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my cat is norris
Mar 11, 2010

#onecallcat

Lol poor Harv, such indignity!

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effervescible
Jun 29, 2012

i will eat your soul
I see the chick have entered their awkward teen stage. It's not cute exactly, but it's so awkward it kind of circles back around to cute.

Velvet Sparrow
May 15, 2006

'Hope' is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune, without the words, and never stops--at all.

Because I am physically incapable of setting foot in a feed store *without* walking out with a peeping cardboard box tucked under my arm...

We have a new chick. Charlotte, a dark Brahma pullet, about 1 week old. Charlotte is VERY loud and kinda bossy, and has commandeered the corn cob.

EDIT--Charlotte is in a little chick prison, I'm gonna err on the side of caution. She was getting stomped and I'm done with chick death this year. We'll give her a few days to get bigger and stronger and then let them all run together.


Velvet Sparrow fucked around with this message at 21:14 on May 1, 2021

effervescible
Jun 29, 2012

i will eat your soul
That's my niece's name! :haw: Come to think of it, that sounds a lot like my niece's demeanor too.

devicenull
May 30, 2007

Grimey Drawer
What's up with chicken prison?

Chaosfeather
Nov 4, 2008

devicenull posted:

What's up with chicken prison?

If I had to guess, it's to keep the others from picking on the fugitive, given that there's a notable size difference.

spookygonk
Apr 3, 2005
Does not give a damn


Charlotte is tiny compared to the other!

devicenull
May 30, 2007

Grimey Drawer

Chaosfeather posted:

If I had to guess, it's to keep the others from picking on the fugitive, given that there's a notable size difference.

Are we sure it's not the other way around? She was just pecking at someone who was trying to reach *her* corn

my cat is norris
Mar 11, 2010

#onecallcat

They've gotten SOOOOOOO big!!

Any idea on which might be roosters?

Can we get some comparison photos between their fuzzy chick stage and their current juvenile ragged cuteness?

Velvet Sparrow
May 15, 2006

'Hope' is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune, without the words, and never stops--at all.

Some changes in the last two weeks of Chicakm!
We've repositioned the camera to more of an 'above' view. Not so much rampant chicken eyeball cam any more. And you can see how they are outgrowing that kiddie pool. :(

Also, Charlotte gets released from chick jail tomorrow, I think she's big enough to run with the pack. Expect some bullying, it's normal and to be expected as they all jostle for position in the pecking order. We are gonna be right there to break up anything too violent, and will distract everyone with goodies. When they all eat together it's a bonding experience, so that helps.

The chicks will be going out into the small run for the day over the next two weeks--at first for a couple of hours, then just before they go out for good, all day. We won't put the cam outside, though. Also, now that they are feathered out enough to keep warm on their own, we will soon be turning out their light overnight to get them used to a proper day/night cycle. We usually just leave the cam running overnight, so you'll hear but not see them.

The exception to this will be Charlotte and Taffy. Charlotte is two weeks younger than the rest, and needs more time indoors before she goes out. Since Taffy is small, she drew the short straw and will be Charlotte's companion for those two weeks--chickens are flock animals and HATE to be alone, it's very stressful for them.

New pics are *supposed* to be taken tomorrow...weather permitting. It snowed yesterday and today is all dark and overcast, and I need a sunny day for pics. There are at least three rooboys in there...

Velvet Sparrow
May 15, 2006

'Hope' is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune, without the words, and never stops--at all.

Charlotte has been released from baby jail! Distracting everyone with corn, so far, so good.

spookygonk
Apr 3, 2005
Does not give a damn

Velvet Sparrow posted:

Charlotte has been released from baby jail! Distracting everyone with corn, so far, so good.

Go, Charlotte the Mighty!

Velvet Sparrow
May 15, 2006

'Hope' is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune, without the words, and never stops--at all.

The overcrowding and pecking of Charlotte got too much, so since it's *finally* warmed up and sunny, the 5 rooboys are out in the small run for the day. Saber, Moosebaby, Sybil Disobediance, Harvey and Ouzo have all been banished to ChickMo.

It seems to have done the trick, all is quiet & peaceful in the brooder... I feel bad for them, but so far I've been unable to get the materials I need to build the perma-brooder box I have planned.

my cat is norris
Mar 11, 2010

#onecallcat

Oh no, Harvey! Behave yourself!

Vincent Van Goatse
Nov 8, 2006

Enjoy every sandwich.

Smellrose
Chickens!

Notgothic
May 24, 2003

Thanks for the input, Jeff!
I really like Jonesy's gravitas; all these roosters are bumping chests because they think they're bad boys, but she just walks on by, or through, like they're miles beneath her.

And then she drops a load on the ground like some kind of animal, but hey.

Velvet Sparrow
May 15, 2006

'Hope' is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune, without the words, and never stops--at all.

All of the chicks except Taffy and Charlotte are outside in the small run today, in order to get acclimated to the outdoors and the big chickens before they go out for good next weekend. Charlotte and Taffy will join them in 2 weeks. We're supposed to have thunderstorms this weekend, so they'll be inside for any nasty weather.

Meanwhile, the older chicks will come in each night. Unless it's too cold, the light will be off at night so the older chicks can get used to a proper day/night cycle. Chickam will continue with Taffy and Charlotte for 2 weeks after the older chicks go out for good.

Velvet Sparrow
May 15, 2006

'Hope' is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune, without the words, and never stops--at all.

Chick pics taken, wings trimmed, everybody except Taffy and Charlotte released into the yard with the big chickens! I'll post a link to the pictures later.

Taffy and Charloote will go out in about a week and a half, Chickam will for this year at that time.

EDIT-- Here ya go, chick pics! https://jackshenhouse.blogspot.com/2021/06/chickam-chicks-eight-weeks-old.html

Velvet Sparrow fucked around with this message at 17:37 on Jun 9, 2021

Velvet Sparrow
May 15, 2006

'Hope' is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune, without the words, and never stops--at all.

Welp, if all goes well, this is our final week of Chickam for 2021.
Charlotte (who turns 8 weeks old on Thursday) and Taffy (who is for sure a rooster BTW, there was much crowing this morning) will go out into the small run during the day starting tomorrow to get them used to the great outdoors--but this will depend on the weather, as we are beginning a Hellish heat wave here. Most likely they will go out for a few hours in the morning, and once it gets too hot, in they'll come again.
This weekend, Saturday the 19th, they will go out into the flock for good and Chickam ends. As always, weather permitting we will put the cam out on the flock on Saturdays during the rest of the year.
We will keep the hens we want and rehome the rest, plus the rooboys.

William Henry Hairytaint
Oct 29, 2011



Have long happy lives, chickens!

my cat is norris
Mar 11, 2010

#onecallcat

Did you get those pictures posted anywhere?

Sjs00
Jun 29, 2013

Yeah Baby Yeah !
Charlotte is amazing! thanks for doing this thread and stream

Chaosfeather
Nov 4, 2008

I know I don't post in the thread a lot but I always love it and enjoy popping into the stream for a little chicken background noise and to check how the littles are doing. Thanks so much for taking such good care of the birds and sharing the experience with us!

eating only apples
Dec 12, 2009

Shall we dance?

my cat is norris posted:

Did you get those pictures posted anywhere?

They did! Pics of all the not-so-chicks there.

My girl Kana lookin good :3: Thanks as always for this VS, I follow every year and it's always amazing. This year for the first time in the 10 years I've been watching I've come to you for advice, which was of course so helpful, I can't thank you enough. You do a wonderful job and I can't tell you how much I enjoy this every year. Thanks a bunch!

e: please do let us know who leaves your flock for pastures new!

eating only apples fucked around with this message at 04:16 on Jun 15, 2021

spookygonk
Apr 3, 2005
Does not give a damn

William Henry Hairytaint posted:

Have long happy lives, chickens!

They're in the best home with VS.

my cat is norris
Mar 11, 2010

#onecallcat

I'm going to miss the stream!

eating only apples
Dec 12, 2009

Shall we dance?
Thanks again VS, hope all the kids have had a successful transition to the outdoors!

Velvet Sparrow
May 15, 2006

'Hope' is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune, without the words, and never stops--at all.

Thanks everyone for the kind words, Chickam is a poo poo-ton of work and always leaves my dining room a wreck...but it sure is fun doing it!

The stream has ended, all of the chicks are out in the flock and doing fine (slight delay due to thunderstorms and 100+ degree heat). The next Chickam will be Easter weekend 2022 (April 16th-17th, 2022). We'll put up the cam on weekends throughout the year, weather permitting. I'll post to our Twitter page when we do, if you follow us you'll see the alerts: @chickam2008

We'll be keeping some of the hens from this year, not certain which ones, but most of them (there weren't a lot!). The rooboys will be rehomed.
Link to two month old chick pictures: https://jackshenhouse.blogspot.com/2021/06/chickam-chicks-eight-weeks-old.html

Between now and next year's hatch, I will be building a permanant brooder box from plastic that can be collapsed, cleaned and stored from year to year--NEVER AGAIN will I use repurposed cardboard boxes (sorry, environment, I'll reduce my carbon footprint elsewhere).
Now I get to design the thing...

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PhysicsFrenzy
May 30, 2011

this, too, is physics
Thanks for running this. Life can be tough, but watching cute little chickens grow up helps make things a little better :unsmith:

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