Winterizing the Coop

Tuesday I finally managed to get the chicken coop 

ready for winter.

I had already put the heated waterer in the coop, 

but I hadn't managed to get the plastic sheeting up.

With a deep freeze forecasted for today and tomorrow, 

it was important to get the run covered.

I left some areas open to offer some ventilation,

and to allow the chickens to see out.

If there is a bad storm forecasted or some seriously cold weather,

I'll cover up these areas temporarily.

I only have 2 chickens left, 

so they don't have the ability to generate as much warmth

as, say, 10 chickens.

This is the only pullet I have left from the 4 I ordered online.

She ended up pecking her fellow pullet coop mate to death.

It seems that my Jersey Giant hen was preventing 

the two pullets from getting to the food.

I've named this pullet Donner.

As in the Donner Party. 

I'm not going to bother with any more baby chicks.

I'm just waiting for April to roll around so I can head out to the Poultry Swap

and grab some more pullets ready for the coop.

Giant Eggs and Clipped Wings

I had a busy evening last night.  I've been having a chicken dilemma recently.  We set up a temporary run area to keep the girls contained and hopefully safer from predators.  Problem was, they were all flying out of the run.  So I opted to clip their wings.
You'll have to imagine my husbands face when I told him that's what we would be doing tonight.  He was slightly concerned that clipping wings was more involved than it actually was.  I wasn't able to get any photos of the task because it takes two people to complete the job.  My husband held the hen while I pulled out her wings one at a time and clipped her primary flight feathers.  Don't worry, it doesn't hurt, they don't bleed and the feather will eventually grow back.  I'm hoping this fixes the flying the coop/run problem and they stay where I want them.  This is especially important because there was a hawk flying around the neighbor's field.  Apparently the girls were smart enough to know to stick close when they heard the unmistakable screeching.  So the girls are grounded and the coop has been cleaned and prepared for colder weather.  We also grabbed a dozen eggs and found two extra extra large eggs.  I'm certain they will be double yolkers.  The egg carton was actually for extra large eggs, but these were too big for the carton!  Love my Jersey Giant hen!

Feelin' HOT HOT HOT

Baby, it's hot out there!

While working in the garden one evening,

I noticed several of the chickens were holding their wings away from there body

and "panting".

Having read this was a sign they were getting over heated,

I grabbed a bucket and filled it with cool water.

Then one by one I stuck them in the bucket of water.

None of them were happy about being grabbed, 

but they all seemed to appreciate the cooling affect of the water.

My Jersey Giant Lenore 

.(formerly one of the Heckle and Jeckle pair but since I lost the other JG,

there was no longer a pair, 

so she's named for the woman in the Edgar Allen Poe poem The Raven)

anyway, Lenore wasn't quick to get out the water. 

She stayed in the bucket for a couple of minutes while I splashed water over her back.

Afterwards, they all seemed much happier and began scratching and exploring the grass

in the temporary run.

So remember, when it's hot outside, keep an eye on your chickens

and keep a bucket handy in case they start showing signs of being overheated!

Why, Yes, That is a Chicken on My Head

I went to check on the chickens Monday evening.

Well, really I just wanted to check on Henny Penny after her first night in the coop.

I wanted to make sure she hadn't been pecked

to the point of bleeding again.

Apparently she missed me.

She was chirping the moment she saw me 

and proceeded to jump on my head when I crouched down.

And she sat there for several minutes.

I let the little ones out for a bit

so they could have a reprieve from the bossiness of the other hens.

I've renamed the 2 Jersey Giant chickens.

They stick together all the time 

and they remind me of the 2 magpies from those old cartoons

named Heckle and Jeckle

so Heckle and Jeckle they're named.

 Now I need to finish painting the coop

and build a fence around the veggie garden.

There's been too much work put into the garden

to let the older hens go in and mow down my cabbage plants

and scratch up the seeds.

Locked In

I went by the "homestead" to check on the chickens

and get some more seeds planted in the garden.

I love how the new chicks come running to me when I get close to the coop.

So I went in and sat down with them for a bit

and spent time feeding all the chickens some dandelion greens. 

My husband found this amusing.

Moreso when he locked me in the coop 

and went inside the house 

where he spent considerable time chatting with my mother.

While I was locked in the coop.

The little chickens were pleased,

they used me as protection from the big chickens.

A Dose of Cute

New Chicks On The Block

Going into a farm store in the spring when you have a chicken fetish is a dangerous thing.
But I was fairly confident I could resist those cute little fluffs of feathers
because I made the decision I was done raising chicks.
My chickens live at my parents' house on 6.5 acres
while I live 10 minutes away in a small town
in a one  bedroom apartment.
I found a place that will raise your chicks for you from their flock
and once they are ready to be in the coop, you pick them up.
But after some thought,
I didn't know if I wanted to spend the extra money on chickens
when I already had all the items I needed to raise them myself.
So, while looking at the cute fuzzy little chicks,
I decided to get some and raise them myself.
(all it took to convince the husband was the sign that said Jersey Giants lay extra large eggs).
I did have to figure out what to put them in since using a water trough won't work in a one bedroom apartment.
Later that night,
I remembered the large rabbit hutch I had in the attic,
and the next day I went and picked up the chicks.

I was supposed to get 3.
I ended up with 4 because there were only 4 left
and I couldn't leave one left behind.
I have 2 black Jersey Giant chicks and
2 Speckled Sussex chicks.
Jersey Giants are a Heritage breed from America
(they originated in New Jersey in 1870-1890)
They are the largest purebred chicken breed
and very docile.

This one is named Black Betty
(like the song, which I sing in my head constantly now)

This one we call The Jersey Devil
named for the monster in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.

The Speckled Sussex breed is from England that originated
in about 43 A.D.
They are friendly and docile and have a curiosity
that has them exploring and following you around.

This one is Amelia Peabody

(after a favorite character in a novel)

And this one is most likely going to be called
Royal Farms
as in Royal Farms fried chicken.
My 8 year old named her,
I was thinking Margaret Thatcher or Queen Victoria

They're all set up in their brooder

in my small bathroom-

temporarily.

They'll be moved to another area today.

So far this gals are a riot.

While I was getting the brooder ready, 

they all jumped up and perched on the edge of the bottom portion of the cage

while I was putting together the wire parts.  

Then one would jump off onto the floor

and while I was catching that one and putting it back

another would jump off 

and it continued on and on like some sort of 

I Love Lucy episode.

This is going to be fun!