chicken update

Since day one, we were aware that Jaime did not want roosters on her farm. Roosters don't just crow in the morning, they crow all day and all night. So when Foghorn began developing a comb and waddles, it was time for Terry to take him home. I said that Whitney Houston could come along to keep him company. Terry lost track of which chicken was Roy Orbison, so she took a smaller chicken along, too. 

First order of business was building a coop in Terry's yard. Terry lives on an island, which sounds weird, but it is its own township. It also has lots of wildlife there and is subject to different rules than where I live. 

The original. Later, Terry added a chicken wire cover, right over the top because they kept flying out.

Terry scored some free pallets from Tractor Supply and bought some fencing and other chicken supplies. We ended up making a ghetto fabulous coop. But at least it contained the chickens and kept them safe from her dogs and other wildlife on the island. 

I made up this for fun one day

Since Foghorn was a rooster and Whitney lays brown eggs, we assumed that the white eggs that kept showing up were from Roy. Jaime asked for Roy back because she seemed to be the only hen laying eggs. Strangely enough, after Roy was returned, we still kept getting white eggs. And there was no way Whitney was laying them. After some research, turns out Leghorn hens develop large combs and waddles. Interesting. . .Further research showed that Leghorns lay eggs early and Barred Rocks take longer to start laying. So, Foghorn is a hen. 

Free ranging for earthworms

This coop worked for the time being, but I had better plans. I also had a rabbit hutch my dad made me that was no longer in use. We took the Labor Day Monday to modify and biggify the coop. The rabbit hutch is great because it had two drop down doors so we can collect eggs. Then we built a ramp and used an ond sled to put sand in so they could "bathe". We added some supports to make the roof higher and put in some branches for roosting. 

They immediately took the the roosting branches

Yoshi keeping watch over the finished coop. 

The hens loved it! They checked it all out. I showed them how to go up the ramp to the nesting boxes. I think they will be some happy hens. We repurposed most of the fencing and all the wood was free. It is not the prettiest coop I have ever seen, but the hens are safe and happy. And I am hoping Whitney starts laying soon! 

Gorgeous Whitney!

Shyloh update soon, I am having trouble getting some video edited.