Broody Hen Again

This was the county fair weekend here I saw that they had three baby goats born at the fair! They were a hit!

The winds we had blew the one branch I was using for a roost down and we had to put it back up a couple of times. I cleaned the sod clumps out of the coop that the fryers had eaten the grass off of and put some fresh ones back in.

The pullets were under the light this morning, we have freeze warnings out for our area so they need the heat a bit more. I'll wait to plant the tomatoes and marigolds and bring those in tonight.

One hen has gone broody again so I've moved her to a nest more out of the way and she has not abandoned it like she has done in the past we will see how she does I took the golf balls out that she was sitting on the other hens added eggs to her clutch at one point there were three hens in that nest at the same time this weekend.

One of the birds is a male I'm thinking, we are still getting fertile eggs. That one we call Marshmallow is a  white Easter egger and does not crow or fight much so it's good. The four youngest birds pullets are doing good out in the coop, the fryers are getting along with the hens for the most part. If any hatch they will be the barn yard mix. The grand kids are still enthralled as we are with this process of gathering eggs and raising chicks.

I opened up the front and back of the nest boxes and the hens were able to get into back into the run at dusk, so I did not have to worry so much about them when we were not home before sunset. However two of them were in the top of the coop so had to be moved when we got home later than our norm one night.

We are still getting eggs from the one that lays thin shelled frustrating so it looks like we'll be culling all of the barred rocks sadly to say they are great for getting bugs and grubbing around in the dirt and follow me around the yard when I'm gardening, doing chores and yard work.

Happy Day

Life is good when the grand kids are happily digging up worms in the back yard for the chickens and playing with sticks. Give them dirt a shovel a stick a tree to climb and a sunny day and it's a heavenly day for them! 

This week we are incorporating the fryers in with the hens and next week the pullets go out to the coop. The pullets are getting the same feed as the fryers from now on they just ran out of chick food so at a month old that's perfect timing. 

It was cold the first part of the week yesterday I turned on the heat lamp but the fryers wanted nothing to do with going back into the coop so I turned it back off again. 

This is not the first time we've incorporated new chicks in with these hens they are all fine this morning.  

One of the hens is laying weak shelled eggs and we figured out which hen it is so I was able to make sure she got oyster shell-calcium and I'll need to make sure that is out for them separately. I've been mixing it in with the hen's food. I pulled weeds for the fryers and they did not eat them the hens were not interested in it either. 

I'm happy to have the pullets nearly ready to go out to the coop it will be good to have the chickens all together and will free up the basement counter space again. Egg count another green egg today so that one is laying every other day we got four other eggs today plus one that was broken in the nest. 

Clean Coop & Run

Now that the fryers are growing they needed better places to perch they opted for the top of the old doll house frame that had been gutted. I put it in for their use it's taller so I put some boards across the top for perching on and they fit better with lovely rows of the Rhode Island Reds perched across the top of it. My granny said they used to have a Rhode Island Red they called "Henny Penny" I guess most flock owners have a favorite hen. 

This morning I cleaned the run and after I got back from town discovered the hens had undid that pile I raked up, it was scattered about. So I raked it up again and they will do that again and it's a great way to have help turning the compost LOL! A couple more times and it will be good they will loose interest and I'll figure out the best place to move it to out of the traffic flow for egg gathering. 

I cleaned out the coop this afternoon as well, our grand daughter wanted to help feed the chickens so she came out with me but was not interested in the coop cleaning! Our fruit trees have been fertilized too. 

One green egg so far today and one hen still on the  nest box no telling how many she's sitting on today. 

  

New Perch Places

Last night I did not get the coop open in time for the hens to go back in oops! It was dark sooner because of clouds out side and they roosted in various places out side on top of an inverted nest box on saw horses, the ladder leaned up against the back of the coop on top of the run and in the tree behind the coop  and run. So hubby turned on the light and I got the hens off their roost and they wandered in to the run and got up on the normal roost, I thought I was done when I noticed the two on top of the run and I tried to get them down and they went on top of the coop and then in to the tree behind it. So next I had to get the latter and fetch them down out of the tree! Then I got the fryers down from the tall roost and back in the coop.  

Feeding Chickens

Good Sunday morning I'm back! Waving to all who read this I've slept in here too until 7:30 a.m,  up then did the chicken chores, made coffee while I was out doing the outside chores. Then later hubby we put the pullets in a bigger tote today. The fryers are beginning to mingle in the morning and evening with the hens slowly getting them used to each other. I'd let them out but remembered too many places they could get out of the yard so I'm re-thinking that. 

The pullets are getting feathers and splotchy looking the brown feathers are about half in and they look like half and half birds now, it's very interesting to watch this process! I've been giving the pullets some of the pumpkin too now. 

I got the last pumpkin out of the freezer for the birds now I'll be giving them the other stuff I put up for the birds we did not have yet last year. I can't believe that I even did that! LOL! 

Got one green egg with two other hens in the same nest box this morning. I"m going to track the green egg layer to see how often she produces one just for fun by marking the days she lays. 

We made blue berry muffins the other day the hens are getting the old ones.  I need to pull some weeds the fryers will love those. I've been working on digging out some sod and they love it when I give them a new batch to eat on in the pen! Ever heard of sodding a chicken pen? I'm wondering if they could living in a Soddy like in the covered wagon days! LOL the things I wonder about. 

Fryers!

One more week and then we will incorporate the fryer size pullets in with the hens, the new chicks are now pullet size and will go out to the coop. We're hoping it warms up at night by then. 

I have some yard work to do today the hens love to be out in the yard while I'm doing that so they can get the worms, bees, and bugs. 

Our grand son got to collect 6 eggs one day this week,  another day I gathered 4 eggs and one other day we had 5 eggs.  Of our nine hens not bad the older ones are not laying as much and culling time is coming. 

Chickens and Routines

Morning routine is under way chicken chores done here now. It is quite a bit of work having three different ages of chickens, the hens need one type of feed and care, the pullets are on a some thing else, as are the youngest chicks still another in the growing stage in the basement. Our grand son was asking when they go out to the coop. I told him we were just discussing that this weekend. In a couple weeks or so soon as it warms up at night a bit. This is me rolling my eyes what were we thinking, hubby said he pleads the fifth on getting this last batch of chicks I'm SO glad it's only four! They are cute and getting their feathers in and at the awkward scraggly stage with half fuzz and some feathering. The older pullets are feathered out and looking like miniature chickens at this point. 

The hens were happy to get some time in the yard yesterday while we were digging out side just before the hail came and the hens took cover under the deck! I've been closing the run for the pullets and the hens get access to the coop but they don't use it much except to grab a snack from the feeder. Speaking of snacks the treats have been apple cores, pumpkin and carrots. 

I'm learning to get the eggs when I see them instead of waiting until the grand kids show up after school one was broken yesterday, so of the five that were laid we got four. 

Six Eggs

We got six eggs yesterday one was green. The hens are adjusting to the reduced ranging area pretty well. The pullets are growing like weeds. I showed one to the baby that is here at the end of the week each week now. She got all excited seeing a chicken up close. She enjoyed watching the hens in the stroller from a distance.  

Squirrels enjoyed the pumpkin seeds that the hens turned their nose up at. I left a small sauce cup of seeds out on a table on the deck after moving the tomato sets and there were two doves sitting on that table one day that was an amazing sight I had the grand kids come quick to look! 

I have one more area to dig up in the lawn of the wrong kind of grass, last weekend I hurt my foot over doing it a bit so might wait for better weather on that it's a blustery days out we had rain in the night and the winds woke me up this morning. 

The new chicks were chirping in the basement to be fed and watered. Time to clean their cage today our grand daughter will be here so I"ll have her help she likes to tend to the birds with me. Our grand son is excellent at gathering up the eggs after school as well. Grandma's house is fun! 

Spring Weather

I was excited yesterday to see that there were two pullet eggs in the nest box, pullets are  now laying again after being broody. The hens enjoyed my weed pulling adventures and got the worms soon as the dirt was exposed! It rained and they were out grazing in it when I came home from a store run so the rain does not phase the hens! The chicks are delighted to have some sod I dug out of the lawn, the family calls that chicken salad! [No, it did not have weed n feed on it.] It's time to mow the back yard now that the barrier fence is up the grass is growing again and no longer looking over grazed. Time to think about the garden spot and getting a bit more work done on that. 

We had winds in the after noon so I put the chicks in the coop and hens in the run early to batten down the hatch. 

We got 5 eggs one green I'm glad that count is up we have not had as many boiled eggs this month. The newest baby chicks are doing great and starting to get their first feathers. It is an interesting process to watch as the feathers are coming in red after the yellow fuzz on the N.H. Reds.

Feed Store Trip

On a trip to the feed store yesterday we got a new ax handle to fix the ax head we had here and got a hatchet one of the hens was not doing well with an injury of sorts and had to be put down. While I was at the feed store I got feed crumble for layers, scratch, and un-hulled sunflower seeds. The hens love it [B.O.S.S.] Black Oil Sunflower Seeds. I got a small sack of sunflower seeds to mix in the scratch for their treats. I also got another three pound feeder I had to put together. I did that while hubby worked on getting the ax handle to fix on the ax head we had it was not a perfect fit and needed some modifications. 

Yesterday I dug up some  more sod and let the hens out to get the worms * note to self wait until after digging next time! 

Today I was up by six thirty a.m. I fed the new chicks they are doing fine and I checked on the hens, it was pouring down rain and three of them wanted out any way and they were squawking to be let out of the run. I guess there are more worms to get when it's raining out. It was not all that cold out. Some of the hens stayed on the roost until the rains stopped or at least slowed down, then they went out and I let the pullets out of the coop and into the run they were having their first adventure with weather! 

S- Hooks

Today I got up and I knew I'd better not mess around and checked on the chicks at five a.m. When I went to the basement to check on the newest baby chicks they were out of water so I was glad I did that first. Someone had put the plastic water transporter container in that I'd specifically said not to use in the bin for them because it was too light and would tip over when they tried to perch on it when drinking. [That person now knows not to do that again that was a bummer!] 

Their temp. in the container was just right at 80*  we put a temperature gauge using an S-hook to hang it on the side. The S-hooks come in handy for other things as well we have one on a chain to hang the heat lamp over head. 

Food ready for the outside chickens and pullets to take out after sun up in the mornings. Most of the time I get it ready to take out the night before. The pullets are getting their feathers and looking fine. They have adapted to the old doll house we rescued and it's working well for an area they can sleep in and roost on the 1"x 1" board on the top works well for that as they learn to be chickens. They've been enjoying the warmer spring weather and dust bathing on the floor of the coop! 

Egg Hunting

Today was a very satisfying day the grand kids helped me put up the fencing to keep the chickens off the lawn so I can have a garden and flower beds again now. Yea! The hens seem to be adjusting well to the new area they have less places to run but more things to climb on they seem to be enjoying the change. The first breeze blew the fence over and we had a do-over moment in the afternoon, but that's what you get when your working with ten year olds and some one that's not done much fencing. LOL! I just hope they remember the time they put up a chicken fence on spring break!  The hens acted like it was a new play ground to use. 

I'm very happy to say the second attempt we got the fence to stay up and it keep the hens off the main part of the yard so we can use it. So we did an egg hunt with plastic eggs in the back yard and it was great fun. When we start working on the B.B.Q. area to finish that update the temp. fence will be down so this is great!

The light went out in the coop so I changed that bulb so glad I noticed that before it was dark and cold out! Pullets are looking good. I brought the cage under that carport I got for chicks at a yard sale last summer this will work great for the four youngest chicks I hope any way. We shall see. 

Tomorrow our grandson will be here. So we can dig up some sod and the hens will love the treat of getting worms and help set up the cage have for the new chicks. 

Spring Break

Some of the fun for spring break around here is baby chicks for the grand kids to enjoy. We did hit a bit of a bump in the road however when; the broody hens failed to hatch out chicks; so we thought that we would help nature out. We bought four chicks but the hens were not fooled and attacked them and only one survived.  So we bought some companions for it and now have four new chicks here this week the survivor one Rhode Island Red I'm calling it chicken little, and three New Hampshire Reds these have been on my wish list! What fun for spring break with grand kids around! The N.H. Reds are a buff color and get darker as they grow I'm told!  Broody hens are off the nests during the day now we're hoping they start laying eggs again soon. 

The pullets are enjoying the chicken run during the day and are dust bathing in the warm sunny days we are having here this week! Hens are having a hay day getting after the bugs that are out now. Hunting and pecking for them in and around the flowers. I need to screen off a garden area got the steaks for doing that with this week. 

The apple apricot plum trees are in bloom now and the peach trees is not far behind so the chickens will enjoy the fruit that falls from them. That's one of the reasons I wanted chickens I hated seeing that fruit go to waste. 

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!!!