What i did in or around the hen house today

[onemintomidnight]

Took the chickens for a walk the other day. Let them out of their run for the first time. I wanted them good and trained where their home was and to come when called. It was a pretty successful venture. They were eager to get out and immediately went to task getting any remaining bugs that have not died from the cold.

They were easy to call around (led them over to a few areas i thought they would love) and pretty much followed me around the back yard. The wife laughed at me and called me their rooster. After a few hours or working around the house outside they were easy to call back into their run. hopefully they will get used to this rotation and i can let them out doors all summer, without having to hunt allover for eggs.

[Cutbank]

Lost a chicken to a Goshawk today. An impressive raptor to be sure! Sadly the bird it took was one of our remaining Golden Sebrights. They are the sweetest bird and would jump up on my shoulder when I entered the hen house. Can't fault the hawk and doubt it would have taken one of our Rhodes or Bards. I had let the hens out for one last romp around the yard before the gound gets too hard to scratch. I knew something was up when three hens were scratching and pecking at my sliding glass door (?) trying to get in, or atleast get my attention. Found the rest of the flock under some tools and hoses next to the coop. They know how to hide well atleast.

[ajhammered365]

I got two New Hampshire Reds yesterday!!  I had to spray one of them with the anti-peck spray. She already had some bare spots from another rooster and when they were getting to know each other she got some bloody spots on her. 
 Really looking forward to the additional brown eggs

[urbanfarmer]

Lost a chicken to a Goshawk today. An impressive raptor to be sure! Sadly the bird it took was one of our remaining Golden Sebrights. They are the sweetest bird and would jump up on my shoulder when I entered the hen house. Can't fault the hawk and doubt it would have taken one of our Rhodes or Bards. I had let the hens out for one last romp around the yard before the gound gets too hard to scratch. I knew something was up when three hens were scratching and pecking at my sliding glass door (?) trying to get in, or atleast get my attention. Found the rest of the flock under some tools and hoses next to the coop. They know how to hide well atleast.

So sorry to hear about your Sebright, I just love mine. I lost my Cuckoo Marans two nights ago and I have no idea how. Her buddy a Golden Wyandotte is standing out in the rain looking for her today. Very sad to watch.

[urbanfarmer]

I got two New Hampshire Reds yesterday!!  I had to spray one of them with the anti-peck spray. She already had some bare spots from another rooster and when they were getting to know each other she got some bloody spots on her. 
 Really looking forward to the additional brown eggs

I've never had any RIRs but I hear they are the best. Congrats!

[Cutbank]

Lost a chicken to a Goshawk today. An impressive raptor to be sure! Sadly the bird it took was one of our remaining Golden Sebrights. They are the sweetest bird and would jump up on my shoulder when I entered the hen house. Can't fault the hawk and doubt it would have taken one of our Rhodes or Bards. I had let the hens out for one last romp around the yard before the gound gets too hard to scratch. I knew something was up when three hens were scratching and pecking at my sliding glass door (?) trying to get in, or atleast get my attention. Found the rest of the flock under some tools and hoses next to the coop. They know how to hide well atleast.

So sorry to hear about your Sebright, I just love mine. I lost my Cuckoo Marans two nights ago and I have no idea how. Her buddy a Golden Wyandotte is standing out in the rain looking for her today. Very sad to watch.

Those Wyandottes are really a nice looking bird. Aren't they like the original "native" American chicken? How do they lay?

[heathenmom]

This last couple of weeks, I've noticed free-ranging chickens in 2 yards on my commute (back country roads, but still ...).  Interesting!!

[Xenopus]

This last couple of weeks, I've noticed free-ranging chickens in 2 yards on my commute (back country roads, but still ...).  Interesting!!

Yes, there are more and more chickens foraging at the side of road in this part of the world too!!

[WeedEater]

My hens have been wallowing in mud for almost two weeks now.  Straight up goopy mud and feces.  The chicken yard looks like a beef-feedlot no matter how many wheelbarrows of pine tags I toss in it.  I'm so worried about parasites now!  There is no end to the rain or gloom in site either.  Shit Shit and more SHIT!

[Xenopus]

Oh dear, Weed, how miserable. Where are you? I think everyone should be asked to put their location in their signature or something. It's gorgeous here.

[akaskip]

My hens have been wallowing in mud for almost two weeks now.  Straight up goopy mud and feces.  The chicken yard looks like a beef-feedlot no matter how many wheelbarrows of pine tags I toss in it.  I'm so worried about parasites now!  There is no end to the rain or gloom in site either.  Shit Shit and more SHIT!

 i believe your in central VA?, WV here so i know where you are coming from.

  I have raked up a nice pile of leaves and dumped them in the run area and today i spread a bale of hay in there too ( hay is free ) it seemed to help a lot, i have also limited their time out of the house lately especially when it was pouring, it means more poop in the henhouse but winter is coming and it will provide extra heat, other than that i don't know what else i could do except ship them somewhere else dry , i think it is forecast for us to get more rain in the week to come, hope not, it has sucked hunting out in this crap too, i am starting to feel kinda like a Duck myself

[WeedEater]

Yeah, I feel you on the hunt as well, though my job struggles are so tough right now there is absolutely no time on it.  I don't even have time to pull a dead one off the road!

Chickens look like drowned rats.  Gotta go out at night to make sure they make it in the coop, as my dominant roo is excluding the new birds, and I can't have that.  I had meant to cull last month, and just like last year, I haven't and have no help.  Gotta get it done, there is no room for all these roos.  The favored hens all have muddy backs...the situation is just ridiculous!

[akaskip]

Yeah, I feel you on the hunt as well, though my job struggles are so tough right now there is absolutely no time on it.  I don't even have time to pull a dead one off the road!

Chickens look like drowned rats.  Gotta go out at night to make sure they make it in the coop, as my dominant roo is excluding the new birds, and I can't have that.  I had meant to cull last month, and just like last year, I haven't and have no help.  Gotta get it done, there is no room for all these roos.  The favored hens all have muddy backs...the situation is just ridiculous!

  Know the feeling, hardly any help here either, the wife works nights ( 12 hr shifts ) and helps out when she can.

I look at it this way, it gets done when it gets done, start with the absolute first and work your way down the list.

  Luck to ya

[akaskip]

 
  The rooster attacked the wife this morning, i don't think i have ever seen her so mad, i guess she won't be saying it must just
 be you, the rooster never comes at me

 I put more shavings in the hh and collected the rest of the eggs the wife didn't get , the old rooster kept his distance.
 

[Cutbank]

Our last rooster lived 3 days after attacking my wife. That is how long for me to catch, cage, and fast him before he became stew...

Hard to think badly of an animal just "doing his job", but the pecking order extends beyond the hen house.