What did you do with your flock today?

[featherhead007]

Still, you need to cover his assets...

 

[ChicksnMore]

Hops such a little doll. Impossible to spend so much time with a chick and not get totally charmed. He's doing ok. Not thriving yet...but doing ok and Hops still trying hard.

I'm finding I can't leave him on a hard surface or where his foots inside starts to reddened...too much pressure there.

So still trying to find a way to have food and water available 24/7 but struggling with that. He's so tiny. I tried a foam roller curled into a donut and that was the perfect height but he hops right out. His nest bowls perfect for standing and bouncing, but too tall to reach food or water with out help. So for now he's still on timed feeding and I'm sure he wont thrive until I figure out how to have him able to freely eat and drink.

But...turkey days almost here, we have old friends coming and life's busy. So going to have to just think on it and try what I can here and there. Any one have any ideas?

Here's the donut he hops out of... going to try using a bandaid to strap him in tomorrow. It's the perfect size and nice and soft...just not stable enough.

And here he is just being cute as he falls asleep.

 

[Mr Spot]

I got mine fed and watered and lots of fresh hay right before the norther hit so they are in good shape : )

 

[RedwoodCoastChick]

and spoil them really good. I've got bags of scratch ready and waiting

Isn't it great that chickens respond so well to bribery? The girls swarm around me like I'm their crack dealer & they're all jonesing when I bring a scoop of scratch into their yard, even the flighty ones.

 

[RedwoodCoastChick]

Yesterday I clipped the baling twine on their old, soggy strawbale perch and spread it around in a few big heaps. You'd think it was Disneyland and Six Flags all rolled into one, they're having such a blast climbing up and scratching it all apart!

This evening after they went to bed (no truant curfew-breakers this time) I carted in a big, fresh bale of rice straw and set it where their old bale perch sat before (great corner for sunbathing) - wish I could see their reaction when they come out in the morning and "space aliens have beamed a new bale!" into their yard! (But I'm never up at sunrise like they are; I'm a night owl. Hence the photosensitive auto-door so they don't have to wait for me to drag out there in the morning.)

Working on some new coop-clutter ideas for them, too, extra places to shelter out of the winter drizzles besides in/under the coop. After Turkey Day!

 

[Shetland lover]

My 5 gallon bucket waterer has started leaking. Was wondering why they were suddenly drinking so much so fast

I found the source and tried Teflon tape on the nipple. That didn’t work. So I replaced it with a new nipple. Also didn’t work. Lots of effort only to have to make a whole new waterer. I think I must have knocked it into the ground at some point while cleaning it out. I think my drilled hole is just stretched or something. Very annoying but I’ll be more careful from now on.

Thankfully we had another 5 gallon bucket from Home Depot lying around. Drilled some new holes and set it up. It’s a different color than the old bucket so they’re very intrigued

I love how curious chickens are.

Mine would probably consider a new coloured waterer as witchcraft and steer well clear

 

[LTAY1946]

I'm going to try the horizontal nipples in the PVC T's and mount the five gallon bucket and lid on the outside the coop. I'll need a little platform for it at a height not to far above the pipes with the nipples. I've got an ideal as to how I can auto fill the buckets with a float valve. I've got to start with something. These metal cans rust through not matter what I set them on.

 

[LTAY1946]

Maybe I should keep this in the family but I've found out Honey is two timing me. Yes she latches on to my wife when she passes by her coop now. And all this time I thought we were an item.

 

[PopoMyers]

Well, Ferdy Bird is 'punishing' me this morning by ignoring me and doing things he knows are naughty. He's even been in the kitchen and pooped on the floor. I'm certain it was a dirty protest

I had a rare, Ferdy-free night last night as we were going out.
Ferdy did NOT want to go to bed and made his feelings clear by running back to the house several times whilst protesting very loudly and angrily. The last time he ran indoors and I lost him. Finally found him upstairs, squashed behind some Christmas decorations under the bed in the guest room, muttering quietly to himself.
I put him to bed eventually after allowing him half an hour where he got to snuggle as usual and had a LOT of treats to compensate. Even so, he still definitely hates me this morning.

To add insult to injury, he could have been in as normal. By the time everything needed to be done was done and he was in bed, we were both too tired. Ended up staying in and finally watching John Wick 4 (which I think he'd have enjoyed - he seems to like watching casual violence).

Reminds me of the scene in "E.T." when he hides in the stuffed animal closet. Naughty Ferdy!

 

[PopoMyers]

My 5 gallon bucket waterer has started leaking. Was wondering why they were suddenly drinking so much so fast

I found the source and tried Teflon tape on the nipple. That didn’t work. So I replaced it with a new nipple. Also didn’t work. Lots of effort only to have to make a whole new waterer. I think I must have knocked it into the ground at some point while cleaning it out. I think my drilled hole is just stretched or something. Very annoying but I’ll be more careful from now on.

Thankfully we had another 5 gallon bucket from Home Depot lying around. Drilled some new holes and set it up. It’s a different color than the old bucket so they’re very intrigued

I love how curious chickens are.

I had to do the same replacement because it leaked. My drilling skills were a bit rough, and yes, having the bucket fall, or knocking the nipples also compromises the hole. It sure is cheaper than buying a ready made one.