Yesterday I left the run open all day and didn’t close it at the end of the day as I usually do. I think the chicks are ready to be with the flock full time now.
I have finally got the chicks eating growers pellets instead of chick crumb. I have solved the problem of two lots of pellets for now. I have set up two feeding stations for the chicks. One is still in the original spot and one at the end of the run. I have sat their small dish on another paving slab so that the pellets don’t end up in the dirt and they have a water bottle there too. This now seems to be their preferred feeding spot.
They don’t come up to the patio yet so they don’t eat from the bigger girls, bigger dish, of layers pellets. Occasionally the bigger girls eat from the chicks’ dish but the novelty of that is wearing off too so for now both lots are eating from their own dishes.
The next thing to move on will be getting the chicks to sleep in the chicken shed. I am getting prepared for this.
At the moment I am trying to change Dandelion’s bedtime habit. The two bigger girls always perch on the back perch. Cinnamon perches on the left perch where she used to be next to Freckles but is now on her own. Dandelion perches on the right perch where she has always perched since we first got the original three amigos and before we lost Apricot which also left Dandelion perching on her own.
For the past two nights I have hung a black bin bag over Dandelion’s perch and she has perched next to Cinnamon.
This is how I have blocked Dandelion’s perch on the right hand side
Tonight I am going to leave the bin bag off and see if Dandelion still perches with Cinnamon. Once I get her perching there it will leave the right hand perch free for the chicks in the same way that it was when we had the first three amigos. This worked well back then so I hope it will work again this time.
Look at Blue’s red comb and wattles
I don’t think there is any doubt now that Blue is a cockerel even though he is yet to crow.
The new three amigos
I had a chat with my lovely neighbour over the fence a few days ago and explained the situation to her. Yesterday evening she popped in to see us about something else and I took her up to show her the chicks. She said that even though she knows little about chickens she could see how different he is from the other two chicks.
She didn’t seem too worried and we all agreed that we just hope he will be a fairly quiet boy. As I have said before we will cross our bridges as we get to them.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Just catching up. Great to see things moving on and very sorry to read about Freckles!
Thank you.
Blue looks very nice indeed! I look forward to following the integration which looks to be going well.
Blue is a beautiful bird and has an unusual pure white beak. I am amazed at how much easier this integration is going. We think that having them younger means that they were no threat to the pecking order and perhaps that’s why it’s been easier plus there has been plemty of time for them all to get used to each other. It’s been six weeks tomorrow.
Blue looks bigger on every new post.
Blue and Sienna bith do actually but little Jasmine is still quite tiny. I think she may be small like Cinnamon but that’s fine because I like small. You can see how big, Blue’s, very red, comb and wattles are now though.
He certainly looks like a fine young cockerel; I have two, but about half his age and already looking very masculine.
He is beautiful. I am just thankful every day that goes by and the silkies are still cheeping. I couldn’t have more than one!
If you are able to keep Blue you could breed Seramas yourself 🙂
My chicks will be 8 weeks old this weekend and free ranged with the big girls for the first time today. A few chases but reasonably harmonious.
What would totally put me off of that is the possibility of more cockerels. I am not sure yet how this will work out but I certainly couldn’t risk any more boys. Glad it’s going well for you.