# We live outside now!



## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

ah! a slugfest among the chickens!


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Is there a ramp.from.the yard up into the house. Do the chicken know how to use it?


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## DreamAgility (Sep 2, 2013)

It is always a bittersweet moment when you move them out. But only 12 more weeks and you'll have eggs!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

So it really is a slugfest when they find one. Whoever has it runs away to try to find a quiet corner to eat it in. She screams while the others chirp excitedly. It often changes owners before being swallowed!

Yes there is a ramp from the run to the coop. Three of them know how to use it and go in by themselves. Two of them don't seem to have figured that out yet, but hopefully they will have a light bulb moment in the next few evenings. In the meantime which ever of us is home at dusk just lets whoever is left outside settle down and then we pick them up and move them to the coop.

I really miss having them in the house since it is harder to spend direct time with the group right now. I want to make sure that they really have a sense of home before I let them use the larger run space I am adding for them or let them range in the yard. I still make sure I get my hands on as many of them as possible each day, but it isn't always all of them. The black bird (Sarah) actually gives alarm calls when she sees me near the run and runs around following my movements. So does the orpington (Salome, the red bird). I feel so sad for them that they miss being close by me.

I don't think I will push too hard for eggs during the winter by lighting the coop. Since they are young I am hoping for more metabolic work to be done filling out than laying. But once spring comes I will be very happy for those eggs.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

*DH approved chicken coop*

Our backyard is very small so I can't even consider getting chickens, but I do ask my DH about it just for fun, and I get a resounding "NO!"

I was at our local garden center recently and saw this chicken coop with wooden animals. I think this would be the only kind my DH would accept. I thought it was cute so am including in this post.


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## deemarie03 (Jul 7, 2014)

Chickens are so cool. You're a great "Chicken Mom" Catherine! (smile)


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## sweetheartsrodeo (Sep 19, 2012)

Too cool! I am in awe of how much they have grown.


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

deemarie03 said:


> Chickens are so cool. You're a great "Chicken Mom" Catherine! (smile)


does that translate to "mother hen"? :biggrin1:


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

Awwww they are so cute! I bet they love their slugs.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

We all went in our house by ourselves last night! All the man of the big house did was close our door for us. 

From "mother hen" this was a big deal to me to know that they all have figured out they can do this on their own. I had been going out around dusk each evening and catching them to put them up for the night. Then on Sunday Salome and Rebekah went in by themselves. Monday night I was at work, so BF had to catch Rebekah, Ruth and Rachel. Tuesday night he also had to put a couple of them in, but just couldn't catch Rebekah. When I got home around 8:30 she was hunched up on top of the waterer looking pretty unhappy. She was very grateful to get scooped up and put in with her sisters. So yesterday I told BF that if there was one he couldn't catch to leave one out with her so she would have company (it is amazing to me how much they hate being alone) to stay warm with until I could get them. When he texted me to tell me that everyone was in I was happy and when I got home and he told me that they had all gone in themselves I was thrilled! I hope they do a repeat tonight.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

I am glad the chickens are learning the in's and out's of their coop while the weather is still somewhat mild. I don't suppose you can take a video of them going up the ramp, could you? Perhaps on a weekend when you aren't working. _(See, we use to say we wanted pictures. Now we want videos.)_

Sounds like you are a great mother hen, as well as a good dog mommie.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Oh yes I will try to get a video. I can hear them still chirping around outside even though it is starting to get dark. I do hope that they will all go in again on their own this evening. I will be checking in a few minutes to see where they are.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

News flash! Everybody went in by herself again this evening. I was hearing some distressed sounding loud calls, so I went to se what was up. The four ameraucanas had all gone in already so Salome was out in the run by herself acting like she lost her world. I thought about scooping her up, but just in the nick of time she jumped up the ramp and went in by herself! They've come a long way in a week. At least now I know BF won't be haggling with them about getting them in for the night next week while Lily and I are away.


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## hopetocurl (Jan 8, 2014)

This made me think about your babies....


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Oh thank you hopetocurl. That is very cute. I can pick them up, but they aren't one handers anymore, that's for sure.

I have been letting them out of the run to range a little in an area I fenced off with hex netting. I set them out in the evening yesterday just before dark to see whether they would go inside by themselves from their extended run (not so readily as it turns out, but I'll try that again later). Actually the black bird managed to get herself to the roof on the run, so I guess that means I really need to put the aviary netting over the top of that extra space. It would have been really tough to find her in the dark and I doubt she would have been ok. It rained heavily for a while this morning before dawn and I also trapped a cat. It was the same one I chased out of the yard last week one night when I got home from my late class.

My first level of cat dissuasion was to let Peeves see it in the trap and bark at it (big serious GSD barking). I then took the trap over by the gate where I know they come under to get in the yard. It left like it had been shot out of a cannon. Hopefully it is across the street telling its cat friends not to go under the gate anymore. If I catch the same cat again, it will go for a long car ride. I know a couple of places that are sanctuaries for feral cats that I can take it too.

Unfortunately as much as I have loved cats (had three great ones, persian and two Maine *****, all indoor only) the cats in my neighborhood are really a nuisance. They have always hunted at my bird feeders. I have a neighbor who replaced all of her front shrubs with a bed of gravel because they stank up the front of her house so much with their scat. Several of them have been hit by cars and a bunch of others were poisoned by someone several years ago. There is a person who nominally feeds them, but provides no shelter or other care. Essentially it is a very poorly managed feral colony (think no neuters or spays) that keeps replenishing itself through this person's lack of understanding. Same person also has two dogs that are never walked except when Sandy broke their fence and there was no choice.


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

Aww, your little chickies are all growed up...! Well, nearly!

Shame about the feral cats, but I'd figure Peeves shouting at one should be a fairly good deterrent.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

*We turned 6 weeks old yesterday!*

I had occasion to have to catch Rebekah (splash) this morning so I brought her in the house and put her on the scale. She was 420 grams, just shy of a pound for the metrically challenged. Salome is a bit bigger than her, so I am guessing she is just over a pound now. They had a really nice time Sunday and again this morning in their extended run. I want them to be bigger though before I leave them loose to range there so that I can be sure they can't sneak through any small gaps in the fencing or cover. 

I will add some pictures I took of them this morning later on. They look like ladies more than girls now, that's for sure. A couple of them are even starting to show some color in their combs. They also are starting to work out their social order. While whoever might find herself alone usually acts pretty distressed I have also seen hackles raised, staring and some charging at each other. Rebekah seems to be trying to position herself as top bird since she initiates more than anyone else. Salome seems to want to stay out of it for the most part. The others all fall somewhere in between so far.

All in all they have made the transition to outside very easily. I still sort of miss having them in the house, but can't imagine what the mess would be like at this point if they were!


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