Trying To Help An Old Woman Out

About every other day I am in my 'chicken suit' on my hands and knees with my rubber gloves crawling into the Little Girls run to change the water and replenish their food.  The winter wasn't too bad when everything was frozen.  But let me just tell you that it is not pretty at all when it is wet in there.  Not to mention I am breaking my back.  I asked Mark if he could come up with something where I wouldn't need to climb in the run.  And he did.  Yesterday we did away with the cool galvanized steel waterer and feeder and added....some new chicken essentials.

 



A new sleek and clean gravity feeder.

The Little Girls love it.  No learning curve here.

I didn't even need to explain it to them.

And the new watering nipple system.

So I'm thinking they will take right to it.  NOT!  I even got in the run and showed them how to do it.  Gave three of them a hands on demo.  Nothing.  We let them out to stretch their wings and they ran right to the regular watering container.  We tried sticking one of the 'chicken sticks' in and dripping the water....they just drank it off the ground.  It has been almost 24 hours later and I haven't seen any takers.  I know that they are looking for water because they are all huddled up where the waterer once sat.  And by the looks of it now someone may have tried to perch on it.  Not sure what to do.

I finally was able to hang the chicken swing in the Big Girls Run.  And since Susie's foot is better I put the little roost in also.



 

Happy St. Patty's Day

I was a little disturbed to find this.  Figured out from reading and asking my expert bird guy, Lester, that it is a calcium deposit.  No real danger.  But the shell is really thin on one end.  Then yesterday there was another.  I think Susie may have a calcium deficiency.  Making something to take care of that today.

No matter what the weather The little Girls lay 6 eggs just about everyday!  Those Big Girls need to get on the nest!

St. Patty's Day in the coop today.  Two green eggs!

How They Weathered The Storms

The rabbits were all snug in their boxes filled with hay.  Only problem...some days I would have to go out four times to replenish the water bottles because they froze solid.  I was thankful for my little snow plowed paths.  At night I would bring the water bottles in and sit them by the heat vent so they would be thawed and warm by morning.

We ended up putting cones over all the water and food containers to help keep the snow out.  And the water heaters did just great...except for the -30 night.

The Big Girls only have a small place to keep dry other than in the coop so we put a tarp over half the run and added straw for some insulation on the cold ground.  You have to be care their feet don't get frostbite.

Once he paths started to show dirt some of the girls ventured out for some treats...even when it was snowing.  What some of them won't do to get a little extra treat.

Once there were brown patches in the yard they ventured out a little bit further in he yard.  Still they didn't like the feel of the cold wet snow on their feet.

Mark broke out some of his bird suet for them.

One week I had a little extra cash in the egg jar so I splurged and got a big block of treats for them.  They were various leery of that brown block in the middle of the yard.

But once I added a little of their regular treats to the top it became something they all wanted to check out.

Susie

 

Inez

 

Esthelle

 

Inez again

 

Ethel

Susie spreading her wings.

Judy

Sunny

Inez the camera hog

Dixie walking the railroad tie so she doesn't have to step in the snow.

Crispy flying from one brown spot to another.

Susie in her favorite spot.

Chicken foot prints in the snow.

EffieGrace

Ethel looking for Chickie Pa.

And just look who thinks she is Queen of the treats.

The figured out that the ground was softer over by the fence where the snow had melted and they could find worms.

Just to change it up a bit so they don't get bored I put their treats in he little red wagon so they had to do a little work to get something good to eat.

Love those chicken legs.

And once again...

Better move over Susie here comes Keithetta Renetta.

RayJeana just sweeping the yard for worms or anything good to eat.

Some need to stand on tippy toes to get a treat.

Muddy feet

Second in command

Our little want to be mother, Ethel.  She loves to sit on eggs.  They could be hers or others or even the fake eggs in the nesting boxes.

I have already decided that The Girls will be getting their own little ghetto pool for the hot days of summer.

She doesn't like muddy feet.  I don't either because they get the eggs all dirty when they go in the nesting boxes with mud on their feet.

Just a little refreshing drink.  Today I added the water from cooking last night.  So they had some broccoli/pasta water.  I'd say my girls are just a little spoiled.  But the way I have it figured if they supply me with all the eggs I could possibly want and use, they should be rewarded for all their hard work.

We Are Both Dreaming Of The Same Things...

CHICKENS

 

I got a new book to add to my chicken library.  I love it ... can't put it down and learning so much!  Ella dreams of the warm dry days that she can spend out in the yard running around with her girls.  Right now it is cold, snowy and really windy.  I worry about The Girls but so far they have been laying 6-8 eggs a day (pretty good for 12 girls I'd say, but what do I know) and staying warm.  A few have a touch of frostbite on their combs but nothing serious.

 

*The author, Lisa Steele, also write a blog...

 

Green Eggs and Ham

I even see some blue ones too.  You can tell and true blue eggs from the others because the shell is blue on the inside and the outside.