The Chickens have arrived!

in Abundance Tribe3 years ago (edited)

So, something like 2 months ago we built a chicken coop, you can find the posts here and there, but we only got the chicken a week ago, I've decided to document (sounds so formal) all of it, we have 3 chickens and 1 rooster, they are "bare neck" chicken, good layers from what we've been told.

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Once again, we got some fences from the neighbour, in exchange for some handy work and wood cutting, I think the deal was decent. It's sheep fence so it might be too large for the chicken, but oh well, I like free stuffs.

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Here that's me face in action, I got a tool in my hand, so surely it means that I am doing something important.

That fence is all wavy and shit, so I got to stretch it, that's super interesting, please don't skim through like some does (like me 😁).

Why are we setting up a fence?

Well, that's a good question you're asking, it's because we need them to get used to go back to the coop on their own, once they are more familiar with their environment, we will take some of the fence off, knowing that the dogs are coming in less than a month, so they will need to get used to each other anyway, especially Jacky the husky (Malamute) just loves chicken, but in a very murderous way, so we will have to work on that gradually.

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I tried to get some cheap labours from those 2, but they were more interested in messing around; throwing hay at each other, I have to admit it was pretty fun, but they didn't do shit otherwise. I can't really blame them, I remember being quite similar around their age, not really wanting to partake in serious activities.
Since we moved in last summer, there's always so much to be done, I forget that we need to let them be children also.

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I eventually gave up trying to teach them the very important value of spreading hay equally, at the same time, it's just to keep them warm for now, we added sawdust eversince, and we will create a nice medium that can be cleaned easily, I will take the hay out progressively and leave some at their laying spot.

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In the picture below, that's the first fence we were working with.

The yellow posts that you see are made of carbon, most shops don't sell the metal poles anymore, they are supposed to be as resistant, they are normally used for electric fence.

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And it didn't work; Angela (one of the chicken) went through the fence like it was nothing, she even looked at me and laugh. The others joined her, through the fence, and they also made fun of me in chicken language.

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I eventually came up with a plan to double up the fence with a second fence with smaller chains, and now it's all good, the hens aren't trying to escape anymore, Angela now is chilling a lot inside the coop scheming for a next escape plan.

Right now, we had them for a week; and they are getting more and more curious about us everyday. I've sung them some songs, with the guitar also, and they seem to react very positively to Bossa Nova, especially Mickael Jackson, the rooster.

I know they are supposed to lay eggs, but we aren't the type to put pressure on our people, they can take their time and eat their mix, I also got them some corn on the side, and tomorrow it's cleaning day, so I am gonna make sure that the whole family partake while I am taking pictures 😁.

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You see the blur?

It's a pile of compost I started. Last week a neighbour asked me to dig a hole, for irrigation purpose.
I collected a whole bunch of worms and soil, and I made a pile inside the chicken area with decomposing material. My ultimate goal would have to get the compost, the chicken poop, the worms, all living together hand in hand and feeding off each other.

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Anyway, this is our chicken, they are pretty cool. The lighter one on the right is Angela.

Honestly, the rooster is just a little bit bigger than the hens, so it's quite difficult to even notice him as a "coq". I also feel that everyone is trying to protect Angela for some reason, like she is Mariah Carey.

I also wonder if we get a second rooster, the bare neck one will get insecure because he is so small and cute. This is it, I am gonna train Mickael Jackson (the rooster), making him do some extra muscle building exercise, and calisthenics.
Like this guy

Let's do thiiiis!

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Lol! I can imagine Angela just stepping right through that fence!

Sometimes it can take a little while for hens to settle in before they start laying, even if they were already laying before. If they're still young, they might not be quite ready to lay anyway. It can be 6 to 10 months of age, before they are mature enough to lay, depending on the breed and the chicken.

By the way, roosters can be really rough on the hens, so it's generally recommended they have a minimum of 3 hens in the flock to spread the load. Any less and the rooster can end up killing or injuring them with his amorous advances. Michael Jackson might still grow a bit more yet; they look fairly young still.

I was pretty sure that I answered your comment! Well, 6 months later, here we go haha!

Any less and the rooster can end up killing or injuring them with his amorous advances. Michael Jackson might still grow a bit more yet; they look fairly young still.

It's funny that you said that, because I had to split one of my hen, that always ends up bleeding on the back of her head. She healed once, I tried to reintroduce her to the flock, but MJ pecked her again.

I've been looking online, and there are apparently good roosters out there, that aren't mean spirited, and don't hurt the ladies. It's not always linked with age, it just a trait of character, some of them are rougher than others.

We have now 6 hens, I might add 2 more to "spread the load" as you said, but I still think that once an asshole...

I'm amazed you suddenly found the comment again. 😆

but I still think that once an asshole...

I can't really argue with you there. Sometimes that A-hole trait obit gets worse with age. One of our roosters had to go when he started attacking people (he was such a snuggle bug normally, as well). When you've only got a small area to work in, you can't have a rooster you can't trust to be around.

When you've only got a small area to work in, you can't have a rooster you can't trust to be around.

Especially with the kids, they don't realise how careless they can be with him. You can see in his eyes, that he doesn't give a fuck and won't hesitate bite their faces off haha.

A-hole trait obit gets worse with age

Yeah I am worried of that. Maybe I can find him a more suitable home, or a spot in my next stew.

a spot in my next stew.

😆 Stew it may have to be. They get tough as they age!

A lot of work, but soon you will have some real farm fresh eggs. Every-now-and-then we will buy some local eggs from the local small store, not to often as they are a lot more expensive than the factory ones, but we do treat ourselves some times.

I think you will be in for some hard times getting the dogs not to eat the chickens.

We have been blessed with all our neighbours eggs, I can't wait to have our own ^^

And to add on what you just said, they are also much tastier, the yoke is dark yellow, just so healthy.

Yea, I think eventually I want the fence off and let the chicken roam. The other solution is getting a goose that defends the chickens.

You have to be careful with geese, kids like them, they don't so much like kids.

yeah the other day one chased me also, a big male. I got bit as a kid once or twice. Relax we're just brainstorming haha

I only bought it up because as a kid I got chased by one also. such is farm life, after awhile we learn, I always enjoyed visiting my aunt and uncles little farm, geese and all.

Little @bashadow chased by a goose, I can picture that! I am just thinking that's probably the only animal that would fight back against Jacky our husky, so we might have to think of a good guard animal for the chickens.

If we get her/him early and get used to the children, it might be easier...Or not...Geese are assholes hahaha

Ahahahah, no better post to read on a Sunday morning!

Angela looks smart. She'll find a way to escape again ... it won't be hard for her, I think ... with that fence ;p

and tomorrow it's cleaning day, so I am gonna make sure that the whole family partake while I am taking pictures

🤣🤣 Hey!! Why not the same role as with the cover song? Your wife shooting, you working and the baby girl would laugh, I think :)

Waiting for your next song publishing, along with the help of rooster Michael J. ..being the additional voice :D

Waiting for your next song publishing, along with the help of rooster Michael J. ..being the additional voice :D

Hahah Ed Privat feat. Mickael Jackson, that sounds great! 😁

I am about to give it a try right now, I will let you know how it goes!

🤣🤣

Kids will be kids and that simply means that they won't be able to help out for a few more years at best and that's if you get lucky. 😁
Right now they are doing what they do best, play, giggle, and make dad a proud man.
This song by Harry Chapin- The Cat's in The Cradle, is a rather sad song, one that always reminded me to take the time everyday to spend as much quality time as possible with them.
You seem to have that covered in spades, good for you. Life gets so busy at times, we often forget that as parents our most important job is to nurture the lives of those we have brought into this world.
I respect nothing more than a parent who puts their children first.

Good luck with your chickens, with all of those mouths to feed you may have to purchase another dozen of those protein laying birds.

I'm sure you're a little anxious to have your dogs by your side and it doesn't sound like they will be away from you for too much longdr.
I had mentioned that our eldest son had just gotten a dog and we have yet to meet. Well this past week he made a surprise visit to the farm and brought the newest member of the family with him. He named the dog Hunter.
It is a mix, German Shepard, @dandays dream come true dog and a Husky. The dog is only 3 months old and already weighs 50 lbs.
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Later on in the week two of our other children visited for the weekend and of course brought all of the family. Our granddaughter should have them all trained in a few weeks.😁

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It was a song request from 2018 on the previous blockchain. I don't like what I did, It was a time when I was pressured doing a song request every other days, and I did not have enough time to work on the production, changing the style. It sounds like a French Wallmart Harry Chapin ahahah.

Good luck with your chickens, with all of those mouths to feed you may have to purchase another dozen of those protein laying birds

Yep, it's funny you said that, I am already planning on new breeds. I have no idea if 2 roosters can coexist, I gotta check.

Wow Hunter is a cutie, he's gonna be a big boy in few years, look at the size at 3 months old only! The second picture with the grandaughter is adorable ahaha they're all behaving so well I can't believe it.

Regarding the dogs, there is an ongoing Covid test to cross the Spanish border that needs to be made 72 hours before the border cross, and I have no faith in these tests, so we are currently looking for a company that can transport them from Barcelone to us. Just few hick ups alons the way but we are positive (not to Covid).

My mother's last big dog (she had little dogs) was a lab, his name was Hunter. I called him Hunter good dog.

Looks like you may need a hand out there taking pictures so none of the Jurg's are left out.

Ps—I bet the Australian is the brightest of the pack.

We sure could use a hand in that department. The camera does have a timmer so that everyone can get into the picture, but up to this point, we have yet to learn how it works.
I'm not sure which dog is the smartest, but the Australian, if that's is the one with white in her coat, is the fastest.
That dog loves to run and never seems to get tired.

Your kids are adorable, if I was there with them I'd be playing in the hay too.
Don't they have labor laws in France? They look just a little too young for working papers😁
Enjoy them my friend, they grow up sooooooo fast.

They look just a little too young for working papers😁

It's the country side, we can arrange that!

Enjoy them my friend, they grow up sooooooo fast.

We keep on saying it everyday, it doesn't make time tick more slowly... I've read what you were saying in one of your comments about having everyone over for few days, and then...Poof, everyone is gone and it hit home, it's gonna be me one of these days!

Quick, I need a cat! (I actually really need a cat though, we have a shrew in the kitchen)

Good day @edprivat, what a weekend it was, fantastic. My cheeks hurt from smiling.
As they drive off we ring this big bong gong that hangs on the front porch so they hear a final Iove you.

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Bittersweet, takes me a few days to adjust AND clean the house. Phew! Lots of mud this trip.
Enjoy!

That gong is a must-have!

I wouldn't mind a bong of this size haha

Hey @edprivat, talk to @dandays, if you are looking for a bong. We only have a big GONG. hehe

Hey I resemble that remark!

I got a tool in my hand..

Couldn't help it. Ok, I'm gonna read the rest now

Bok-b-bok bawk bawwwk-b-bok! That's chicken for 'better luck next time, pal!'

I didn't skim that much all the way to the cool gif at the end. Very nice Ed. I still need to write something up to earn for your dogs.

Hashtagstokedforyouguys

I still need to write something up to earn for your dogs.

Just be there, that's more than enough!

Yeah you better write something up for the doggies, you promised...or for Angela and Co now ;)

Bet you didn't know I just woke up and this is the first message I checked.

I know it! I know... I know. It's comin—promise.

Good morning sunshine 😁🌅