{Chickens} The Girls

Have I introduced my two newest additions? I know I've shown them on Instagram (@thebrickbungalow). They hate me. They hate everyone except each other. The one on the left had a run in with a dog (one of my two ornery ones) and lost part of her tail. The black beauty gets picked on by the bigger girls but only one spot and it appears to be growing back in. Aren't they pretty though? 

Below is Rachel, in back, she's a Rhode Island Red. Rachel appears to be the watchdog of the group as she watches over everyone at night and likes to be by the door.  Pheobe, in front, is an Easter Egger. Phoebe is the crazy, dinosaur when she's sitting on the eggs. Craziest noises I've ever heard! Neither are the friendliest but I can touch them unlike the two above. 

And yes, three of mine are from Friends. 

Here's Monica - she's a Black Laced Wyandotte. 

And below, my girl, Goldie. She's the friendliest of the seven. Poor Cookie didn't get photographed. But Goldie is the one by my side whenever I'm outside without the dogs. She gets extra treats because of it. She may not look happy here but she's the best one out of the group. She was even friendly to my aunt when they watched them while we were on vacation. 

Do you have chickens? If so, what's your favorite breed? If not, would you want them? I love them! I love looking in our backyard and watching them move around. 

{Backyard Chickens} Growing Up, part 2

 Hello Friends! Check out our girls. They have gotten so big!!! 

Top to bottom - Monica, the Black Silver Laced Wyandotte; Goldie, the Buff Orphington (I think); Phoebe (the Easter Egger aka Ameruacana (sp?)); Rachel, the Rhode Island Red; and Cookie, the feather footed Bantam. If you know chickens and can help me - let me know! 

It was really hot one day so they got treats in ice water. They did not like the grapes. 

And here they are checking out their new digs! They aren't there permanently so I'll post when that happens. But they are so happy! 

Krypto loves them. And he'd love to eat them. 

I can't wait until they are out here permanately. It is almost time! We finished the door to the run over the weekend and the other three doors are at my dad's house as he made them. A few more tweaks and some painting and I think they'll be here full time. And that means I'll be able to clean my back porch off and hopefully get to painting it soon! 

{Backyard Chickens} Growing Up

I introduced the girls in the last chicken post so here are a few updates. 

The got a bath and a larger brooder box a few weeks ago. The bath was to help with the lice that I think they have. So far I think we've won the fight with the nasty little bug but time will tell. They will get another bath soon. I've added DE and a dirt bath to their brooder so they've been having fun. 

Below is Monica, the Black Laced Wyandotte. She may be one of the friendliest, so right now she's one of my favorites. 

Here's Rachel. She's a very pretty Rhode Island Red with a little eyeliner like line by her eyes. 

They weren't too thrilled about the bath but they all got loving afterwards and put under the heat lamp when they grew sick of me. 

And then they've had some outdoor time! This shows how bad our garden needs weeded, but it provided a lot of variety of plants to snack on and bugs to find for the girls. 

They've gotten so big and have definitely reached the awkward "teenager" stage. It's funny. 

{Backyard Chickens} Our Girls

On May 7th, we adopted five little girls into our family... 

1 bantam feather-footed chick (bottom right in this group). She's starting to get speckled gray feathers and I'm in love. She's a very inequistave girl which helps make up for her size difference.

There's the black one, a Black Silver Laced Wyandotte, who is sassy and sweet. She's the first to try something and lets me hold her the longest. 

There's a Rhode Island Red that follows the black one around. She doesn't like me but I'm trying.

Then there are two that looked very different at first but now are very similar, minus their legs. One is a Buff Orphington (bottom left) and one is an "Easter Egger" (or as our store called it, a Rainbow Layer). She's smashed in the middle of the group photo. 

I should have posted this awhile back as they look so different now!!! 

Their names? Why, there's Monica (black), Rachel (red), and Phoebe (the EE). Yes, from Friends. Then there's Cookie (the tiny one) and Goldie (the Buff) named by the kids. Nate had some other name in mind for one but it made absolutely no sense and now I can't remember so we went with Cookie, which I think happened to be the last thing he ate. 

Here's Goldie. She doesn't like people much but I'm hoping treats will change that. 

Here's Monica. Her adult feathers have started to come in since this photo but I loved how she looked as a chick too. 

Lily holding Phoebe. 

Phoebe with the cute little cheeks - I'm hoping those become more and more obvious so she's a bearded lady soon. 

And then there's Cookie, the tiny one. 

No pictures of Rachel, the red one. I said she doesn't like me! 

{Backyard Chickens} Coop and Run

Hello Friends!

Did you catch the post about the coop building? If not, no big deal - we built it from scratch - and then needed to build a run so the girls can get outside! I'd love to have them free range in our yard to help with bug patrol but our two dogs may have different feelings. I think they feel the chickens are food. So does Doug - when the stop laying. 

Doug and my dad built the run. I helped hold boards in place but those are two are machines when it comes to building. I just get in the way. I also forgot to take photos of some of the steps by you can see it's just a pretty simple set up - with a slight angle for the water to run off towards the fence. 

I say simple but it wasn't. Like most projects, there's always a hiccup or two. 

The guys got the coop built and then Doug and I did the fencing over the weekend. Let me tell you - that was not easy! 

There will be a door, so don't let this fool ya. 

We're still waiting on doors - we have to build those - and then it should be done.

Well, I will continue to paint the inside of the coop to seal the plywood. That's my job for tomorrow after I caulk the seams. 

Dimensions - the coop is 4' by 4' (length and width), height starts at 4'

Run - 4 by 9 feet. It's roughly 5 1/2' tall in front but varies due to the slope of the ground. 

I've already added some perches for the girls and we have a new waterer for when they go back out there. 

We are also thinking of covering the bottom of the coop with pickets like the kids' area. Yay or nay? It would add a little more shade in the morning as this gets full sun then. We may have enough to do two sides, which could offer them a little corner to hide from the dogs. 

{Backyard Chickens} Coop

The Brick Bungalow now has chickens! If you've been following along on Instagram (@ thebrickbungalow), you've seen them and the coop. If not, let's play catch up, ok?

My dad and I built the coop one day while Doug was at work. And by "we" I mean my dad. He's awesome like that. I tried to help but he's been in construction for over 30 years. 

And before we get to the photos, let's just pretend I've gotten off my butt and painted the shed, ok? It's going to require some help in the form of scaffolding and that makes me nervous but it so needs it!

Gotta check to see if it's level! 

The kids' area is now completely fenced in. It now needs all the grass to die and be replaced magically with mulch. Projects are never ending here. 

Walls! 

Lily showing it off. It's 4 feet by 4 feet and I'm not positive how tall it is. The walls were 4 feet but then there's the peak ... 

The square is on both sides at 1' by 1' for ventilation. 

And then comes the roof! It's a light gray and looks almost white in the sun. If I did it again, I'd go one shade darker. Which, by the way, will most likely be the color of the shed walls. It'll be close with some sort of gray walls. The roof of the shed will be a slightly darker red than the coop siding. 

The siding has been completed since this last photo so check back for the run that we added on!