I finally moved the little girls into the run with the big gals and their Roosters. I ran chicken wire dividing off part of the run so that they would be safe from any over aggressive older ladies or gents. For the most part they have been thoroughly ignored by the other group. A complete snub! However, they have not shed a tear, but have been having a ball flying around, chasing bugs, dust bathing and nesting in the Viburnum bushes. Quite a happy bunch of 7 week old chicks!!
They will also run out of their medicated feed this week and I will switch them over to regular chick starter. I will start adding Garlic Powder to their feed to help deter pests like mites and ticks it also helps boost their immune system. I will also feed them plain yogurt once a week to help build up good gut bacteria. Another addition is Apple Cider Vinegar in their water to help improve the digestive health by maintaining proper pH balance in the digestive tract. It also helps keep water free of harmful bacteria. WARNING: Do not put Apple Cider Vinegar in Galvanized Waterers, it can poison your chickens
Jim has been going out after dinner to feed everyone snacks, mostly bread. Chickens L*O*V*E bread! On our trip to Scotland last summer we stayed at castle, yes I said castle, but don’t get to excited, it was a small castle 🙂 and they had free range chickens, who among eating kelp from the loch also got the leftover bread that the guests did not eat at breakfast. We had no idea they loved bread so much, it has to be their favorite treat.
If you have read any of my other posts about the chickens, you know we had a hawk attack several months ago. My solution was to run bird netting over the run. I haven’t had any incidences since, until last Sunday. Now don’t get too worried no one was hurt. I went out last Sunday morning and two hawks, yes two were sitting on the poles looking through the bird netting watching the little girls freaking out!! Oh the little ones were a hot mess! I am quite positive that those A_ _hole Hawks were hacking it up sitting up there torturing my girls. Made me think of those stupid black birds from the Windex commercial. Well anyway at least the girls knew to run under the bushes and hide, even if they did have little mini-heartattacks along the way.
That is all for now, hope all is well in your chicken coop!
Related articles
- To Free-Range or Not To Free-Range Your Chickens (appalachianbelle.com)
- Baby Chicks – Moving Outside (hortophile.wordpress.com)
- A Visit from the Hawk (hanburyhouse.com)
- Cunning, Intelligence and Free Ranging Chickens (sofarfromheaven.com)
- Emo Chickens (slowmoneyfarm.wordpress.com)
- Adventures in Chicken Keeping: Day One (bethstedman.com)
- The Quiet Secret of Hen keepers (gardengirrrl.wordpress.com)
A HEALTHY LIFE FOR ME 
Poor little chickens… thank goodness they’re safe! Great photos – it takes me ages to photograph my girls as they’re so lively and inquisitive!
I try to take bread or mealworms out with me when I want to photograph them. It helps if the husband throws the food out and I can crouch down a play photographer. 🙂
I’ve tried that method too but the chickens seem to be more interested in the camera lens than the food. I gave them a few left over strawberries and blueberries today and they went wild for them so maybe this is my bait of choice. I have a lot of close up, out-of-focus beaks in my family album!
Cute!
We must be on the same schedule. Our new crop of little ladies moved “out” this week into their new mini mansion. We created a new run next to the “big girls” and beneath a tree for shade. We are giving them a few days to acclimate before letting them out to scratch. This is the first batch of chicks we ever got that we didn’t lose 25-50%!!!! I know what you mean about photographing them…..my barred rocks are especially friendly and want to be right next to me if I’m outside.
I think if you raise them yourself, and the way that we do, hands on, they are much more friendly. The little girls sit on my feet, let me pick them up, stick their beaks where they don’t belong 🙂 and the hens that I got at a year old or older are aloof and skittish.
Why did you loose so many chicks in the past? I had anticipated loosing one of two, but knock on wood they have been very healthy.