Glen Hill Farm: Transitions

This boy loves to stop and smell the flowers.

Trying to move on after losing Mayzie. It's an awful, terrible feeling to know that she got sick because of my error with the feed bags. But I keep telling myself that I can't go back in time and fix it, so I just have to learn from it and move on... And count my blessings that the other hens are still healthy. I try to remind myself that even though Mayzie's life was shorter than it should have been, at least she was very loved and very happy while she was here. But I sure do miss her sweet little coo. Sigh.

Okay, time to lighten up. I'm trying hard not to focus too long on the sad parts, because then it would be too torturous to have pets, as the sad parts come with the territory.

Speaking on focusing on the happy times--Minerva Louise gave me a gift this week that definitely helped to boost my spirits... No, not another nasty lash egg, although I know you were all hoping for more photos of that! ;) Nope, this was MUCH better.... For the first time in over 3 weeks, and the day after laying that gross lash egg, Minerva Louise laid a beautiful, perfectly formed and healthy egg.

It was the best gift ever. Just the good news that I needed.

I'm hoping it means that she has fully recovered from her illness. She has gone on to lay a perfect egg every day this week. So, so great! Of course, we can't eat her eggs for two weeks because of the medicine she was on, but every healthy egg she lays gives me hope that although we lost our Mayzie, it looks like we were able to save our Minerva Louise.

Minerva Louise's best gift ever!
Her first healthy egg after her illness.

More happy news and transitions....

Last weekend we moved our "teenager" chicks into the big coop with the grown hens! I was really nervous about this transition as grown hens can often bully any newcomers to the coop. But I have to say, that I'm really proud of my grown girls. Generally speaking, they have been very tolerant of the four teenagers invading their space. Of course, the teenagers have been playing their correct roles of "submissive and terrified" which has helped to avoid any major problems.

While the big hens were out free ranging,
the teenagers got to check out the run.
It was their first time being outside!

Jessie watching Ruby explore the run.

It's interesting that I've only seen the hens in the middle of the pecking order be mean to the teenagers. The top ladies (Buttercup and Gertrude) ignore them completely. It's Reese, Penelope and Minerva Louise who I've seen throw a mean chase and peck their way a few times. But Daffodil, silly Daffodil, at the bottom of the pecking order... She loves the teenagers! She's like the welcoming committee. She keeps trying to hang out with the teenagers, but unfortunately the teenagers run away terrified when Daffodil gets too close. I'm hoping that with time, the teenagers will realize that Daffodil actually wants to be their friend, and they'll accept her. But for now Daffodil remains a party of one. Love that sweet hen.

"Hi there, welcome to the big coop! I'm Daffodil and I would love to be your friend!
But wait, why are you running away from me?"

We did a few things to help ease the entry of the teenagers into the established coop. The thing that I would recommend to anyone else looking to introduce new chickens to a coop is that we cut a pretty big branch off an apple tree in our yard and put it in our chicken run. The older girls were so interested in this new piece of furniture that they ignored the teenagers for the first evening. They were too busy investigating the big branch. And then once the older hens noticed (and chased) the new chickens, the teenagers were able to run for cover underneath the big branch, hiding among the leaves.

The girls checking out the big branch.
Grown hens on the left.
Teenagers on the right.

The branch has been a great place for the teenagers to hide from the grown hens.

But most of the time they all hang out together pretty peacefully.

I also let the grown hens free range a lot that week, which helped to tire out the grown hens and gave the teenagers a chance to explore the coop and run without having to worry about getting bullied.

Lastly, I had moved the big wire dog crate into the coop where I had the teenagers sleep at night. That way, I knew that they were safe from harm during the night and morning until I could get out to the coop. That didn't last too long because everyone was behaving and Fern and Charlotte kept going to bed on the roosts, one roost lower than the others, of course. Ruby and Matilda have been going to bed ON TOP of the dog crate. That's fine, too.

The set up at night.
Grown hens on roosts,
Teenagers in wire dog crate.
But now they get to choose where they sleep because they are behaving well.
Fern and Charlotte (the Welsummers) are now choosing to sleep on the roosts, too.
But one roost down from the big hens.

During the day, I leave the dog crate open, with a piece of cardboard in front of the door to make it a smaller entrance. That way, the teenagers can get into the dog crate, but the grown hens haven't been venturing in because it would be a tight squeeze for them. Inside the dog crate I am continuing to fill their little feeder with chick feed. In the main feeder, I have switched the feed to one that has lots of calcium and lots of protein, so it should keep all the chickens healthy. I have to say, it's really wonderful to finally have all the chickens living in one place.

Here's Charlotte sneaking under the cardboard door.
I've caught Daffodil in there once or twice. Not sure how she fit through!

Life has been busy, so I didn't get to mention that two weeks ago we got our garden planted!
Woo hoo! This year, we are growing:

-SunGold Cherry Tomatoes (These are the best variety ever, I highly recommend them.)

-Pickling Cucumbers

-Zucchini

-Arugula

-Kale

-Swiss Chard

-Scallions

-Rosemary

-Parsley

-Dill

-Basil

-Fennel

-Carrots

-Corn

-Sunflowers

-Pumpkins
-Concord Grapes

In pots, I am growing spearmint and chives.

Can't wait to see what we get! It's a first time for us with the carrots and corn, so I'm especially curious to see how they do.

The 2015 Glen Hill Farm garden.
Can't wait to see what it looks like two months from now.

The boys helped to weed the garden this weekend.
I'm posting a photo (and not a video),
so you don't have to listen to the whining that was involved. :)