Growing my little flock

[DonyaQuick]

The shed-coop is remarkably insulating as far as noise goes. So I guess my new morning wake-up call is going to be my bachelor flock, which sounds like...

• Tengu (left) - squeeky toy in the rhythm of cockadoodledoo.
• Squeak (middle) - a higher pitched squeeky toy.
• Goober (right) - some sort of Tarzan impression.
• Vanilla Bean - the usual muppet noises, but I swear he's getting even more muppety now that the cockerels are joining in.

The cockerels are all old enough I'm not sure those noises are going to change much lol. Tengu and Squeak are both Dimple babies, and Dimple has a very high-pitched, squealy voice...so now I know what that sounds like in a rooster.

Vanilla Bean may not be in the photo but he's in with the boys now. I was going to wait until the weekend to do that, but he wanted in there so badly it was getting stupid...so I just put him in for good this evening and that's that. He got a bit nervous about having to sleep in a new, strange place, but otherwise seemed quite happy with the change.

As for Coco Bean...well it can't all be easy integrations. I'm going to do coop-ception and just move my smallest coop inside the massive shed-coop for a few days since I don't have any other temporary structures that can potentially withstand a bunch of adult chickens jumping on top.

 

[2ndTink]

I love your flock, the stories are great too

 

[DonyaQuick]

Current strategy for the Coco Bean integration: "I heard you like coops, so I put a coop in your coop."

Fingers crossed Coco calms down in a week or so. Right now she's an absolute fire-breathing dragon with my other hens, but she's also chaotically terrified of the rooster brothers, Junior and Monster. Can't really blame her for that...those two with their deep, manly voices and big dances probably are a bit intimidating comapred to the animate muppet that is Vanilla Bean lol.

 

[DonyaQuick]

Well, Coco Bean is apparently leader of the olive eggers now. Not really sure how or why that's happened but they follow her around and she's cool with that. Having some buddies means Coco is almost ready to be just out with everyone all the time. Almost, but not quite - I have get Mr Monster to chill out a bit. He's kind of an inept fool with hens he likes if they run away from him.

 

[DonyaQuick]

Mr Vanilla Bean and his friend Goober. The whole bachelor flock thing is amazing so far. The Bean boy and the Goob seem like especially good buddies. These two do little greeting dances for each other if I take one out for a while and return him later. I think Goober had actually been feeling a little left out in the cockerel trio; Squeak and Tengu are both lightly built, nimble, and very good jumpers/fliers....whereas Goober is basically big and awkward. Now he's got a pal to go be big and awkward with lol.

On the Coco integration side, she's out full time with everyone now. She's still keeping her distance and sleeping in the smaller enclosure by herself, but I'm leaving that little coop's doors open the whole time. I'll be able to get that little coop out of there soon and get proper roosts in. The integration process in this bigger setup also was unfortunately also gave me an excuse to get one of those pumpkin flock blocks.

 

[2ndTink]

Mr Vanilla Bean and his friend Goober. The whole bachelor flock thing is amazing so far. The Bean boy and the Goob seem like especially good buddies. These two do little greeting dances for each other if I take one out for a while and return him later. I think Goober had actually been feeling a little left out in the cockerel trio; Squeak and Tengu are both lightly built, nimble, and very good jumpers/fliers....whereas Goober is basically big and awkward. Now he's got a pal to go be big and awkward with lol.
View attachment 3685298

On the Coco integration side, she's out full time with everyone now. She's still keeping her distance and sleeping in the smaller enclosure by herself, but I'm leaving that little coop's doors open the whole time. I'll be able to get that little coop out of there soon and get proper roosts in. The integration process in this bigger setup also was unfortunately also gave me an excuse to get one of those pumpkin flock blocks.
View attachment 3685311

Your Mr Vanilla Bean photo needs to go on the Wattle Wednesday thread! Everyone needs a friend they can be big and awkward with

Go Coco!

 

[DonyaQuick]

This new shed-coop is so roomy, I bet my chickens are really enjoying all the extra spa...

 

[2ndTink]

This new shed-coop is so roomy, I bet my chickens are really enjoying all the extra spa...
View attachment 3687257

That's hilarious!

 

[DonyaQuick]

That's hilarious!

That silly little prefab often gets listed as having a "6 chicken capacity," but mine have now demonstrated that 6 is in fact an under-estimate - at one point there were at least 7 in there.

 

[2ndTink]

That silly little prefab often gets listed as having a "6 chicken capacity," but mine have now demonstrated that 6 is in fact an under-estimate - at one point there were at least 7 in there.

And Herr I thought those could only accommodate mayne 2 hens

I think they are proving to you that you can easily get more chickens