Chicks are 3 weeks old today

So it would seem that I had forgotten about this blog thing, but I haven't. Having crappy internet I am barely able to load pictures on anything so I check my email and my message boards and that is all. Since I can't post pictures at the moment I find this slightly boring!! So here is an update. The chicks are starting to get so big!! They are getting such lovely colored feathers!! Crystal and Reba (the Barred Rock and the Rhode Island Red) are starting to develop rather large combs compared to Naomi, Wynona, and Elvis/Ashley (the Ameraucanas or Easter Eggers), but they have combs that are called Pea Combs and are rather small compared to a stand up single comb like the other 2 have. If I open the top to change feed or water Crystal immediately jumps up onto the edge of the pen followed by Reba . Today I was on the computer and left the top off (the dogs were in their crates) Crystal and Reba proceeded to jump on the edge, then onto me...about 3 feet!! After they were on me, Wynona decided to jump up on the edge and then onto me, leaving Naomi and Elvis in the pen by themselves!! Eventually Naomi jumped on the edge and out...to the floor and Elvis chirped very loudly to let us know he was VERY unhappy!! So I went and picked him up and picked Naomi up off the floor. We sat for about 5 minutes with everyone either on my head, shoulders, or lap!!
Hopefully next week I can move them outside to a new pen.

Crystal - Barred Plymouth Rock

I decided all the chicks need their own page! So here is Crystal, the Barred Plymouth Rock.

Day 1

Day 7

Day 7 again (how do I get back in there)

First chick to perch on the dowel rod!!

"If you don't quit taking pictures of me, I AM going to EAT that thing!!!"


Stay tuned to watch her as she grows!!

Sir Buffington (the Buff Rooster)

So I have been wondering what this big rooster might be. I was flipping through a catalog from a hatchery and found a picture of a Rooster and Hen that are called Golden Buff (they are a hybrid for brown egg laying) They are also called Golden Comet, Golden Sex Link (because the chicks can be sexed based on color), Cinnamon Queen, and Red Star. Here is a picture of my rooster:


I have searched for pictures online of roosters under these names and have come up with:

Week 1

The four girls on their first day here!! They were so little and didn't move around much...now they flap and run and chirp all the time!
The babies snoozin'The babies snoozin yet again...notice Naomi with her head over the roost bar!
Elvis stretching!!
Reba
Wynona
Naomi
Elvis
Crystal

Another new chick!!

I went into the Tractor Supply in Katy to return a light bulb we didn't need and had to go see the chicks they had, in case they had something different than my Tractor Supply in Tomball. They happened to have their straight run chicks separate from their pullets, so I decided to get another Ameraucana in hopes of it turning out to be male. The new chick spent the day in a mini brooder at my parents house (I was there to help clean out some storage units). After being there with him for about an hour he would not stop chirping unless I was messing with him, so during a work break I put him on my chest while I laid back and he crawled up onto my shoulder and nestled in my hair. I got up and walked to his brooder to put him up so I could help some more, but as soon as I walked away he chirped again, so I picked him up and put him on my shoulder under my sweater and he spent most of the day on my shoulder!! I hope this helps make him a nice tame bird!! The girls still act like I am going to eat them when they see me near the brooder...maybe him being calm with calm them...or them being crazy will make him crazy!!

His name is Elvis if he is a boy, but if he turns out to be a girl her name will be Ashley. I figure since the other two Ameraucana are Naomi and Wynona, after the Judds it would only make sense for her to be Ashley Judd (if she is indeed a she).

Cheep Cheep Cheep Cheep

I bought chicks today!!! I went to Tractor Supply and the feed store with intentions of only getting what I would need to get chicks...not actually get the chicks. When I went to TS they had chicks and I tried my hardest not to buy them. I was successful, mainly because they didn't have the breeds I wanted. I then proceeded to the feed store to be won over by the Cheep Cheep Cheeping!! They had one of the two breeds I went for. I bought 2 Ameraucaunas (green egg layers), 1 Rhode Island Red, and 1 Barred Rock. All four are girls.



This is the Barred Rock named Crystal, named after Crystal Gayle (Crystal Gayle has dark hair!)
This is one of the Ameraucaunas named Naomi

This is Wynona the other Ameraucauna.

This is Reba the Rhode Island Red.


Sorry for the bad pics...will post better ones after the camera batteries charge!!

Might as well introduce the rest of the herd!

Well I figured, since the name of this is the Laughter Herd...I might as well introduce the herd!

First we have Chad and Sarah (The Laughters)

Next we have Just Jack. He is a 20lb Standard Rat Terrier
Jack pretending to be a Gargoyle!

This is Shelby, my second cousin (more like a sister...I have known her, her whole life) working with Outlaw Jesse James on some agility! Who says a Pittie can't do agility??

Jesse showing off his cart harness...we need to cut the excess off the straps!
This is my old man! This is Apache...is probably the same age as I am and we have known each other since I was 10 years old! Here's to 15 great year's together old man!!
"Are you taking MY picture? Did I tell you that you could take MY picture??"


When I first met him!! Man I was short! Either I have grown or he has shrunk!!

This is Chad and his horse Wyatt


Wyatt has the coolest eyes EVER!!!


This is Bella, I was standing on her hill!
"Excuse me, are you on MY hill??"
I think she would love to come in for some bread, but hubby says no!!This is Britt and her filly Lindy. They belong to friends, but live with us!
This is Dottie, Batman, and Winnie. They belong to the same friends as Britt and Lindy and they also live with us

This is Red, she is Batman's momma! Again a friend's but lives with us!

Well, I have to sell Junior

We planned to lock the chickens in their coop for 48 hours (was offered as a way to teach them that it is where they go at night). Went to check on food and water levels this morning to find Junior all bloody...decided to let them out. I really like him, I think he is gorgeous, but I am less afraid of the big Buff! (I know what a wuss!!)

By Junior I will miss you!!

EGGcellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was so anxious to have eggs I checked the nest basket as soon as I let them out of their old "coop" (Dog Crate) Nothing!!! We finally got our first eggs (while we were building the coop) (Sunday March 2nd, 2008)

Here are the girls that laid them:




Here are the eggs:

And again, this time me trying to keep Jesse from eating them!! I am sure he is thinking Mmmmmm Hard Boiled Eggs!!!

Coop Building 101

After being woke up at 5am, getting back to sleep only to be awoken again at 6am, we decided Sunday that the chickens would need to spend the night somewhere besides the shed next to our house. So in the extra 2 hours we had before getting ready to go to church Chad decided to start on the coop...unfortunately I was not awake enough to think to grab the camera for documenting purposes!! So the pictures start after church. Prior to church, Chad built the frame for the floor, put the floor on the frame, and attached the 6 legs and braces to support the legs and floor.


Here is the start of the second half of the project:
Chad had already attached the frame for the back and was working on attaching a frame for one side before I made it out with the camera!


Chad making the middle beams that would support what was going to be two doors on the front that became one door and a side of screen.


New coop Now with backside included!

All three sides on, working on putting the solid door on.

Door is on and cut to fit, now screening in the opening above the chicken door (originally we were going to have the ramp close up all the way, but decided to just make a small door and leave the ramps stationary. Don't mind the little head in the corner that is Sasha, our friends Black Lab...she is a camera hog!!
Attaching the door latch.

Almost done...just needs a ramp, litter, and chickens!!

The chickens in their new home the next morning! It may have been more work trying to catch them and put them in their new home that building it(or in my case documenting the building of it!!!)


UPDATE!!!!!!!! We now have a roost, nests, and a ramp that doesn't get knocked over by the cows!

Here is the big buff in front of the 4' roost (we will ad d more roost space once the little guys move out)

The nests, Chad decided since we had the room to use it and made 3 nests. We will only have 6 or 7 hens...so they should have plenty of room to lay plenty of eggs!!
Here are the waterer and feeder

Finished product! Stake added beside the ramp to help keep the cows from knocking it off. It is also screwed down.

Floor Plan