Lazy Summer Days

Ok, I admit it. I have been a little lazy with posting lately. It has been too hot to do much cooking or much of anything else for that matter. Even the chickens are being lazy. I have been working on an indoor project that I hope to post about shortly. In the meantime, try to stay cool.

Homemade Automatic Chicken Waterer

We have improved on our original design to create an automated chicken waterer. It could also be used for dogs and cats too! We were able to purchase all the necessary parts at our local hardware store (Home Depot in this case).

Parts needed

1. Toilet fill valve
2. Universal toilet connector kit (has several size adaptors including 1/2")
3. 1/2" FIP (female pipe) to 3/4" FH (female hose) swivel hose adaptor
4. 1/2" brass pipe nipple
5. Plastic pot or bucket at desired height for drinking
6. Teflon plumbing tape

Directions

1. Drill a hole in the bottom of the plastic pot using a 1" Speedbor drill bit.
2. Insert the toilet fill valve through the hole. Attach the plastic nut that comes with the valve on the outside of the pot.
3. Attach the Universal connector kit to the valve using the 1/2" adaptor. (see Figure 1)
4. Apply Teflon tape to both ends of the brass nipple (male to male).
5. At the other end of the connector kit, insert the taped nipple (to prevent leaking)
6. Lastly, attach the 1/2" to 3/4" female pipe to hose thread adaptor. (see Figure 2)

Figure 1

Figure 2

Since the hose is coming out the bottom of the pot, we dug a small hole in the ground to allow space for the hose to lay flat. We also used some bricks to help level the pot. Screw your garden hose onto the end of the waterer and turn it on. It should fill to the height set on the valve. As the water level lowers, the valve will automatically engage and refill the pot.

Green Eggs and White Eggs

Today, both of the California White chickens laid their first eggs at only 18 weeks and 4 days old. Compared to the larger greenish eggs that Brown Chicken lays, they are the cutest little white eggs. We are hoping that they will get bigger once the chickens start laying regularly. They also still need some training on where to lay, but overall we are quite pleased.

Our New and Improved Coop

Wednesday was another moving day for our flock. We have been building this new coop in our limited spare time for the last couple of months. It is not completely finished, but is secure enough to house the chickens. We proceeded to snatch the chickens at dusk and place them in the coop. Here is how we found them yesterday morning:


Later in the day, I checked and saw that they were making use of the roosts I installed.
They are still "cooped up" today. We are trying to have them learn where home is so they come back to sleep here in the future.

Free Ranging

The newest batch of chicks explored the backyard for the first time on Friday. We were out in the yard and I decided to let them out so we could monitor the introduction between the two generations. White Chicken had been chasing the chicks through the fence for a while, so given the opportunity to actually make progress, she caused some commotion. She was able to get a few pecks in before the new chicks realized they could outrun/outfly her.

Today, was the third day of letting them out of the PVC run. The California Whites are quite adventurous and are always the first two out the fence. A couple of the Golden Laced Wyandottes and one of the Buffs seem to always hang back in the pen. They appear to be more timid than the others.

Giant Chickens Invade Loomis!

Not exactly, but the the chicks are getting huge. I had to add a second roost in their house because they didn't all fit. They have changed so much over the 12 weeks since we brought them home. Soon we will have a surprise for them, even if it means having to bunk with White Chicken.

Golden Laced Wyandotte at 10 Weeks

The chicks are 10 weeks old. It has been a while since I profiled one of our breeds, so today, the Golden Laced Wyandotte is in the spotlight. The Wyandottes were not on my original list when I went to the feed store to get the chicks. I asked the salesgirl about the breed and she mentioned that she had raised Wyandottes last year and that they were really sweet. Since their coloring is quite stunning, I decided to get some. 4 to be exact.

Wyandottes are of the American Class of chickens and are considered a heavy breed. They originated as a cross between a Silver Laced Wyandotte and an unnamed breed called a Winnebago.

The chicks are getting bigger everyday. Here is a close-up of the Wyandottes and Orpingtons in the chick condo. They are quickly out growing it. Today, I had to move their feeder out into the run so they would have more room inside.

Notice their size in comparison with the quart sized container on the right. It's amazing how much they have grown since bringing them home. The dark ones are the Wyandottes.

Caught in the Rain

The past two weeks have been a mixed bag of weather. We have had rain, hail, wind, blue skies, and sunshine. We even lost power. Clearly this was one of the rainy days. White Chicken decided to stand on the back porch instead of in the coop or under some other shelter. She made me laugh when I saw her standing there with spiked feathers.

Chicks at 6.5 Weeks

The chicks continue to grow at a fast pace. They are starting to show a glimpse of their mature sizes and shapes. The California Whites are the smallest breed and they are already being dwarfed in size by the others. They are working on their pecking order and are commonly found challenging each other chest to chest. None of them are even close in size to White Chicken, yet. I have my suspicions that the Buff Orpington in the back is a young rooster. The comb and wattles are larger and more red than the other Buffs. I will do a comparison of the Buffs soon, but we'll have to wait a while for proof.

California White at 5 weeks

The chicks are now 5 weeks old. This week, I am profiling one of our breeds, the California White. Of course, this choice was based purely on which chick took the best picture today.

I picked up two of these chicks on a whim at the feed store because I thought they would look neat with the mix of black and white feathers. The breed is a hybrid cross between a California Grey rooster and a White Leghorn hen. Online, I have found mixed reviews for the California White breed. From the Leghorn heritage, they could have a tendency to be nervous and flighty. But, I have also seen them described as friendly. They lay a lot of white eggs and weigh around 4.5 pounds when mature.

Even though the chicks are growing rapidly, they are still dwarfed by the other "White Chicken" that lives here. In their defense, White Chicken is a Light Brahma which is a notoriously heavy breed weighing in at nearly 8 pounds.

4 Weeks and Growing

The chicks are getting bigger everyday. Here is one of the Buff Orpington chicks. Feathers are coming in on their tails and heads. They look pretty funny with a mixture of smooth feathers and fuzzy down sticking out.
This past weekend, we moved the PVC run from Brown and White Chicken's coop to the new Chick Condo. The chicks seem to enjoy scurrying through the grass and trying out their wings. My husband affectionately called them "lawn rats."
They have even tried roosting on the door. Although that doesn't last too long (especially when a second chick tries to join in).

Moving Day...and the Chick Condo

On Sunday, the chicks woke up and it was business as usual. They had been living in a 50 gallon container for the past 2 weeks in our laundry room. If you have ever raised chicks, you know that this was pretty much as long as you want them inside. They were making tons of chick dust and didn't smell too great. I decided to move them outdoors sooner than last year's chicks (which were brooded in a bathroom destined for demolition - so the chick dust wasn't a big deal).

We have plans to build a permanent chicken coop so all the chickens can live together (currently White Chicken and Brown Chicken have their own place). But that is a few months out. In the meantime, I wanted a semi-permanent shelter that was similar to a chicken tractor and allowed the chicks to be on grass. Thus, the Chick Condo was built.

The Chick Condo was built using 2x4 pieces leftover from gates we constructed for our new fence. There were just enough to make a 3' x 3' square, that is 18" high. The roof is some plastic from an old greenhouse. A few other scrap pieces of wood and old baseboards completed the structure. I wrapped chicken wire around the walls and added 2 pieces of culled lumber ($.50 a piece) as walls until the weather warms. A leftover hinge and latch allowed me to hang the door without a trip to the hardware store. The condo has two access points, the door and through the roof. I built it so the roof can lift off in case we need to access the chicks and they run into the corner like this:

I also put in a roost. On Sunday the chicks didn't attempt to get on it, but now many of them have been able to fly/jump up. They are still sleeping on the ground (next to the heat lamp), but I expect they will be roosting soon.

The last thing I did was to let out Brown Chicken and White Chicken so they could free range and "meet" the chicks. The ironic thing about the meeting was that White Chicken seemed to be afraid of the chicks and ran across the yard and hid under the patio table. Brown Chicken quickly followed suit. I called them out and they returned to their foraging. They have been okay since.

What's Different?

Today, the chicks are 3 weeks old. They are getting more feathers and are almost twice the size from when we brought them home. The chicks love to scratch grass and dirt. They are getting more outgoing and will come to inspect my fingers when I wiggle them. They have also moved - notice they are standing in grass not shavings. They are also learning to roost in their new home. Tomorrow, I will post about the big move and their new "Chick Condo."

Grass Lovers

It was just last Friday that we brought the new chicks home. They have grown wing feathers and are starting to make more noise. I can't remember whether the chicks from last year were as easily frightened. These guys will freak out and run away at most sounds. Not to mention when I stick my hand into the tub to refill their food and water.

There is one thing that I have found that will hold their attention - grass and dirt. They were really excited when I put it down and forgot all about being scared. I am considering this early training since they will eventually become grass-fed hens.

Chicks!

We decided to raise baby chicks again this year. Even after some unfortunate events with our chickens last year, we still enjoyed them a lot and wanted more. We have added 9 pullets (we hope!) to our flock. Technically, they are still in a separate brooder in until they get old enough to join the adults.

For our brooder, we are using a 50 gallon Rubbermaid plastic container. This will be their home for the next 3-4 weeks, until we move them into a small chicken tractor outside. They will still be separated from the adults, but will have more room and be on grass (starting their grass ranging early).

Here is our current chicken lineup:

1 Light Brahma aka "White Chicken"
1 Americauna aka "Brown Chicken"
4 Golden Laced Wyandottes
3 Buff Orpingtons
2 California Whites

It has only been 3 days since we brought them home and already they are sprouting feathers.

Groundhog Day, Loomis Style

Clouds, rain, and a hint of blue sky.

It's almost as if Mother Nature couldn't quite figure out what to do here in Loomis on Groundhog Day 2010. For better or worse, P. Phil saw his shadow and forecasted another 6 weeks of Winter.

I checked in with the chickens for an informal Groundhog Day forecast.

They didn't see their shadows either.

Apparently, their experience aligned with some other groundhogs around the country. Either way, I am excited that Spring is just around the corner.

Let us in!

The chickens were hanging out by the back door when I was making dinner the other night. I think if the door was open they would come in.

Sad news

In August, I gave an update on the chickens. Some time has passed and there have been some unfortunate events that have affected our flock. About two months ago we lost two chickens to a raccoon attack. We had left the door to the coop open and the raccoon had access to the hens. Since that night we have been very careful to make sure the coop is secure.

Now we are left with only two hens, one white and one brown. They free range during the day and return to the coop each night where we lock them in (and predators out). My husband and I were both saddened by the loss of the other two chickens, but we are still enjoying the two that are left. We have even started talking about getting some more chicks next Spring.

Chicken Update

The chickens are all grown up. The white ones (Light Brahma breed) are much larger than their brown sisters (Ameracauna breed). Lately we have been letting them out to free range in the backyard. Here is a picture of the two breeds next to each other:

All four chickens are still very friendly. They will come running over to me and stand next to my feet. One even walked under my leg when I was sitting in a lawn chair. It is fun to see them run, even if it is more of a waddle with an occasional burst of flight.


We went on vacation a couple of weeks ago. It was that week that the brown chickens laid their first eggs (at 20 weeks of age). By the time we got home, there were several. They are a greenish blue color.




My husband decided to eat some, and the first one he opened was a double yolk.





Over the last week, they have been laying nearly every day. I kept wondering when the white chickens would start. Today I got my answer, our first brown egg:



At least we know one of the white chickens is laying (at 22 weeks of age). Maybe there will be another brown egg tomorrow.

Early Summer Heat

Today is hot. At 9:00 am it was already 87 degrees F. Now a mere hour later, it is over 90 with a high of 108 expected. After letting the chickens out earlier, they roamed around their run as usual. But after a short while, they found the cool spot. We left a sprinkler on overnight and it watered the inside edge of the run. The chickens found it an piled up in the moist dirt trying to cool off.

Now, if I could only find a cool patch of dirt of my own...