Chicken Update

The girls are doing so well - growing rapidly, putting on weight and feathering out nicely. Their feathers are soft, glossy and colorful. The Black Australorps, like the one shown above, are starting to exhibit their signature iridescent green-blue sheen; they are truly beautiful birds.

DH and I cleaned out the coop today - we took advantage of the (once again) mild but RAINY (ugh) day to pitch out used straw, line the floor with sawdust and food grade diatomaceous earth, over which we spread a thick layer of fresh straw and another layer of sawdust under the roosts. We cleaned out the nesting boxes and relined them with wood shavings and straw.

The coop never smells; I remove "bad spots" and clean out the area under the roosts frequently, but I was glad we were able to fit in one more thorough cleaning ahead of the coming cold snap. All in all, we've had an extremely mild autumn and winter so far, thank the Lord. I can cool off much more efficiently than I can warm up, so I tend not to like cold weather much (actually, I don't like it at all). What little cold weather we have had hasn't affected the chickens; however, keeping humidity down inside the coop has been a bit of an issue, so even though the coop is vented above the roosts, I try to leave the screened windows open on mild, breezy days to increase airflow.

My girls are very social and friendly to people; when I show up, even with the camera (and without treats, which is rare), they come running, almost as though they want to be photographed, so I had some fun snapping photos today. Inquisitive, curious, with personalities as individual as they are, chickens add so much to a home. I don't think we will ever be without them, Lord willing.

Stonewall, or SIR, as I refer to the rooster, is more a little more skeptical. He is usually fine with me in the coop; every so often he will try to assert himself and I respond by picking him up and taking him for a walk. Nothing he hates more than to be separated from his ladies! After what amounts to time out, he usually calms down for awhile. I really can't find fault with the fellow for doing what he is hard-wired to do, as long as he shows some manners to his humans.

More pictures:

Hello!

My "walking flowers" in the run today.

"Hey chooks!"

Two of our Buff Orpingtons looking over the refurbished coop.

SIR with his ladies. He's been a pretty good guy.

Edit: I just came in from feeding the animals and shutting them all in the barn for the night. It is very blustery this evening! The wind through the pine trees sounds like the roaring of the sea. I am so grateful the barn cats, horses and chickens have been blessed with a cozy shelter on a night like tonight. I am grateful we have been as well.