Coop Repairs

Yesterday we got the coop doors fixed so the door latches are working on them again now yea! We also got the coop cleaned and tweaked the nest boxes to be accessible to the outside and closed from the inside. This is so the chicks won't escape while they are out in the run. They had their first time in the run yesterday and seemed to like it a lot they did not want to go back in the coop so I had to pick each one up and put them back inside. 

I got another bit of crab grass dug up yesterday so the hens were underfoot getting worms for their dinner. Sat. we only got one egg the hens did not like the cold weather or took the day off from laying. Three eggs yesterday. 

Got a Chickens magazine the article I read on cleaning the coop was good I just wish I would have read it before I cleaned the coop instead of after! 

We discussed turning the inside nest box on it side to give the hens more head room we will do that next and rounded up the stuff we will need for that project. It will need to have a ledge put on the other side to keep eggs from rolling out. This is a converted kitchen cupboard unit. 

I'm thinking of a couple of ideas for keeping the hens out of the areas that need to be reseeded while that grows. Some construction webbing could come in handy so I'll be checking on that next. 

Spring 2013

Today I've made breakfast coffee and the bed. Chicken chores first round done not quite on time, the hens let themselves out when I opened up the dining room curtain they saw that and charged the door the latch is not working and they were out like a rocket dashing to the fence by the patio! I hurried up to finish getting dressed take out the feed I had ready to go. It was cold and I had to break ice off the water buckets. 

All ten chicks are still alive and growing thriving! They love cooked pumpkin glad I had a stock pile of it in the freezer to use for this. The chicks had one that was not frozen the other water bucket closet to the door had ice in it. 

Today's temps. range 29* -49* next week it's supposed to warm up so we are figuring out how house the chicks and give them access run when the hens are out during the day and still give the hens access to the nest boxes for laying. I'm SO glad we put a door on the back of the nest boxes and we can block of the front so they can use the chicken ramp to it during the day. 

Broody hen's sister joined her on the nest no little peeps yet we are still waiting. If they do not hatch by next weekend I'll try sneaking in some day old chicks maybe I can get some Rhode Island whites! 

I'm back in from the chicken barn I mean coop! I got the outside nest boxes cleaned and spiffed up the lower chicken roost. While I was outside I  Rounded up the broody hen from her recess break next door she was frantic to get back to her nest. I got a peek at the eggs and no signs of chicks yet.  Then I removed the ice off chicken water buckets. 

Chicken Check In

The chicks are fine in the coop and have adjusted well to their new space. They've been devouring pumpkin, scratch and crumble. I've put fresh water in for them daily. All ten chicks are thriving! Yea!!!

The broody hen is under a crate and I put a towel over it to keep the other hens from pecking her they were bullying her. So this seems to help. She ate all of the corn bread and milk I put in for her last night it was gone this morning. I cleaned up her nest one egg had broken and her sister has figured out how to get in under that crate and has been adding eggs to this clutch so I removed those trying to keep the ones shes sitting on to a dozen. When hubby asked what we would do with those if they make it I said raise 'em for the freezer the roos any way. Nine days to go on them. 

The hens love it when we dig out old rose bushes that have died they grub around for worms and one was on bug patrol in the front yard. I don't mind one doing that but not ALL of them at the same time! The hens are still adjusting to being in the run and out of the coop. 

Collected seven eggs yesterday. 

Coop to Brooder Conversion

Today Hubby and I revamped the coop when we did that I found a hidden egg and a nest of mice!  Ack! So we pulled out all the straw from the loft area cleaned it up and cleaned the coop removed nest boxes. I changed the light to a heat lamp bulb. We have the thermometers to check to get the heat just right. 

I cleaned the waterer and put it up. I had purchased a roost a wooden dowel the thickness of a closet clothes hanger rod for 50 cents at a yard sale with holes in it already; so hubby put the in a low spot for the chicks to roost on too. 

The feed will not go in until tomorrow when we put the chicks in it. We closed up the coop door so the hens no longer have access to it. They were milling around wondering what all the activity was about as the sun was setting. 

The nest boxes were all removable so they are out in the run area for now with the others. The broody hen was taking some hits but last time I tried moving her and her eggs to a different spot she abandoned the nest so I just left her alone except to fend off some of the other hens. Taking note that they might be some in the next batch to cull. I will be glad to have the chicks out of the basement.  We've been talking about this for a few weeks now and I've been wondering how it would work out. The coop looks all cozy now this switch has been successful so far we will see how the chicks do with more room I'm sure they will love. 

Toe Nail Clipping

The chicks are learning to eat regular food now. I'm introducing cooked pumpkin with corn meal and they seem to really love it! 

I'm learning how to clip chicken toe nails is a good thing to do on a tame chicken! I also learned how to get them in the pen after they have been out for free range time again; I just put their scratch feed in the pen for the afternoon feeding time when the grand kids usually come home on the bus and do it. I shut the gates when they were in eating that worked great! Then I looked at the hens and let out the ones that did not need toe nails clipped. 

Dear grand daughter likes to feed the hens on top of an over turned five gallon bucket the hens stand around while she puts hand fulls of feed on it and then later you can hear the clunk clunk clunk of the beaks on the bucket as they pick up their food. 

I got three extra eggs from the broody hen nest some how she got up to fifteen eggs the other hens are collaborating with her! LOL! So I reduced it to a dozen she was sitting on.  Tonight I noticed the broody hen was off the roost two other hens were in the coop, one was picking on one that wanted to lay so I shooed her out she had already laid earlier and then the one was on the clutch of eggs adding hers and later in the evening broody hen was back on it sitting keeping her eggs warm. 

She I do not let the grands very near the broody hen because she pecks. Now I know why my granny did not have us do her chicken chores she had a roo too I believe. I might need to put the broody hen in a pet carrier the other hens keep adding to her nest I guess they've heard of "chicken math" too! 

Dear grand son & I figured out why they don't have chickens on animal cops show because no one chains a hen to the back door and they can fly off and or forage and fend for them selves!  

Sat. Chicken Chores

My Sat. chicken chores this week included cleaning the chicken run, cleaning the out side nest boxes. Digging up daffodil bulbs from the back yard because the daffs. are not good for chickens. Moved those bulbs to the front yard in front of the house where they are out of the hens reach and I've replanted those bulbs. So I'm making great progress here. 

I moved some leaves from the last corner of the back yard I need to prep for some spring planting. It's looking better and was great exercise! Counting that today. 

Hubby got a wooden goose shape on a stake so I can put it in the garden as soon as youngest dear grand daughter helps me paint it. She was asking to help paint last week so she will get her wish. 

One thing left to do is clean inside nest boxes I hate to disturb the hen that's setting on eggs so trying to figure out how to do that with out bothering her to much. 

So glad I did those chores on Sat. as today is very windy here! We got some wood burned for ash for the beds the hens dust bathe in also. 

Senior Project Idea!

I was talking with the neighbor I asked what was in loaded in their trailer, wondering if it  was a house for their hens when I saw it. It was ready to assemble. It turned out that this project is what his son made for his senior project. An eight foot by eight foot green house for his grandmother. Today is the day they are going to put it together on site. This was one very proud dad! 

He said they will be moving and are going to give us their two hens, so we need to make room. I called on some eggs for sale that guy had a couple of free roos Rhode Island Reds. But the roos live in a different town and would only be for the deep freezer.  

Broody Hen update: Today I checked the broody hen after she switched nests and gently lifted her off her nest on to another nest temporarily after I put on my leather gloves. She only had three eggs and one golf ball she was sitting on, so I took out the golf ball and eggs that were not the breed we wanted chicks from, then I added four more eggs for her to sit on replaced her on the nest. 

Then I let out the rest hens that were restless after eating their treats. Turns out they love Spanish rice! LOL! Hubby said I spoil the hens then in the next breath suggests I buy some rice to cook for them! Makes me wonder WHO is spoiling them after all!!! 

Broody Hen

Our chicken news today is one hen has gone broody, this broody hen and has decided to sit on eggs.  Yea! A whole new adventure for us! One of our flock goals was to raise our own chicks. The other hens added to her nest I moved her to the loft in the coop so no eggs for us today. I add a couple of choice eggs to her clutch of eggs I figured we might as well try to raise the bigger breed we like for meat birds. She did not like being messed with but settled in the loft after that. I put food near her she does not seem interested. I'd be cranky too with out food or water. I put water near by for her. 

I did the first round of chicken and chick chores done usually done mid morning but the hens got out early to look for worms and bugs today. Youngest grandchild had plenty of energy yesterday when she helped with that. She wanted to see the inside of a green egg so requested to help mix up cookie dough so we mixed that up. The old two grand daughters will be over tomorrow too so they can have cookies with lunch and / or for snacks. 

Later on youngest grand child said "Grandma come look" then she pointed to a chick was sleeping on the top of the waterer, she was so amazed to see that! 

Then I cleaned out the chick's box in the basement and they settled back in and napped after their "dinner". 

The red heat lamp gave a weird color to the pics that I took earlier today I need to get better ones hoping the older grands can help me pose 'em tomorrow. I'd like to take weekly pics. of them to record their progress.