Scraps for Chicks

Our chickens really enjoy escaping from the chicken castle every chance they get. They love spending as much time as possible foraging in the yard, overturning rocks, looking for bugs, and picking at leaves and other left over garden veggies. The really interesting thing that we noticed is that when they "escape" they do it in the same order every time. This must have to do with the pecking order in the flock but it's kind of cute.

Today they got a real treat, apple scraps left from an apple crisp. Our apples have been dropping from the tree and I have to keep them picked up before the chickens get them, so when I put a big bowl of peels and cores they all began consuming them with zest! Between the chickens that the compost our garbage can is pretty empty these days, unfortunately the garbage bill does not go down just because the can has only one or two bags in it. I does go up though if it's too heavy. Oh well, we're certainly doing our part for the planet and our family...

Two Eggs Per Day

Two of our hens are earning their keep now and we are getting two eggs almost every day now. I finally figured out which of the other hens started laying last weekend. It turned out to be our barred rock hen Phoebe! So now both of our dark colored hens is laying and it looks like our golden sex-link hen "Goldie" should be next. She is the second oldest of the five hens and her comb is starting to get a little redder.

Our Dominique hen Sadie is laying pretty brown eggs, and today's egg was the biggest yet. Phoebe's eggs are still pretty small and a lighter color brown with some mottling. Yesterday we gave our son a dozen eggs and we have a dozen in the refrigerator after todays collection. We used up the last of the store bought white eggs this week so not it's self sufficiency time for us. At least as far as eggs go.

Harvest Time

This time of year when the season changes from summer to autumn, there are many things to do around the house and yard. This morning for example I got a semi early start and headed out to pick huckleberries from the other variety we have in the garden. These berries are more oval in shape compared to the other bush we have which resemble a small blueberry. I like this variety because the berries are a little bigger and they taste great! I picked for about two hours and got almost all the ripe berries from one of the two bushes. I will have to get out again tomorrow and pick the other one.

The thing about huckleberries is that they don't all ripen at the same time, so you have to keep going out to pick the ripe ones about once a week until they are all picked. This makes for many hours of tedious picking; it's no wonder that they are so expensive in the stores.

After I finished with the berries I decided to check on the chickens to see if they had laid any eggs, and I was happy to see that there was one egg waiting to be plucked from the box. I also noticed that a pear had fallen so I picked it up and added it to my collection. We are going to have a bunch of apples and some more pears to pick soon. I might have to make an apple pie or a pear crisp soon. The rhubarb is also about ready to pick again. I didn't get to the first picking in time, so I don't want to miss this one.


After lunch I packed up our rooster Junior so I could take him to a person that wanted a rooster. He has been increasingly noisy and it was time for him to go. So we are down to five hens now. After I got home I headed out to work in the yard some more and noticed all the girls clucking more than usual. I think they miss their man chicken.

Later on I decided to pick the squash since the vines are all covered with mildew. The squash was grown from some seeds I saved a couple of years ago, and I had no idea they would even grow. To my surprise, every seed sprouted and we have enough squash for several meals. I like the cooked with butter and salt and pepper, Terri prefers butter and brown sugar on hers.

Well that's my Saturday for now. Happy Autumn everyone.

Egg Update

Eleven days ago one of the hens started laying. The eggs started out really small and got a little bigger each day. We got an egg Sunday and Monday, then she took a break for two days before starting again. The next two days the eggs were bigger and one even had two yolks! Saturday morning Terri scrambled up the first four eggs for breakfast, so good.

After laying late on Saturday, Sadie took Sunday off and then has given us an egg the past three days in a row. The last two days the eggs are about the same size as the last store bought eggs.

So eight eggs in the first eleven days of laying is pretty good. It's time for some of the others to get with the program. Last week I started to mix the starter feed fifty-fifty with Purina layer pellets and I also put some oyster shells in a dish in the run.

Our First Egg

Today, when I went to feed and water the chicks I peeked into the coop and noticed that the nesting boxes both had big depressions indicating that they had gotten some use, so I decided it was time to put a wooden egg into each box so they really got the idea that both boxes should be used.  When I went in the house one of our hens was making some louder then usual clucking sounds and when I went to put the eggs in the boxes, Sadie our Dominique hen was in one of the boxes so put an egg in the unused box and a few minutes later when she got out Terri noticed that she had laid her first egg.

That's me below holding the cute little brown egg that was still warm, I went right inside an put it in the refrigerator. To the left is a picture of our first egg before we plucked it from the box and replaced it with the wooden version.

Sadie is the oldest of the hens, I think she was about 3 weeks old when I picked her from the brooder full of chicks. Goldie was about two weeks old when I brought her home so maybe she will be next. We are so excited right now, and happy that these hens are finally "earning their keep."

Man versus Mole

In our area, moles in the lawn and garden are pretty common. Each year we get visits from these subterranean pests and each year we set traps and hope they find them. We usually get only one a year to poke his little snout into the jaws of death. This year, we started out with the same tactic without any success, so one night in mid August, we noticed a new mound in our front yard and decided to try something new for us. We had heard of others using a garden hose to encourage the mole to show his snout, so we thought we would give it a try.

We turned on the hose and shoved it into the newest mound and the water started backing up out of the hole, so we tried the next one and the water kept flooding into the hole. After a few minutes I notices the grass moving and sent Terri to fetch the pitchfork. While she was gone I kept the water going and watched as the unwanted visitor tried to escape the flow. When Terri returned with the pitchfork I stabbed the ground where the movement was and finally out of the ground on the end of the fork was a fat little mole. I poked him a few more times to ensure he would actually die and left him in a bucket overnight to be sure.

This morning, we again noticed some new mounds in the yard and thought we would try again. This time I came prepared with hose and fork. After alternating between the two newest holes with no luck, I tried a smaller one and it took water well and in a few minutes the mole showed himself in the first hole we tried to flood and I quickly stabbed him with the pitchfork and lifted him out of the hole.

Hopefully these are the last two for the year, they really make a mess of the grass and garden areas.

Harvest Time

In our little yard, we have raspberries, rhubarb, blueberries, huckleberries, apples and pears as permanent plants. Sadly the blueberries are all gone, but it's time to pick huckleberries! Last year the neighborhood peacocks ate every last berry, so this year I bought a roll of chicken wire and put a fence around the three bushes and that's keeping them away. Last weekend I picked about a pound of the dark little orbs and today there are more ready to pick. Later this month or in early October the other two plants should be ready to pick and then we'll have more huckleberries than we can shake a stick at.

Some of our apples are beginning to ripen too and we took a small bag of them to our daughter and son-in-law yesterday. They look pretty nice this year, probably due to the warmer than usual temps this summer.

Finally, we planted Quinault strawberries this spring and they are just starting to produce some small to medium sized red berries. Interestingly, the runners sent out by the plants also have berries on them. I don't recall that ever happening before.

Cock-a-doodle-do

This is our accidental rooster. He has no name and he is beginning to get the hang of this crowing thing. This morning, he started at 6:00 a.m., which is fine for me since we are almost always awake before then. Today I noticed that he has learned to crow in two syllables instead of just the cawing sound he began with. It's fun (for me anyway) to hear the progression.  He is really no louder than the two dogs next door or the very loud peacocks that roam the neighborhood, but I am sure that at some point we will need to find him a new home. In the meantime I kind of like him.

His girls don't seem to mind his early morning singing either, they just seem to go about their business like nothing is different.

Some of the chickens are now about four months old, so in another month or two I'm going to be looking for some fresh eggs. Some of the family has been saving egg cartons for us; I think we're going to need them.

Loud Noises Coming From the Coop

Two weeks ago I installed the new roosts inside the coop and there has not been too much interest in them until this week. For the past few days the girls (and boy I think) have been going inside to sleep. It's really cute to watch them hop from one bar to the other as they wrestle for just the right spot on the top roost.

The possibility that we have a rooster is becoming more clear as of this morning. One of the two Barred Rock chickens has grown much larger than the other one and the cone and waddles are really growing as well. This morning there were a few loud cawing noises from the coop about 5:30 a.m. They have been very quiet until now, so we'll see how this progresses. I might be looking for a home for this one soon.

Chicken Castle Nears Completion

Front side with doors closed

Yesterday I completed the nest boxes and added two roosts inside the coop. The nest boxes look nice and cozy, and I certainly would want to lay my eggs in there if I were a chicken. At this point we have had the chicks since mid May so they are between 10 and 13 weeks old now. They have been sleeping in the run on the roost I hung from the rafters and they seem to love it.

When I put them back in the castle yesterday, Sadie was the first one to hop up in the new roosts I installed. Sitting on these new roosts, they can see outside easily so I'm sure they will like that.

Front with all doors open

Here is a shot of the inside of the coop with the roosts and nest box installed. That's Matilda trying to see what's up there. Below is is a shot of the nest box detail. I added a sloping piece at the top to provide more privacy and to make sure it didn't end up being used as another roost. The boxes are 14 inches deep and about 13 inches wide. The inside is about 16 inches at the tallest part so they will have plenty of room once they get in there.

When we are home on the weekends and in the evening I have been letting the girls run around the yard. They love to get out and explore the yard. They often run along the ground flapping their wings while squawking.

So now the wait for our first eggs begins. I expect to see them around the end of October, just about the same time we are expecting our second grandchild. That will be an exciting time indeed.

Girls Gone Wild

Today I decided to continue work on the chicken castle and my first priority was to fix a problem with the door that allows the bedding to fall out when the door is opened. I needed to work inside both the coop and run so I decided to let the chicks explore the great outdoors while I did my work.

As soon as I opened the door all the chicks hopped up on the edge of the door frame and jumped down to the grass. They really love eating grass and it didn't take them long to start exploring beyond the immediate area. They were probably out for about 20 minutes and I noticed that they were starting to test their wings so I took the opportunity to offer them a treat and they all happily re-entered to coop to eat the dried meal worms that they all enjoy, except one we are calling Phoebe. I don't think she has even tried one, so she probably doesn't know what she's missing. Maybe she's a vegetarian chicken, or maybe just clueless!

After the chicks were safely back in the coop I painted the top coat all around and then installed the new door shield that should keep the bedding material in its place.

So far we have named three of the six chicks, Goldie, Sadie and now Phoebe.

Five on the Roost

The chicks are spending lots of time outside now and I have only been leaving their light on during the day on the coldest of days. I still turn the light on almost every night and they make their way into the coop to cuddle under its warm glow. All six chicks had been roosting scrunched up at one end of the roost, but one of the barred rock chicks flew off just before I snapped this picture. I kind of feel sorry for the Ameraucana chick on the bottom. 

The six chicks are getting along pretty well most days. They do seem to keep themselves entertained by chasing one another around the run and jumping up on the ramp, flying up to the roost and back down. They are lots of fun to watch. 

Last weekend when I installed the roost, I didn't think they would be able to get up to it right away, but as soon as it was installed they all immediately started looking up at it and trying to figure out how to get on it. The first attempts were failed, but then the figured it out. After s few got on, they learned to scoot down to one end so the others could fly up. It's pretty amazing that they figured it out as quickly. 

The water and food also got hung up outside and there has been much less spillage and waste since I moved them there. The fun thing about these girls is that every time we visit them they run to the door looking for a treat. They also like to get out of the run and eat the grass.

Running Behind

Wow, you take a few weekends off to build a home for some new chicks and the yard gets completely overgrown! I took the opportunity after work on a beautiful afternoon/evening to mow and edge the lawn, prune our lilac that had really grown this spring, and sweep up the patio. I threw some grass clippings into the chicken coop and the chicks seemed to enjoy the treat.

After to mowing, I turned on the sprinkler around and under the trees that have sucked all the moisture from the lawn. I have lots more pruning to do in the front yard this week too. The rhododendrons are almost done blooming and need to be brought down quite a bit this year. The weeping flowering cherry also needs a haircut soon.

Chicken Races

Yesterday I added the roof to the chicken castle and built the ramp for the chicks to get into and out of the coop during the day. I also added some additional structural pieces and paint, so it's starting to look more complete. The chicks loved scratching around in the dirt and eating little bits of grass and leaves left behind in the run. After I unblocked the chicken door, they started peeking their heads out to investigate and in no time they were racing down the ramp into the run.

The neighbor behind us was showing her grandsons the chickens and told me that she loved seeing and listening to them. That was good to hear. Honestly with all of the barking dogs and loud peacocks running around the neighborhood, I don't expect to get any grief from our neighbors about our little flock. Still it was nice to hear the she liked them.

This morning when I unblocked the chicken door, the six chicks again raced down the ramp and started foraging. Later I noticed that they have figured out how to get back up the ramp and into the coop too. They also seem to like hanging out on the ramp and jumping or flying off of it. They are pretty fun to watch I must admit.

All Moved In

Today I finally moved the chicks into their new home. I still have some work to do, but they really needed the extra room. They seem to like it a lot, flapping their little wings and trying to see outside. There is a lot of scratching and running around so far. I added a little roost after I took this picture and some of the chicks immediately hopped up on it and flapped their wings.

To the right is a picture of Goldie, our Golden Sex Link. She is starting to look very pretty and has soft feathers. She was the last chick to leave the brooder today. Her choice. She was playing hard to get. I actually tried to catch her first, but she flew away from me so I took Sadie first and she got to explore the new coop on her own for a few minutes. It didn't take long for her to start chirping loudly for her friends. The next two were the Ameraucana chicks and then the Plymouth Barred Rock. After the rest of the chicks were gone, Goldie missed them immediately and started her loud chirping for her friends. When I went back to get her she didn't put up as much of a fight and was finally happily checking out her new home.

Almost Ready

It's almost time to move the chicks into their new home. Today I caulked the inside of the coop and applied the top coat of semi gloss paint to make cleaning easier later on. I finished the doors and got them hung up too! 

I still need two sheets of plywood and the metal roofing material to keep the water out, but that will probably have to wait until next weekend. The coop roof is covered with plywood and it's basically ready to lay down the bedding and move the chicks in. I want to wait until the paint and caulk has another day to cure so it doesn't bother the chicks.

For the most part I'm pretty happy with how things are progressing. It's getting tough to see where I used recycled material so I like that! 

I added a couple of pictures of the coop so far. I still need to make a ramp so the chicks can get from the run to the coop and of course the egg box, but there is no rush for that.

Later this summer I will add windows to the door and above where the egg box will go to seal up the coop when the weather turns "foul".

Chicks First Day Outside

Enjoying the great outdoors

The chicks are getting big and I have been seeing them getting restless in their brooder lately, so today while I was working on their new home, I decided to let them spend the day in the run. I put up a piece of plywood where the run door will go while I worked on the doors for the run and coop. They had a great day eating grass, chasing flies, scratching in the dirt and flapping their wings. They never sat still all day long. When I gathered them up to put them back in their brooder, they all settled in together under the light. The girls are getting more used to us and moving them outside and then inside helped to get them even more comfortable. They really love the dried mealworms that I used to lure them to me so I could scoop them up.

I got lots of work done on the two doors today and I will be heading to the store tomorrow for door hardware, plywood and 2x4s to hopefully get closer to finishing the chicken castle. I hope to get the doors and roof done tomorrow so the chicks can move into their new home this weekend and I can clean up my shop. 

Coop Construction Continues

Coop and Run

We spent Memorial Day in Leavenworth, WA so I didn't make too much progress on the chicken castle. I did get the coop window, egg box opening and chicken door all framed and cut out. Really the last big part is to make two doors so the chickens can be moved into the coop. I also need to finish the roof so they stay dry and safe from critters.

Coop Closeup

It's supposed to rain some this week so I put some temporary plywood scraps over the coop area to try to keep it dry. In the coop closeup photo you can see the window and egg box opening as well as the chicken door. It's starting to look like a coop now and I can't wait until next weekend to get it all closed up so the chicks can move in.

There is going to be a lot of painting to do too. Since I'm using lots of recycled material, you can really see the different paint colors and unpainted pieces. It looks a little tacky right now, but it should look great with some fresh paint. Terri is already thinking about how to decorate the outside of the coop. I can't wait to see what she comes up with. She can be pretty crafty!

Treats for Chicks

Sadie our Dominique Chick

During lunch yesterday I paid a visit to Del's Farm supply; it was time to upgrade the waterer and feeder. The less expensive plastic versions are not proving to be useful for more than one day each anymore. I should have started with the larger, sturdier galvanized models. Since the chicks are eating between two and three pounds of starter feed each day the new 11 pound feeder should be much better. The new waterer holds 3 gallons versus 1 gallon for the plastic one. I won't have to worry about the girls running out of either if I can't get to them every day.

While I was browsing for more feed and the upgraded feeders, I noticed something called dried mealworms and grabbed a bag as treats for the little pullets. I have read that this might be a great way for the chicks to begin to tame down a little bit. Until now every time I open the brooder lid to change water and add feed, the chicks scattered to get as far away from me as possible, even though I move very slowly. Today I put a few of the dried mealworms in my hand and slowly lowered it into the brooder and almost immediately Sadie, the Dominique chick (the oldest one) came over an started pecking at the worms. Once she was comfortable and gobbling all the treats, the others soon followed and before long they were picking worms and running off to their own corner to enjoy their treat before coming back for more. I should be fun to see how they react to me today.

Outsmarting the Chicks

Our chicks can make a mess in a hurry during the day while we are at work. Two of them are bigger than the rest and they love to try to fly already. As I watch them, they fly to the top of the feeder and have tipped it over making a mess when the bottom nut on the feeder fell off (I still have not found it). Now I have noticed that when the water gets low, it gets light enough to rock back and forth spilling water in the brooder and making a big mess.

Last night I decided to clean the bedding and while I was at it I put the water on a solid base so they can't move it as easily. We will see later today if my plan worked. The chicks are eating and drinking a lot every day, which is surprising considering their size. When I bought 25 pounds of food the sales person quipped that it would last me about a week; I almost laughed! Well 10 or so days into that first bag it's about half gone already so he was not too far off, and they seem to be eating more each day. I might have to buy a bigger, more sturdy feeder sooner than I thought!

Here is a portrait of one of our barred rock chicks. So cute...

Coop Construction

The Hen House

Today I spent the day working on the coop for the chickens. They will be using it before I know it so I wanted to get a lot done while the weather was good. I finished the roof outline and the floor for the hen house. I also put some of the screen on the far right side of the run and below the hen house floor. They can hang out under there when it's hot outside.

Tomorrow I need to do some more work on the roof and put more screen up. I think another trip to the lumber store is in my future. I am trying to use as much reclaimed material as possible. I am demolishing an old wood shed and there is a lot of usable material there so that's saving me some money.

I might also get around to adding some plywood to the hen house walls. There is still a lot do to before the girls can move in though. I need to make the egg boxes, two doors and a couple of windows too!

Busy Chicks

Before I left for work yesterday I filled the chick's feeder and noticed that the nut that holds the feeder together was missing. I have no idea where it went, but looking through the bedding was fruitless so I set up a title platform and set the feeder on it and headed to work.

When I got home the feeder was on its side and the food was everywhere in the brooder. I took me a while to find the feeder parts. They must have been playing pretty rough with it all day! Terri located a replacement nut and I put the feeder back together and things are back to normal.

This weekend, work on the coop continues. It won't be long before these chicks will be living outside and running around the yard. Watch out bugs and slugs.

I plan to get some chick portraits today too. That should be fun.

Chicken Profile #4

Plymouth Rock

The Plymouth Rock originated in New England in the 19th Century and was first recognized as a breed in the year 1869. They created the first Rock (Barred) by using breeds such as Dominique, Dorkings Cochins, etc. After that other colors and forms of the Plymouth Rock were created. It has been a great bird due to hardiness, egg laying, broodiness, and meat production. The first production meat chicken happened to be the Barred Rock. But now The White Rock is typically the female used to create Cornish X meat chickens.

We have two of these little chicks. They are black and fluffy and go peep, peep, peep. This is the second most popular breed on the backyard chickens breed ranking.

Photo and history courtesy of http://www.backyardchickens.com/

Chicken Profile #3

Ameraucana

The Ameraucana was developed in the 70's by a few people who were trying to standardize the Araucana breed. The Ameraucana is easier to breed as there are no complications due to lethal genes. A very detailed history of the Ameraucana can be read at the Ameraucana Breeders Club website. Besides the above color requirements the following are some of the traits Ameraucanas should posess:

{eyes - bay (reddish brown)}
{shanks & feet - slate (blue grey) black accepted on black birds, bottoms of feet white}
{ear lobes - red, pale on females (no white)}
{comb - pea}
{wattles - very small, absent}
{skin - white}
{toes - four}
{muffs & beard - forming three seperate lobes, absence is a DQ}
{egg color - blue, minty green}
{cock weight - 6.5 lbs/cockerel - 5.5 lbs}
{hen weight - 5.5 lbs/pullet - 4.5 lbs}
{full breast, medium back, and tail carried at 45 degrees above horizontal}
{the bird must breed true to color}

Photo and history courtesy of http://www.backyardchickens.com/

We have two of these chicks that are about two weeks old and are very pretty. They are starting to get little wing and tail feathers. So cute. 

Chicken Profile #2

Golden Sex Link

Imported originally from the Netherlands, this strain is used in over 60 countries worldwide. Capable of laying over 300 strong shelled eggs per year, the Golden Sex Link also known as the Bovan Brown is a very hearty bird that can withstand cold temperatures. When hatched, the males are a creamy white with the females colored in shades of red.

We have one of these chicks, she is now about three weeks old and is starting to get her tail feathers and is doing a lot of flapping.

Photo and profile courtesy of http://www.backyardchickens.com/

Chicken Profile #1

Dominique

Dominique Chickens have endured a long and rich history. First developed by the Colonists, they were not recognized as a specific breed until the early 1800's.

They steadily lost popularity as Asiatic breeds became the norm on American farms, and were almost extinct by the early 1900s. The National American Dominique Club was founded to help boost their popularity, but folded in the 1930s.

After facing another near extinction by the 1970s, Dominiques began to again regain popularity and more people sought to add these wonderful birds to their farms and breeding programs. In the past few years however, their popularity has again waned, and many folks have moved on to other breeds.

The Dominique Club of America was founded in 1973 to help promote the breed and serve as a source of information and breeding stock for members working on their own strain. For more information on the DCA, visit their website at http://www.dominiqueclub.org

I have one of these in my new flock and she is the oldest at almost 4 weeks. She appears to be acting as the mother hen to the younger chicks.

Photo and history courtesy of http://www.backyardchickens.com/ 

Around The Garden

The warm weather has been great for the seeds and plants we have put in over the past few weeks. So far the lettuce, kale, tomatoes and onions are doing well. The strawberries and blueberries are also looking great! Over the weekend when Hannah and I were in the yard, we saw lots of Honey Bees, little Bumble Bees and Mason Bees! I am really happy to see the Mason Bees buzzing around the nest blocks.

I also planted some squash seeds that I saved two years ago and they are coming up in spades. If I can keep the neighborhood peacocks from eating them we should have lots of little squash in the fall.

More later...

Wing Flapping

My morning visit to the brooder found some of the chicks roosting on the new roost, and others sleeping in the bedding material. When they saw me they all popped up and two of them stretched their wings and started flapping them! The Dominique and Golden Sex-Link are getting lots of feathers and they do lots of preening and flapping.

I moved the heat lamp out of the brooder because they can now almost reach it when they are on the roost. This will give them a little more room too.

They all seem to like their new home!

They Made It

The six little chicks made it through the day without us! When I got home the Dominique was taking a "dust bath" in the pine shavings and she seemed to be enjoying herself a lot. She was also spreading her wings and hoping up to the top of the feeder trying to roost I think. I made them a little roost so they can get used to that too. After I put the roost in the brooder, I left them alone for a few minutes. When I returned they were all hopping up on it and pecking at it. I guess they like it!

Chickens

On Saturday afternoon I made the trip to Enumclaw, WA and visited Country Farm & Feed to chose my new chicks. I picked out six chicks and brought them home. I ended up with 1 three week old Dominique chick, 1 two week old Golden Sex-Link chick, 2 week old Plymouth Barred Rock chicks, and 2 week old Ameraucana chicks. They are all getting along well in the brooder I made for them.

The older Dominique has already taken the other five chick under her wind as they all cuddle together when they sleep, so cute.

Today the chicks will be alone for the day since we are all off to work. I will post some pictures this week and also coop progress.

That's it for my first post!