Big Bad Bird

It snowed like crazy today. Brrrr. I went out to check on the kids a few minutes ago, and as I went down the steps off the deck to the yard I heard buc. . . buc. . . buc . . . I flashed my light under the stairs, but I didn't see anything. buc. . . buc. . .buc. . . buc. . .buc I crossed the snowy yard with my light shined at the ground, and undid the bungees holding the tarps over the coop. I ducked under the flap and heard buc. . .buc. . . I shined my light back across the yard and who should be crossing toward me? KEN! He walked right up to me and waited patiently for me to pick him up and put him in the coop! Then as he stood on the egg box, he did the "I'm gonna get you dance" I chuckled at the big bad bird and closed up the coop for the night.

A Little Light

from the back deck

looking in

We are suppose to get down to 29 degrees tonight. I added cardboard boxes (broken down) to the inside of the coop for added insulation. Then I strung an extension cord from the shed to the coop and dangled a light to add a little heat. I hope it doesn't mess with Ken's circadian clock.

Brrrr. . .

Looking thru to the front which is chicken wire

back door - egg access

Only 1/2 the floor is 3/4" plywood the other is chicken wire

doggie stairs perch

It's getting cold out at night. I think I need to insulate the coop a little. Chickens don't need a lot of heat as they put off their own body heat. According to my research anyway.

I think I will get a bale of straw for insulation and a piece of plywood to finish the other half of the floor. I will also need to cover the front and back walls with something that is less drafty. . . uhhh . . . they only have the chicken wire front and backs.

Hmmm . . .  how am I going to manage that? Any suggestions?

I've read that sectioning off a smaller area works. But the kids are'nt into change at all. They won't go near that little coop I put on their porch. I could make a back door in the smaller coop, move it to the entry way of the big coop (so they have to pass through it), but I'm afraid they will just move back to the porch with no protection at all. What to do? What to do?

middle board: perch

I put a board in so they would have a nice perch. They have never used it. When I was trying to dissuade Chic from laying eggs in the front corner, I put this set of doggie stairs in to take up space. They chose it as their perch. Go figure.

I don't know nothing bout raising no chickens!

Duh!

I keep asking myself, "why does Chic keep pushing all the bedding out of her nest and laying her eggs on the hard bottom wood?"

Nest with new faceplate

DUH!

I didn't put a face plate on the box. Whenever she plumped her nest all the bedding just slid out! I told her I was sorry. She just clucked.

I have noticed lately that the kids aren't sleeping in the coop but on their little porch. Even on the windiest of days. So today, I built another little structure out  of my cabbage crate materials and VIOLA! New digs. I hope they like it. They did go immediately into the run and climb the ladder to check it out, but they didn't go in. YET! It's getting dark so I will go check them before I sign off. They were primping and getting ready for bed when I came inside to post.

porch before

porch before

porch with new digs

I guess they are going to take another spin around the yard before bed. Ken tried to fly on top of it but didn't make it. He's circling it and can't decide. They did go into the coop together. I will go check again. It's almost dark. They have opted for the coop. They are perched on the top step of one of those doggie step things. I don't know if I should be rude and snap a picture or not. NO!  The flash would scare them! So tomorrow I will take a pic when they are in the yard. We'll see. They may just go back to the porch home.

Tonight They Are Nestled

All snug in there run. Due diligence and the realization that it was getting dark got the kids to bed safely before it was too dark to see. Last night's heartache was just too much to go through again. I thought they had been done away with or eaten by a stray dog. I couldn't find them anywhere. I had gone to Nae's for dinner and instead of denying them there full amount of time to roam in the yard (summer is waning), I left them to put themselves to bed. I had used this method on Tuesday night when I had to go to class. All went well, so I thought I could use it again. Because they are creatures of habit and always return to the roost, I thought when I got home I could just latch their gate. When I realized they were nowhere to be seen I grabbed a flashlight, but I couldn't see them anywhere. The coop was empty. They weren't in the yard. Not behind the shed. Not under the stairs. My only hope was that they had decided to just camp out under the deck for some reason instead of returning to the coop. So when I heard Ken crowing this morning at the crack of dawn, I jumped out of bed to greet him and the girl. I have never been so happy to hear him crow!  What a relief. It's amazing how we get so attached the critters. Even Ken and his "fowl" temper! Rotten rooster. But I love him and his better half.

Where's Chic

That's our girl! In her nest. What's going on? I was so worried this morning. Ken was out roaming their little yard, but Chic was nowhere to be found. Had I been lax in my duties. I only skipped the one night. Last night. I got home late from my class. I figured all was well, so I didn't go out to the coop to check on them. Where is she? Did some vile creature come and take her and leave us with Ken's ego? I peeked in the back door. Nothing. No movement. No little cluck, cluck, clucks. Ok, I'm starting to panic. What the heck has happened to her? I try to peek in the front door and Ken starts jumping at me. Rotten rooster. Calm down bird! I'm looking for Chic. He jumps at me again. I put up my dukes and inform I'm ready when he is. I catch a peek through the front door and see a splotch of grey back there by the nests. Relief! She must be staying warm in her cozy little nest. I ran into the house to grab my camera, and when I got back she was ready for her photo op.

Is It Fluffy Enough

Chic's work has left a definite divet in the center of her nest

I ran back in the house this morning to grab my camera because Chic has made obvious changes  to her nest. She has been comfi-fying. Yea. I think we have finally settled on somewhat of a compromised position. This makes gathering eggs really easy for me.

I don't know if she is looking to have that wood surface beneath her hiney on purpose or if she just ran out of fluff. But I went ahead and added some more wood shavings around the edges and a little in the divet. Maybe I can build it up gradually, and end up with a deep seated comfortable nest. Well what I would call a comfortable nest. It may not be what Chic has in mind at all.
My way of thinking is far from the mind of Chic. And if the nest placement issue hasn't been my biggest clue, what has?

Chic's nest after I added more fluff