What did you do with your flock today?

[ChicksnMore]

My friend came and picked up his two black shoulder babies today. It was so cute, he was just certain those are white peafowl even with the brown more visible on the wings. But he decided to take my word for it . I've hatched four for him so far and have four more of his eggs to go. We talked feed for a bit and I learned that the silver pied pair he wants to give me aren't laying this year and at four years old they should be laying well. They're barely out of babyhood. He's going to try adding some fresh veggies to their diet and up their protein. I think veggies are so important for them and often overlooked. it does the trick for him and his birds. He's a sweetheart and tries hard to take good care of his babies.

Going to miss one of his babies. It preferred to eat from my finger instead of the bowl. Just a sweety.

Had one more pea hatch. A pretty little white baby from my friends eggs. This one I get to keep. Hoping it's a little girl to go with my white boy Bowie. I have him with dark pied girls right now but was hoping to find an unrelated white girl for him too. Bowie and the dark pieds only hatch silver pied babies.

Nothing else hatching til next week! So today's brooder cleaning day. Chickens are all doing great too.

Here's the new little white girl.

 

[Nomadicus]

I carried one of my pet pullets around like a football as I make morning rounds. She was a great helper. She waited patiently until I got back to her coop and then she got her rations for the day. It's time to make a quick afternoon before nap check on the kids again.

 

[PopoMyers]

So I promised pictures. Here are pictures!

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so many different breeds, and all just fascinating colors and characteristics!

 

[PopoMyers]

Today I was on my hands and knees chasing baby chicks again ‍♀.
I like incubating chicks SO. MUCH. BETTER. I was able to corral them all a little faster this time, so there. I promptly fed them more mealworms to show them who is boss again.
Let 2 broodies out of jail last eve and placed on roost. So far... think we are ok.
Scraped boards, scrubbed and filled waterers. Temps in the mid 80's.

Aren't the mommas taking care of the chicks? Or do you have a different setup for them? Save those hands and knees. I can't do that anymore. Doctor's orders.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Aren't the mommas taking care of the chicks? Or do you have a different setup for them? Save those hands and knees. I can't do that anymore. Doctor's orders.

Momma is doing a great job. I am impressed .
I had an appointment and did not want the under 1 week olds free ranging whilst I was away, mom or not. I like them all to take a nap and recharge in their brooder where they can fill up on their food and water. Yes, I'm sure I have a different set up. It is kind of a pain till babies figure out how to get back up into their brooder. Usually around 1.5-2 weeks.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Last night a neighbor cat chased a feral chick a few properties down and into another neighbors yard. I could hear it chirping for its mom till later eve. This morning it showed up in my yard where I was a little hopeful that my broody would be dumb enough to take it on or the feral mom who is responsible for dumping her chicks on me would. They both have under 2 week old chicks and it would be a good match but no takers for this little one.

I captured it and put it in my lower brooder with food and water. Hoping I can spy its mom and return it but so far, nope. Oh well . What is one more tiny mouth?

 

[Smokerbill]

My chickens have been staying in the backyard thanks to the fences and barriers I put in place. They haven't figured out that they can get to the front yard by going all the way around the garden. I think it's because they'd have to cross a long space of open yard, unprotected by trees, and they don't like having open sky above their heads for too long. It's always a mad dash when they cross the yard to the edge of the woods.

I took walks with them a couple of times today, leading them down to the composting area where I just watched them scratch around and eat grass and seeds. They all seem very healthy, and all the poop I see laying around looks normal. There's a little bit of back and forth pushing their weight around, but nothing too aggressive.

But one of the pullets just seems "off" a little, like she has no confidence. Seems to hang back from the flock at times, but once she joins she acts just like the rest of them. And she seems totally healthy too, so I guess it's nothing to be concerned about.

And I realized yesterday that I pretty much blocked off access to the electric meter reader with my fences. I need to get that figured out in the next couple of weeks.

 

[Shetland lover]

My friend came and picked up his two black shoulder babies today. It was so cute, he was just certain those are white peafowl even with the brown more visible on the wings. But he decided to take my word for it . I've hatched four for him so far and have four more of his eggs to go. We talked feed for a bit and I learned that the silver pied pair he wants to give me aren't laying this year and at four years old they should be laying well. They're barely out of babyhood. He's going to try adding some fresh veggies to their diet and up their protein. I think veggies are so important for them and often overlooked. it does the trick for him and his birds. He's a sweetheart and tries hard to take good care of his babies.

Going to miss one of his babies. It preferred to eat from my finger instead of the bowl. Just a sweety.

Had one more pea hatch. A pretty little white baby from my friends eggs. This one I get to keep. Hoping it's a little girl to go with my white boy Bowie. I have him with dark pied girls right now but was hoping to find an unrelated white girl for him too. Bowie and the dark pieds only hatch silver pied babies.

Nothing else hatching til next week! So today's brooder cleaning day. Chickens are all doing great too.

Here's the new little white girl.View attachment 3552984

She is absolutely gorgeous
Lucky you!

 

[Shetland lover]

I carried one of my pet pullets around like a football as I make morning rounds. She was a great helper. She waited patiently until I got back to her coop and then she got her rations for the day. It's time to make a quick afternoon before nap check on the kids again.

I carry Stan round like that then offer him up to the roses to do pest clearance. No aphids on my blooms
Lovely morning here. Here's a few of the roses he cleared last week:

The stripey one is called Ferdinand Pichard. I named Ferdy after it as it bloomed for the first time the day Ferdy hatched. Its one of my favourites.

 

[Shetland lover]

My chickens have been staying in the backyard thanks to the fences and barriers I put in place. They haven't figured out that they can get to the front yard by going all the way around the garden. I think it's because they'd have to cross a long space of open yard, unprotected by trees, and they don't like having open sky above their heads for too long. It's always a mad dash when they cross the yard to the edge of the woods.

I took walks with them a couple of times today, leading them down to the composting area where I just watched them scratch around and eat grass and seeds. They all seem very healthy, and all the poop I see laying around looks normal. There's a little bit of back and forth pushing their weight around, but nothing too aggressive.

But one of the pullets just seems "off" a little, like she has no confidence. Seems to hang back from the flock at times, but once she joins she acts just like the rest of them. And she seems totally healthy too, so I guess it's nothing to be concerned about.

And I realized yesterday that I pretty much blocked off access to the electric meter reader with my fences. I need to get that figured out in the next couple of weeks.

Is she just bottom of the pecking order? Pru is currently my bottom girl (it changes every time one goes broody, it seems) and she is always hanging back a bit and is usually the last one to come in for treats, gets bullied a tiny bit going into the coop at bedtime etc.