Long Overdue Update

Gee - It's been too long since I updated this. Dennis has almost completed the outdoor run for the chickens. The roof isn't on yet, but we have been letting them out in it anyway. They will only have access to the outdoor run at night, but they are going to be really well protected against predators.
While Graham was visiting he spent a lot of time out in the hen house with the chickens and he's a little "Chicken Whisperer". The chickens would hop up on his lap or shoulder and perch on him. They seems to really like the guy.
One of the Buff Orpingtons I named Cheerio because it liked to eat Cheerios so much when it was a chick. Graham named the other one Biscuit and it really seems to fit her. We're thinking about Reba or Ruby for a Rhode Island Red. It's still difficult to tell them apart.
Seems I might have gotten one rooster in the bunch. Although I requested all pullets, they can only be 90% accurate. I'm posting a picture of the Silver Laced Wyendotte that I think is a rooster. I really don't want a rooster around so I'm going to try to give it away to another local chicken farmer.

I'm really happy with the chickens. They seem to complete the farm.

Chicks are in the Hen House!

Dennis finished the hen house and I moved the chicks last Monday. They will be four weeks old tomorrow and growing like crazy. I love sitting in the hen house and feeding them treats. I ran out of their favorites - strawberries. They've moved on to zucchini and seemed to get pretty excited when they see me coming. I sit in the hen house and they like to perch on my arms and legs and sometimes my shoulder and head.

Here are some pictures. As you can see - they're getting lots of feathers. The Buff Orps are my favorite. They are really soft and love to be petted!

Updated pics - Chicks are growing.

The chicks are growing so fast! Here are some updated pictures. The first picture features the only chick that has a name so far. Her name is "Sparky Sparky Boom Chick". Megan and Hannah named this chick because she seems to be leader and is the boss so far. She is named after the Combustion man in the Avatar series. He has phenomenal powers and will use them if he has to.

When I come home from work I like to take the chicks out to play. I put down an old terrycloth towel and take 3 chicks out at a time. I try to hold each one and talk to them a little bit to get them used to me. Today I fed them a treat of crushed Cheerios - hey had a blast. it was especially exhausting for them.

Chicks are online...

I left the chicks home alone yesterday for the first time. Just to be sure there isn't too much partying going on I have a web cam on them today....

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/suzyschicks

Baby Chick update

Sadly, the baby chick who was very lethargic did not survive. I tried to feed her sugar water and food through and eye dropper but she was just too weak and passed away last night. The remaining eight are thriving. I can't believe how much they have grown in a just a few days.

We put a worm in the brooder and it was hilarious to watch them running around trying to steal it from each other. They are very curious about anything new to the brooder and are always in each other's business. Dennis built a little roost for them. and we're still waiting, but I have read they will eventually roost and line up in their "pecking order". Right now one of the Wyandottes seems to be the boss of the brooder. It will be interesting to see.

They're here!

The chicks are here. Dennis, Tessa and I picked them up today around 1:00 p.m. at Mt. Healthy Hatchery. They were really making a lot of noise all the way home, but seemed to calm down once they were in their brooder. One of the Buff Orps seems a little bit lethargic and the others are kind of picking at her a little. I'm going to keep my eye on the situation and maybe separate her if I need too. Here are some pictures....

The Welcoming Committee...

Tomorrow is the big day. Miss Tess and I will be picking up the chicks! We will be sure to post some pics.

Getting closer...

There has been a lot going on this weekend with preparing for the chick's arrival on the 27th. I completed the brooder box and have it ready and Dennis has made a lot of progress on the coop.
Here is the brooder box that I made out of a plastic Rubbermaid storage container. I am using a 100 watt bulb for a heater. Using a red bulb is best because it has a calming effect on the chicks and tends to keep them from "pecking" at one another. The marbles inside the waterer aren't decoration or a rock garden for the chicks (although they do add some nice color). They are so the chicks don't drown in their own waterer. Yes - it actually can happen.
Below is a picture of the coop. We plan to put hardware cloth on the indoor window with some shutters that can be opened for ventilation and closed to keep out cold air. There will also be a door installed.
The inside will have white metal barn siding on the walls for easy cleaning. I haven't decided what color to paint the outside walls yet. I've been contemplating the red with white trim barnyard (Old McDonalds farm) look or maybe a tan color to match the barn and the house. I suppose there is plenty of time to decide. I'm open to suggestions.
On the right side of the coop are nesting boxes with a hinged lid that will make it handy for gathering eggs.


Here are pictures of the outside and inside of the nesting boxes...

Progress on Chicken Coop

Progress is being made on the hen house. This weekend Dennis installed a window and started the chicken door and nesting boxes. I'm getting anxious for the chicks to come. Only 17 more days and we will be picking them up.

Hen House

The Hen House doesn't go all the way across the barn. It will end where the first wall we have up ends. It's about 11' wide. The loft will go all the way across the barn where the beams are. On the other side will be a small room called a "cold bin" to store produce. Mr. Suzychicks is doing most of the work. I did work out in the barn with him a couple of evenings when I got off work this week.

Progress on the barn project

We made some progress on the barn this week. There is one wall up on the hen house (on the left). We hope to make more progress this coming weekend.

Silver Laced Wyandottes

Here is a Silver Laced Wyandotte hen and a chick. I'll be getting three of these too. The Silver Laced Wyandotte originated in New York State and is the parent variety of all the other Wyandotte varieties. They are good egg layers and lay large brown eggs. They are described as docile and generally easy going with a tendency toward domination.

I decided on to get a few of these because Elissa liked them.

Egg Baskets

My Mother brought me these egg baskets this weekend. Aren't they nice? She said she thought maybe the one on the left might be an antique. My sister, Jamie gave her to her a long time ago. I don't think Jamie would mind her giving it to me since my Mother doesn't have a use for it right now. Besides - I'm sure my Mother wanted to give me more than one basket so I "don't put all my eggs in one basket".

Buff Orpingtons - I'll be getting 3 of these

Here is a picture of a Buff Orpington hen and chick.
From Wikipedia - The original Orpington (the Black) was developed in 1886 by William Cook. He crossed Minorcas, Langshans and Plymouth Rocks to create the new hybrid bird. Cook named the breed after his home town in Kent. The first Orpingtons looked very much like the Langshan and were black. Between 1889 and 1905, Cook also created white, buff and blue colored Orpingtons. The breed was famous for its great egg-capacity.

Some characteristics of an Orpington are:

• Heavy (7 to 10 pounds),
• Soft, profuse feathering, which almost hides the legs of the bird,
• Curvy shape with a short back and U-shaped underline,
• A small head with a small comb.
• Large and usually tame
• Its fluffy feathers that makes it look distinctively large.
  

Thanks very much to my first followers and my first comment from the Hoosier Vagabounds. Today I am going to work on my brooder (the little box the chicks will live in for their first 5-6 weeks. Here is a "before" picture of the barn.

My first posting...

Hello and welcome to my newly created blog. Just in case you haven't heard - I'm embarking on a new hobby of raising chickens. I ordered my chicks from the Mount Healthy Hatchery in Cincinnati. They are due to be hatched on May24 and I will pick them up on the same day. I'm very excited that little Miss Tess will be here visiting us during that week. Baby chicks need lots of care and she will be such a big help to me.

Dennis is going to build a henhouse in the far northwest corner of his barn and a chicken run directly outside of the barn. I helped him clean the barn and plan the pen today. He also plans to build a loft and a cold bin to store garden produce in the opposite corner of the barn.