Thistlewick Smallholding - Chickens (for now)

[thistlewick]

I just decided to make a place to collect how I grow my smallholding with photos, stories and thoughtful woolgathering.

Decided to grow our laying flock, to supply a local Farm Store and today is a great day to start cataloguing as we picked up six more pullets from TSC this morning.

I actually had the presence of mind to get photos of them, will show that in the next post but since this is the first post, I will show the hen house and run that we just finished building.

The chickens free range -- so the run is for vacations only!

And here is my whole flock, gathered under the barn lean-to, hiding from the rain just a couple days ago;

 

[Slothinc]

I just decided to make a place to collect how I grow my smallholding with photos, stories and thoughtful woolgathering.

Decided to grow our laying flock, to supply a local Farm Store and today is a great day to start cataloguing as we picked up six more pullets from TSC this morning.

I actually had the presence of mind to get photos of them, will show that in the next post but since this is the first post, I will show the hen house and run that we just finished building.

The chickens free range -- so the run is for vacations only!

View attachment 4076854View attachment 4076855
And here is my whole flock, gathered under the barn lean-to, hiding from the rain just a couple days ago;

View attachment 4076857

Beautiful chickens and set up!

 

[thistlewick]

The chicks we picked up from Tractor Supply are cute as heck! They had some great breeds in this morning; I am very excited for them all.

1 sleepy Bielefelder

1 Rustic Rock (A Hoover's Hatchery mix)

1 Easter Egger (named her Dulce)

1 Light Brahma SO excited for this one (I actually asked for two but the gal messed up and gave me a...)

1 Cinnamon Queen instead! I am not mad about it, now I don't have to try and keep 2 light brahmas apart in my head haha

1 Golden Laced Wyandotte !!

This adds to our 2 week old;
3 Sapphire Olive Eggers
2 ISA Browns
2 Calico Princess

and our 3-4 Week old;
3 French Black Copper Marans (1 is for sure a cockerel; Oscar)
1 Vorwerk
1 Ayam Ketawa



Will try and get individual pics later today, lots to do - cutting more ventilation in the shed!

 

[townchicks]

Lovely set up. I'm surprised that you were able to get chicks, everyone has been posting that they are selling out!

 

[thistlewick]

Lovely set up. I'm surprised that you were able to get chicks, everyone has been posting that they are selling out!

We have to go right when they open and wait in a line! But yes, they do sell out the day they get them in. I've gotten chicks at TSC the past 2 weeks and both times 95% of the people getting chicks that I saw were just starting their flocks.

Or, they were re-selling

 

[SkyAJK]

My goodness cuteness is just simply overloaded.
I love looking at photos your chickens and baby chicks so cute and beautiful.

Your chicken coop is big like a whole shed and beautiful. You could set up a nice little chairs and table to have a nice cuppa with your feather kids on a nice sunny day or any day.

 

[thistlewick]

My goodness cuteness is just simply overloaded.
I love looking at photos your chickens and baby chicks so cute and beautiful.

Your chicken coop is big like a whole shed and beautiful. You could set up a nice little chairs and table to have a nice cuppa with your feather kids on a nice sunny day or any day.

thank you so much!! We hang out with them daily!! Particularly near bedtime, as they are hanging around the hen house for roost time. I swear chickens are the best pets

 

[TwoCrows]

What a stunning coop you have for your birds, and your chicks are over the top adorable!! Thanks for sharing!

 

[SkyAJK]

thank you so much!! We hang out with them daily!! Particularly near bedtime, as they are hanging around the hen house for roost time. I swear chickens are the best pets

Totally agreed!
I have dogs all my life to date and when chickens come along.....well....I prefer chickens more and so are my dogs, they love hanging around with chickens.

 

[thistlewick]

We are extending our run that we JUST finished, even more - because honestly it needs to be bigger if we ever intend to leave on vacation for more than a day or two!

Also, I was just excited to get going building more. The run came out so solid and sturdy that I just decided to keep going!

A door with a smaller automatic pop-door is going to go into the first run.


This extension is not going to be roofed, just panels with hwc.

Also today I am going to extend the brooder to 36 sq feet (we have 17 chicks coming up.) just temporarily and create little escape doors for when they are big enough to comingle with the big girls in a few weeks.

I just like giving them as much space as possible.

The ducklings are almost fully feathered, and are HUGE (they grow SO FAST omg) so will be able to be out and about very soon. We will see how that goes lol

We of course will help anyone make it 'home' at night. We love all the poultry-related chores

If I can remember I will try and get pics of all the rest of the 11 chicks like I got for the newest batch.

Have named the Rustic Rock "Elvira"