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I've had several emails asking for an update on the chicks and you won't believe the changes in them.
This is Mork, she is a hen. Perhaps I need to change her name?
One of the little black silkies, I still have not named them cause I can't tell if they are boys or girls yet and their coloring is not really changing. One has quite the mowhawk though. They look like ravens. They have pretty much eaten everything off the Firecracker Bushes, they seem to be leaving the Texas Sage plant alone, so will see if as they age they will let the plant grow back, if not I will take the Firecracker ones out and plant somewhere else and put a couple more sage ones in there.
Can you believe that this is Butterball? He is a rooster (pretty sure). I am hoping a nice rooster cause I am still undecided what to do with the roosters.
You can see his comb and his wattle a little better here.
This is Chiquita, still hoping for a hen, but just not sure. If she/he is a rooster her/his comb is not growing as fast as Butterballs, and she/he is bigger.
Chiquita and Butterball playing in the mud, nice butt shot!
Hard to believe these are my three little yellow chicks eh?
Remember them at this size?
They pretty much stay together. They sleep together and everything. Now even Alice chases them away from food and stuff so they are left to fend for themselves, the life of a chicken I guess. I sure hope they get tamer cause they are really scared of me. I know Fiji at this age would follow me all over and she still does, that is the difference between a hen raised chick and an incubated one or one you bring home from the feed store.
I got a feed recipe from my favorite blog Fresh Eggs Daily and they love it. The babies have to wait for the big girls to eat first.
We are having a major ant problem, today an egg got broken in the nesting box and when I went out to collect them there had to be a million ants in there. I cleaned all the boxes out and put in new shavings and dusted them with Diatemacious Earth, but I wish there was something that definitely would kill them but that would not hurt the chickens. I swear by Amdro in other areas of the yard but you don't want even one granual near the chickens.
Well I better get off here, I have stamp club tomorrow and my studio is a mess.
Have an awesome Saturday and thanks for stopping in.
Di, I cannot believe how big the babies are. I swear they must grow before your eyes….. on the positive side, they are getting to the age and size where they can defend themselves. Thank you for sharing the growth of your babies….. I have so enjoyed watching them grow. Good luck with the ant issue…..
I'm so glad you did the chick update; they're growing so fast and they're so fun to see and to read what's going on with them. I'm a huge believer in the ant stakes, too, so I'm also at a loss however, have you ever heard that used coffee grounds put around the infected area is supposed to keep the ants away? I don't drink coffee so I can't swear by this solution but it may be worth a try. Just make a trail of it around the pens. Good luck!
I have been advised that sprinkling a bit of cornmeal where ants are a problem will help control them because they eat the cornmeal and can't digest it and it expands in their guts and kills them. I haven't had the occasion to try this so I don't know first hand if it works but an acquaintance said she uses it and it works. I don't think cornmeal is harmful to chickens, is it?
Di, I read that cornmeal or Cream of Wheat will kill the ants, because the ants can't digest them. I'd check on whether the chickens could digest them before using either one, though. :^)
Hugs, Penny
Our backyard neighbors have chickens and she uses cinnamon to ward off ants. She says the cinnamon is actually good for the chickens. My friend uses cinnamon to keep the ants away from her beehives. You can get a big box of cinnamon at Costco.
Good Luck!
I enjoy hearing about your chickens! They have such funny personalities. I also enjoyed hearing about your Founder's Circle trip. I love southern Utah. It is so beautiful down there. I'm glad you had a good time. (See, not lurking! LOL!)
I'm so glad you posted updates. They do grow fast don't they? Our neighborhood wandering chickens sure do. We still have 2 roosters that come into the yard regularly. There is still one of the chicks (out of 4 original) that comes in with the Momma Hen.
Let me know what you find out on the ants. We have them and flies around from feeding the outdoor wandering cats, but I don't want to hurt the chickens and roosters either.
Happy Sunday!
I don't know what it does for or to chickens – you would have to research it – but ants won't cross a chalk line….so if you could somehow put some chalk somewhere….just a thought.
OMG So cute! They have grown so fast. Are they still being picked on or are they defending themselves? It is hard to believe how big they are now.
Hi Di,
On facebook check out Lizzies Tips for Everday Living. She has lots of good tips and I believe I saw a natural remedy for ants.
Betty
ps. yes, it is everday and not everyday