View Full Version : How are your chickens doing?
The 4 I have left are doing fine. They're a bit pampered. It got down to 7 degrees at night for a few days, so I turned on the heat lamps. It keeps it around 32 in their coop.
They will be 10 years old in June, so I figured they deserved to not be so cold. I've even kept their pop-up door closed for a few days. Since there are only 4 of them in a nice big coop, I figured I could keep the door closed and they wouldn't go crazy.
I gave them some oatmeal with a banana, a probiotic and olive oil this morning. They love that.
My only concern with the heat lamps being on is that it may stimulate them to lay eggs, and that can get them into real trouble, with their elderly egg-producing systems.
My chickens will stand out all day in the rain, but they won't touch snow. Silly girls.
How are your chickens doing?
I don't have any but DD lives a few miles away and her boyfriend got her three for Christmas along with a coop for the backyard. I was thinking they might need a fourth if hens are anything like adolescent girls - two ganging up on one? It was fun watching them eat the worms she was picking off her fall garden plants. We had to babysit them over the holidays and quickly learned that they are probably not for us anymore. They are young so at least there will be eggs galore this spring. That part is good!!
Well, there is a pecking order.....which would be there with any number of them. Its interesting watching the pecking order change over the years.....whether from the death of one, or illness, or age.
I have one that's always been at the bottom of order. Her butt is totally bare of feathers. But she's still always been a screamer, in spite of her lowly position. haha
I was so happy recently, when she finally got to sit on the top roost in the coop, in front of the window. All the really aggressive chickens I had, had died off.
Their personalities are all different..........just like humans. There are some that are kind and peaceful, others that are mean and crazy. I found that my girls weren't as obnoxious because I didn't have a rooster. That changes everything. (that happens in a room full of human women and a male too!) hahaha
I do miss the eggs. I might get a new bunch sometime, but I'm such a mother hen.......haha.......that I've never wanted to go on a vacation because of them. So I'll get my vacations in before I get more.
I hope your DD enjoys them!
I am down to 8 girls now. I actually have new chicks ordered for Spring and would normally have more but I lost a couple in the fall.
It is also about 8 degrees here and I haven't opened the pop door. They have been happy to stay inside munching on cabbage. Today I opened the door and they looked at the snow and promptly turned around and went back inside.
My coop is insulated and I have a heated water base so the interior of the coop isn't bad. I actually have a heater that I turn on for them if it goes into negative numbers but so far we haven't needed it.
We did notice one of DD's chickens (black-striped) is much smarter than the other two. She followed us around and quickly figured out where things were. She also likes to be held. The other two are a bit younger - maybe that's all it is. Do yours have names?
I'm down to 7. They scream to be let out every morning and scold me if I or one of the boys are a little late. I didn't realise so many of them started laying again and found 13 eggs this morning. Yesterday I found an egg by the studio door. They do like watching my husband work and I think one was hoping for a treat and waited a little late to make it back to the coop to do her thing.
Trying to decide if I want to order more. Would like to try french marins (dark brown eggs) or go ahead and try quail. I have a 2nd coop that is currently sitting empty. Will also be deciding if I want 25 or 50 meat chickens for spring. They really draw the coons and fox. I may skip it this year and just concentrate on the egg layers.
The 4 I have left are: Weenie (black australorp), and the other 3 are easter-eggers.....Skunk, Periwinkle, and Kiwi. My others were
Nobie, Brownie, Squeaky, Flopsy, Whitney, Lady Marmalade, Skye, Hawk, Pepper Anne, Rose, Jean, Lavender, and Jelly Bean
I loved them all. :)
We did notice one of DD's chickens (black-striped) is much smarter than the other two. She followed us around and quickly figured out where things were. She also likes to be held. The other two are a bit younger - maybe that's all it is. Do yours have names?
When my daughter was little she would name them. Now we just call chickie chickie and they all come running.
I had eight, but am down to four, as critters got four of them in the space of a week last November. I used to let them free range all year, but apparently the critters have figured out that a free meal was waiting for them at my house. The remaining four now have to stay in their coop/pen area, and aren't too happy about it. It hasn't gotten colder than the upper 20's here, but we have an infrared in the coop that cycles on all night. So they are warm, and also get spoiled with food. My husband who said three years ago that I would get chickens over his dead body, likes to cook rice and veggies with butter and salt for them. He likes to fuss over them and makes sure every night that they're all tucked in. He even sings them a good night song. :)
I had eight, but am down to four, as critters got four of them in the space of a week last November. I used to let them free range all year, but apparently the critters have figured out that a free meal was waiting for them at my house. The remaining four now have to stay in their coop/pen area, and aren't too happy about it. It hasn't gotten colder than the upper 20's here, but we have an infrared in the coop that cycles on all night. So they are warm, and also get spoiled with food. My husband who said three years ago that I would get chickens over his dead body, likes to cook rice and veggies with butter and salt for them. He likes to fuss over them and makes sure every night that they're all tucked in. He even sings them a good night song. :)
:)
The Storyteller
1-10-13, 5:55pm
Trying to decide if I want to order more. Would like to try french marins (dark brown eggs) or go ahead and try quail. I have a 2nd coop that is currently sitting empty. Will also be deciding if I want 25 or 50 meat chickens for spring. They really draw the coons and fox. I may skip it this year and just concentrate on the egg layers.
Marans (I have a few Cuckoo and Black Copper) eggs are beautiful, but they are not great layers and go broody at the drop of a hat. Nice birds, though.
That's good to know Storyteller. I have been tempted to get some, but didn't know how easily they go broody.
I've never had broody problems with the breeds I've had.
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