The Communal Bath

This evening when I went outside to put the chickens away, this is what I found.

Most of the chickens were taking a dustbath together. It was so funny. I usually only see one or two chickens bathing at the same time.

Meet Stitch

How could I forget to include his story?

One day our big dog, Wubby, mouthed a chicken. Because the dog was trying to keep the chicken in her mouth and the chicken was trying to get away, the chicken ended up with a gash on his neck. It didn’t bleed, but the wound needed to be stitched closed. The first time we tried to stitch him I almost passed out, hahaha. But after a second try, we got him all fixed up. He immediately started eating. He was staying in the mudroom while he was hurt and the next morning when I took him outside, he started a fight with another rooster. So I took him back in and later that afternoon, when I took him out again, he started acting cocky but then calmed down. He has been back out since then. He acts like he is feeling great.

Hello

Welcome to the chicken lane! This my first blog and it is also my first time raising chickens. I have 20 chickens that are 10 weeks old. I think only 7 of them are pullets. I lost one of the extra males when they were 6 days old. He was one of the extra males that they ship for warmth. He wasn’t having any problems that I noticed. It looked like he suffocated because we found pine shavings in his mouth, but I am not sure if that was the problem. The rest are very healthy. They enjoy free-ranging in the morning, afternoon, and early evening. They have areas all over the yard where they enjoy dust bathing.

And of course, sunbathing!

 

I have 12 Dominique chickens, 6 girls and 6 boys. I think one of the girls might be a Barred Rock. She has a single comb, which isn’t normal as Dominiques usually have a rose comb.

I think the males that they sent me are Buff Cornish and I am pretty sure one of them is a female. She is the chicken in the middle.