The one called chicken little got a swollen eye around week four. He’s been separated now for two weeks and is nearly fixed. The vetracin that I was spraying his eye with seemed to do more harm than help and Neosporin just made him scratch it more. Maybe it was never infected and he just needed some space.
March 25th 2011
Now the girls are on grow mash and whatever they jack from my garden. Today they ate an apple, rather quickly.
They’re about pigeon sized and can technically live out in casa de coup very soon, maybe even now but spring brought a winter storm so it’s gonna have to wait. I may be a bit over protective. For now they get garden time on days when it's not windy. haha trick stipulation, it's always windy here! But no really, they're doing great in the garden. Dust bathing was officially figured out last week. They stay within a ten foot radius of me and huddle up when I walk away. Gia, the little dog, is doing a great job of keeping other birds away from them. Bodie, the Rabbit, Bunnie and Dove killing Australian Shepherd is still learning how not to be a chicken killer. Baby steps.
I’ve begun looking into stock for next years chickens. I’m thinking Barnevelder because they are classified as critical in the US (less than five hundred breeding pairs). They are well suited for the desert climate and excellent in the areas of productivity, meat and broodieness (mommys!). The best looking breeder that I’ve found so far only ships fertilized eggs so it’s looking like I’ll learn how to use an incubator. Luckily I have a chicken friend who know how, but chicken eggs are about half male so now what to do with sixish roosters?!
I didn’t want a rooster, but to breed chickens and someday consume less sad factory meat I need one. I suppose we will cull the grouchy ones and breed maybe two of the choice roos. Now I’m a breeder? So the next step in my development is to learn about lineage and preserving desirable traits and blah blah blah. Responsibility knocks!
