5.20.2008

Chicken Talk

After releasing the girls to their new digs, I wondered if they were getting used to the workings of the chicken ark. Did they know how to use the ramp? Can they figure out the roost? Will they complain about the interior design?

To get an understanding of how they were interacting with their new environment I mounted a secret "chicken cam" within the coop to capture their first reactions. Watch the candid chicken action on the clip below, and if you listen carefully you might even understand what they are saying.

-George


5.12.2008

The Great Unknown

Well, as the chicks, (or more like chick-agers, since they have most definitely left that stage in their life,) have moved out, there are some concerns...

-Will they get cold and die?
-Will they get eaten and die?
-Will they not discover they can move down the ramp, to the food and water, and starve and die?

And even more importantly, as we were gone for Mother's Day Weekend on their first venture into the Great Unknown, without any surveillance, (except for a visit from Tam, thank you!) we were obviously worried. As George and I left to visit Leigh's mom and go to a nearby baseball game, we silently pondered about how there was the possibility that we might come home to an empty chicken tractor. After all, what with the naming of them, we have grown quite attatched to the chicks.

I'm not sure if this has been brought up already, but all the chicks have finally been named. There is Scout, the very first one to be named, whom I named after the character in To Kill a Mockingbird, because she is very brave. Kelly has named one of them Kind, because it always looks like it is smiling. Another has been named Happy Tamara, after the wonderful help Tam and Lee have given us in building the chicken tractor. Yet another has been named Dot, due to it's markings. They are all dotted, but this one more than the others. 

But when we came home, all the chicken's were safely huddled together up in the top level of the coop... so we know that they learned to walk the ramp, weren't cold because they had each other to cuddle with, were not eaten, and most importantly... did not die. So all's well that ends well... although I would hardly call it the end. No... this is the beginning. "The beginning of a beautiful friendship."

-Rahne

5.09.2008

"Girls Night Out"

This phrase "girls night out" for my partner Leigh conjures up images of freedom, no kids, good conversation, perhaps a glass of wine with friends, and otherwise an escape from the roles and responsibilities of daily family life.  This phrase for me today means freedom from the smells, sounds, and realities of having four chickens share  your living room with you.  Today is the first time in nearly four weeks that I suddenly feel less crowded in my home, because today is the chickens (the girls) first night outside in their new Chicken Ark.    

Big thanks goes to Lee and Tam that helped expedite the project as the smells and sounds just overcame our family and necessitated the rush to completion.

I have captured the joyous event in a quick video here. 

-George

5.06.2008

ESCAPE FROM THE TUB

We knew it was only a matter of time...Four teenager chicks in a tub together trying out their new feathered wings...

The other day when I was cleaning out their tub (which, as I know I've mentioned, needs to be done almost daily) I took the lid off of the tub and I took the water canister outside. Luckily Sunny was out there, too, so he did not see the smallest one hop up to roost on the side of the tub. (This was before PHASE ONE of the introducing of the chicks to Sunny had taken place, although, I am not thoroughly convinced that the introductions have made Sunny less interested in these little girls!)

When I came back in (and, yes, I left the front door open too) I realized that "Kind" (named by Kelly because of her cute little happy yellow cheeks) was perched up on the side of the tub...looking curious...but also a bit nervous. I decided to wait and see what happened (instead of chasing her around the living room). Sure enough, she hopped back in with the others and I popped the lid back on! (WHEW!)

Lessons Learned from the "Chicken Escape Prevented Narrowly Scenario"! 

1) Could have been a disaster if Sunny had been in...make sure to close doggie door and put the dog out when cleaning the tub from now on.

2) Could have been a disaster if Chick had flown out the front door and met Sunny outside...make sure to close front door when taking water canister out to dump it.

-Leigh


5.05.2008

The Time Crunch


Recent days have been filled with increased attention to the loud and smelly teen like (eat, sleep, and argue) chickens still living in our house.  The chicken coop is nearly done, but the size of the chickens, their ever increasing chatter, not to mention their stink has caused a "get it done now" urgency to the coop construction.  It is funny to think back on when I first thought of making this little portable coop.  I looked over a few plans, and thought naively "that looks simple".  Well over three weeks later and the coop is nearly done, but for me and the family this will not be soon enough.   

In addition to the chicken time crunch we also have increased the time needed to get the weekly groce
ry shopping done.  When you attempt to purchase food from local farmers, as we have bee
n doing more lately, it changes the one-stop shopping at Safeway into a longer process. We have enjoyed getting some of our weekly food at a couple of local farms in a nearby vall
ey.  New discoveries:  
  • Raw whole milk from the Dungeness Valley Creamery
  • Farm fresh eggs from a couple of local farms (girls will help with this later)
  • Fresh veggies from Nashes Organic Produce
Please see attached photos of progress on coop see above and local the milk photo is courtesy of "mostly-filler" (Thank you Lee). 

Footnote:  Phase one of operation "My Chickens!" has begun with our dog Sunny.  Phase one activities include blocking off the kitchen and bringing the girls out of their pen to nervously walk around on the floor while the dog is allowed to meet the birds.  All the while we assert our Alpha pack leader dominance over Sunny exclaiming "My Chickens!" so he understands that he isn't allowed to harass, nibble, lick, suck-on or otherwise taste the girls in anyway.  Thank you for this idea goes to John Grogan author of Marley and Me who wrote an article about his current dog Gracie and training her to not eat his family chickens.

-George 

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