Chickens

Just a little update on our favorite urban chickens… after four weeks in the house and three weeks in the garage, we moved the baby chickens outside to a structure that I dubbed “The Chicken Shanty.”  It was an old plywood table we had in the garage, butted up against the chicken run, with chicken wire on two sides and two pieces of mismatched plywood leaned up against the fourth side as doors.  Rick built a little perch (notice I said perch, not roost… it was small), and we put the heat lamp in there. 

This ‘shanty’ allowed the big chickens and the little chickens to see each other without being able to peck each other much.  After a week of letting the adults free range the yard in the morning and the babes free range in the afternoons, I gave up and just started letting them all out together.  I figured that our yard was big enough that they could hang out away from each other if they wanted, and, well, it was a hassle.  They were going to have to get together at some point, right? 

This weekend, we decided to take the shanty down and let the flock fully integrate.  Saturday, Rick cleaned out the chicken coop thoroughly.  He even pulled out the removable bottom to hose off, and the roosts, which we scrubbed down.  After airing out and drying completely, we reassembled, and that night, taught the pullets where they should now go to sleep. 

I was a little afraid of rushing things.  The little chickens are still only about half the size on the adult hens.  But the shanty was overly ugly and white-trashy (sorry, I can’t think of a better way to put it), and I was sure the neighbors were hating us.  Plus my cousin is coming to stay with us this weekend, and I didn’t want her to see the plywood and chicken wire eyesore. 

However, despite the size and age differences, they seem to be doing just fine.  each morning as I open the coop, three big hens hop out followed by four little pullets.  No one has been pecked to death or lost an eye yet, so I think all is well.  Poppy, our head chicken (the hen on top of the pecking order), is the main pullet pecker.  Usually it’s around food and treats.  The babes are pretty fast and getting good at avoiding her by the food bin.  But otherwise, every one seems to be living in harmony.

There’s a new chick band around the Schell homestead.  They go by the names of Rose, Blossom, Petal and Petunia.  Debuting Sunday, we got these day-old beauties to add to the Schell flock and more than double our egg laying potential. 

The Fab Four are all Rhode Island Reds (good egg layers!) and they will get to enjoy the warmth of our office and keep me company in here while I blog for the next 12-16 weeks.  Then the little chickadees will join their older counter parts, Mayzie, Lavender and Poppy in the backyard.

Rock on!

FOXY – As in, that four-footed, fluffy-tailed menace.  We had an attack!!
Last Friday, as Rick was getting ready for work, he heard a commotion in the chicken house.  He ran outside to find a FOX trying to carry off one of our chickens!  Luckily he scared the fox off (he actually ran downstairs to grab his gun, and then sat and waited for him to come back).  The fox got away unscathed.  Our chicken wasn’t as fortunate.  But she IS alive and recovering well.

The first morning was pretty traumatic for her.  Lots of hiding underneath the chicken house.  We weren’t sure she was going to make it… we thought we might have to “put her out of her misery.”  But by the afternoon she was limping around the yard, doing her best to keep up with the others.  She has a broken wing, and lost quite a few feathers (though it’s time for the molt, so she won’t miss them much), and we think just a sore leg.

I know it’s crazy, but I devised a “sling” for her broken wing.  I cut a piece from a pair of pantyhose and put it over her whole body and the bad wing.  Her good wing is free, and it keeps the broken wing from dragging and tripping her.  I’d like to figure something out with cotton or something more breathable than the nylon, but it’s working so far until I do.  She’s actually scratching and pecking and keeping up with the other hens quite well with it on.  I don’t know if it will heal in this position, or if a broken wing is truly and forever broken… will it just flop down without the sling??  Anyone know?  I know we could go to a vet for it, but from what I’ve read, they will amputate the wing, and she would be the one winged bandit for life.  That’s ok, and all.  Except I don’t really want to spend $50 to $100 on a chicken (I mean, they cost like $1.35!!).  Any advice is welcome on this one.  ???

FOXY – As in, “aren’t these vintage aprons foxy!?!”  Not only are they adorable, but they were MY GRANDMOTHER’S, and now they’re mine!!!

Last week, my mom was in New Jersey, for my great aunt and uncle’s 50th wedding anniversary.  She was sharing my blog with our family out there to show off Henry’s video.  Well, my Great-Aunt Betty saw my Apronista post, and the next day she gave these gems to my mother to bring home to me!!  How great is that!!

These are both so cute!!  The black and white one is trimmed with rick-rack, and the towel is attached with snaps, so you can take it off after you’re done cooking, and look cute when your guests arrive!  And the white one trimmed in red just has the cutest neckline!!  **SWOON!**  I love them both!!

(click for best view)

FOXY – As in, “That Mr. H is a foxy little one, isn’t he?”
My sly little guy has fallen in love with cookies (or “googies” as he calls them).  Rick baked cookies (!) a week or two ago, and ever since then, it’s been “Googie, googie, googie” non-stop.  He says it with the most charming little “please,” and with reckless demanding!  And if there are none, or if he gets told no… look out!

But Saturday, he took the cake, er, cookie… we had brought some homemade chocolate-chip-googies to a friends’ barbecue.  The cookies were neatly sitting on a plate on the picnic table in the yard.  And my sly-fox calmly and purposefully walked right over to the table, reached up his cute, pudgy little hand, and helped himself!  He is a regular “Googie Monster!”