End of August update on our chickens
If you've ever wondered how much chicks grow in a month... I took the above photo of Fingers a couple of days ago.
And, this is what she looked like about a month ago! Yes, they're pullets now, and really starting to look like real chickens. And by the way: When they were chicks, Mabel (the gray one) was boss -- but Fingers now rules the roost. Fingers is also the friendliest, while Mabel is the most skittish and Nuggets can't decide who to follow all the time.
MashupDad built them this nice long enclosed chicken run where they peck and scratch for bugs all day outside, plus the occasional treat we throw in there. (Kids don't finish the ends of their corn-on-the-cob? Don't worry, the chickens will peck that clean!)
Their coop is inside the corner of our old detached garage. MashupDad also put in a door and a ramp where they can go in and out, and we close the door at night, open it in the morning so they can go back out. They don't generally start laying eggs until they're 5-6 months old, so we still have a ways to go there, but he also built them a roost and nesting boxes inside so we're all ready to go when they are!
Their names are Mabel, chicken "fingers" and chicken "nuggets". Lol, cute! Fresh eggs are the best!
Yeah -- the kids named them and thought that Fingers and Nuggets were hysterical!
My brother inlaw bought some little chicks like you too,and when they see Joe my husband they come running cause they know he is bringing them food . All are watermelon rhine and mellons we save for them ,I would love to start some but don't want to give up my yard ,they are messy little critters but cute . Be nice when you get your first brown egg (:
Are they a lot of work? We use to get farm fresh eggs $1.50/dozen, but the guy no longer has chickens.... Dh is trying to convince me they aren't a lot of work and we should get some! (I can't eat store bought eggs now that I've been spoiled with farm fresh lol)..... So just curious about how much time/effort you actually put into the chickens? 🙂
They really don't require a lot of time and energy. I fill their feeder (a bird feeder) once a week. If they take to the DIY self feeder I built, then I'll probably fill it once a month. Same with the water-er. Once a week (unless they poop in it) but now my new DIY water-er will probably only need to be filled every two weeks or more. The most labor intensive things we do is every morning open the chicken door and every night we close it. Hopefully some day, that required daily trip will be to collect eggs!
There would probably be a lot more work if we had 30 birds but 3 is a breeze!
Thank you for all the info! Especially about the litter, because honestly the smell was more concerning to me than the work! 😉
Oh - Additionally regarding the coop itself - I'm using the deep litter method for maintaining the coop. I was a little skeptical at first but two months into it and it smells like a barn from the hay and not from the poop!
Deep litter method
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/deep-litter-method-the-easiest-way-to-deal-with-chicken-litter-dlm
You can buy DE at pool supply places(I think Leslie's is national) or your local pool supply.
You use this to repack pool filters--we got rid of our pool service and started doing this ourselves(after paying $$$$/mo.)
Our pool equipment was older and the pool is huge--it was cheaper to keep with the old method instead
of replacing equipment .
They are adorable! How much attention do you need to give them in the winter to keep them warm?
Love the update! Thanks for sharing! It is so great that your family is able to have chickens. Your husband is probably motivating a ton of people to build a coop. Wish we could - it is not allowed in our city.
i wish we could have chickens but the city of aurora will not let us if they did i would also add a cow and a pig oh wait i should move to a farm i already have groung hogs, raccoons, possums and wild cats we did have 3 foxes but they have since disappeared but no mice or rabbits the hawks and turkey vulchers take care of them oh well so goes another day at my zoo i have to agree with racheal the roma tomatoes have been the best so far plants are starting to wind down but the veggies will be great when there is 20 inches of snow on the ground have a great day you all
Eek! The chickens are in my future condo! Mashup Grandma