YO GEORGIANS! :)

[carcar80]

Well I got my two bantam hens yesterday! They are both quite tame. They strutted in and took over the coop in less than 20 minutes (other birds are three 9 week old standard chicks and a 7 month old OEG bantam hen). Very pleased with them! No fighting, the other birds were a bit taken back by these two. The red banded one quickly decided to go in the coop and check it out, the chicks briefly tried to stop her from going in THEIR coop but she told them to "Get out of her way so no one gets hurt" and they sure did. She went right into one of the nest boxes and laid an egg about 15 minutes later. Also it is a good thing I got them, the breeder said I was doing him a favor by taking them as they are about 4 years old and and would have been sold by a friend of his at the Gainesville auction for a couple of bucks otherwise. He didn't charge me but I wanted to give him something in return, didn't know what would be a good thank you gift for a stranger and then I realized there is one thing all good ole' redneck boys like -- ammunition! So I gave him 60 rounds of .223 and he was very pleased.

What a happy picture, a wonderful settling in story, and a feet trade for all involved! Love it. Book- aren't they nasty!? I just haven been able to bring myself to hatching any this year. Eww!! Sure you can add their poop to your pile, only thing is it's kind of a part OF the shavings when they finish and some don't want actual shavings in their pile from what I understand.

 

[ChickDancer]

Good morning everyone! Coffee is brewing, but I already have bad news to report.

The screen arbors that I got for the EE's and Silkies/Frizzles, are definitely a no-go. This morning a raccoon tore a hole right in the screen, let himself in, and helped himself to a leghorn mix hen - full grown and laying. Skeeter was in the pen and clearly fought off the intruder - there are feathers everywhere. But I guarantee Skeeter won. Aside from missing feathers, there isn't a single thing wrong with him! But it was too late. The raccoon got away with the hen. VERY few of her feathers are left in the pen.

While I didn't see any of it, I know it was a raccoon because his little muddy paw prints are all over the outside of the screen - including those little thumb-like fingers out to the side of the others.

So starting April 25th, I'll be building pens for all of the chickens, from scratch, like most people. I guess the challenge now is to find out how big I want each one to be, whether or not I want them connected, and how I want them to be built. Thankfully, I think Tractor Supply still has their chicken wire on sale, so I can save a lot of money that way. And while it's not as strong as other materials, I'm thinking PVC pipe for the frame, like abmaddox's hoop coops.

 

[sanchabird]

I was just thinking that too. Everyone must have been out enjoying the sunshine. 

or packing to go to the beach

Wow was quiet today!

I did farm chores and was grooming for the first part of it, then got a call from the little zookeeper to invite me to meet her and Mr. Zoo at the movie theatre. After that, I went back to the farm for evening rounds with the little zookeeper. We were joined by her big sister, the assistant zookeeper, who is in town so that we can ride with her to pick up her guide dog puppy in training tomorrow . The new girl will be a Black Lab named Odyssey. We're so very excited!

I couldn't train a dog and then take it back. Kudos to her

 

[mrsdszoo]

 Oh My Goodness ducklings are messy! 

  Can I add duck poop shavings to the compost pile? 

I started a new pile with mine, because I quickly realized that the existing pile would be overtaken by ducking mess in a hurry. Messy little critters! But so darn cute. I am already dreaming up their fancy duck domicile

 

[mrsdszoo]

or packing to go to the beach
I couldn't train a dog and then take it back. Kudos to her

I'm 100% positive that there will be many tears when it's time for Odyssey to go, but what a perfect name for her, and what a fantastic job she'll have! I am actually considering becoming a puppy raiser too. That puppy would be bomb -proof around other animals !

 

[mrsdszoo]

Good morning everyone! Coffee is brewing, but I already have bad news to report.


The screen arbors that I got for the EE's and Silkies/Frizzles, are definitely a no-go. This morning a raccoon tore a hole right in the screen, let himself in, and helped himself to a leghorn mix hen - full grown and laying. Skeeter was in the pen and clearly fought off the intruder - there are feathers everywhere. But I guarantee Skeeter won. Aside from missing feathers, there isn't a single thing wrong with him! But it was too late. The raccoon got away with the hen. VERY few of her feathers are left in the pen.


While I didn't see any of it, I know it was a raccoon because his little muddy paw prints are all over the outside of the screen - including those little thumb-like fingers out to the side of the others.

So starting April 25th, I'll be building pens for all of the chickens, from scratch, like most people. I guess the challenge now is to find out how big I want each one to be, whether or not I want them connected, and how I want them to be built. Thankfully, I think Tractor Supply still has their chicken wire on sale, so I can save a lot of money that way. And while it's not as strong as other materials, I'm thinking PVC pipe for the frame, like abmaddox's hoop coops.

I'm so sorry girl! I really wanted those to work for you. I'm thankful that the raccoon only took one hen.

 

[mrsdszoo]

Ok, Good Morning everyone!

The weather is supposed to be rainy for two days after today, so enjoy what promises to be a beautiful day . I'm getting my zoo chores done, then it's off to meet Odyssey

A road trip with my girls and a puppy; should be awesome

Oh, and then I'm off to the farm to hang out with my critters for some bonding time.

 

[Sonya9]

So starting April 25th, I'll be building pens for all of the chickens, from scratch, like most people. I guess the challenge now is to find out how big I want each one to be, whether or not I want them connected, and how I want them to be built. Thankfully, I think Tractor Supply still has their chicken wire on sale, so I can save a lot of money that way. And while it's not as strong as other materials, I'm thinking PVC pipe for the frame, like abmaddox's hoop coops.

You don't want to spend a bunch of money and a lot of time/effort building runs and STILL have to worry that predators could easily break in.

Might want to think about them being connected (like a row of kennel runs for dogs) then use stronger welded wire for the perimeter to keep predators out while using chicken wire for separating the individual runs.

I spent way too much making mistakes on my chicken run so I hate to see others do the same.

 

[Sonya9]

What a happy picture, a wonderful settling in story, and a feet trade for all involved! Love it.

Thanks! And I appear to be learning all about chicken math rather quickly.

Just wanted 3 laying hens. Went back to adopt the little bantam, then the little bantam needed friends her size and so on. Ugh! Now have two future laying hens, one young obnoxious little roo that wasn't female afterall, and 3 bantams. Six birds and only two are going to be the egg layers I initially intended!

 

[carcar80]

Thanks! And I appear to be learning all about chicken math rather quickly.

Just wanted 3 laying hens. Went back to adopt the little bantam, then the little bantam needed friends her size and so  on. Ugh! Now have two future laying hens, one young obnoxious little roo that wasn't a hen afterall, and 3 bantams.  Six birds and only two are going to be the egg layers I initially intended!

LOL! I hear ya. My friend who I've been helping has learned it quickly as well. She went from "maybe four" last Friday, to having eleven (?) last night with a new "max of twenty"..