Chooks galore

Bruce the Rooster looking over some of his flock...

Yesterday I relocated the last of our chicks. They were the ones that were incubated. I HAD to try it after all. It is nice to see them grow from little fluff balls to adult size. The boys get a huge buzz out of it.

This is our third lot that has gone out, one after the other. I must say that while I love having them grow up inside and watch them develop their feathers, combs etc I am soooo happy to have my bathroom back.

The wood shavings that I use at the bottom of the 200 litre drinking container (that is used in a paddock for the cows usually but not currently needed) are the problem mainly. This has all the dust taken out of it before packaging, but I still manage to end up with the dust up my bathroom walls, on the ceiling and everywhere else for that matter.

I have a doggy house especially for the chicks. What I do is put wood shavings on the base of the doggy house and then put in there their 4 litre ice cream container with fresh water and their large food container with chick feed. They are usually 8 weeks old at this stage. For the doorway of the doggy house I use an old metal tray and then place a brick against that so that it stays in place.

This way they can say hello to the other chickens who are in the process of getting to know them so that when they are introduced into the flock they don't get attacked. Don't get me wrong there is always the initial - I am higher up the food chain than you... but generally they all get along fine. I have about 30 chooks, 4 ducks, 3 guinea fowl and 2 geese at the moment and have agreed with Russell that I will not be hatching out anymore for a while. We have enough mouths to feed at the moment. Though they free range all day and only use the seed first thing in the morning while still in their chookhouse.

I must just say again, I am soooo happy to have my bathroom back. It is clean, tidy and no chicky noise is coming from it... And the dogs are rather happy to have access to the whole house again as well...

Cheers Damaris