What did you do with your flock today?

[Shetland lover]

Oh, interesting! I wonder how my girls would do with something like that. They're pretty big scaredy cats lol.

That's a valid concern. I would never be able to completely bird proof their area, at least not anytime soon, so unfortunately potential diseases is something I have to risk. If the wild birds will find their way in anyway, I'd rather not accidentally kill them in the process. : (

I went to the feed store yesterday and on the way I noticed a lot of people have grapes. It got me thinking, that might be doable as far as safety goes. I haven't figured out all the logistics yet, whether I'll grow them on arches or like what you'd see in a vineyard. But it would provide safety for my girls, let the wild birds in without getting hurt, and still look nicer than any netting. While the hawks could technically get through if they were determined enough, the ones in my area are fairly lazy and could easily hunt in the field right by my house.
For a while I was toying with the idea of planting more trees (and I still plan to do that) those take too long to get big enough. The idea of planting other things didn't really occur to me, lol.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! I really appreciate it. I'm saving all the ideas in my notes, that way I have backup plans for if this doesn't work, or if I ever move somewhere it's more doable.

I didn't think of that but my run has a very prickly climbing rose, a kiwi vine, chocolate vine and a black grape vine over it. They provide excellent shade - which is why I planted them - but provide protection too.

 

[Shetland lover]

Today was chicken project finale day for my kids and the Poultry Project 4-H group! I’m exhausted but it was a good day! My 4 poultry kids did really well! Two of the kids (the not mine two) won ribbons in Novice Showmanship out of about 12 kids. They give out ribbons for 1-5th place and they got 4th and 5th. Proud coach! My son got a Participation ribbon for Primary Showmanship (no one ribbons) and Aria was in a class of 23 kids ages 9-13…so she did super well but no ribbon! The tiny dinos we got as Dylan’s show birds got a third, a first and the rooster boy got Best Modern Game bantam! That meant he went to Champion row and considered for Best in Show—but a bantam white leghorn got it—boo! Ruby is recovering from a rooster fight and Jager broke his sickle feathers…so they only placed second in their classes and the new boy George the bobtail got 3rd.

I never thought I’d say this…but I’m looking forward to the summer when things slow down and I get some weekends back! The past month I’ve seen my backyard gen pop flocks of chickens maybe 2-3 times total I miss them!

Anywho, so very tired but wanted to share Keep falling asleep typing haha!

Wow! Well done kids, coach and chickens!!! Fabulous achievements all round

 

[Shetland lover]

I think chickens are way smarter than we give them credit for. In the past, the feral hens, I believe, have asked me to help their young. I firmly belive this from circumstance and behavior.
This eve, DH and I were washing vehicles and I noticed the big feral flock walking across the road to the yard across the street. Then one of the littles, about 2 months old by my guess, stopped and started walking towards me. I don't feed this flock. I had the hose and squirted towards it so it would get out of the road and run back and keep up with its flock. It did for a second but then started walking back towards me Again.
Some young girls were riding their bikes and stopped and picked it up but set it down because it had pox. I asked them to help me catch it, now it was scared, i would care for it. So they did and now it is in my hospital.View attachment 3519654View attachment 3519655View attachment 3519657
Poor little guy. On vitamins, antibiotic and soft food. Got the puss cleaned out from its eye and flushed it and checked for bugs. Currently roosting on a branch I provided, calm as can be. Welp. The worst is over for it, I do believe.

Poor little chap! At least he's in the best hands now. Wishing him a speedy recovery ❤
I also believe animals ask us for help when they're in trouble. I've experienced it and witnessed it too many times not to be convinced.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Today was chicken project finale day for my kids and the Poultry Project 4-H group! I’m exhausted but it was a good day! My 4 poultry kids did really well! Two of the kids (the not mine two) won ribbons in Novice Showmanship out of about 12 kids. They give out ribbons for 1-5th place and they got 4th and 5th. Proud coach! My son got a Participation ribbon for Primary Showmanship (no one ribbons) and Aria was in a class of 23 kids ages 9-13…so she did super well but no ribbon! The tiny dinos we got as Dylan’s show birds got a third, a first and the rooster boy got Best Modern Game bantam! That meant he went to Champion row and considered for Best in Show—but a bantam white leghorn got it—boo! Ruby is recovering from a rooster fight and Jager broke his sickle feathers…so they only placed second in their classes and the new boy George the bobtail got 3rd.

I never thought I’d say this…but I’m looking forward to the summer when things slow down and I get some weekends back! The past month I’ve seen my backyard gen pop flocks of chickens maybe 2-3 times total I miss them!

Anywho, so very tired but wanted to share Keep falling asleep typing haha!

Oh wow! So exciting and exhausting at same time! Congrats though on so many well done there! That sounds so fun to do with the kids!
I feel ya missing ya flock! I finally got few minutes after everyone left last night to sit with mine...I think they thought I had abandoned em! They each one got some luvins whether they wanted it or not!
Then my daughter txts at near midnight to tell me her 4 yr old is throwing up constantly....OMGeeze im so over all the sicknesses! And the men all wanna boycott each others families cuz they are convinced it is same thing the other has each time...even if different symptoms! Lord help us!

What a pretty coop!

Awe thanks... it's always a work in progress but I'm so very grateful for how far it has come over the past 2 years!!!

@TropicalBabies you are such a sweet one to care for so many along the way! Your skills and patience amaze me!

 

[ChicksnMore]

Today was chicken project finale day for my kids and the Poultry Project 4-H group! I’m exhausted but it was a good day! My 4 poultry kids did really well! Two of the kids (the not mine two) won ribbons in Novice Showmanship out of about 12 kids. They give out ribbons for 1-5th place and they got 4th and 5th. Proud coach! My son got a Participation ribbon for Primary Showmanship (no one ribbons) and Aria was in a class of 23 kids ages 9-13…so she did super well but no ribbon! The tiny dinos we got as Dylan’s show birds got a third, a first and the rooster boy got Best Modern Game bantam! That meant he went to Champion row and considered for Best in Show—but a bantam white leghorn got it—boo! Ruby is recovering from a rooster fight and Jager broke his sickle feathers…so they only placed second in their classes and the new boy George the bobtail got 3rd.

I never thought I’d say this…but I’m looking forward to the summer when things slow down and I get some weekends back! The past month I’ve seen my backyard gen pop flocks of chickens maybe 2-3 times total I miss them!

Anywho, so very tired but wanted to share Keep falling asleep typing haha!

Congratulations on a great day! Sounds like everyone had fun and got something to show for their efforts A little down time is well deserved. Great job momma!

I want one!!!!

Me too!

I think chickens are way smarter than we give them credit for. In the past, the feral hens, I believe, have asked me to help their young. I firmly belive this from circumstance and behavior.
This eve, DH and I were washing vehicles and I noticed the big feral flock walking across the road to the yard across the street. Then one of the littles, about 2 months old by my guess, stopped and started walking towards me. I don't feed this flock. I had the hose and squirted towards it so it would get out of the road and run back and keep up with its flock. It did for a second but then started walking back towards me Again.
Some young girls were riding their bikes and stopped and picked it up but set it down because it had pox. I asked them to help me catch it, now it was scared, i would care for it. So they did and now it is in my hospital.View attachment 3519654View attachment 3519655View attachment 3519657
Poor little guy. On vitamins, antibiotic and soft food. Got the puss cleaned out from its eye and flushed it and checked for bugs. Currently roosting on a branch I provided, calm as can be. Welp. The worst is over for it, I do believe.

Wow that looks like a bad case! So glad you're helping the little one... don't think that one would make it without aid. I've never seen wet pox before. Looks so painful.
I also firmly believe animals ask for help sometimes.

Oh wow! So exciting and exhausting at same time! Congrats though on so many well done there! That sounds so fun to do with the kids!
I feel ya missing ya flock! I finally got few minutes after everyone left last night to sit with mine...I think they thought I had abandoned em! They each one got some luvins whether they wanted it or not!
Then my daughter txts at near midnight to tell me her 4 yr old is throwing up constantly....OMGeeze im so over all the sicknesses! And the men all wanna boycott each others families cuz they are convinced it is same thing the other has each time...even if different symptoms! Lord help us!

Awe thanks... it's always a work in progress but I'm so very grateful for how far it has come over the past 2 years!!!

@TropicalBabies you are such a sweet one to care for so many along the way! Your skills and patience amaze me!

Sounds so busy there! Hope all this sick time slows and passes soon. Little ones are so good at picking up every sickness around aren't they? Then they insist on drinking from moms cup because her waters best etc...well, mine always did that anyhow...

 

[kurby22]

Wow! Well done kids, coach and chickens!!! Fabulous achievements all round

Thank you!

Congratulations on the success and also for the possibility of some down time! Time to recharge those batteries, I hope

Yeah the recharge is a must!! I’m so ready to be at home on my weekends for a bit!

Oh wow! So exciting and exhausting at same time! Congrats though on so many well done there! That sounds so fun to do with the kids!
I feel ya missing ya flock! I finally got few minutes after everyone left last night to sit with mine...I think they thought I had abandoned em! They each one got some luvins whether they wanted it or not!
Then my daughter txts at near midnight to tell me her 4 yr old is throwing up constantly....OMGeeze im so over all the sicknesses! And the men all wanna boycott each others families cuz they are convinced it is same thing the other has each time...even if different symptoms! Lord help us!

Awe thanks... it's always a work in progress but I'm so very grateful for how far it has come over the past 2 years!!!

@TropicalBabies you are such a sweet one to care for so many along the way! Your skills and patience amaze me!

Thanks @Gammas Bearded Babies! Now if only the summer here was “crazy” and didn’t get super hot! I can’t believe the illnesses y’all are dealing with!! I feel for all of you and hope it ends soon!

Congratulations on a great day! Sounds like everyone had fun and got something to show for their efforts A little down time is well deserved. Great job momma!

Me too!

Wow that looks like a bad case! So glad you're helping the little one... don't think that one would make it without aid. I've never seen wet pox before. Looks so painful.
I also firmly believe animals ask for help sometimes.

Sounds so busy there! Hope all this sick time slows and passes soon. Little ones are so good at picking up every sickness around aren't they? Then they insist on drinking from moms cup because her waters best etc...well, mine always did that anyhow...

Thanks

 

[kurby22]

I think chickens are way smarter than we give them credit for. In the past, the feral hens, I believe, have asked me to help their young. I firmly belive this from circumstance and behavior.
This eve, DH and I were washing vehicles and I noticed the big feral flock walking across the road to the yard across the street. Then one of the littles, about 2 months old by my guess, stopped and started walking towards me. I don't feed this flock. I had the hose and squirted towards it so it would get out of the road and run back and keep up with its flock. It did for a second but then started walking back towards me Again.
Some young girls were riding their bikes and stopped and picked it up but set it down because it had pox. I asked them to help me catch it, now it was scared, i would care for it. So they did and now it is in my hospital.View attachment 3519654View attachment 3519655View attachment 3519657
Poor little guy. On vitamins, antibiotic and soft food. Got the puss cleaned out from its eye and flushed it and checked for bugs. Currently roosting on a branch I provided, calm as can be. Welp. The worst is over for it, I do believe.

Wow that’s a nasty case of dry pox!! Poor baby is lucky to have found you! I’m thinking the ferals have your address when they know they need help

 

[cityhomesteading]

I had some strawberries in the freezer from last year and a browning banana. It’s hit 80 here a couple times so I blended them up, froze them into ice cubes and gave them to my girls to help cool off. They seemed to love them.

 

[Maddcatter]

think chickens are way smarter than we give them credit for. In the past, the feral hens, I believe, have asked me to help their young. I firmly belive this from circumstance and behavior.

So... It's been flooding here... (This is unusual, for all that I'm in Texas. My part of the state is "high desert" and weeks of rainfall is not normal)
Anyway, I was baking cookies (cause what else do you do on a cloudy day?) And the birds start making a bunch of noise, so I pop open a door, and hear a kitten crying.
Checked my cats, they're fine. Put in shoes, run toward the crying... And it stops.... Can't find the kitten, and it's crying near the road, (which has several feet of water in drainage ditches right now) so I figure it ran off, or drown. Kick myself for being slow, and I go back to my now slightly burnt cookies.
... Lock up my birds at 9:30ish last night because thats when it was actually dark, get my cats their dinner... And hear the clarion call of a distressed kitten again. I managed to be slighty more sneaky, or the kitten decided I wasn't the devil... And it ran up a tree, but continued to cry.
My neighbor's now have a new kitten. Pretty sure it was originally some one's pet... So now it is again. Idk if it got dumped, but it was not in street cat condition.
Animals certainly ask for help.
One of my 8 weeker chickens asked to be carried over a puddle yesterday. They're definitely smarter than they get credit for.

Today, I removed the gate I had in place for the 8 weeker chicks to hide behind in the coop, as everyone seems to be getting along!
Checked the progress on the duck eggs I put under my chicken. This plan seems to have backfired. I now have 3 super broody chickens that all want to sit on eggs. Duck eggs are developing.
My previously well behaved girls are occasionally pecking at me... Cause broody. Chicken keeper life is more exciting than I was lead to believe...

 

[Shetland lover]

I had some strawberries in the freezer from last year and a browning banana. It’s hit 80 here a couple times so I blended them up, froze them into ice cubes and gave them to my girls to help cool off. They seemed to love them. View attachment 3519942

I freeze redcurrants for mine. Perfect size for bantam beaks. I'm sure Gladys thinks she's a bantam now as she will only take tiny morsels - unless it's mice or something she doesn't want anyone else having...