That answers that question...

Big Chick is now officially Big Chuck

Dogs + Chicks = Disaster

Scurvy Dog

Scurvy Dog has never showed much interest in our chicks 

until he decided to "play" with them today... 

2 of the chicks seem the worst, the others were 

all just scattered and scared but appeared fine. 

One of the 2 (Pigeon) seems ok, she was drenched and had a little 

blood on her face and feathers, but otherwise she is alert and seems ok. 

The 2nd one (Matt's Silkie) was actually in the dogs mouth when we found them. 

It was obviously in shock & very wet, so I took him in and gave him 

a warm bath & blow dry (which he seemed to like!) 

Lots of broken feathers, but I couldn't find any actual injuries. 

I put them in a large dog kennel inside with straw and a heat lamp 

and they are both just sitting there. I made them some scrambled eggs too.

I hate not knowing what to do!

I know Scurv wasn't trying to hurt them- 

he is huge and could have killed the chicks easily. 

I think he just wanted to play... 

but I don't trust him around the chicks anymore :(

Anyway Pigeon has been content to hang out inside on my lap since the accident....

She looks pretty comfortable.

Think she is taking advantage of my TLC?!

I'll update soon!

Chicken Success Story

When we first got the old chickens, 

they were very timid and wouldn't come anywhere near us. 

For months I talked to them quietly, moved slowly and tried to bribe them by leaving treats in the coop. Nothing worked. 

They went into a full panic any time I came near. 

A couple months ago, I started bringing a plate of tempting treats out to the barn. I would sit nearby and wait for them to come eat. They were reluctant at first, sure I was going to grab them if they came to the food. But I just sat there and watched. After a few days, they seemed more comfortable around me, so I moved the plate progressively closer to where I sat. 

As they ate, I would talk to them so they would get used to my voice. 

After a while I would start holding my hand out with treats. They would look hungrily, but they would not come eat. Finally after several days of trying, Sally came up and grabbed the treat out of my hand!!! 

I was so excited!!!! 

The next day, it took a little while, but Sally came again. 

One thing I learned: all it takes is one...

Once 1 chicken does something, the others are more likely to follow suit.

Within the week 4 of the 5 hens would eat out of my hands- 

only Yahtzee wouldn't come close.

I was THRILLED!!!

I was actually making progress with the old hens! They wouldn't freak out when I came out to the barn anymore, and they actually started expecting daily treats.

After a couple weeks of daily hand feeding the 4 hens, 

they became very comfortable with me and would even run up to greet me when they would see me coming their way. 

I was even able to pick some of them up and hold them occasionally. 

Everyday I would continue to hand feed the treats and I would always watch Yahtzee in the back eying me distrustfully. 

Then today I was feeding and talking to the chickens and Yahtzee crept forward 

and ate out of my hand for the very first time!!!

YES!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!

My patience and persistence has paid off!! 

The old chickens that came to me completely un-tame, are starting to trust me.
Never underestimate the power of food.

Frizzle!?!

The little chicks are 3 weeks old now, and we have made an adorable discovery!

Angel-

our little white Bantam Cochin has curly feathers!!!

here she is at 1 day old:

and at 2 weeks:

It is one of the cutest things I have ever seen!

She is sooooo soft and her feathers are all curly!

I started reading about it online because I have never seen 

or heard of anything like this. 

Here is what I found:

Frizzle (chicken) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Frizzle is a type of chicken with feathers that curl outwards, 

rather than laying flat as in most chickens. 

While many consider the Frizzle to be an entirely separate breed, chickens from all breeds may have a frizzled appearance.

How cool is that?!?!

Egg Dyeing

It is Easter weekend, and the kids are excited to dye Easter Eggs

What is different this year?

ALL the eggs are fresh from our farm hens!!!

I absolutely love that!!

Here are some pics of the kids having fun creating:

Great job kids! The eggs are beautiful!!

(and great job "girls" on laying wonderful eggs for us!)

Toddler Independence

We have been working the last couple days on the new
"Chick Nursery" outside in the little barn (The Barny). 

25 Chicks in the indoor brooder just isn't working anymore... 

they are crowded and need more room to grow.

Soooo with a little bit of anxiety, we made the big transition from the dining room to the outside coop!!

Once again Matt worked his construction magic and built them the perfect nursery, 

complete with 2 heat lamps since it is still cold here.

We also got them a "big chick" feeder and waterer since they are eating and drinking a lot more. 

Hoping they like their new home!!! 

They Flew The Coop!

The Guineas finally left the coop and now they are on the run...

They spent their first night of freedom in a tree,

and woke us up bright and early the next morning barking underneath our bedroom window.

We are going to have to figure something out- they are loud and annoying!

They better start eating the ticks to earn their keep...

Sad News

Sad news today...

Baby Leia died. 

She was acting kindof droopy last night before bed 

and I was wondering if maybe something was wrong with her.

Unfortunately I was right.

When we got up this morning she was gone. 

I am sad to lose a chick- especially such a cutie!

But I am glad that if any of them were going to die, 

that she died quickly before we spent weeks or months falling in love with her.

Chicken Math

Today I made the (intentional) mistake of going to Tractor Supply 

when I knew they had a new shipment of baby chicks....

After pleading with Matt and lots of hugs and kisses...

I came home with 9 new babies!!

(3 pullets: 2 Rhode Island Reds & 1 White Leghorn

6 assorted bantams: 1 Red, 1 White & 3 Barred Cochins; 1 unknown bantam breed)

Baby Leia (the tiniest chick)

Maya

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Lucy Goosey

(Simon's chick- still un-named)

Freckles

Angel

not pictured: Penny

I admit, I was caught up in the moment.... 

I already have 25 chicks at home in the brooder,
but they were soooooooo adorable and tiny! 

I couldn't resist grabbing a few more**

_________________________________________________

**Chicken Math- 

The original chicken math started like this:
Amongst the old time poultry breeders the rule of thumb was that you set five eggs for every pullet you wanted to lay.  An 80% hatch rate was considered acceptable so take one egg away from the five.  Now you're gonna get half roosters on average in every hatch so take away two more eggs.  Now you're left with just two eggs to produce your pullets from.  But it takes at least twenty weeks to get a pullet to point of lay and one may die somewhere along the way so now you're down to just that one egg.

If you want twenty hens in your flock you have to set at least 100 eggs!

Over the decades things have gone sort of haywire from there, but that's chicken math for you.

Borrowed from the Backyard Chickens website

They're Growing!

They are growing like weeds!

The chicks are 2 & 3 weeks old and they are getting feathers & eating treats.

I read on the Backyard Chickens  forum that mashed up
hard boiled eggs & yogurt are good treats to start with for chicks.
THEY LOVE IT!
They go crazy whenever I put a plate or bowl in the brooder!

AND! Best news of all-- none have died!
I am thrilled and hoping that they will ALL make it :))))