Chicken Hilton

The girls are doing great. Growing fast. The only one I'm a little worried about is Henry. She hasn't really grown all that much. She's eating and roosting fine, she's just little. Hopefully she will catch up soon. 


I have turned into an excellent box hunter as of late. Everywhere I go I'm looking for the biggest, best box I can find. Yesterday at work it came in the guise of an Almay makeup box. I tell you, most people would be burdened that this makeup display came in such a big box. But when I saw it, I got all tingly inside. I knew the girls would be proud as well when I brought this chicken Hilton home. And they were ...........excited, scratching, running, settling in nicely. Hopefully this box will be big enough to contain them until late December, when they will be feathered and ready to go in the coop. 

The other night we lit the chimanea and had some friends over. We brought the girls out and after foraging for a while, they got tired and wanted to snuggle. Here are a few pics from the evening. 


Photos courtesy of Rebecca McCray; photographer extraordinaire

Coop Dreams

I finished the Coop today!!!! Hoot! Thank God because these girls are growing like wildfire. I can't believe how big they have gotten in the past week. They have gone from little puff balls to big girls roosting at night.  I put the branch in a few days ago and they love it. I sneak in there and most of them are hanging out practicing their roosting skills. Our two barred rocks, Barb and Henri, turned a month old and they are seriously busting out of the box. The past day or so Barb has been tromping through the laundry room, leaving some evidence around. I had no idea chickens poop so much. Man, our whole laundry room is now canvased in day Old New York Times. You ever seen the T.V. show Dexter?  Yup thats our laundry room,  a literary kill room.  First thing tomorrow, I"m getting a bigger box............................

Sassy Barb

So, since I finished the coop today I thought I should give it a test run. I rounded up the girls and took them outside into their future abode. The weather was 80 degrees today and windy so I let them stay outside for about two hours while I finished up the henhouse. Their brooder temp in the laundry room is now at 80 degrees so the weather couldn't have been more perfect. They absolutely LOVED it. They look so tiny in the coop and they love to scratch around and dig in the dirt. If one of them finds something good like a bug or meal worm I strategically hid in the coop, the others get jealous and a chase ensues. I can't believe how much personality they have and they are all so different.


The coop is definitely predator proof.  We had a pretty good test of that when two little poodle type dogs came cruising through the yard today. I have been working out there for weeks with no sign of any dogs and as soon as I bring the girls in ...............chicken killing poodles. After wrangling the dogs and giving them back to their owners, the rest of the day was uneventful. Next task here at Uprooted Bamboo..............building a fence to keep the girls in and neighborhood dogs out!

Girls in the coop.....Excuse the graffiti on the fence. Damn kids
From the yellow puff to the back:
Sonny, Little S, Barb, Penny, and Rouge. Henri (just her face)

Rouge Kissing Little S

Rouge and Little S snoozing in the coop

Sleepy Girls

So now that they are ten days old they can go outside and scratch around in the grass. I have seen a lot of cute things in my life, but this one may top the list. They were excited to be outside, but still a little apprehensive. They stayed close to me which is a good sign. The whole "first impression" thing worked with them. They didn't venture too far.


When I brought them back in after being paroled, they were sooooo sleepy. It was the funniest thing. All of them just sort of collapsed. At first I thought maybe it was a little too early and I killed them all but they all sort of curled up with each other and fell asleep. I guess it takes a lot of energy with all the new good stuff to dig around in. Im going to try to hunt down some worms and bugs today. Too early to give them greens but worms and bugs are ok. Man they are going to be excited.


Here are a few pics of the escapades(btw chicks are super tough to photograph)

Notice the wheelbarrow. Going to come in handy today. I have 5 Cubic yards of topsoil coming to help predator proof the coop

So sweet. We named her Rouge. Claire was holding her and petting her head and she fell asleep

My other Love.....................

I don't know what I would do without my Subaru Baja

My dad bought this for me when I graduated from Grad School. She got us from NYC to Austin in one piece and takes me to the hardware store and back everyday (yes, I am there almost everyday). I mean seriously, can your car do this. 

INTRODUCING......................

6 Pretty girls......................

              

Black Australorp

Production Red

Barred Rock(2)

Straight Run Americauna(might end up a Roo)

Straight Run Americauna (already Kind of a Bully)

So far they are doing great in their brooder in the laundry room. The above little one (who may end up a rooster) was a little bully at first. Pecking like crazy. It was so bad, I jumped on the internet to make sure chickens didn't have rabies (kidding) and found out it's all about establishing pecking order. I was seriously thinking about returning the little one but decided to keep him after they all settled down. We have now dubbed him Little Shit.  The others have yet to be named.  I guess we need to see their personalities before we find suitable names, however if anyone has any ideas, I am all ears.

They will live in the laundry room for about a month and a half until they get all their feathers and can protect themselves from the cold, usually about 6 weeks.  Right now I have them under a 100 W bulb in their brooder ( a warm box) and some pine shavings that they love to scratch around in. It's important to keep the brooder a balmy 90-95 degrees for the first couple of weeks decreasing 5 degrees per week. They are eating their chick starter like crazy and love to bathe in their water.  In the coming weeks I will add roosts, let them scratch for treats outside, and help them get ready for the coop. The coop that will hopefully be finished this week............fingers crossed. 

Claire, I think was a little apprehensive at first about them taking up residence in the laundry room. But the minute she saw them and heard their sweet little chirps she smiled and thought they were really cute. The two canine farm boys on the other hand are very interested in what is behind door #1.  So we are being very careful to make sure they in no way can get the girls. Tate isn't all that interested in them but Viejo sits by the door and whines and wonders what in the hell is in there. Hopefully he will give up soon.  

Excuse his bad hair cut. We were saving money and did it ourselves. Ouch 

I'm heading to farm camp tomorrow at Green Gate Farms to expand my knowledge about organic veggie producing, drip irrigation, and more. Hopefully the rain holds out and I get some good info for Uprooted Bamboo. Then after the coop is done, I start working on the planting beds. I can't believe it's November. Crazy how fast this year is going......................

Ok friends........


Just pulled 6 in a row in the box. The dreaded box (my job). I go to work when it's dark and leave when it's dark. I didn't think I was going to make it at day 4. But alas, I made it. Got me thinking. I hope the ladies won't feel like I did all cooped up in the coop.........Know what I mean.   I think a little free-range is in order for them during the day.


I am headed to NYC tomorrow until wednesday to watch, cheer, and support my most important lady Claire while she runs the NYC marathon. I'm hoping to check out some community gardens and urban farms while in the city to draw some inspiration.


When I come back I have 4 days off. Hopefully the coop will be finished and I will be taking care of some new chicks. Have a good weekend. The work continues soon........................