Roosters Over-Taking Kauai Pt. 2

It is a small island and I was contacted by the military (they read this blog) that they are going in!

It has gotten too hostile, the chickens are trying to change the name of the island to Chikauai. It's a mess. The politicians and police don't want any more egg on their face...

Hey... we surpassed 3,000 visits!!!! Incredible.

Thanks

Dirt Baths Run Amuck!

Good grief - We are letting our chickens out more and it is like they have landed in Las Vegas and being ladies, wanted a spa treatment. You know the mud-bath thingy and then wrapped in seaweed and kelp with slices of cucumber in their eyes. No need of lip or teeth treatment since chickens don't have lips! and teeth are scarce... Oh my side... I am too much... anyway.

We let them out last night...and my goodness they hit the dirt like I hit the buffet. It was like a ballet of sorts and absolutely hilarious. once we put them back in the coop, they stood longingly a the door, waiting for their next visit to the spa.

I truly wonder what this does... elephants do it, rhinos do it, chickens do it. I assume without research it is some sort of coating to ward off ticks, mites and may act as actually a cleanser of sorts. Dirt and cleanser, I am sure Palmolive or Oil of Olay is loving this concept.

More postings soon. Specifically on a new program - nationwide called L.E.N.S. (Local Egg Nutrition Standards).

Friends!!!?

So now that buddies know I am keeping chickens, they find humor in chicken jokes...

England And Flight

It is fairly well known the British were not the most innovative, adventerous, poineering air-travellers. Don't get me wrong, they had some minor victories, but for the sake of this blog... they were WAY OFF THE BACK... compared to the United States, France, Germany and even Australia. I think the Hondurans were flying before the English.

This leads me to their chicken breeds - The Orpington

William Cook of Orpington County Kent in England is credited with the development of the 'Orpington' variety of chicken. In 1886 he introduced a fast growing, dual purpose (good for both eggs and meat) chicken that was black in color, had white flesh, and slate (grey) legs. He developed the breed by crossing Langshan, Minorca and Plymouth Rock chickens. Continued development eventually resulted in a Buff color varierty, introduced in 1894. Over time, a number of other color variations have been produced, such as the Spangled, Cuckoo and Blue, but none of these has achieved the popularity of the Buff Orpington. The hens can be good layers, laying some 200 eggs a year, and lay well into the cold weather. 200 eggs!!! I have two of them. This means I am going to 400 eggs a year!?

What is not mentioned here is they are tenative fliers, like to sit, eat, talk about victories in WWII, debate how awful French chickens are. How they smoke, rarely take dirt baths and think all chickens should cluck like them and how Princess Di's untimely death was a national tradegy.

Which makes this news all the more fun - Our Orps (Sunny and Scat)... took flight and made it to the roosting rod last night. It was quite the celebration - all the other chickens golf clapped for them and threw back some tea in honor of it.

Chicken Breeds

Here is a great link to chicken breeds. Makes me second-guess my choices, but this is a learning process.

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/dual.html

Tractor Coops

Tractor Coops? Really?

It was recommended to install wheels on my new coop... "Wheels on the coop?" Genius...! This way you can move it back and forth thus allowing for the "waste" to be left behind, so to speak, and then cultivated into the soil. Move the coop and viola' you have a new area for the restorative chicken poop process to take place. I did some further research and good grief, Tractor Coops are as prevalent as zits on a teenager. What a sad time in a teenager's life really, the daily war on acne and at one of the cruelest times in our lives... "Hey Billy is that a muffin or a big foul zit on your face?" Cruel and wicked time. Anyway, Tractor Coops, who'd a thunkit? Instead of cleaning out the Coop and dumping the poop into a compost heap, just move the COOP! Instead of taking out the trash just move the house back and forth. Complete sense... anyway, I like the idea, never know when your may need to pull up stakes and head out with coop in tow. See ya later suckers!!!! Baaaaak buuuuk! These are elaborate coops too, some are just dumb, but the wheels aren't square so no matter the detail, it should do the trick. Check some of these designs out....













These are pretty cool, but I think there is a way you can build your coop the way you want it while avoiding the whole Jed Clampett - RV for Chickens.

So, here are some ideas on wheels. BTW, I am not talking about cheap casters or sad little plastic wheels removed from the unused Big Wheel out back, I am talking about hardy, stout wheels that could transport a bear and the camper filled with donuts he is trying to assault.

Rollaway Soccer Goal Wheels
These wheels are found on large soccer goals that require movement of on a daily or, at least a frequent basis – simply lift the goal up a few inches, push the wheel down and it locks in place for transport. These wheels are comprised of 10" pneumatic tires mounted on 3/4" diameter stainless steel axle with all stainless hardware. Stainless pull-pin allows the wheel to be easily inserted or removed for storage. How cool is this.. insert four pins into the skirt board of the coop and remove the wheels when not in use. Likewise these are very stout wheels and can manage semi-rough terrain and not get hung up. By the way, wheels are great, but if the coop is heavy you will still need help pushing it or pulling to the new location. A simple caribiner on the front and rear of the coop for attaching a winch or come-along might be wise.

These wheels are available at soccer supply house and are not cheap. $350 for four. As I write this I am looking for a more reasonable price via http://www.grainger.com/ or would love anyone who might have a source to post it.

Week One: June 1, 2009

WEEK ONE:

This is a blog about the Le Coop du Jour.. or The Chicken Coop this Dad got coerced into installing. While I could tell you I built this... I didn't have to, Thank God. My neighbor had this coop in his backyard for 5 years and after determining a boat would be more fun, they gave this to us. For soon to be chicken parents, this is a 4x8 coop with a roosting platform and the egg box on the right ( you can see it just to the left of the coop ). Before I dive into the details and travails of chickening... a little background is in order. Ahhh forget it, no one wants to read about other peoples lives...at least not any more. This is going to be more about the day-to-day raising of chickens. From all accounts, it is suppose to be fun, rewarding and poopy, but the jury is still out.

So, the coop began with my daughter's class incubating 24 eggs. As the story goes - "Dad, can I bring a chick home" argh.... "OK honey"...... DOH!!!! What have I done?

Well, after moving the coop down the street on a furniture dolly and a Razor scooter, we have chickens.

The Coop is now inhabited by;

1 - Rhode Island Red named Millie

3 - Arcuanas "Easter Egg" layers named Kapalua (hatched and probably 2 weeks older than the others), Loa and Hoot

2 - Buff Orpingtons named Scat and Sunny.

The chicks were purchased at Alamo Hay and Grain in Alamo, California. By the way, what a cool place - kind of a time capsule of a farm store.

The coop has a base of brick, with DE and hay.

In the coop we have a waterer, feeder, 250W heat lamp which goes on at night and shuts off around sunrise.

Pictured above is "Hoot" an Arcuana and very friendly.

More to come... in the meantime, http://www.backyardchickens.com/ is a great site to get any and all information on raising chickens.