Chickens Love Yard Work

Any time we start to work in the yard, the chickens are right behind us.  They love to explore freshly dug soil or freshly raked leaves.  

"Luna", one of our Easter Eggers.  I think she's our prettiest hen.

Our petite Silver Leghorn hen.

I had bread crust to hand out.  I had their complete attention.  Notice how the rooster wait in the back while the hens get first dibs.  Who said chivalry is dead?

The chickens don't mind the poodles since I've never let the poodles bother them.

Polly was being so good and relaxed that this hen got very curious.

And then she pecked Polly on the nose! Polly jumped back and was very upset.  She didn't realize chickens could do that.

Is this what they mean by "Chicken Tractor"?

We're lucky to have such cute neighbors.

There are always chickens around during yard work....

... and I think that makes it more fun.

Warm Winter Day

During a nice, warm day recently, I spent some time tidying up around the chicken coop and run. 

The poodles helped lend moral support.

Dust bathing is a must on dry days.

Evan loves Marmalade.... or is that Diana? I can't tell them apart anymore.

Phyllis Diller is quite a nut.

It was time to give her a little hair cut since her fluff was getting too close to her eyes.

Much better.

Now she can see better as she goes about her crazy business.

Evan helped me mend some deer fencing.

Dog water bowl?  Nah.... Chicken water bowl!

Chicken Pics

 Chief Crazy Feather

 The chickens got brave and ventured into the snow on day 3.

 Big chicken tracks and little song bird tracks

 Matthew

 Chief and Nicholas have finally become brave enough to join the flock.  They no longer hide in the coop.  Their crows are so unique and often make me laugh. Nicholas sounds like a wolf howling at the moon.  Chief never seems to finish his crow.... as if he's always interrupted mid-crow.

Homemade Flock Blocks

Flock Blocks are expensive seed blocks sold at feed stores.  Chickens peck at the hard blocks of seeds keeping them entertained... which is a plus when the weather is cold and nasty.  I made a huge batch of homemade flock blocks right after Christmas using things from my pantry and freezer. 

I ground up a few loaves of bread that turned out way to dense, a pureed butternut squash that was too old and dry for me to want to eat, cranberries I've had in the freezer for years, sunflower seeds, millet, chicken scratch, and a few eggs to bind it all together.

I pressed it into pans and baked it in a low oven for a long time.  I made big holes in the mix before I baked it hoping I'd be able to hang up the blocks for the chickens.

I think all of the bread crumbs made the blocks too flexible and a lot of them broke when I tried to turn them out of the pan.  I wrapped and froze all but one so I could save them for colder weather.

The colder weather has arrived and judging by how quickly they attack the blocks, I think the chickens like them.

They're Not Snow Chickens

I've been out to check on the chickens a few times today and they've let me know that they are NOT snow chickens.  They haven't set foot in the snow and don't seem to care to.  They are enjoying the covered portion of their run and spending more time in their coop.   

I took some treats out to them and they were very appreciative.  My roosters were very talkative. You can hear the new roosters (Nicholas and Chief Crazy Feather) crowing from inside the coop. 

The plastic is working perfectly and the sleet that has been coming down at an impressive clip has stayed outside of the plastic.  The sleet hitting the metal roof creates a racket though.

See? Nice and dry, wind-protected run.  It still may be cold outside but they don't seem to mind that part.

As long as they don't have to go out into the snow and there are occasional treat visits, they don't mind this weather.