chickens

Bigger and bigger and bigger!

While I wasn't home last weekend, my brother brought his dog over and introduced her to the chickens with my sister. Penny wrenched her leash away from my sister and got a hold of poor Rhea and pulled some tail feathers out. Rhea seems fine otherwise, but you can tell how sparse her tail is compared to Hera's.

Last night, DH and I came home to a skunky smell, and I was immediately afraid for the chickens. Lucy was left outside while we were at dinner, and she smelled nasty too. I went to investigate and discovered three indentations in the ground that looked like something had been digging at the edges of the coop. Two were right next to each other near the chicken feed and water, and one was on the back side of the coop. The girls were all fine, though. What a relief! I thought Lucy might have been the one digging at the coop, but I have never seen her do that and she's been inside before, so she knows what's in there. I wish we had been home when this happened, but they were fine without us, so that's good.

I want to take another picture of Persephone on my hand to show her growth from last time, but I let them out of the run already and can't seem to catch them. Hopefully, I'll be able to get a picture of her later today or maybe tomorrow. I noticed that she is the smallest one of the five, even though she seems giant from the pictures. Maybe I'll take a picture of Persephone and someone else in my hand to show the difference there too.

Today I want to work in the yard a little bit, but I also want to relax. Since I accidentally got up early, I'll probably go out there soon and then come back inside before it gets hot. I also have to clean up the coop, especially since I didn't do it last week.

I thought it would be fun to chronicle their growth. The best pictures I have are of Persephone because she was never afraid of the camera. So here is the growth chart so far, updated today. I'll be continually updating my breed page on Backyard Chickens.

	2 days
	6 days
	14 days
	23 days
	31 days
	57 days
	73 days, today

Here are more pictures of the girls. I think my camera is getting a little beat up from being in the dirt. I've been thinking about retiring it, but I really adore this camera. It's maybe 5 years old, and I've taken some awesome pictures with it. We'll see.

The girls are getting bigger and bigger. I feel a lot more hands-off these days. When I first got them, I was in the garage all the time, spending time with them and handling them to get them accustomed to being held. As they grew older, I handled them less and spent less time with them. On the weekends, I would let them outside and leave them to peck around while I went about my business or worked on the coop.

The coop makes being hands-off even easier because they don't need their water changed twice a day. I only peek out at them to make sure they look okay, and then I head out to work.

In other news, Iroh can has cheezburger?

The first day that the coop was done, I put all the ladies in the hen house. The next morning, I knew they were hungry and thirsty, but they hadn't come out yet. So I went to the back door and shoved them all through the hen house door. I wasn't sure how long it would take them to understand, but I shouldn't've doubted them. When I got home from school that day, they were all already in the hen house. The next morning, they were outside pecking around. I guess they learn quick!

I'm so happy that the coop is finally done. They seem happy too. They have a lot more space to peck around, fresh air and sun, and they aren't scared to death by me when I stick them all in a box and take them outside. Maintenance is a lot easier too, since I don't have to change their water twice a day.

I'm going to get a storage shed for the corner near the coop to store their supplies. It'll be a lot easier than trudging to and from the garage with scoops of feed and whatnot. I thought about just storing the feed next to the run or inside it, but I don't want to risk animals chewing it open or take up space in the run. The water is still a pain, but I guess I can just bring the hose out there instead of bringing the waterer to the hose.

It's done! We still have a few minor things to do, like add a handle to the door, but they moved in the second we finished. Sooner actually, since they invited themselves into the run while we were working. This was the longest I had ever kept them outside, and as the sun began to sink, they started making upset noises, as if telling us to hurry. Naturally, after a sweltering 11 hours in the sun, that didn't make me too happy.

But having the Goddesses moved into their permanent home definitely made me happy. We were so tired that we didn't clean up or even get proper locks for the latches, which is why a stick is in the back door latch.

I'm not sure why, but the egg door is my favorite part. I like the way it looks and opens; it's so fitting and makes so much sense. I chose and installed the latch, which was one of the only tasks I performed entirely by myself. At the store, I didn't really care for the latch, but when I installed it, the look of it grew on me.

I'm so excited to have the chicks out of the garage. I can't wait to reclaim the space, have it be and smell clean, and most importantly, be able step out there without stepping on poop.

Comments on the Plan

If I didn't already say so, I bought The Garden Coop plans online for just under $20. For weeks I looked up info on making my own and trying to plan, but I overwhelmed myself with trying to include everything and hardly being able to make decisions. The Garden Coop plan had pretty much what I wanted with the flexibility to add whatever it didn't already include. My basic requirements, other than what chickens require (ventilation, space needs) were that my coop have an attached run, house at least 5 chickens, and look nice. I originally wanted external nesting boxes, a slide out poop tray or slatted floor, and some windows, but once we started building I realized these weren't very practical for our level of skill.

The creator of the plan was extremely responsive, friendly and helpful whenever I had questions. The plan was a great start, but I also think that having such a plan made us feel as if we were obligated to follow it. We began to deviate from the plan more towards the end when we began building the henhouse, but in the beginning, I wish we had deviated more. Part of it was because I did the hardware shopping and didn't know what to buy, so I just followed the shopping list on the plan. It was great because I didn't know what to buy, but it was also not great because I didn't realize that screwing the frame together would have been better than nailing it together. DH found this annoying, especially when we made a mistake and had to waste a piece of wood.

Throughout this whole process, I kept thinking about how long this was taking and how much we were spending, but I know that DIYing was the best way for us. Although this is our first construction project, I tend to prefer DIY because I like to customize. Also, pre-made chicken coops and event custom-built coops did not appeal to my aesthetics, and that was important. This structure would be an important part of the yard, and I would see it every day. I didn't want to open the back door and sigh in resignation or wrinkle my nose in distaste. The Garden Coop is one of the better looking coops out there.

Modifications:
We used larger redwood boards for the henhouse so we wouldn't have to sand and stain anything else. It actually wasn't too expensive, we needed fewer boards, and it looks really nice. Some of the boards are almost a salmon color, which for some reason I find funny.

I didn't like the hen door in the floor of the hen house, so we made it on the side instead, which wasn't too much trouble.

The original egg door was too small and required too many steps to cut and frame, so we simplified it by making one of the panels open. This probably wouldn't work as well with slimmer wood. Ours was 7.5" wide, so it worked very well.

I didn't like having the human access door to the hen house on the inside of the run, so we built it on the back wall, across from the egg door.

Instead of adding a spring to the run door, we used springed hinges. Our run door also opens outward.

We added two extra 2x4s under the hen house in the front and back to which we secured the hardware cloth.

I wanted to be able to secure all the latches, so instead of regular barrel bolts (which I bought because of the list), I got several different types of latches, all of which allow a padlock or something else to secure it.

Still To Do
For the hen house, we still need to put linoleum on the floor and add the final panel on the inside wall. Though we don't have to worry about it for a while, we also need to make the 2 nesting boxes. The run door still needs a handle, and the door framing needs to be put in.

I also want to hang a chain from the middle board underneath the hen house to hang the feeder, and I need to get proper locks or at least some sort of something for all the latches.

We also couldn't get a screw in this one spot on the side, so I want to make something to hang on it.

Future Reference:
As I mentioned before, we would have used screws on the frame instead of nails.

Also, we might end up cutting and installing windows someday. I'd like to be able to see in there without opening a door and disturbing them.

I have been thinking about adding another door on the side of the hen house for easier cleaning.

We also bought a different length for the framing wood than the plan suggested, which did not work to our benefit. We had a lot of extra wood leftover. This was good and bad. Good because we were able to use the scrap for other parts or to correct mistakes, but bad because most of it is sitting there and we don't know what to do with it. I suppose we have enough to give away or to make something else out of them.

I can't think of any other comments or specifics, but I'll post if I think of anything. I'm really tired now, and I want to lie down. I wanted to read a little, but it's a little late and I have an early day tomorrow.

I'm really looking forward to lazing around next weekend. We're not gonna be taking on any projects at least for the next 6 weeks. I, and I'm sure DH, look forward to a break. Woo!

A big, big thank you to my DH. I couldn't have done it without you! ♥

I don't feel the way I thought I would about my chickens. Don't get me wrong, I'm quite fond of them, and I enjoy having them. But I thought I would love them like I love my other pets, but the reality is that I don't. My theory is that I only have feelings for animals that are reciprocated.

This is even true for my cats. Perhaps they just show it differently, but I don't feel that my cats love me very much. Sure they like us, but I don't feel like we are all a family together. Iroh seems much more attached to us than Selina is at this point, so I return Iroh's affections and try to regain Selina's.

When I was unemployed, and Selina and I spent all day together, it was wonderful. We took naps together and played, and she drove me crazy while I tried to sew or crochet. She loved me very much and I loved her. Then I started working, we got Iroh. As if that weren't enough, we moved -- into a house that had not only a dog, but a young child as well. True, he isn't with us full-time, but he's sure rambunctious enough to make up for his absence. She's now in a perpetual bad mood most of the time, and we can pet her for all of 2 seconds before she makes an irritated noise and runs away, or even bites us. Her kneading me and sleeping on my chest is now a rare treat rather than part of our nightly routine.

Sometimes I find myself wondering if we should find another home for her, where she can be the only animal in the house. I haven't considered this seriously both for selfish reasons and because I don't know how she would react to a new home since she seems so resistant to change. But someday my parents will take Lucy, and DH and I will get a dog of our own that will likely be much larger than Lucy. How will Selina handle that? I'm not sure, but I want her to be happy. She tolerates Lucy and is actually much nicer to Lucy than she was to Iroh when we first got him. We did turn her world upside down in a matter of few months, so maybe she just needs more time. I hope that's the case.

My in-laws graciously bought us a barbeque, so we moved our old one and are planning to give it away. When I opened it to take pictures of the broken inside, I noticed bees. Upon closer inspection, we found them to have begun a nest inside.

I find myself wondering what their nests are made of, and what that silvery looking stuff is that the nest appears to be hanging from. DH tells me that these aren't the kind of bees that make honey; they are the kind that can sting you multiple times without consequence, so I will be glad to get rid of it. I put a warning on the ad, but I'm still a little concerned about giving it away.

I can't believe I missed the last 2 weeks of picture taking. How lame! And not only have I not been taking pictures or posting, but we let all the weeds grow back in the yard. Sadness.

Look at her tail. Everyone's tail perked up when we got outside. They never do this in the brooder. I know they are way too old to be in the brooder. Coop progress is slow, but we're working on it.

Artemis appears to have the longest tail. Athena's tail is a close second, but Persephone's tail look more like the Welsumers' tails than her EE sisters' tails. Though Persephone does have the advantage of having the biggest cheeks. I thought Artemis and Athena weren't going to have puffy cheeks as adults, but I believe I was mistaken. You can see Artemis and Athena below, puffy cheeks and all.

My favorite pic from today.

I wish we could take a break from coop building to just relax and enjoy the day, but we have a hard deadline, and they are just too big for the brooder. Plus, I want them to be able to enjoy the outdoors even when we're not home.

We went to the feed store on Wednesday to buy some grower or developer feed, but they didn't have any. The girl at the store told me to feed them chick scratch and then Layena. Though I was almost sure that scratch is a treat, I bought the bag because they needed something and scratch was better than nothing. So I consulted one of the chicken forums I frequent, and they suggested a feed store just over 30 minutes away. Luckily, we were on our way South for a party, so we stopped by there first.

That feed store was smaller than our local one, but they had what we needed. I also saw Lucy's dog food there and was reminded that she needed some. I bought a bag for Lucy and two 50# bags of chicken feed so we wouldn't have to make the trip again. The bag says to use that feed until 21-22 weeks or until they start laying. I hope it's enough, but if not, I'm sure we'll be heading that way again in the future, so it's not a big deal.

I guess the weekly update is moved to Thursday this week and last week. I'm not feeling talkative today, so here are the pics!

I hope she's a hen every day, because her feathers are so pretty, and so is her personality. Isn't she lovely?

The weather was no good yesterday, so I waited till today to take pictures and post. Everyone's feathers are looking better and better. They are getting so big and are eating a lot every day. I don't put a jar in their feeder because I don't have one that fits well enough for them not to knock it over; I refill their feeder twice a day now.

Artemis looks a lot slimmer than she used to. She wandered away from the flock for a minute or two, so I took some pics of her by herself. She's gonna be a pretty bird! All my Easter Eggers look like they'll have nice coloring, though Athena looks like she'll be all white.

When I came home, I discovered that Athena had jumped out of the brooder. Luckily, the weather was warm today, otherwise she may have gotten cold.

This is either Hera or Rhea, but check out that comb! I've seen pictures of Welsumer hens will pretty large combs. I wonder if mine will have big combs too. I kinda hope not, but if they do, that's okay too. They will be good-looking regardless =)

The chicks at 23 days old. I have been letting them out in the yard whenever I get the chance. Even if the weather is a little chilly, I still let them out because they don't seem to get cold as easily.

Taking pictures of them outside is a lot more fun, and the lighting is better, too. They are so active outside and really enjoy wandering around.

They are growing so fast, and their feathers are coming in more and more every day. Hera and Rhea are getting more and more difficult to tell apart. The colors on their heads are getting muttled by feathers coming in, and that's how I was able to tell them apart before.

Even though I haven't been posting that much, I have been taking pictures a lot. I update my Chicken Flickr set whenever I take pictures and have been keeping good record of what age the chicks are when the pictures were taken.

Today is the 2-week mark, and they've gotten so big already. The waterer is no longer a good measure of their growth because, sadly, I broke it this morning. A quick glance in the cabinet revealed that the only appropriate replacement was an Atlas jar of homemade pickled asparagus, the contents of which are now living in a Lock & Lock in the fridge.

In any case, the chicks are growing bigger by the day. I really wanted to take them outside today for some fun in the sun and good pictures, but a wind chill stopped me; I didn't want the girls getting cold.

They seem to develop something new every day. Their tails are fuller and longer, though Athena's tail is shortest so far. And the two Welsumers' combs are growing in nicely. I wonder how big their combs will be. I also wonder what my three EEs will look like when they are fully feathered out. I wonder if I'll be able to tell everyone apart once that happens.

And I constantly wonder if anyone will turn out to be a rooster and in the same breath vehemently hope not.

According to my online research, sex can't be determined until several months of age. I know thinking about it all the time won't change the outcome, so I try not to think too hard about it. Still, with every new development I wonder...

I came home early from work to be with Iroh and make sure he was okay. He seems a little down in the dumps. The vet likes to use the term "punky," but I'm not quite sure what that means. In any case, he had some diarrhea, so I called the vet. They said to keep an eye on him, and if he doesn't get better in a few days, we should call again.

Seeing him so blue is very sad. I hope he perks up in the next few days; otherwise this will be a long two weeks. At least on Thursday we can remove the patch that has been bothering him so much. On top of him having stitches and wearing the cone, Selina has not been very nice to him since he's been back. I've read that cats may have trouble accepting an animal who has spent a lot of time at the hospital. I'm looking forward to when we can remove Iroh's cone, give him a bath to hopefully get all the hospital smell off him, and not have to worry about his stitches getting messed up by him or Selina.

I also took the opportunity to bring the Goddesses outside for a little while again. Since they seemed hot last time, I put them in the shade this time. They were wandering around pecking and scratching away in no time! They stayed in one small area and mostly stuck together. Whenever they would hear a bird overhead or see a shadow, they would all stop chirping to look and listen. If I made any sudden movements, they would all dive for cover.

Watching them was a lot of fun, but I was only able to let them out for just under an hour since I was worried about Iroh. Once the time came for them to go back in the back, though, they freaked out a little. Most of them are getting used to be held. Even though they still try to get away from approaching hands, they don't immediately jump out of your grasp or seem as scared as before. I'm glad to see them getting accustomed to handling. Every once in a while I will inspect them to make sure everything is in order, and also just to get them used to being looked at and held. Some of them look as if they are getting their adult feathers in already. They grow so fast!

Iroh was in surgery yesterday. He had been gagging since Monday, trying to cough up a hairball that just wouldn't come out. Then on Wednesday, he managed to cough up a jumble the size of my finger, which included a hair tie, pieces of a toy and some sort of fiber. I thought he would be fine after that, but he continued gagging, only this time, nothing came up. He stopped eating and started acting sluggish, so I took him to the vet on Saturday. She recommended an xray, and when the results came back, she said that he had foreign matter in both his stomach and small intestine or colon.

Though the vet could perform the procedure, they weren't sure if they would be able to have enough coverage since the office was fully booked with appointments. Additionally, the surgery would be safer for Iroh in the hands of a specialist. So the vet referred us to a specialist who, after reviewing the xrays, recommended that the surgery be performed. We left him overnight and were excited to learn later in the evening that we could pick him up early this morning.

I'm glad to report that the doctors say he should make a full recovery and that they don't expect any complications. He's young and otherwise healthy, so he should bounce back quickly. The surgeon also said that this is typical kitten behavior, and he should outgrow it. I sincerely hope she's right, because I don't know if we can keep the house as meticulous as it needs to be.

We're just glad he's okay =)

In other news, today I let the chicks outside for the first time. Artemis freaked out at first and wouldn't stop chirping. I put her back in the box, thinking she wanted to be secure, but she chirped even louder and eventually flew out of the box. Persephone didn't want to jump off my arm when I took her out of the box, either. After a few minutes, they were digging around and pecking, but they didn't wander around very much. They went to the shade and pecked around there, looking a little hot.

Meanwhile, I was busy working on expanding their living space while they weren't in it. After maybe an hour outside, I was ready to put them back in their newly expanded brooder. So far as I can tell, they haven't spent much time on the other side of the brooder, but that could be because the temperature is cooler there; the heat lamp is on one side of it rather than in the middle. I planned this. Because the brooder is in the garage with the washer and dryer, the heat lamp isn't the only source of warmth. On warm days and when the dryer is running, the garage can get rather toasty. I wanted them to be able to get away from the heat without changing the height of the lamp.

According to my sources, I should have 10 square feet for my flock's brooder. I haven't measured the newly expanded space, but I believe it is at least that big. So this should be the last time I need to expand, but who knows. I thought they would last at least 2 weeks in the cage, and then at least another week in the original box they were in. But they will be 2 weeks old tomorrow, so my estimations were definitely off.

We took a break from coop building this weekend because DH has been sick all week. I'm grateful for the break, but I'm also anxious to complete the work. The girls will hopefully be moving into the coop 3 or 4 weeks from now, at the end of May. They are growing so fast, and it's really exciting!