 3 years ago had gotten out of his coop ran across the yard 1/2 an acre ..
Next day I go up heaqr him in the scrub brush .. Start talking to him. He followed me back to the coop.
Teach them to trust they will follow you.

 

[kurby22]

Hi everyone. Things on the farm and with work have been super busy this past week or so. Yesterday I got all the fruit trees and the muscadines planted. Planting, berming, lining with rocks, hauling water, staking, wrapping in chicken wire, coating with liquid fence....it took all day long. By the time I got to bed, I was wrecked. But today, there was more: 45 strawberry plants, 12 started spinach, 12 started runner beans (a little early, but they were outgrowing their second transplant indoors so I hope they'll be okay), 12 clumps of started carrots, and three varieties of potatoes. Earlier in the week, I got three rows set up, staked, and twined for the bazillion pepper plants that will be going outside in April. Today I added another row because I have WAY too many pepper plants sprouted. My boss is on vacation for spring break all this week, so I may take a few days and get more things outside. The corn is going into a raised pallet bed and all I need to do is get DH to scoop some of the compost pile into that bed...then I can get the corn outside. I'll be digging holes for the three blueberry and three raspberry plants tomorrow probably. I have tons of herbs and other medicinal plants started and no actual idea of where they're going to go. I'm going to be flying by the seat of my pants for the next month or so.

As for the chickens, the nice weather has been good for all of us. The chickens and guineas have been wandering off to explore further every day. Sometimes they go up into the woods even. 6:30 pm is my cut off though. Anyone who isn't in the coop by then can just roost outside. I can't chase rogue chickens (and usually three dumb guineas) across 36 acres. They all come home every evening though and none have been lost....so far. At 6:15, I'm usually yelling across the field to the birds still scrounging up bugs in the woodline "You're going to get eaten by coyotes! It's time to come home!" And just when I've given up, here comes the last chicken. Tonight though, the guineas will be roosting outside the run because they didn't bother coming home until 7pm. After 2 full days of planting, I hurt way too much to go rescue wayward birds.

The chickens are soooo much happier with the warmth and greener, farther pastures. And they've upped their egg laying game as well. They rid our land of ticks and give us food. Chickens ROCK!

View attachment 3031573

Dang!! Just reading this made me exhausted!! Sounds very productive and hopefully it’s not reachable to the goats or chickens! They will for sure see it as nice fresh plantings to dig up and destroy as entertainment Silly chickens and guineas! They just don’t know what’s good for them!

 

[kurby22]

Finally home from our trip and all my babies are still alive and well! The chicks have grown so fast! The little one I thought was a frizzle girl I’m thinking now is a frizzle boy

My other chickens seem totally fine and we had lots of eggs! I missed them Excited to add my new Ameraucanas so the boys have more ladies. Happy to be home!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Think your guesses are pretty spot on.
Good morning to everyone else hope all chickens are well.;

 

[TropicalBabies]

Aloha gang! So good to hear about all of your adventures! I am a visual learner so need photos of new Ameraucana's, PJ'S chicks all the planted fruit trees (etc, etc, etc!)
Lots of work you got going on @GoatsandGuineas dont over do it if you have not already.
So fun coming home to babies and eggs. Glad you are back safe @kurby22 .

I have been working around the house and yard. Got some bromeliads planted in the news pots after leveling and filling with chicken run dirt (lol) compost and mulch. Let's hope dh does not run them over.

Been cleaning and sanding my old teak chairs, all will just be maintenance after today if I make it out to work on them.

Chicks are soooooo cute and fun. But ready to give them some outside time with the flock under my watchful eye.

And flock is terrific as always ♡ how's all them butts up?

and this action shot lol. Koa's brother rounding the corner on 2 wheels, pullet running for her life and Manono calmly visiting with the chicks. Lol

Since I am sure you are wondering. He cornered her in the nest box where I kindly was able to capture him and sequester him to his garden area. Horney little buggah.