A Coop de Quarantine

I found a pretty inexpensive backyard coop through a pet store that was easy to assemble and should be able to hold a couple of chickens (at most) for a quarantine situation. With more chickens here on our little farm, I recognize that it increases our chances of having an injured chicken that will need isolation for a few days. I decided to be proactive and have something in place in the event of an emergency. It would be a good fit for the small backyard chicken farmer.  Could easily have two and possibly three standard hens in the coop at any one time. But a pen would be needed.

Tree Branch Roost

Today, with the nice weather, we took the opportunity to cut some wild branches out of our Pin Oak tree. We decided that a couple of the branches would be perfect as natural roosts in the run. And the chicks are enjoying the end results; a removable perch. 

Double the Pens

When we built the second coop, we decided to connect the pen and coop together as one unit for a quick move option as we pasture the second flock along side the first flock. We built a second pen that matches the dimensions of the primary pen to add space while we have all ten chicks. 

We also built a third coop, albeit smaller coop space, for a family member who will keep chickens in the city limits. The city only allows a maximum of three hens' no roosters or additional hens without a special permit. With Russian Orloffs, three will provide about 15 eggs per week, all winter, spring, summer and most of the fall.

Here are some photos of our second coop with the extra run attached. 

Mother's Day and Chicklets are Outside

Today was the first of several warm days that we will be having after a week of heavy rains.  The chicks are six weeks, the daytime temps will be above 65 degrees and a light bulb will keep them warm at night in the coop. Even though the coop/pen is really designed for about four to five standard sized chickens, we have all ten chicklets in there.  They can easily be in this coop/pen for a few more weeks before we need to sell and/or start to butcher.  I sense that we can sell some of them as nice layers for a fairly good price rather than actually butcher  any of them.  But if we have more than one rooster, I don't know if anyone will want to purchase the spares. The plan is to keep about four hens as a second flock. If we have a rooster and if he's a good one, we will hang on to him to eventually join our first flock of hens.  If we don't have a rooster, I have plans of seeking one out this summer. 

Ironically, last year's flock moved outside on Father's Day! 

Hah - What a difference a Breed Makes - Rooster or Hen?

Another Update 10/20/14 - Buckeye has returned to the farm... he is not a she. 

Update! 5/25/14 - These photos were taken when we did not know that one of the chicks was not an Orloff. Funny how different breeds develop so much differently, size, and structure. The chick that we thought might be a rooster is actually a Buckeye and she is a pullet!  So everything that was posted below is really just a comparison between pullets of two different breeds. 

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As I mentioned in the last post, we are thinking that we have one cockerel and nine pullets, instead of ten pullets. Here are the comparisons of the four chicks photographed this week.

We note that Peep One has a larger comb and that it is pink already (unusual in this breed for it to be pink this early). Also Peep One is the only one to have a bump on the back of each leg approximately where a spur would develop. None of the other peeps have these bumps. 

Some of the other things we are supposed to be looking for are pointed saddle feathers on either side of the tail feathers. Not there. Longer tail feathers that are more distinct in coloring. Also not there. But I believe that those are not supposed to be showing for several more weeks.

Mind you, as I mentioned, we may simply have a pullet who is developing faster than all the others. We will just need to keep tabs on this one for a few more weeks before declaring that it's a Roo.

Russian Orloffs are Six Weeks but Not Outside

What a Mess!  We have 10 Russian Orloffs, six weeks of age, who can't go outside yet due to the weather conditions. The temps are still dropping into the 40s some evenings, and most of the days are barely getting above 60.

This week was the chicks' first week to go without a warmer in their brooder, in preparation for them going outside. They are heavier, stinkier, stronger, more feathered and if it would just warm up, they would be living in their coop out in the back yard.

You might notice that Peep One in these photos is stockier, heavier, taller, and generally looks older than the remaining nine peeps.  We suspect Peep One is a cockerel. What we are not seeing yet are saddle feathers or the upright tail feathers.  From the back side, Peep One looks similar to the others with the exception of a small bump forming on the back of the shanks (legs).  The feet on Peep One are quite large in comparison to the other peeps. Also, the crop (extra skin on forehead between the eyes) is pink and starting to form a crop. The other peeps have very little crop exposed and those that do have some crop development do not have pink skin, but instead have yellow tissue there. Either Peep One is a masculine looking pullet, or a cockerel in development. (We had a masculine-looking pullet last year and she turned out to be the most dominant of the hens.)

The peeps are getting more independent and more suspicious of the "hand" that sweeps in to pick them up.  Due to their size and speed, it is harder to get them into my hand without using both hands. 

Peep 1
Peep 2
Peep 3
Peep 4

First Day Out - Russian Orloffs Week Five

The babies turning into pullets played outside for several hours today.