Bear in mind after I used to do these updates for being pregnant and infants? And now I’m right here giving the nitty gritty, however hen model! Nonetheless counting in weeks although, like several new mother. At what level will I start to say 5 1/2 months? Who’s to know. So, 22 weeks outdated it’s.
The place to start out? I really know precisely the place to start: with the BIG NEWS….
WE GOT OUR FIRST EGG!!!
At 22 (virtually 23 weeks), yesterday Hailey discovered the FIRST EGG! A magnificence. Barely small, brown with some speckling. It was in the fitting location, too- the nesting field! We’re 90% positive who it got here from: Rascal, one among our Copper Marans. All of us observed final week that her comb and waddle appeared to instantly be a lot bigger and brighter purple, an indication that eggs are coming quickly.
It was a really egg-citing second that concerned some squeals, some leaping up and down, and a few large snuggles for the primary hen to pay lease.
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The ladies alternate days of “hen responsibility,” which implies checking their meals and water and searching over every hen to verify everybody seems to be good. Issues simply acquired much more thrilling now that they will add “seek for eggs” to the duty checklist.
Final week I did an enormous coop clear out. David helped with the large luggage of sand and hemp. I swept out all of the older hemp that was soiled and wheeled it into the woods to compost. I wiped down all of the surfaces within the inside the coop with sizzling water. I added new hemp bedding. We’re going to swap out their 2×2 roosting bars with 2×3 within the subsequent week or two, and attempt to wrap them in a jute rope to make it extra comfy and forestall bubble foot.
Within the run, we raked it properly then added hen sand. It’s improbable! It has no odor and no mud and since the effective uniform dimension of the sand, which is extra like a small grain gravel, it’s straightforward to scrub up/sift. I’ve extra luggage on the best way so as to add to it; large fan.
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I take pleasure in having the chickens as a lot, if no more, than I anticipated I might. They’re pretty low upkeep to look after and although I’ve been warned not to take action, I really like them like little pets. I really like how they arrive working after I stroll on the market saying heyyyy chickiessss, I feel it’s humorous that they every have their very own persona quirks, and I discover it so enjoyable to allow them to out within the late afternoon and watch the scratch and peck the bottom, all staying collectively like a pack.
Final week, the door to their run blew shut whereas they had been out free ranging and we solely realized they’d been locked out when David went to examine on them after sunset. He known as me saying he discovered most of them cuddled collectively on the again stairs, as shut as they may get to their coop (aww), however he was lacking one. I didn’t even must ask for him to explain who was lacking; I knew it needed to be Heyhey. I wasn’t panicked, realizing Heyhey is Ms. Impartial, and positive sufficient he situated her perched on a nesting field cuddles up herself. Humorous chickens.
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OK, fast fireplace details now that solely hen individuals will almost certainly care about, however I’m hoping it’s useful for the hen curious.
- Hemp within the coop is one of the best. There is no such thing as a odor, it’s excessive absorbent, low mud, and good insulation.
- Grandpa’s Feeder is well worth the upfront value as a result of we waste no feed. The chickens merely stand on the platform once they need to eat, get their fill, and go away the remaining properly contained and guarded.
- They love kitchen scraps. Final night time I put my broccoli stems via the shredder they usually devoured the broccoli stem “salad” with tiny bits of the ends of bread. Different favorites embrace parsley, cucumber, apples, and grubblies.
- I added two extra cement blocks underneath their water container to raise it up slightly increased. The nipple water system is nice! It retains the water so clear. We fill it up each few days. It has a inbuilt heating factor that retains water from freezing, so I’ll should look into plug that in quickly.
If I missed something, ask away! I’ve been grateful for extra skilled hen homeowners sharing their ideas (and humorous tales) with me as I study with my very own mini flock. What a enjoyable journey!
