We have not seen our Rock Chucks for a few days, so I’m
wondering if Keith’s “Operation Rock Chuck” was successful and they either are “taking
a long nap” or moved away. Either way,
no rock chucks under the shed or in the hen house. I do not miss them.
While the chickens are outside, there are a few things they
enjoy doing. They LOVE to eat from the bird feeder, stretching their necks
really far like giraffes to eat the bird seed. They also love to hide under
bushes and under the play toy. And because
we do not have a roost in their coop yet, they love to roost on anything they
can get their talons on: the ladder of the play toy, the patio furniture, their
food container, or the top of their coop door!
I am surprised at how well they can run and fly.
Pretty tricky little birds, they are.
A few nights ago we were all outside playing a little late
and needed to put the birds in before the sun set all the way down and it got
too dark. I searched their usual places:
under the bush, by the shed, under the wagon and couldn’t find any of them!
Usually I can see the group of 2 or the group of 5 that hang together, but
nothing. I couldn’t even hear them chirping! That’s when I started to panic,
searching the grounds for feathers or anything leftover from a predator’s
chicken dinner. Nope, all clear. I walked back to the coop and just for fun I
lifted the back door to the coop nesting boxes and there they were! 14 eyes
looking back at me, glaring at me, urging me to close the door and turn on the
heat lamp! They were all crammed into
ONE nesting box! Phew. Good birds.
And now our latest adventure. Just when I thought I had a
handle on this whole chicken raising deal, we got a new addition. My friend text me this morning asking me if I
could take in a chick. I guess her
friend’s son was asked to prom by a girl with a chick. Yes, you read that right. A sweet high school
girl wanted to surprise her date by doing a cute little play on words by asking
her crush with a REAL CHICKEN! Something along the lines of “going to prom with
this chick…”? Um, what? While I
appreciate her creativity and still feel good that kids ask their dates to prom
in creative ways instead of a Facebook post (and a girl asking the boy, yes!), it’s
a real live animal. A live animal you need to take care of every single
day. I’m also surprised the feed store
even sold one baby chick to a high school girl without questioning it. Either way, I’m happy to help. So we have a
new baby chick that needs to stay separated from the rest of the flock for a
while. While I prepped her little
container and got my own chick fed and in bed for a much needed nap, Tater
stayed outside and guarded her. She did
not leave her side, sitting outside the big coop. Good Tater. The new chick is
too small to go in the coop with the big girls, so she’s in the shed. I need to get a heat lamp for her today, but
she did come with food, so that’s nice.
I hope the flock accepts her when she gets older, especially since she’s
a different breed entirely. And note I am using the pronoun “she” in hopes that
“she” is NOT a rooster. Say a chicken
prayer for me right now.
So now we have 8 chickens in a coop made for 5. Keith and I joke that we need to build an
addition on the coop. I’m thinking this
is no longer a joking matter, as these chickens are bound to double in size in
the next few weeks. Guess we’ll figure it out later. They only sleep in there…it will be
fine. Oh, and I’m taking order for eggs
now, because I’m guessing with 8 chickens, we’ll have a surplus.
And Grandma Bunny, stop giggling up there. I know you
are. But it’s your fault I have this
soft spot for chickens…
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