Organic Chicken Feed Mash Picnic

I served the chickens their breakfast in several picnic plates placed around the pen in hopes that Lonely and the other hens low in the pecking order would be able to get something to eat.

Having a lot of different eating stations worked out much better for fifteen chickens instead of having them all trying to eat out of one bowl. And I added more water to the pellets until the mixture clumped up and held together.

The Buff Brahma is giving me the eye that means get away from my food. She would scurry away if I got too close with the camera.

Lonely the Dark Brahma (above,) the two Buff Brahmas and Curly the Cochin are on the bottom of the pecking order. They aren't even allowed to sleep on a roost and have to sleep on the ground. I know this because this is where they were when I counted the chickens tonight.

Kristine and I spent the evening watching two more of the Jeeves and Wooster DVD's. I love the shows. Sure do wish there were more of them. I wonder if Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry would ever consider making any more?

Today was what I call a pajama morning which means it was cold enough that I wore my pajamas under my jeans and sweatshirt. I used to have winter underwear, but never bothered to replace it and find that my pajamas serve the same purpose. Beside the pajamas are already warm. I hate that whole morning dressing business... going from being warm and toasty in bed to cold and goose bumpy putting on cold clothes.

We don't use the wood stove until we get a good rain and that is not going to happen for a while. In fact we are supposed to have something of a heat spell coming in a few days. It's just tonight that is in the 40's.

I had a quiet day and didn't work on any projects.

Peek at the Past

I did get the room painted

and the kitchen finished.

(September 22, 2009)

[2 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles

Organic Chicken Feed Mash

Look! The hens are in love with the organic pellets after I mixed them up with warm water. They finished all the food. Amazing change of attitude.

I didn't let the hens out of the pen so they would be sure to take a look at the bowl of mash. If I open the coop door the hens are gone. I think there must be good things to eat out in the woods and that's why they turn their noses up at the dry food.

I've looked around under the leaf litter and I don't see anything to eat. The chickens have much better eyesight than I do.

I'll add a bit more water to the pellet mix tomorrow until the mixture clumps. I think I will add some oyster shell too. The hens like the bits that are soft and hold together. They even peck bits off each other's beaks.

I have 15 chickens so I put 15 handfuls of pellets in the bowl and added warm water and presto... chicken delight.

I stood around in the pen and watched the hens chow down on the mash. It was very interesting watching how the pecking order worked.

Poor Lonely (she was banished to the corner,) Curly the Cochin, and the two Buff Brahmas had to wait until the other hens were finished eating. When the hens were full they went for a drink and then sat down in a sunny spot. I finally let all the chickens except for Lonely and the Buff Brahmas out so the three hen could get something to eat.


Tomorrow I'll divide the feed up in more bowls and hope that will cut down on the competition. Probably not.

I'll continue hanging the regular dry pellet feeder in the pen all day so if any of the hens are hungry they can come get a snack.

Here is a sight I don't see too often... the gate is open.

 I love this nippy Fall weather!

Peek at the Past

I hung more old rusty tools on the fence.

(September 20, 2009)

[2 eggs today]

~:>

Smiles