My, How They've Grown

[amberfocus]

So today was exciting for the new poultry flock. They moved from the old bathtub in the garage that was under the brooder and into the chicken coop. It will be much easier to keep them clean now. They can turn pine shavings into sludge in a matter of 12 hours and in the hen house you can open the back and just rake the gunge out and easily replace it. That was a lot harder to do in the tub.



The old flock was very curious as to what the commotion was about.



The reddish brown one is Queen, the gold, brown and black one is Kyri, the black and white one is Patricia, and the white one is Navi.

First we filled the bottom of a container with shavings and transferred the chicks.



Then we transferred the ducks.



This is their new home. Mom and T were putting in a new red light so they youngsters will be warm enough.



And here they all are (save the four grown ups, who are out roaming) inside the coop. That's nine chicks and four ducks. I think a couple of them scooted forward into the nesting boxes.



You can't see it but there is a mesh screen separating 1/3 of the coop for the older chickens so they can still go in and out down the ramp and so they don't pick on the youngsters. It gives them a chance to get used to each other without allowing the old ones to peck the young ones.

The youngsters all seem very happy about having more space. Plus they were flying up to roost on the perches. There are three levels of perches so there is plenty of room for everyone.

I can't wait until they get big enough to start laying eggs. Right now we get between 2 and 3 eggs a day from the four and that's not enough for everyone. When these girls start laying we'll be giving them away again.

I will be glad when the ducks can go out more. We are teaching them to swim on the warm days. Being able to get them in water helps them not to look so ratty. But their feathers are still coming in so that is part of why they look that way, too. Most days have been too cold to have them in the water. The chicks are almost completely feathered so they don't look ratty, just like awkward adolescents.

Comments

[spooferkd.livejournal.com]

I hope the chickens don't try to swim, too. That could put you in a fowl mood. :)

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

LOL. No, we don't let the chickens in the little turtle sandbox that serves as a baby duck pond.

[kitsune17.livejournal.com]

If I'm not mistaken, chickens can swim.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

I think the chickens can when they are older, but they don't have the oil glands as babies that protect them from the water so they can chill really easy. Plus they can drown easily if the water is too deep and it has to deeper for the ducks as they are so much larger. Actually baby ducks don't have the oil production yet, either, (their mother's cover them in their own body oils in nature) so you have to make sure not to put them in too long either and need to dry them off afterwards.

[kitsune17.livejournal.com]

Neat. I learn new things every day. This also explains how one of the ducklings we had when I was younger drowned. We thought he was just...special.

[larxene-12.livejournal.com]

Aw, I'm glad they're settling in well. Have you given them names yet?

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Not really. The kids are waiting to name most of them until we are sure they are going to live. They have named the two strongest ducks though, Inigo Montoya (after the guy in The Princess Bride) and Len Tao (after someone in Shaman King). Although I am calling the littlest chick Half-Pint after the nickname Laura Ingalls' father had for her, because it's so tiny. As they get older and establish personalities names will come. Queen is called Queen because she rules the roost. Patricia was named after my mother because she's very stubborn!

[azriona.livejournal.com]

How does a duck egg taste differently than a chicken egg?

(It sounds like the start of a good joke, but I can't think of a funny ending, so it's just a serious question.)

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

They really aren't all that different in flavor, maybe slightly richer. But they are larger, have a larger yolk to white ratio, and have a richer nutrient level. And the yolks kind of float up higher on the whites than with a chicken eggs. If I remember right they have more protein in them than chicken eggs, too. They also are great for baking, making things fluffier, moister and richer in flavor.

[develish1]

wow, they really have grown a lot :)

looks like they're all settling in happily too