Winterize the peachicks

It's getting colder outside and I'm thinking the peachicks will live in the calf hut that the little chicks used to live in in the spring.  There's straw and stuff in there, but I think they need a good little straw house to curl up in.  One of these next warmer fall days, I will raid the loft of a couple straw bales and make a cozy little place for them.  It's amazing how fast these little guys are growing up so I'll have to remember to make it big enough to last them all winter so they don't outgrow it! :-)

No more run

I have decided since the grass in the vineyard has started to go into hibernation for the winter and any major scratching on the part of the chickens would probably stunt its growth next spring, the chickens are now allowed to run all over for most of the day.  They seem to enjoy it although my egg count is slowing so I'm guessing some are finding a new hole somewhere... :-)

Snow!

It snowed last night and it's always funny to see what the spring pullets do with it since they've never seen it before.  This year's flock wasn't overly scared of it - they ran out with the others.  But it's still cold on their little feet since you can see them occasionally standing with one foot up being warmed under their feathers. 

Too cold and wet!

I moved the peachicks into the calf hut today because it was just too wet and cold for them.  They appreciated it! :-)  It was dry and there's straw in there too.  Now I just have to winterize it for them!

Bye-Bye big blue-reds!

Today we said goodbye to two of the blue-red Wyandotte roosters as they made a 3 hour trip home with my parents to live with their hens.  They are such beautiful birds and so pleasant and it was going to be sad to butcher them, but now they will be going to a place where they will be two of three roosters instead of two of six as they are here.  My mom will use them for breeding so it will be interesting to see the offspring these guys make.  Should be some massive beautiful birds! :-)

It's raining, it's pouring...

It's been raining here a lot the last few days and that means sopping wet chickens. :-)  They look rather silly when they get wet.  I have let them out of the run the last few days since if they stay in it, they almost completely ruin the wet muddy grass in there.  Just what we need...one spot of no grass in the middle of the vineyard... :-)  But they certainly enjoy running free all over the yard... :-)

Collecting eggs!