Tick Infestation

Bobbins had to do a major clean-out and disinfectant of the coop.

Those Chicks Grow Fast

Chicks

One of the chickens got broody, so Bobbins bought some fertilized eggs and let her sit on them till they hatched. She then used the dog crate as a separate little coop for the hen and her chicks to stay in.

New Shade Cover for the Chickens

Bobbins wanted a new shade cover for the chickens, so the boys went to Home Depot to pick up some 2x4s.

It was pretty bare and open by their coop before.





But now they're shielded more from the sun. Bobbins planted a vine next to the structure in hopes that it'll grown and be a natural block of the sun.

The boys also are somewhat helpful when it comes to the upkeep of the birds, although it usually falls to me to clean the coop and Bobbins to do the bigger maintenance.

Girls and Chickens

The girls do get good experience with animals by helping their mom with the chickens, especially for veterinary matters (which seems to be often).

Dead Chicken

One of the birds caught some kind of disease, something that backed her eggs up, which Bobbins did her best to cure, including hand feeding her pills and rubbing her with oil. Alas, it wasn't enough, and she died. Bobbins did her own autopsy.

Backyard Farm

The chickens survived the summer, but only after Bobbins' extraordinary efforts, including their own mister (which nearly ruined the bushes by their coop). Only two have been laying, with the other two eating all the food and not doing their part. The Dog, to his credit, has adjusted to the chickens and is not attacking them.

New Chickens

Bobbins got rid of two of our old chickens because they hadn't been laying eggs in a long time. Don't worry, they went to a old chicken farm (seriously), not the butcher's. It was a little sad for the two departing from their friends, whom they've lived with for over a year. She got two new ones from a kid from Prescott living in Phoenix playing basketball and selling birds for money. She will have to tell you the type. I just hope they start earning their keep sooner rather than later.

Chickens!

I pretty much figured we'd end up with the chickens some day, and sure enough, we did, at the end of August. Jacopone got a dog, and she ate a few of them, which was a real bummer, because they were producers (of eggs). Bobbins wanted to keep them, so I reluctantly agreed to set something up at our house. This was also part of her birthday present. We bought an overpriced coop and put it on the west side of the house, where my garden shed used to be.

 

That white one was the lone survivor from Jack's. We were doing really good about keeping Olden away from them until one day the door was left open enough for him to sneak out and attack. The poor white one was by the trees and didn't stand a chance. Bobbins had just clipped their wings so they couldn't fly up out of danger. Olden annihilated the white one (the best producer) and got one of the brown ones before Bobbins could rein him in. We had to burn the carcasses in the fire pit. Looked just like chicken you bake in the oven.