My Babies are growing up...

Two baby rooster, the one on the right is the one causing all the grief...

All of our chicks are out with the adults these days. We no longer need to use the doggy house as a in-between home for the chicks. That is the stage between being inside the home and being with the adults. It is a great way to introduce them to the outside as well as the other animals. They certainly need that chance to get to know each other as there are more and more of them...

Having them all out is lovely really. I love to see them interact with one another and love to see how they rearrange the pecking order each time new ones come into the fold. Also another thing that I am finding very interesting is that as the babies grow up and 1/2 of them are roosters, just what that does to the other roosters that have established their clutch of girls that they look after.

At the moment I have one little rooster, trying desperately to crow. He is getting there and in another week I would say that he will know how to do it properly. What the other smaller roosters don't like is that he is small so therefore goes for the little hens. The Peking and Belgium D'uccles are his main target! It is so funny seeing him chased away from the chooks and then the original rooster also chases all the other potential roosters. Good way for me to also work out who is what. Yes their combs are bigger than the hens but one that I thought up to today was a hen is actually by the looks a rooster. Shame I liked that one.

Once the roosters are big enough they will be put in the freezer. I have a couple of people that have done it so many times and have the knack. I have only done it a couple of times and that was years ago so will need help to relearn in the first instance.

I have also decided after talking to a couple of people that if we don't have success with our geese this coming spring then the goose is going in the pot as well and will replace her from different stock. The gander is a proven reproducer so will keep him. Not that Russell will be happy to hear that as he keeps attaching him... Males, what are you to do with then... :)

Cheers Damaris