Chicken health check

We did our chicken health check: weight, band size, vent, feet. It has been about a month since the last one. I meant to do it sooner, but it was either hot, or we were tired. I don’t want to overly handle the chickens when it is hot to avoid overheating (especially since our “feels like” temperature is consistently getting into the 100s). And since it is a two person job, doing it tired leads to grouchiness.

Chicken growth chart, with matching band colors

The chickens are growing well (Magic is the largest at 1315 grams, or 2.9 pounds). Their vents are clean, their feet look healthy, and we only needed to change out a few bands.

I did figure out how to change the colors on the series in my chart, so now the colors match the leg bands on the chickens, which really helps me to read the chart!

Apple ice block

I had an apple with some bruised parts, so I used a peeler and took it down to the core, put the shavings in one of the plastic bins and added water. After it was frozen solid, I offered it to the chickens on a hot summer afternoon. This one went over much better than the veggie block! By the evening, the only bits left in the bin were the actual peels, and the water was even still cool!

Apple ice block and water foot bath to keep the chickens cool

Whoa

11 pounds of freeze dried meal worms is a BIG bag.

11 pounds of meal worms

Our darkling beetles are getting busy, but we haven’t seen any hatched meal worms yet. So on the advice of my Mom, who orders the same for her chickens, I ordered a bag from Amazon, and it fits well in a 10 gallon steel can. We will have happy chickens.

Frozen veggies

My friend was kind to offer me an old toy organizer (with plastic bins on a wooden stand). At first I wasn’t sure where I was going to put it, and then I thought: I need it for the chickens! The small bins work well to make super-sized ice cubes, and I think the larger bins will work for the base of nesting boxes.

I put peas and carrots and herbs into a small bin, added some water, and froze it overnight. A little hot water on the base and the cube popped out. The chickens were wary (as usual with a new treat), so we put some meal worms on top. They loved that; the veggies not so much.

Herb and veggie ice block
Chickens eating off the mealworms

I think next time I will try a fruit ice block.

Are you kidding me?

My weather app said the feels like temperature in the afternoon was 122. 122. Are you kidding me?

My chickens were hot, but I think just at the first stage: panting. I put out iced foot baths, cold water melon, and filled the fan cooler with ice packs. They have discovered that the dirt on the side of the coop is the coolest, and spread themselves out there.

Hot chickens

But seriously. 122? Not cool.