Tag Archives: Chickens

Does It Really Work???

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I am amazed, I can’t believe it, but it works (so far!!)

I have had a lot of sparrows in my chicken yard.  They are even getting into the chicken house, and I’m like a crazy woman in there wielding a broom to get them out!  There are HUNDREDS of the little birds.  The sparrows eat a lot of food, my girls like to dine on organic feed, scratch grain and meal worms, not what I want to be feeding to a huge flock of sparrows.   I’m also concerned about wild birds spreading diseases to my girls.  Another thing that really made me want to find a way to get rid of the sparrows, I have a very large pyracantha shrub in their run (yes their chicken run has numerous shrubs and even rose bushes).  Last year the wild birds ate ALL the little green berries that were to be beautiful orange berries in the fall.  This year my bush was again loaded with lots of berries, only to be devoured again, ENOUGH!

I Googled “how to get rid of wild birds in your chicken run”.  It was good to know that I’m not the only one having problems with unwanted birds.  The solution……..

Hang CD’s in the chicken run.  What?  It actually works!!

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This spring we had netting installed over the run to protect the girls from a hawk.  The  perfect way to hang CD’s throughout the run.

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It’s been 2 days and there has not been any wild birds in the chicken run or even sitting in the trees or on the fence.  I hope it keeps working!!

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Growing Up

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Kids grow up so fast, grandkids grow up even faster, and I’m how old, when did that happen?!?  My little chicks are growing up fast too, so fast they change by the hour!!!

Isn’t she adorable. Wylie and I spend so much time just watching them and of course I handle them quite a bit, but I don’t think they are getting any calmer. They’re fast little critters when I’m trying to catch them. They are becoming more adventurous too. Look at this little one up on their water.

Then another one flew up and perched on the feeder.  Next thing you know, they will be flying out.

Mr. Farmer designing a top for the nursery to keep those young ones in!

Remember I told you about the hawk that killed two of my hens? We met yesterday with the man who put the fence up for the chicken run and came up with a plan to cover the whole area. They are hopefully going to be able to start that project next week. I’m so glad as that will really protect my flock. Look what was in the chicken run today when Mr. Farmer came home today. He was able to snap this photo of a Cooper’s hawk, not the Red Tail that got the hens, but we definitely have a hawk problem.

Look closely over the back of the tin rooster, he’s sitting in the chicken run. The hens are in a temporary pen, so they are protected from him.

Sign of Spring

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A sign of Spring is “chick days” at your local farm store. We are increasing our flock due to the losses from a hawk. Our plan was to pick up 4 or 5, but I left my “list” at home.

This is what’s in our box. Six ISA pullets. They are a hybrid from a complex series of crosses including but not limited to Red and White Rhode Island Reds. Wonderful layers! Beautiful large brown eggs. Also included in the box are two Golden Comets, a cross between Rhode Island Red and White Leghorns. They don’t have names yet, I can’t tell who is who. They are SO cute!

We moved the nursery this year. They are living in the feed room on the chicken house. This will make it easier to keep watch over them and Mr. Farmer won’t have to babysit them in his shop.

Starting them off right with organic starter/grower.  I used this non medicated feed last year and had the best luck with it.

The temperature in my feed room is a constant 60, but for a few weeks they will be under a heat lamp. They grow so fast. In only 18 weeks they will be laying eggs!!  I like mine – over easy.

New Flock

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I started my flock all over again this spring, with 6 Red and 2 Ameraucana chicks.  The Reds were sexed so I knew they would all be hens.  The Ameraucan were straight run.  I picked out my Ameraucanas with the hopes that they would be hens and give us colorful light blue Easter eggs.  Of course my girls have names…..the 2 Ameraucana are Lucille and Ethel.

Meet Ricky, formerly known as Lucille

And Fred, but sometimes I still call him Ethel

Ricky and Fred with Reba and Midge

I enjoy sitting out surrounded by the zinnias watching the chickens (hard to see them thru all the honeysuckle).

Last year when I clean up the hollyhock bed, I scattered the seeds along the fence by the hen house.

We are still waiting for our first harvest of eggs.  Hurry up girls, we are ready for Farmer fresh eggs!

 

 

Morning Chores

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With Mr. Farmer on a trip, I get to do the morning chores.  I don’t make it out quite as early as they’re use to being fed, so they are certainly glad to see me!

Champ is waiting by his bucket.  He is now the only horse, as Dozy is now with a young lady and will be her barrel racing horse.  She will enjoy that!DSC03583

This trio is always entertaining.  Chili, Will, and Bill all wait patiently each by their own bucket.

Chili, miniature donkey

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Will and Bill

Will, the white and black, is a fainting goat.  He doesn’t faint for very long, he comes to just as you are about to get his collar on, hang on, this could be a rodeo!

Will’s thoughts:  Would you PLEASE quite taking pictures and FEED US

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Even though there are 2 buckets for them, they like to eat out of one and head butt each other!

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I don’t have the large flock of hens that I use to have, it’s enough to keep us in eggs and less cleaning for me!

left to right:  Jacquie, Thelma and Louise, or Louise and Thelma, I can’t tell them apart!  Miss Kitty was already in the nesting box so I didn’t bother her.

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Mac, 8 week old rooster that a dear friend gave me.  He lived in town, NO roosters allowed!  I’m glad he is here, can’t wait till he starts crowing!

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Enjoy you day!  It’s beautiful on the prairie in Kansas, finally some sun!

 

New Rooster

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On my way back from Burns yesterday, I stopped at a shop in Marion, KS.  TC’s WhatNotShop (look them up on Facebook) is a unique shop located on Main Street that is stuffed full of so many interesting items.  A combination of new and used items.  They carry KU and KState items that you don’t see at the chain stores.  Lots of hand crafted items too.  I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to bring home a new rooster.  When I placed it by the chicken run, he scared all my chickens!!  I love Yard ART

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Chicken Run

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The Hall’s  Japanese honeysuckle is in full bloom.  It’s an invasive medium-fast growing vine, but I have plenty of room for it and I absolutely love the smell.  The double knockout roses have so many blooms that occasionally a hen will pick one, but they really don’t bother them at all.  Whenever I plant anything the hens gather around in search of any worms that I dig up.  I put small river boulders around the base of each plant so they won’t scratch underneath the plant.  Other plants in the run are, Butterfly Bushes, Vitex (Chaste Tree, which is really not for this area zone 6-10, but I love them and it’s worth a try), Cotenester, Hollyhocks, Maple tree, Pampas grass, other various grasses, and of course numerous weed.

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Tour of the Coop de Ville

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I enjoy walking out to my chicken house this time of year, a few years ago I planted honeysuckle along the north fence of the chicken run.  The varieties blooming now are  Mandarin and Goldflame honeysuckle.  The Halls Japanese variety hasn’t started blooming yet, but it’s loaded with buds.  It is my favorite, as it’s the most fragrant.

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Welcome to the coop de ville!

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This is my feed room.  The plastic trash cans hold plenty of layer and scratch grain, also keeps any critters from getting into the feed.

I especially love my galvanized bucket chandelier.  When I asked Mr. Farmer to help me put it up his reply was, “you want me to what with this bucket?”

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Some photos of the pictures in the feed room of the girls and boys. DSC01175

left to right –  Earl, Orville and Wilt

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Mr. Farmer also made this horseshoe paper towel holder!

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I made the grit dispenser out of a small cake pan and PVC pipe.  The girls enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror.

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The little pink chicken door is great.  It’s on a timer so I don’t have to go out and open it early in the morning, of course it shuts at night, keeping them safe from any varmits.  I found it on the internet and no it didn’t come pink, I painted it!

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I’ll post pictures of their outdoor run when it’s not so muddy and all the plants (that they don’t eat) are blooming.

 

 

 

Still Winter

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Someone heard what the forecast for today was and didn't want to get up.

Someone heard what the forecast for today was and didn’t want to get up.

William and Bill are warm and dry waiting for breakfast.

William and Bill are warm and dry waiting for breakfast.

Champ is always first in line for a meal.

Champ is always first in line for a meal.

The chickens won't go outside until the snow stops. Hilda is in detention again, little broody girl! I let her out daily for a little while. Put her out in the garden for a dust bath when it was so nice Tuesday.

The chickens won’t go outside until it stops snowing. Hilda is in detention again, little broody girl! I let her out daily for a little while. Put her out in the garden for a dust bath when it was so nice Tuesday.

Wylie did finally get up. He likes doing chores in the Ranger.

Wylie did finally get up. He likes doing chores in the Ranger.

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The snowflakes are so big and beautiful, but it is awful windy. This is the view I like-inside looking out.

The snowflakes are so big and beautiful, but it is awful windy. This is the view I like-inside looking out.

Around the Farm January 5

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I’m going to use my Farmers’ Almanac to start a fire. How could they be right in predicting this cold snowy weather?!? I don’t know how much snow we received as it’s blowing and drifting. Wylie and I went out this morning at 4:30 ( his idea not mine) and was surprised that the paper had been delivered. We didn’t go back out until 9 to do our chores, that way the hens would be done laying their eggs. They are still keeping us supplied with plenty of eggs! I didn’t let them outside today, it’s way to windy and cold, we would have to shovel their run again, as they don’t like their feet in the snow. They are very comfortable and content in their coop. Always glad to see me because I’m giving them lots of extra healthy and nutritious treats, meal worms, homemade flock block, and some milo heads that we gathered after they harvested the field.

The goats are doing fine. They have their hay hut, which Bill uses to get over the fence into the horses hay.

Enjoy the pictures, I’m staying inside the rest of the day (maybe) cooking comfort food, old fashion pot roast with potatoes, carrots and onions and butterscotch pudding.

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