What's with the Chicken Addiction?

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kellyaa812000

kellyaa812000

In the Brooder
5 Years
Jun 15, 2014
2
1
11
Near St. Louis MO
I'm turning into a Class A Weirdo about these chickens! This is my first flock and I'm a wee bit obsessed with them. I have eight girls: 5 hybrids called Amberlinks, 2 Wynandottes and 1 Ameraucana. I spend hours "observing" them. I've even found cleaning out their coop therapeutic. Initially, I thought it was all about the eggs, but they're bringing so much more into our lives. Perhaps I need some healthy detachment. I thought I'd be OK butchering one if I had to being that they're this sort of "gateway" livestock but I live in daily fear of some varmint ripping their head off, especially after I saw a raccoon last week in their chicken run! I ran in there like a Grizzly, trying to shoo the chickens away from it!

The Girls are 12wks now. I let them out of the chicken house yesterday and two of them, after lying in their dugout were squatting for about an hour afterwards. Does this mean they might be approaching puberty and consequently, laying soon? I quickly made up four nesting boxes but it seems they just want to play in them, not rest, so I closed the cabinets they were in. What's the appropriate time to have their boxes ready? BTW, I cut out a half-moon out of four Rubbermaid drawers and filled them with mulch and placed them into these lower cabinets I had.

This is my first attempt at trying to connect with fellow chicken weirdos. I need someone to relate to. :)
 
Most of us at BYC are probably somewhat obsessed with chickens (I know I am). :eek:) You likely have at least another 7-8 weeks to go before any of your girls start laying. Good luck with your flock.
 
I love how you put it @kellyaa812000! I'm sure people around me have thought I've lost my marbles. Lol I share the occasional picture on Facebook but try to keep it under wraps.
Welcome! We should maybe do a countdown together. I have several 13 week olds myself and this is my first flock as well :)
 
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You are not alone! We decided to get some chickens for pets and potentially fresh eggs. I had no idea how refreshing they would be to our family! It's become a daily ritual for us to go feed and spend time with our chickies! We ended up with 2 sets. We got a flock of 7 straight run chickens (thought we had just one rooster in the bunch, but after hearing a suspicious crow there may in fact be 2)... They are a few months old so no laying yet. Also got a 2nd mature flock of 7 hens who have definitely been doing their job! Got almost 3 dozen eggs in 2 weeks!!! We added 2 ducks and 2 rooster brothers who free range. I love them so much we've given all of them names, let them eat from our hands, and just sit out amongst them as they graze! I've found myself feeling relaxed to be in their company caring for them. I've been giving them fresh vegetables and herbs and even made a fresh coop spray to clean and freshen the smell. I am loving this chicken farm adventure!!!! I
 
I've got 50 and every Sunday i spend time cleaning their coop and yard, it give's me time to myself, sometimes i think I'm losing it, because i start taking to them HA HA HA,
 
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Welcome to BYC!

So glad you could join our community! Make sure your run is save and no coons can get it. Coons love to eat chickens. As for the squatting, this happens when they are close to laying. When you lean over them, they will hunker down, wings out and squat for you and stop when you walk away. The faces, combs and wattles will have to be bright red as well. But it never hurts to start working on the nest boxes. Get some fake eggs in the boxes now so they not only know where to lay, but they will play with them. This is a good thing. Because this will help them to NOT play with the real thing, thinking all eggs are hard and impenetrable.

Good luck with your wonderful flock! And yes, we all are completely and hopelessly addicted to chickens. And BYC will only enable you more!! Welcome to our flock!
 
You hit the nail on the head! I definitely feel like a chicken weirdo too. I have chicks about the same age and love going into the coop and sitting with them, and looking at their combs and wattles for growth and color change, and hand feeding treats to them. I even saw my husband pulling weeds and throwing them into the coop for fresh greens. Apparently chicken weirdness is contagious, :lol:
 

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