Sawdust Chickens

That's my Ed up there, building our first chicken coop in 2005. It has since become our nursery coop to allow small chickens grow to size before they join adult chickens and turkeys in the bigger coop on the other side of the farm.

The chicken peeps that were born on Dec 26-28 (see Jan 7th post) have been booted out to the nursery coop.I have to admit, I miss hearing their chatter at the bottom of the cellar stairs while I'm cooking in my kitchen, They have all their feathers now and I'm taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather to allow them to adjust to the outdoors.

Their instincts never cease to amaze me! Never in the presence of an adult chicken , the protective mothering instinct immediately kicked in when this little black Barred Rock baby hen saw me walk through the door of the coop. She immediately ran over to the smaller chicks ,who are a cross between Bandy and Aracauna, and spread her wings over them to shield them from the big lady with the big boots. 

I love this coop.It has served me well.Young turkeys will reside  here in June, then  in August white Cornish Rock chickens will play in the sawdust. I prefer wood chips when I can get them.I think I'll take a walk out there now to open the door and allow sunlight to enter through the screen.door.

Door to door chicken delivery

       A few days ago I was doing laundry.The door to the porch was behind me and I heard a ruckus. An Arakauna  laying hen was throwing a hissy fit under the corn shucker .She was tossing junk across the porch  with the fervor of a Polish cleaning woman ,raucous groanings and cacklings with the letting out of periodic ear piecing squawks ! Dried up flower pots with dead stems went rolling across the slate floor.Fishing poles,the cattle prod,rolls of chicken wire and muddy sneakers all went flying! My God, what's got into her? Finally she tossed her tail feathers in a flounce as a queen would arrange her hooped skirts upon a throne and there she sat, on the cold slate porch floor and layed a beautiful aqua blue egg.

     Now I am quick to recognize a gift horse and decided to capitalize on this .I noticed that her rooster fellow and a following of curious pretty hens all watched with a question mark over their hawk~like heads.Therfore, I decided any chicken wanting to play Fuller Brush man and make a house delivery deserves my gratitude.Therefore , I swept the porch & got rid of the junk (taking the hint) and placed a few little boxes of hay beneath the corn shucker. HAH! Just as I thought, other hens decided to lay their eggs there also.Right outside my kitchen door!  Helloo~oooo breakfast !