What did you do with your flock today?

[ChicksnMore]

15 wks. old. Our dad is a Sapphire Gem. Possible moms are: Sapphire Gem, golden comet, ISA Brown, Black sex link, Welsummer, Cream Legbar x BCMaran. Earl, #1 & 3, is sporting cream colored hackles, brown spots in wings. Which of these breeds has a recessive white feather gene? Will Pikake #4, lay white eggs? Onyx, #5 pic, is definitely CL x BCM. She has hair like her broody mom Xena. #2( RIP). What do you all think? I was trying to look up breed heritage. Another cockerel looks like a darker barred rock, so definitely SG mom.
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I've never studied genetics for long enough to have them down...but I believe your all white lady, Will Pikake #4 is carrying recessive white. That cockerel looks like he's going to grow up gorgeous

Woke up today to the first winter wonderland. I shoveled some places out for the chickens so they didn’t have to walk in the snow, but none of them are interested in come out. They also decided it would be a great idea to bust open an egg. They didn’t eat it but I’m normally really good at getting the eggs. This one though was later before their normal times so I wasn’t expecting them to lay. The ducks came out and stood around out of their pond before going in but sure enough they did. I will have to post a picture of the chickens when they decide to get out.

O that looks cold! I have these romanticized memories of snow...but beauty aside, that looks so cold!

Well the chickens came out. So I gave them some cracked corn get them moving cause they were just hanging out under the coop.

Smart birdies

Welp, the waterer was frozen solid this morning for the first time so I plugged it in to thaw. Today I will finally wrap the coop and tend to any other preps for the new england winter! I think the only really good part about freezing temps and chickens is that all the potential harmful bugs die! I think? Lol. Do mites survive winters?

At least most of em die! Hooray for that right! Pretty girl there

 

[ChicksnMore]

All 400+ hog rings are installed, holding the 150' fencing seam together. Yay! Just one more gate for DH to make and this latest change will be done. What's your next coop change in configuration? Never ending, . Maybe we'll get the garlic planted today. Gets dark before 5. At least it's sunny and dry, mid 40's to 50 highs this week. Christmas is in 40 days!

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that's constantly changing my coops... Congrats on the hog rings....that sounds like a chore!
We're getting dark around 5 too. Sounds like lovely weather there

 

[TropicalBabies]

How are you feeling and how is the bite?

 

[FBMcrazy8]

I've never studied genetics for long enough to have them down...but I believe your all white lady, Will Pikake #4 is carrying recessive white. That cockerel looks like he's going to grow up gorgeous

O that looks cold! I have these romanticized memories of snow...but beauty aside, that looks so cold!

Smart birdies

At least most of em die! Hooray for that right! Pretty girl there

Surprisingly it wasn’t too cold this morning. It only got down in the 20s with wind chill at night/early morning. When it’s been down into the teens. AND no wind. The wind makes such a big difference. I love the “warm” snow. Basically when there is like a layer of snow everywhere but everything is calm. No wind, no breeze, just still air. I don’t know if that makes any since but anyway….

 

[TropicalBabies]

Good morning and happy aloha Tuesday chicken & ducks + people.

The weather change looks delicious in photo. Those ducks could not be any cuter or look any happier, pretty sure ♡♡♡
Nice job on all the hard work @Popo & @fbm & @chicks.
I wish I had the room to continually work on coops etc but in this second i'm happy to not have another thing to do lol. would love photos!

Hows the chick hunt going miss @kurby and how is @Gammas?! You 2 have been quiet. I know busy but miss your 2cents.

 

[Shetland lover]

Hey everyone. I've also been reconfiguring my run but work ground to a halt today due to excessive rain and tonsillitis. The ground is really soaked and muddy and everyone had mud socks before bed - except Gladys, my Shetland hen with her naked feet. I tried to keep Clara in most of the day as it was cold as well as wet and she's down to half a dozen feathers. Ferdy tried to tidbit my wild robin today when he landed amongst the flock. Robin was like, 'nope!' Ferdy was watching chicks on YouTube last night and making mamma hen noises at them. He is such a funny little roo!

Everyone on here seems to be having such a rough time lately (me included) so I thought I might share what someone said to me recently:

" We can't be okay all the time, and we can't always force ourselves to act as if we are. Sometimes we just have to accept that we are human, and tired, and maybe a little sad or poorly or hurting, and we need to give ourselves the loving care we would to any small creature in need. You deserve rest, and care, and kindness by the simple fact that you are human. You don't have to earn it, and you don't have to make up for it after the fact"

I think there's some wisdom there.

P.s. can someone please tell me how to 'love' posts, I'm sick of just being able to use the 'like' button when i mean 'love'!

 

[FrankieDoodle]

Hey everyone. I've also been reconfiguring my run but work ground to a halt today due to excessive rain and tonsillitis. The ground is really soaked and muddy and everyone had mud socks before bed - except Gladys, my Shetland hen with her naked feet. I tried to keep Clara in most of the day as it was cold as well as wet and she's down to half a dozen feathers. Ferdy tried to tidbit my wild robin today when he landed amongst the flock. Robin was like, 'nope!' Ferdy was watching chicks on YouTube last night and making mamma hen noises at them. He is such a funny little roo!

Everyone on here seems to be having such a rough time lately (me included) so I thought I might share what someone said to me recently:

" We can't be okay all the time, and we can't always force ourselves to act as if we are. Sometimes we just have to accept that we are human, and tired, and maybe a little sad or poorly or hurting, and we need to give ourselves the loving care we would to any small creature in need. You deserve rest, and care, and kindness by the simple fact that you are human. You don't have to earn it, and you don't have to make up for it after the fact"

I think there's some wisdom there.

P.s. can someone please tell me how to 'love' posts, I'm sick of just being able to use the 'like' button when i mean 'love'!

That’s a great quote!

If you’re on a phone, hold down the “like” button and more options should pop up. If you’re on a desktop then I think you just need to hover the mouse over it? I don’t know if it’s different in other devices.

 

[FrankieDoodle]

Finally collected the pictures. Sorry in advance if I’ve posted these already.
Iris.

Beigie.

Watson.

Molly. She’s in really bad shape. I don’t know how much longer she’ll be around. : (((

Renie.

Squirrel.

Toad

Fergus.

And an honerable mention goes to Beckett’s new feathers, lol.

 

[PopoMyers]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that's constantly changing my coops... Congrats on the hog rings....that sounds like a chore!
We're getting dark around 5 too. Sounds like lovely weather there

Thanks, took a couple hours, but the hog ring pliers sure made it simple. Better than cutting pieces of wire and winding it around. Your profile does not tell where you are. Must be in the upper latitudes like WA.

 

[PopoMyers]

@FrankieDoodle, what a fun, pretty flock! Love your variety. Seems I have mostly neutral colored ones at the moment. Not the eye candy that yours are. Beckett has that beautiful green sheen, and she will be sleek when her new feathers are complete.