Disappearing chickens

We had the chickens out last weekend and, in a distracted moment, the dog charged them. We found one wedged in the fence and the other two... were gone...

After about half an hour of searching and lots of panicking, two little pairs of feet were spotted under the coop. We left them alone and an hour later they were out behind the coop, pecking away.

But ever since when I've left the door of the Cube open for them they haven't come out.

Finally this afternoon I wanted a good look at them so I picked them up and deposited them out on the grass. They immediately went back behind the coop. I think this is a safe area for them, with lots of dirt to scratch in.

And they're finally acting like chickens! They were scratching with their feet, pecking with their beaks, and fluffing their feather in the dirt.

They still have some baby fluff on their heads, but otherwise they're covered in feathers.

Chicken Two resting in the sun behind The Cube

Chicken Two was in a nesting mood. She nestled down the in the sun behind the coop for a little while, and then when I picked her up she nestled down in my hand. When I put her back down she dug a little nest in the dirt. I hope this means she'll be a good nester and egg-layer!

Chicken Two nestling in my hand

I think I can declare it official now - Chicken One is a boy. Check out his picture...

Chicken One - check out his comb and tail feathers!

He has a well-developed red comb, and is larger and significantly lighter in colour than the other two. Oddly enough his legs are still dark.

He's also the most assertive. When I had Chickens Two and Three up on top of the coop they just hung out and looked around. Chicken One, however, could hear his girls down below, and decided that it was his duty to get down to them (even if it was awfully high for a little boy chicken).

Checking out his girls down below.

And there he goes...!

Chicken Three is still quite camera-shy. She's also the only one who still has a large spot on the top her head. The other two have lost their head spots which were originally so distinguishing, and now are just speckled.

This isn't the best photo, but if you look carefully you can see Chicken One in the very back, must lighter in colour and with a very red comb. Chicken Three is in the foreground. (Click on the picture to enlarge it for a better view.)

Chicken Intelligence

The chicks continue to grow. I'm increasingly convinced that Chicken One is a rooster. It's getting very white, while the other two are staying quite dark.

L-R Chicken Two, Chicken Three and Chicken One

The chickens will fly up to four or five feet now, but close to the ground. They do this mostly when agitated.

They've discovered the compost bin. It's conveniently close to the cube, and full of worms, wood bugs and grubs. Good eats!

Chicken Three

The three of them were hanging outside The Cube tonight. I got a little too close and Chicken Two was startled. She screeched and flapped, and launched herself around the corner and back into the cube.

Then she realized that she was alone. Alone is not a good state for a chicken.

She began to screech-peep, calling to the other chicks. WHERE ARE YOU? OH DEAR OH DEAR WHERE ARE YOU?

The other chicks were outside and heard her peeping. so they peeped back at her. Chicken Two could hear them peeping on the other side of the wall. She went into a frantic state inside the cube, flapping up and down against the wall, screech-peeping loudly. WHERE ARE YOU? YOU'RE LOST! I'M LOST! OH DEAR OH DEAR!

I see where the story of Chicken Little came from...

Finally I just picked her up and dropped her outside with the other chicks. And everything was happy again. La la la.

Chicken Two


Chicken One

I'm just noticing in these photos that Chicken One's legs are still quite dark... Which is usually the sign of a hen. Hmmm...

Should we get a betting pool going?

The chicks are now a little over three weeks old.

Chicken One again, doing the twist

Combs

The chicks are getting combs. And pointy tail feathers.

Chicken One is about 50% larger than the other two. There are bets going as to whether Chicken One is going to turn out to be a rooster.

Chicken One

They like to be out in the yard, pecking around. We've been leaving them out in the yard for an hour at a time without incident. Sometimes they lie down in the grass, which is really odd looking. Sometimes they get in little fights and flap their wings at each other. They leap right over one another with the aid of those new wing feathers.

Chicken Two - smaller and not as far along developmentally

Chicken One posing

Chicken Three is shy - no good photos...

Mucking out

So, the first muck out.

Fortunately, the poo is still small. The pine bedding absorbs most of it, and there is very little odour to the cube.

For those that don't know, like most birds, there is no urine - all waste comes out in solid form and its loaded with nutrition.

So, back to mucking - I've forked the top layer of pine chips off and I'm putting it into the compost bin - I'll wait to see if I get any "comments" back on that one, but it kind of feels like the poo is nine tenths of the way there, so it can't hurt....plus, the pine bedding is awesome to mix in with the compost. Probably black gold.

Now the cube is as good as new. The floor and walls are plywood, sealed with a latex primer/sealer called "kilz" - it's supposed to be non-toxic and it barely had an odour when I applied it, plus it dried fast. A layer of pine bedding (about 2 inches deep) was spread across the floor, so that the cube is really just a brooder, for now. The roost and the laying box will be added this summer, when the girls start to behave less like chicks and more like layers.

All told, about 3 minutes, including walking across the yard and back with the fork and snow shovel for scooping. Muck one complete.

Back to my glass of white wine.

Three girls

The three girls spent over an hour outside in the back yard tonight, exploring and pecking up grubs.

Chicken One heads off in a direction and the other two hop after her. They stick close together, so they're easy to keep track of.

From right to left, Chicken One, Chicken Two and Chicken Three.

goodbye little one

The cube is in mourning. We have lost chicken number four, our smallest and most fragile chick. Her passing was met with tears and sadness - she was held by everyone and offered a gentle goodbye, with a thank you for touching our lives even briefly.

Turning back the clock twenty four hours, we note the beginning of the end. An unfortunate "zooming" incident with our exuberant pup resulting in the toppling of two of the chicks. Chicken number four had to be helped back up and, in her already fragile state, was likely overcome with the stress. She was quiet last night and delicate when checked this morning, but had succumbed by the end of the work day.

The rest of the girls spent the evening grubbing in the fern garden. Chick one is very assertive and was quick to leap out the open cube door, making her way across the forest of our lawn to the ferns. Chicks two and three follow, with much peeping as if to say "wait for me!"

And on the brood goes and grows.

Tail Feathers

I'm out of the comments section and in as a contributor.

The girls are growing tail feathers. Especially Chicken One and Chicken Two. Little round fans of tail feathers.

I don't think there's actually anything wrong with Chicken Four. The fuzz is filling in under her wings. I think she's just a day or two younger than the others.

We had all four of them out in the garden last night. I was weeding the front beds and the chicks were pecking all around me. Chicken One and Chicken Two are definitely the leaders. They pecked their way across the garden, with Chicken Three and Chicken Four following slowly. Chicken Four kept falling asleep standing up. Again, I thinks she's younger than the others.

But they're already starting in on one of their jobs; two of them pooped in the garden last night. Great fertilizer.

They are four happy little chickens! (And still very cute!)