Plans for the weekend

Terry and I finally got around to having the chicken debate and decide what of our stock needs to go. We have five roosters - we can keep two - so which three to give their marching orders?

When we finish the new pen, the changes will be:
* The Plymouth Rock rooster, the three PR hens, two other hens, Australorp and our three hens will go into one pen. This will be for the bigger chickens and hopefully our 'productive' ones! I think Terry, mum and dad want to add a couple of Isa Brown's to this flock too for their egg laying ability.
* We will keep the biggest Silkie X rooster (who will need a name of course - hmmm will have to think on that one), Violet (the Silkie) and Lucky (the little modern hen that has survived) who will go into the other pen. We then plan on getting some more Silkie hens for that pen.
* The other big rooster and the two silkie cross roosters will stay in the existing pen until we can get them to Ballimore auction.

So, lots to do this weekend!

Our little hen passed away

She moved on through the night - I'm not surprised, just a little sad we couldn't do more for her. It was zero here at 7am this morning so when I heard that I knew she wouldn't have made it. At least she isn't suffering now.

Modern Bantam hen

is still alive and eating and drinking but cannot move her leg yet. She is getting around in a manner of speaking and we are keeping an eye on her - making sure she is sheltered and can access food and clean water. Time will tell if it is enough........

A very brief update

Finally got some work done on the chook pen this weekend. One side has the wire complete - just need to put in some nesting boxes and roosts as well as partially close in the front wall. The other side needs nesting boxes and roosts and we are about 1/3 the way through the fencing. Hope to finish it next weekend so we can move the chooks!

We are going to keep the old pen, make it a bit smaller and convert it into a cat/dog pen. That way Rex (one of the cats who is a house cat for his own safety) can spend some time outside when the weather is nice. We we also have a place to put the dogs when we need to lock them up (which isn't often). Much more preferable than having to chain them up!

One of our little Modern Bantam hens has had an accident - I found her yesterday afternoon with her leg caught under a rock. She cannot walk on it - not sure if it is broken or if it just went numb on her. She was eating heartily so hopefully she will be okay - the boys are going to check on her for me today.

Will try and get some photos on the weekend of the new chook yard :-)