Valkyrie Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 Thanks. Well, after the lovely afternoon it's now blowing a gale and raining! Doodlebugs and mum now in bed. Couple of random pics Ferocious chicken killer Non ferocious chicken killer!! Sorry, meant to say the second one has never harmed a chook in her life! (Chased a couple for fun).. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Here is my other baby...Dylan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 Aww love that! Going to guess he's on moms bed!? My two sleep on my dressing gown on top of the bed beside me. My excuse is that as I am a bit/ ok very deaf, that they are my ears in the night! Nothing short of an earthquake would wake me to be honest but hey.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 1, 2014 Author Share Posted September 1, 2014 Doodlebugs really not happy today! Much pacing up and down the run. It seems that a weekend of freedom means they thought they'd get out every day but whilst I am at work, feel they are a tad wee yet even tho seem to be growing an inch daily. Don't trust the big girls either who are also pacing trying to reach the chick crumb! At least this way they get well fed so will just have to jolly well wait until next weekend when I am off again! Another question for those that may read who have had chicks. They are on crumb just now and noticed my supplier only does crumb or layers pellets/mash. No growers. Would I make a 50/50 mix of crumb and mash from about 6 wks on instead up to 16 wks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 I would get growers from the internet. How old are the chicks? Layers can be toxic if they're too young Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Alternatively you could probably make your own growers mix. I'm not sure of the ingredients needed, but I'm sure someone here will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 1, 2014 Author Share Posted September 1, 2014 Ok, thanks. Will lay off that idea until they are a few more weeks old yet. I guess the crumb will do a few weeks yet. They are five weeks old today. Am ordering food tomorrow so will check that they do/don't have growers in stock. Just didn't see it in main shop so assumed not, but maybe in feed store in back. I know the mum is fine on crumb so chooks would be too if needed, just wondered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 8, 2014 Author Share Posted September 8, 2014 Did get the growers after all! Took a chance today and left the doodlebugs outside from lunchtime with the big girls (and cat on patrol!), no problem. As it was such a lovely weekend I didn't have the heart to leave them cooped up. Can actually hear the mum clucking and the cheeps by my back door as I type! Have to leave them in coop until lunchtime or the big girls would scoff all their crumbs. Was lovely this evening to watch the chicks duck in amongst the big girls for water. Would sit out with them but the midges are absolutely awful!! Still no idea how many boys I have, and getting farrrr to attached to the lot of them (never done doing a head count!).... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Sounds absolutely idealic apart from the midges. So glad the babies are doing well and mum sounds like she is doing a Stirling job bless her x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 8, 2014 Author Share Posted September 8, 2014 Ok, expected the usual performance at bedtime, managed to get four wee errant chooks into their coop......something made me lift the lid to count......eek, only four chooks and no peeps from garden after much searching!! Last ditch, looked in the hen houses....there was mom with six babies in a coveted nest box! No protest from the big uns? So four kids on their tods tonight, and mum re asserting her rights to a coop?? Oh well, fair to say kids are growing up and independence on it's way.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Blimey - brave littl'uns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 8, 2014 Author Share Posted September 8, 2014 The little uns will be well fed, now the ones in with the big girls and boys, that is going to be a challenge as the big uns notice everything, down to sneaky feeding of the wee ones and sidle along looking nonchalant to steal as only a chicken does! Hmm......bit of a challenge now I've let them free range....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 You've opened Pandora's box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Let mine out today, the chicks and mum wouldn't come out, just kept squealing every time another chicken came near them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 10, 2014 Author Share Posted September 10, 2014 The doodles are completely free ranging little chooks now and eight of them go to bed with mom every night in a big girls house but the last two nights two little gold ones are lost. Got them into the run last night but tonight I thought, no, managed to catch them (much squeeking) and put them with mom. Can see this going on for a while until they 'get it'. Thought I'd try and put the speckledys chook in a house too (she sleeps on my bedroom windowsill every night) but she was having none of it, back she went! Oh well, as the weather is warm will let her be. I had an amber last year who insisted on my living room window sill and found her dead one morning behind a plant pot so worried it was the cold as it was around October? But then I did have others who slept outside in the trees for months? Still not sure re the doodlebugs but have a sneaky suspicion there are a few boys.....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 14, 2014 Author Share Posted September 14, 2014 Well isn't this weather amazing for September? Well for me it is up here as having to water my pots and baskets as yet. Very happy. Doodlebugs growing daily and the broody coop I bought at great expense has been well and truly abandoned. Off to the big girls houses they all go with mom now. Went down last night with a torch (not amused at this getting dark before 9pm!) and found one doodle tucked in beside a Sussex in a nestbox! Brave wee chook! Rest were on the roost with their mother. Amazed at one little one who looks like a fluffy footed white Sussex, esp with an almost jet black mother and a lemon brahma for a dad...... . Really hope that one is a girl.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 I hope they are all girls I have seen brahmas with exactly the same colouring as a Sussex so perhaps this colour was in the father's genes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 15, 2014 Author Share Posted September 15, 2014 I hope for all girls too... Now I know a responsible chicken owner with cockerels is to plan/be prepared for those who aren't but jings, it will be hard if I do find lots of boys. One of my clients at work asked 'will you eat the boys?'....... I know some would happily but I am far to soft to ever contemplate such a thing. Absolutely no disrespect to those who are happy to do so at all. I used to love chicken but every time I see a tray of mixed thighs and drumsticks in tesco I think, hmm must be 8 baby chooks in that and Och, I'll just have a bit of salmon!! Have seen a couple of chest bumps with the doodles so wonder 'are you two boys?' Hardly saw them today as far to busy dust bathing and scratching around with the lovely hot weather. Keep looking for signs amongst them but as no combs yet? Time will tell and want to give them a lovely life for now. I get huge enjoyment watching them out the kitchen window running around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 The ten doodles are 8 wks old today. Fully feathered and know one is deffo a boy as saw the saddle feathers tonight! Suspicious re another two at the mo. They are now part of the flock although can hear the baby chirrups or squeaks in the day/evening. Love that sound! Soon as I made my mind up re downsizing they are all in rude health and laying their heads off! Not that I wish any to become Ill, but took it as given that some would start to be poorly as nr 2 yrs?! All well in the hood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 (edited) I bet they're lovely red sunset. I quite miss my cheepers cheeping now they're grown up! Love to see some pics of the doodlebugs now Edited September 24, 2014 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Yes me too mullethunter. It's amazing how quickly they grow. Mine are only 9 weeks, but they're bigger than my banties pictures please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 I've heard it said that Brahma boys can live quite happily together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 24, 2014 Author Share Posted September 24, 2014 Haha, don't think I haven't thought about it! The jury is still out on determining the sex of the other nine doodles! I will take some pics when they stay still long enough. They are little chickens now running with the flock, ducking and diving when a few crumbs of seeded bread are thrown out....at great speed too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted September 30, 2014 Author Share Posted September 30, 2014 Keep trying to get a decent pic of the doodlebugs but.....! Sometimes now I mistake them for the hens at lunchtime at first glance (yes they are that big now!) think I have a few boys in the mix but will plead ignorance there for quite some time yet...cos I can! Went out with breadcrumbs tonight around 7pm as light was fading a bit and startled to see a couple of them fly down from a fifteen ft horse chestnut by a coop! Seems mum has led them fifteen ft up a tree and they all comply! Oh well, guess they will roost where nature intends them to and in time they will be back down (as it gets cooler) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
