Month: July 2019

Health Check

On By CarynIn chickens

The chickens are 113 days old, or 3 months and 22 days. We did a health check because the weather was cool which is better for handling. Everyone is still putting on weight, which is good; and starting to molt, which is normal but may mean it will be months until they lay their first egg. Since that will put us into winter, we may not get eggs this year. A bit of a bummer, but we’re in for the long haul, so it will be what it will be.

My eldest holding a chicken with the head tucked into the crook of her arm

We did discover a calmer technique for holding the chickens for well checks. My eldest held the chickens under the chest, with the chicken’s head tucked in the crook of her arm. Even Taco (pictured above) calmed down for the toe nail clip, band check, foot pad check, and mite check (in the triangle of skin between the wing and the body). We also weighed and checked vents.

Chickens eat fish

On By CarynIn chickens
Chickens chasing minnows in their foot bath

Who knew? Probably anyone who has seen this video (link goes to Facebook and a Homestead Survival Post), or has ducks or chickens. I didn’t know, but after seeing the video I had to try it.

I already have small “pools” as chicken foot baths that I bought at the hardware store marketed as plant coasters. Each bath holds about a gallon of water. I bought rosy red minnows at the pet store, which they sell as feeder fish. I started with just 4 minnows just in case the chickens didn’t get it. It gets hot and the foot baths get gross (I change out the water several times a day, and invariably as soon as the water is clean, there is a chicken in it), so I didn’t want fish lingering. The chickens can be picky about new treats too, so there was possibily of lingering. I didn’t need to worry. The chickens knew just what to do and finished off the fish in less than three minutes! I’ve posted the video on my You Tube channel.

More nålbinding

On By CarynIn Craft

I am continuing my nålbinding practice. I used up more scraps of wool yarn in my stash to make a hat! It has a slightly pointy top; I need to work on making flat circles, but I’ve seen several pictures of nålbound hats with a pointy top, so I’m going to call it a design choice (as in I chose not to pick out the stitches and try again). There is a time to unravel and a time to push through. Mostly I push through!

Wool hat made with the Mammen nålbinding stitch

I’m glad I did push through on this, because it seems like it will be a good warm hat. The last rows are made of soft merino wool, which really makes it comfortable to wear. And I love the ear flaps! My ears are usually cold walking in the winter. I love the spiral construction, and I figured out how to finish and blend in the final stitches. Now to go raid the yarn stash and see what else I can use up.

Wool hat modeled

Water access

On By CarynIn Coop
Hose hanger and sprayer holder

I realized I could thread the hose through the wire mesh and have access to the sprayer inside the chicken runs. It makes it much easier to rinse out and refill the foot baths. Eventually we may put a PVC pipe down to the runs, in which case this setup is still useful, but for now this works. I had an extra pull handle from the catio door rebuild, so put it in at an angle, which makes a great sprayer holder. I also have had hose holders for years that I’ve never installed, so I put one of those up to keep the hose from being a tripping hazard. I fully expect the chickens to try roost there, but the ease of water accessibility is worth it.

Cooling chicken foot baths

On By CarynIn chickens

I’m so excited! We went to the hardware store and in the garden center they had 17” plant coasters, which are bigger than my current foot baths (cupcake holder top and bottom). The plant coasters are made of a sturdier plastic too. I took them out to the chickens, but left the old foot baths because the chickens are usually wary of new things, and I didn’t want them to overheat for fear of a new foot bath. I didn’t need to worry, they stepped right in (but not for the video, figures).

New larger foot bath (black) next to old foot bath (green)

Since I filled all four with water, rather than dump out the old foot baths (they will never hold cupcakes again anyway), I’ll observe which dishes get the dirtiest which should tell me which foot baths the chickens prefer. Another impromptu experiment!

Outside foot baths

I also figured out that the hose reaches into the coop, which makes rinsing out the foot baths much quicker and easier. Better late than never.