My husband has started the new chicken coop!!!

I am very very excited and hope it will be finished this weekend :)

The chickens are going to LOVE it. The babies in the basement will finally get to be outside!!

Pictures to come...

We are down to 28 chickens now. We had 30 but gave 2 Buff Orp Roos away as we don't need them.

Last week our BR and 2 Wellies began to lay which is super exciting!! We now have 7 laying hens. More to begin soon!

Well I had to do it...

I put poor Hobbles in the freezer...

I am sad. I am pissed. It sucked.

So, we cut out cardboard and have had the feet of the bird taped for a couple of days. It was coming loose so I relieved it of that for a bit. This morning I taped his legs together after Patrick checked to see if it was his tendon out of joint. The tendon isn't budging so we think it is his hip...now we try this...

Well here is were we are....

3 Large Welsummers.
2 Welsummer Pullets.
3 Barred Rock Pullets.
6 Barred Rock Cochin Mixes.
3 Easter Eggers.
6 buff Orp Chicks
5 Cuckoo Marans Chicks
4 Welsummer Chicks that just hatched Christmas.

Yeah...we are crazy....but..this is it now more!

Uh...for now HA HA HA

We had 2 chicks hatch on Christmas that hard curled toes. One had leg issues as well.

The second born chick with curled toes died 2 nights ago. Very sad.

Out of this batch we had 9 eggs. 4 didn't hatch at all and 1 didn't develop. That left us with 4 hatching. and 1 hatching that was from our very own Welsummers.

Our Wellie chick is doing great no issues at all.

Here is the story of the remaining chick with leg issues:


12/28/08
We are hatching Welsummer Chicks. They were due yesterday. This little guy came out Friday evening and his toes are curled. I didn't have any cardboard (until now) so I went ahead and put a band aid on his toes to straighten them out in the mean time. My concern is...he won't extend his leg. He keeps it close to his body (as you can see in the one pic were we make him stand) and won't stand up extending his legs. He lays on his side a lot instead of hunched down like most chicks naturally do. His hock looks slightly twisted and maybe swollen and there is a red area? Well...now I have another chick same batch with curled toes!

Do you think this is genetic?

Will this correct itself?

The other 4 eggs that were developing have not hatched. I hear nothing, no rocking. I am afraid that maybe this is genetic or maybe a vitamin issue and it caused the others that may be afflicted with the same issues no not even hatch.

Here are some pictures. What do you think?

Introducing the newest members of the family!

6 baby Barred Rocks Chicks!
1 born 11/20
3 born early morning hours (over night) 11/21
2 born early (3am ish) 11/22

Day 21 was 11/21.

Now we wait on the EE eggs. Due Thanksgiving!

There are now 2 eggs (out of the 6 Barred Rocks) that have the tiniest little poke in the egg!! Several are rocking but the COOOOOLEST is hearing htem CHIRP!!!

AMAZING!

More updates to come :)

Temp 101
Humidity 74%