Chic N Ken On Deck

Out on their daily jaunt through the yard, the birds decided to see what was up on the deck. Since we won't let them get under it. So I recorded their curiosity with the camcorder in my phone. Also, I found a setting in my phone that has improved the picture quality a bit.

I've been reading on the internet about what to feed these two, and it seems that they are going to need more supplements. Watermelon alone just isn't gonna cut it. Today, I soaked the seeds I've been giving them (a mix of pumpkin, thistle, corn, and whole peanuts) in hopes they would be tastier or at least easier to eat, but they still didn't care for them. I took out a small bowl of Oyster shell for the girl. And I gave them some potato peels, tomato halves (fresh from the garden), and some fried potatoes left over from breakfast. The past few days they've had cucumber, cuke peels, scratch, tomatoes, lettuce, and dry bread.

I'm thinking I will have to get some broccoli from the store and some more lettuce.

Every morning a bunch of tiny birds help them with the stuff they don't care for. Tomorrow I will try to get their pic. More later. . .

ChicKen Vid

This morning, I'm messing around with the many pictures of Chic N Ken on my computer, and I decide to try and make a video of a few short clips I've recorded while sitting on the back porch watching the birds and soaking in the last rays of the day.

When I was talking to Nana the other evening, she said we should be able to let Chic N Ken roam the yard as long as they don't try to fly the coop and jump the fence. Well they didn't. They ate grass, bugs, avoided piles o'poo, and generally enjoyed their little outing. As the sun began to fade, they headed home.

Here's the product of one morning compiling clips, finding a compatible ditty, and remembering to add all the transitions.

The video quality is poor, but those who love Chic N Ken will enjoy it anyway.

That Privacy Thing

I bought a shelf unit (left) at Goodwill in hopes of creating nest space and some privacy for Chic. It fits nicely in the coop. Nik worked on putting some shade screen on a door he fashioned for the back of the coop, and it turned out real nice.
It adds some privacy so that when we get the cloth on the front of the coop, Chic should be real happy.




The kids are going to bed by themselves now. Meaning they go into the coop at nite when they are ready and arise, leave the coop, and start scratching when they are ready in the morn. Ken crows every morning! Yes, Every morning. We are sooo proud of him. . .

A Roam In The Yard

While working on Chic's privacy issues, we decided to take nana's advice and let the kids roam in the back yard. They loved it! It was only for about a half hour, but worth it. This will probably become a regular treat for them.

Can't A Girl Get A Little Privacy?

I've noticed over the last couple of nights when putting the kids to bed that when they get settled they are nowhere near their nests. Chic is hunkering down in the corner nearest the door. Ken is sitting on top of her. I think. Or she is burrowing underneath him.

I don't know which is the case.

From reading a bit on the internet and taking an objective look around at their digs, I'm thinking her nest is not providing enough privacy, is not placed correctly, and is too big. She is after all a very slight banty hen.

We thought, "how clever of us" and we can save the planet at the same time. We recycled two drawer portions of a space saver wire basket system filled with clean wheat straw. We put them side by side on the solid floor half of the coop. Hmm. Not so clever in hindsight.

Back to the drawing board. I will post the solution to this problem later when I get it figured out and soon. She should start laying in September as her 4 1/2 month birthday was July 31. Hang in there Chic N Ken.

Cock-a-doodle-dooooo

I peek out through slitted eyes. Yep. It's daylight. Cock-a-doodle-doooo. Uh-huh. Cock-a-doodle-doooo. The clock by my bed says 6:04am. Cock-a-doodle-doooo. I close my eyes and pull the blankets over my head. Cock-a-doodle-doooo. I wonder how long the neighbors are gonna put up with Cock-a-doodle doo. OMG. 38. . .39. . . Doesn't he understand that people like to sleep in on the weekends. 48. . .49. . .50. Yep I counted. Over 50 Cock-a-doodle-doooos. I didn't think anyone had that much to crow about at oh dark thirty in the morning.

The Slug

I didn't think I would ever find a slug here in arid Benton City, but I found one this morning. It was dead, and lying by the water spigot. I got a couple of sticks and carried the body chop stix style to the chicken yard. I dropped it through fence and PECK~! it was gone.

Ken grabbed it first and ran under the coop prepared for a gourmet feast. But it wasn't 10 seconds later and Chic came running out from under the coop with that slimy slug hanging from her beak. What a hoot! She had Ken hot after her trying to get that slug body back from her! He chased her around the water dish, under the ladder, and back under the coop.

All the while, Chick is trying to lay that bite down just long enough to get a good taste. Ken was not going to let that happen. He was determined to get that plump slug back but, Chick ran around the yard again with Ken nipping at her heels. Under the ladder, around the water bowl, under the coop.

I didn't stay to see who eventually got that tasty morsel, but I know they enjoyed the game of keep away as much as the unexpected meal.