What did you do with your flock today?

[pennyJo1960]

This is what I have been doing for close to a week.
stripping the fabric. Glue had been used on two shelves scrubbed that off.
paint bought started need to let the shelves dry over night then can finish it.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Can try at night when he is roosting if need. Don't terrorize him and make him ever weirder lol. All about the calm and steady ♡ I start when my boys are little and it seems to help. I know I have made it through a few (50++?) snotty teens and have only recently had one that I thought may be off. I rehome them for # or noise or looks. Never people aggression and once hen prejudice but I bought him as a 2yo. Good boy, beautiful babies but NO ONE picks on mommy's babies lol. So I know how you feel. Again, it is tough if you don't have a matriarch to wallop bad behavior.

Ya know, I once had this beautiful cockerel, my first I think and same age as my girls. Boy he was a sh*t to them. Anywho, I took him down to our pasture and let the big boys kick his butt for a day. Had to do it 2x but he came back well mannered to the ladies. He was the only one I had to do that with. It was so sad it was funny. He was literally crying. Me too inside (lol)

I held all of them and carried them all around. Up until about a week ago or so. I hurt myself pretty bad when I was pregnant 2 yrs ago with my little guy and my ankle hasn’t been the same since. I wish I knew someone with older Roosters. Unfortunately everyone around here has hens, well everyone I know. I would love to put him in a pen with older ones and knock his attitude down a few notches. I won’t just give up on him. I don’t have the heart to. Even if I wanted to. I will give him the best effort and try everything before I get rid of him in any way.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Welp. I am a big fan of picking up my boys, especially when bad. You are the senior hen as those girls are too young to stick up for themselves. You dont have to be unpleasant, just pick him up and walk the yard. In my opinion, picking up and carring is a polite form of dominance and it will serve you well in your future together. The minute he starts that bad behavior scoop him up and go for a walk. Talk sweet, give him treats, be kind. If he gets rough with you give him a peck with your finger.
You also may want to consider separating him from the girls for more than a few months if need be. Having cockerels with no older chickens to put them in their place is tricky. I hope he mellows

Kinda makes me wander if Joey could be jealous of the attention the babies all get now. Before it got sultry hot he n I would go for walks and he loved it!
Now I just let him out to follow me rather than me holding him so as not to overheat him.

 

[DobieClose]

T

Beautiful girls!

hanks!

 

[pennyJo1960]

So mine come running when I go in like maybe she has something ? still never figured out how I got a white bird ? the Son got my camera back on my phone.

 

[ChicksnMore]

@racyfamily lots of good advice from everyone. I use separation...but sounds like it might take a little while with him just because the girls are all young. Hope it works out well!

@Gammas Bearded Babies I do wash the herbs before drying, then hang them upside down to dry.

@TropicalBabies they seem happy I can see at least one of the hens has been scratching around in the nest area and they always love fresh turned dirt.
Next month I'll start letting them out to play some...that's when the real difference will start for them.

I still have some work to do in there...I need to hang the feeder and add a mouse trap and it's cover. I was going to add some cinder blocks for bugs...then realized my stump chair should work the same. It'll take a few dirt turns before the ground loosens up deep enough for them to have really good dust baths. Right now the dirt's still chunky and rocky...as I turn it and they scratch at it, the texture will improve. I usually rake rocks out too when I turn.

@pennyJo1960 that looks like a fun project!

Drove through a rainy patch on the drive home and stopped to enjoy it for a few. Of course, at my house which is soo close to the spot I stopped...it was dry as a bone still . But hoping for rain tonight!

 

[ChicksnMore]

So mine come running when I go in like maybe she has something ? still never figured out how I got a white bird ? the Son got my camera back on my phone.View attachment 3197785

Maybe a splash? I see some blues there so could be? They know where their goodies come from don't they!

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

@racyfamily lots of good advice from everyone. I use separation...but sounds like it might take a little while with him just because the girls are all young. Hope it works out well!

@Gammas Bearded Babies I do wash the herbs before drying, then hang them upside down to dry.

@TropicalBabies they seem happy I can see at least one of the hens has been scratching around in the nest area and they always love fresh turned dirt.
Next month I'll start letting them out to play some...that's when the real difference will start for them.

I still have some work to do in there...I need to hang the feeder and add a mouse trap and it's cover. I was going to add some cinder blocks for bugs...then realized my stump chair should work the same. It'll take a few dirt turns before the ground loosens up deep enough for them to have really good dust baths. Right now the dirt's still chunky and rocky...as I turn it and they scratch at it, the texture will improve. I usually rake rocks out too when I turn.

@pennyJo1960 that looks like a fun project!

Drove through a rainy patch on the drive home and stopped to enjoy it for a few. Of course, at my house which is soo close to the spot I stopped...it was dry as a bone still . But hoping for rain tonight!

View attachment 3197813
View attachment 3197815

Wow this is your home area?! Amazing!

 

[FrankieDoodle]

So I did get the main painting done today! Tomorrow I'll add some play perches, move the ducks into a temporary pen while I get their new house ready, and hopefully move the chickens at bedtime. I'm so excited
I have a tree stump in the dwarfs current coop so I can just hang out with em, but it's not the same as letting them out to play. We get a lot of hawks here so I still won't let them free range...but I'm always outside in the evening and can let them have some playtime while I'm out there. Here's where the coops at tonight.View attachment 3195362

Next I'll have to redo the dwarfs current coop to fit the ducks. It just needs all the chicken stuff torn out and the dirt turned to freshen it up. We used to have the ducks in the garden area and I just loved having them running around there. They'd follow us around and quack at us til we offered them tidbits from the pond buckets I have scattered all over. I hope they still do that.

When I'm done with that, the next project will be to tear apart the 5 mini coops my daughter made me right after I got the dwarfs. I tried keeping them separated into 5 little flocks like my friend kept them, but I just really didn't enjoy that. The mini coops and runs felt too small and I didn't have the heart to ask my kid to build me something better...bless her heart for being willing to though. I spent more time worrying about them then enjoying them. So anyways...I'll tear them apart and rebuild it as one or two small coops for isolation, culls or whatevers needed at the moment. Yay because I think I can do it now!

And somewhere in there I'll get the roof on my other two pens...once I have shade there I can start work on adding coops to them so I can get my yokos moved nearer to the house. And do the work on the horse area that's been neglected for two years...and and...lol.

Well...that's all going to take a while eh.

Can't tell you all how good it feels to be getting stuff done again though. I still can't run or walk fast...but I'm getting there and I'm overjoyed

I love your coop!! Those are some really nice colors!

Quick update! Honey is starting to mend, Ruby never got sick, just a few sneezes, and Axel is still with us. Yesterday he couldn’t use his right side wing but today he has been moving around a lot and more vocal. He’s gotten vitamin E and B complex vitamins for about three days now and I may be delusional but I am hopeful it’s progress.

Other big news—Marshmallow and Chocolate both laid their first eggs I think! They’re small first eggs, but they are beautiful

That’s great news!! I’m so glad they’re getting better, and congrats on the eggs!

Good morning gang!
Well, still down here by the ocean and I did not pack a single thing yesterday lol. But the house is clean and DH has a fridge full of yummy food, so 1 ☑ .

This morning has a nice coolness to it though I won't be fooled, I know it will be a warm one again. I need to get my butt in gear. Don't know why I am dragging my feet -beside a few tasks left undone and some primetime- but still, I should be raring to go! Salads galore, long walk/hikes, no melting heat... glorious stillness and cool projects await, and of course, chicken forest folly too ♡

@kurby22 congrats on the upswing! I hope it is your new trend ♡

@FrankieDoodle I am so sorry. I hear flystrike is a dangerous PIA and am sorry you are having to deal with but grateful for your share. Good to be reminded to keep an extra eye out for these things.

@racyfamily I am glad that you are able to handle your coon issue b4 it becomes a disaster. Am sure it must be hard on many levels as raccoons are truly attractive and respectable creatures- unless you want to raise chickens, then it is war. It must be draining. Sorry for the kids. Hopefully, one day they will understand the choices you had to make. We are their teachers ♡ all you can do is your best.

@ChicksnMore you are truly an impressive and amazing woman warrior ♡ your new coop looks awesome and you were very quick about it- injured foot and all! Love the paint job for your AZ home. Must look fabulous contrasted with your desert terrain ♡♡♡ hope your foot forgives you your ladder work.

@DobieClose I like your matching outfit with your BR lol and your emoji! Good fun!

Ok. Well, I know I missed some stuff as I always do. I'll try to catch it later. I wish you all a good day and healthy happy flocks ♡
Better get my move on...

Thank you! I remember researching flystrike years ago, but I never ONCE thought it would happen to my birds. I’m definitely going to be incorporating butt-checks in my chicken health routine.

Most of my extended family is out of state on a family reunion. Ever since the possibility of going was mentioned, I’ve had sort of this sick-ish feeling. I thought it was just because I don’t trust my dad to take care of my pigeons, plus traveling in COVID, but now I’m pretty sure it was because of Beigie. The maggots work really fast, I don’t think there would be much left of her by the time I got home. Always listen to your gut. :,)

 

[FrankieDoodle]

Beigie is acting a lot better the past two days, and yesterday her usual, feral I-can’t-be-contained came out. It didn’t last long after I gave her more snacks, but that’s incredibly encouraging.
Unfortunately (fortunately?) for her, she’s going to be stuck inside for a few more days. I’m not comfortable having her out just yet, at least not while her wounds are still healing.

Today I let Fergus and Squirrel out with the big girls. Fergie is so tall, she looks like a secretary bird. XD

They’re really un-photogenic, but I hope I can get them used to the camera soon. They’re so cute!

And I’ve been training Sonny to jump on my arm when I snap. She already knows, and likes, to jump on me, but I’ve been working on a different cue. In the past I’ve just pat my arm, but this is easier for her to recognize. Now she comes running whenever she hears me snap, lol.