What did you do with your flock today?

[ChicksnMore]

Yeah, I love the ones that bliss out! Penny my mottled bantam EE used to sprawl out on my chest upside down whenever I held her. She's been my sweet and most friendly girl from the start.

I know, the watermaal chicks are just so itty bitty and adorable!! I love the little markings and cheek fluff!

Too many adorable breeds out there! I keep having to remind myself that I have enough But watermaals! Even their names a pleasure.

Since Penelope passed, Stan has been a nightmare. At the moment, I have him separated from everyone except Gladys. If he gets uppity with her, she firmly puts him in his place. Think we're going to have to get him a replacement girl at some point soon.

Poor Stan must be missing her eh? I had a friend who's husband passed after 72 years of marriage. She'd always enjoyed perfect health, but she passed 3 months later from a broken heart I believe. I'm glad Stans expressing the loss in uppityness... good for him

 

[ChicksnMore]

Well, the 4h lady came yesterday, and a fellow who was waiting to see if she took all my oegb spangle cockerels and pullets came today to pick up the three she didn't buy. Really really nice fellow. He wants more hens and I'll definitely call him next time I'm reducing my flocks. He talks some but he didn't want ten hours of my time . He wants oegb though and I rarely breed those. I usually let Henny hatch up to 6 eggs a year is all. They're just beloved pets because Henny and Sir Clucks are special. I keep the two because I love them, and a few more just so my two darlings can have a flock. Boy there's an awful lot of people that want those though.

Now I just have my 2 poorly combed yokos and one unwanted yearling white peacock to re-home. My hamburgs I bought last year I'm only keeping two of. Luckily one roo and one hen look pretty good to me so I'll work with those for a year before I decide what I think. I definitely love the breed. If these two breed well I'll buy another batch from another hatchery to see if I can get a couple more decent birds from a different line.

The extra hamburgs go home to a neighbor next week when she's back from vacation. And then that's it for a while! It feels so good to be so close to having just the birds I want to keep again!

 

[ValerieJ]

Well, the 4h lady came yesterday, and a fellow who was waiting to see if she took all my oegb spangle cockerels and pullets came today to pick up the three she didn't buy. Really really nice fellow. He wants more hens and I'll definitely call him next time I'm reducing my flocks. He talks some but he didn't want ten hours of my time . He wants oegb though and I rarely breed those. I usually let Henny hatch up to 6 eggs a year is all. They're just beloved pets because Henny and Sir Clucks are special. I keep the two because I love them, and a few more just so my two darlings can have a flock. Boy there's an awful lot of people that want those though.

Now I just have my 2 poorly combed yokos and one unwanted yearling white peacock to re-home. My hamburgs I bought last year I'm only keeping two of. Luckily one roo and one hen look pretty good to me so I'll work with those for a year before I decide what I think. I definitely love the breed. If these two breed well I'll buy another batch from another hatchery to see if I can get a couple more decent birds from a different line.

The extra hamburgs go home to a neighbor next week when she's back from vacation. And then that's it for a while! It feels so good to be so close to having just the birds I want to keep again!

Sounds like hatching out some extra oegbs could be profitable for you. you could take orders in advance.

 

[Shetland lover]

Too many adorable breeds out there! I keep having to remind myself that I have enough But watermaals! Even their names a pleasure.

Poor Stan must be missing her eh? I had a friend who's husband passed after 72 years of marriage. She'd always enjoyed perfect health, but she passed 3 months later from a broken heart I believe. I'm glad Stans expressing the loss in uppityness... good for him

Same story with my grandparents. They'd barely spent a day apart since 14 years old (except during the war) and passed within 6 months of each other.
I think Stan is missing the 'action' rather than Penelope per se as Gladys rarely complies these days. Over the weekend, I decided to allow Stan a sneaky 'visit' with Pru and Clara whilst I put Ferdy's eye drops in. It seems to have sweetened his temperament a little - he's no longer trying to attack Ferdy every few minutes or trying to attack my feet then mate with them - so I think I'll continue with this strategy in the short term. Just hope Ferdy forgives me!

 

[kurby22]

Same story with my grandparents. They'd barely spent a day apart since 14 years old (except during the war) and passed within 6 months of each other.
I think Stan is missing the 'action' rather than Penelope per se as Gladys rarely complies these days. Over the weekend, I decided to allow Stan a sneaky 'visit' with Pru and Clara whilst I put Ferdy's eye drops in. It seems to have sweetened his temperament a little - he's no longer trying to attack Ferdy every few minutes or trying to attack my feet then mate with them - so I think I'll continue with this strategy in the short term. Just hope Ferdy forgives me!

Poor Stan needs a new lover to court! It’s so hard when they lose their partner. Ferdy is a good boy, he’ll forgive you!

 

[kurby22]

Today was an exhausting day! We decided to bite the bullet and FINALLY put together my Christmas coop. It’s been sitting on a giant pallet in our driveway for 4 months! The rain finally gave us a dry Sunday that wasn’t also hot, so we took it. The biggest workload wasn’t the coop but all the prep and moving of the old coops. We started at noon and didn’t finish till 7. With the fence being removed the bantams had a great time adventuring and finding new dust bathing spots! Especially the three teens I put in the bantam run last week! They’re three amigas!

This is the new bigger and roomier coop for the bantams:

Once we had the new Red Barn coop finished, we moved the old red barn coop that’s much smaller and gave it to the bobtails! Finally got to retire the Eglu Go coop that the rats ate several holes through that barely had room for the three of them at night and was inside their run. Now they have three times the space, real nesting boxes, an auto door that works, a place for their food, and it’s outside the run so they now have twice the run space! Very happy chickens, very tired people! Kids helped a lot, even if half the time they were yelled at about something

 

[kurby22]

Well, the 4h lady came yesterday, and a fellow who was waiting to see if she took all my oegb spangle cockerels and pullets came today to pick up the three she didn't buy. Really really nice fellow. He wants more hens and I'll definitely call him next time I'm reducing my flocks. He talks some but he didn't want ten hours of my time . He wants oegb though and I rarely breed those. I usually let Henny hatch up to 6 eggs a year is all. They're just beloved pets because Henny and Sir Clucks are special. I keep the two because I love them, and a few more just so my two darlings can have a flock. Boy there's an awful lot of people that want those though.

Now I just have my 2 poorly combed yokos and one unwanted yearling white peacock to re-home. My hamburgs I bought last year I'm only keeping two of. Luckily one roo and one hen look pretty good to me so I'll work with those for a year before I decide what I think. I definitely love the breed. If these two breed well I'll buy another batch from another hatchery to see if I can get a couple more decent birds from a different line.

The extra hamburgs go home to a neighbor next week when she's back from vacation. And then that's it for a while! It feels so good to be so close to having just the birds I want to keep again!

Feels good huh?? I’m feeling quite overwhelmed by all the extra birds in my house right now!

 

[ChicksnMore]

Sounds like hatching out some extra oegbs could be profitable for you. you could take orders in advance.

I keep wondering if I should. I mostly hatch those adorable dwarf chicks just because I love the surprise of them. You never know exactly what they'll grow up like....they definitely have a general type but they surprise you still...and they color change like crazy. If you could do a time lapse video of one from chick to first molt, I imagine it'd look a bit like a firework going off. Well maybe it wouldn't...but in my mind it would . I haven't really offered many for sale though. I've been giving the ones I don't keep to friends.
And now my yokohama crosses. Hoping to get the yokos body lines I love with the splashy dwarf colors I love. If I succeed and they lay decently, that might become the only birds I keep someday. One lovely flock with all my favorite traits

 

[ChicksnMore]

Same story with my grandparents. They'd barely spent a day apart since 14 years old (except during the war) and passed within 6 months of each other.
I think Stan is missing the 'action' rather than Penelope per se as Gladys rarely complies these days. Over the weekend, I decided to allow Stan a sneaky 'visit' with Pru and Clara whilst I put Ferdy's eye drops in. It seems to have sweetened his temperament a little - he's no longer trying to attack Ferdy every few minutes or trying to attack my feet then mate with them - so I think I'll continue with this strategy in the short term. Just hope Ferdy forgives me!

O poor babies! A pity you can't offer him a stuffed animal to relieve his needs eh

 

[ChicksnMore]

Today was an exhausting day! We decided to bite the bullet and FINALLY put together my Christmas coop. It’s been sitting on a giant pallet in our driveway for 4 months! The rain finally gave us a dry Sunday that wasn’t also hot, so we took it. The biggest workload wasn’t the coop but all the prep and moving of the old coops. We started at noon and didn’t finish till 7. With the fence being removed the bantams had a great time adventuring and finding new dust bathing spots! Especially the three teens I put in the bantam run last week! They’re three amigas!

This is the new bigger and roomier coop for the bantams:
View attachment 3801808
View attachment 3801809

Once we had the new Red Barn coop finished, we moved the old red barn coop that’s much smaller and gave it to the bobtails! Finally got to retire the Eglu Go coop that the rats ate several holes through that barely had room for the three of them at night and was inside their run. Now they have three times the space, real nesting boxes, an auto door that works, a place for their food, and it’s outside the run so they now have twice the run space! Very happy chickens, very tired people! Kids helped a lot, even if half the time they were yelled at about something

Hard but rewarding work! I like the size of that new one...it looks good. Did your birds go right in or did you have to show them that it's their new bedroom?