Homesteading Chicken Coop Build, Chickens, Pond, Garden & Projects

I added 2- 12x4 vents near the ridge on both sides to help with ventilation. If we need bigger, we'll go bigger.

 

Had an accident with one of the chicks yesterday afternoon. While i was working just outside the coop yesterday, the main door was open, with a few chicks scratching around just inside the door opening. The coop door blew shut trapping one chicks toe under it. I quick opened the door, chick ran to the corner. I left her be for a few, then picked her out. Matt held her, i tried to clean it up the best i could and put her into isolation in a small dog crate inside the coop. I'm certain its broke, tissue damage etc. I'll be checking it soon, hopefully it's scabbing over. I know its just a chicken, but i feel terrible it happened.

 

Dawn made them oatmeal this crisp morning, and they all loved it!! The injured one ate some and was eating her pellets today and actually limping around a bit. The bleeding was done this morning and the bruising is pretty bad, but she seems to be healing ok.

 

The lady with the broken toe is healing up well. Still some swelling, but confined to the injury. Bruising has lightened, but also confined to the injury. I still have her separated from the others. Don't want them pecking at her discoloration.


Eleven of them took advantage of an overcast day foraging around. They definitely tested out who can go the furthest from the coop.


A few pics...

 

After the first official supervised free range late yesterday afternoon, it ended up pouring and we helped them back in the coop at 7:43-sundown. Last light was 8:11 or something.

Tonight, partly supervised free range, we waited to see if they would go into the coop themselves- cool observation ahead!


Around 11 girls were out, 6 went in around sundown-7:44. The last 5 took their good ol time, finally 2 more went in. 3 were left, time was around 8:05, ten minutes from last light. One came out of the coop down the ramp and actually rounded up the last 3. It was an amazing sight, almost like a herding dog would. I'm new to chickens, is this normal? Immediately after, they all went in. Dawn and I thought this was really cool!


NH mountain man, this is the thread I was telling you about on the phone. Enjoy.

 

We're not ruling out any roosters just yet. One is very likely a roo, maybe more. They are still a little young to decipher. Hoping at least one.

The one we think is a roo, grew super fast, hoping with some exercise he balances out. He's the size of a soccer ball, where the rest are football sized. He would maybe have bad genes we wouldn't want to have him mate with the girls and hatch anything.

 

X2- by the g2g, we'll know for sure!

 

Chickens enjoying the sun today.

 

Had one, the big one fall out of the coop today. Uggg, found him laying upside down, poor fella!

He has a nearly egg sized lump in front of his right breast. Its either air or fluid. Researching now to see what could be going on. I am quite sure it's not from the fall. This big one is not right since he grew so fast.

 

The lump ended up being an impacted crop, which I found through researching.

The free ranged all day, didn't touch their feed, so that's good.

 

A couple pictures Dawn took today.