# Chickens farmin' journal



## Chickens (Feb 22, 2017)

Okay first off my name is Maria chickens is the first thing that came to mind when i started my profile. I live in Illinois i have been with my husband for almost 17 years (married for almost 5yrs) we have two children my son is 14 fixin to turn 15 and my daughter is 13 fixin to turn 14 (they're same age for 4 days). We have lived at our lil house for almost 15 years. I have 3 dogs, 4 goats, 28ish chickens (mostly EEs) 2 roosters one named chicken bob other one doesnt have a name, 2 cats, 1 turtle, 2 rabbits (1 just had babies) and more goldfish and koi than i can count my hobbies are painting (concrete statues) and singing i dont think of my animals as hobbies just family... ill post pics when i can and thats about it for now until i think of other things


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 22, 2017)

Hi Maria!  Welcome, from Texas!


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## Latestarter (Feb 23, 2017)

Looking forward to joining you on your journey!


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## Chickens (Feb 23, 2017)

Well today i am off to get new fencing for the little bucklings i have they are adorable but i dont know how much longer i can handle them in the house they are in a doggie play pen at the moment which gets cleaned everyday and well they smell lol  i think its a buck thing i had my doe bbs in the house til they got their fences up and they didnt smell this bad. they go to the vet next week to get their CDT vaccine and wormed. My jessica rabbit had 9 kits tuesday morning on the 21st i havn't checked on this morning its still dark but i checked before dark yesterday and they were all fat and wiggly. My sons girl friend was over yesterday and we all got a good laugh at the rooster chasing her into the fence first time weve ever seen him do that after that she wouldnt go any where with out a broom. Time to get the kids up for school


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## micah wotring (Feb 23, 2017)

Cool! All those pics on yer welcome thread were awesome but we ain't turning ya down if you offer more! LOL


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## samssimonsays (Feb 23, 2017)

Welcome!


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## Chickens (Feb 23, 2017)

Do i have alot of pics on my welcome thread? Thats was like 2 years ago i dont remember lol and even after 2 years still dont know what im doing on here


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## Chickens (Feb 23, 2017)

Ive been following ur thread. Love reading about ur bunnies


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## Chickens (Feb 23, 2017)

Still no fence they didn't have what i needed in stock. Oh well when hubby gets home guess we will make the hour drive to the next closest farming supply store.


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## micah wotring (Feb 24, 2017)

Chickens said:


> Do i have alot of pics on my welcome thread? Thats was like 2 years ago i dont remember lol and even after 2 years still dont know what im doing on here


You had a few(found it)...I...uh...got you mixed up with someone else  XD
(https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/hello-from-missouri.35374/)



I live 3 minutes from the local feed store!


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## Chickens (Feb 26, 2017)

I'm ready for my close up


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## Chickens (Feb 26, 2017)

Put up the rest of the bucks pen today i am tired time for shower then bed and work in the morning

Edited because i forgot to say i checked on baby bunnies today and jessica rabbit bit me.... little butt head


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## Chickens (Feb 28, 2017)

I didn't have a lot of time to really post about our adventure in putting buck pen. We introduced the boys and girls over the weekend and it went perfect no head butting or bullying just a lot of run around and act crazy time run jump twist jump run funniest thing was when jeff (if u have ever seen 22 jump street my names jeff) lol (human)kids are nuts too anyways he jumped on a ball my daughter was playing with he bounced off of it then got up looked around then head butted the ball. We were out there all day playing with them my daughter brought the boys their bottle and my girls came running up trying to steal the bottles from them guess they remember bottle time tio 

 the boys were so tired from playing after we brought them back in to bed down that i had to wake them up for bed time bottles


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## Chickens (Feb 28, 2017)

Jessica rabbits babies are getting big im a little leary about checking on them so much since she bit me i keep meaning to get pics while im out there but i never remember maybe i will today.. got storms heading our way better get out there and get mornig chores done before it rains


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## Chickens (Feb 28, 2017)

Just some pics of them meeting for first time


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## lcertuche (Feb 28, 2017)

I would consider getting rid of an animal that bit me more that twice. Well not my chickens and they actually do bite not just peck from time to time. Then again they don't have teeth like rabbits. Your 2-legged kid is adorable as are you 4-legged ones.


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## Chickens (Feb 28, 2017)

lcertuche said:


> I would consider getting rid of an animal that bit me more that twice. Well not my chickens and they actually do bite not just peck from time to time. Then again they don't have teeth like rabbits. Your 2-legged kid is adorable as are you 4-legged ones.


 well thank you!! I am kinda attached to those 2 legged kids too  my rabbit has never bitten me before and there was alot of stuff going on around here with us putting up the bucks pen i think she was just nervous and protecting her babies im just a lil more cautious now with her


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## Chickens (Feb 28, 2017)

i remembered the camera this time lol look at those wittle ears i cant tell but i think there might be 10 instead of 9? I havent messed with them a whole lot just made sure theyre fat and no dead ones with this being her first live litter i didnt want to jinx it one little dark colored one out of the bunch


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## micah wotring (Feb 28, 2017)

Chickens said:


> View attachment 28567 View attachment 28568  i remembered the camera this time lol look at those wittle ears i cant tell but i think there might be 10 instead of 9? I havent messed with them a whole lot just made sure theyre fat and no dead ones with this being her first live litter i didnt want to jinx it one little dark colored one out of the bunch


Awesome! I love the colors! 

Thanks for the pictures!


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## Chickens (Mar 1, 2017)

We had some pretty rough storms last night tornado warnings going off all night  didnt sleep now have to go to work


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## Pastor Dave (Mar 1, 2017)

I have a doe that is pretty defensive with her litter. She growls and needs something to preoccupied her when I have to reach in her box. If that doesn't work, I have to come in from above her and not at her or she will box at me and maybe bite. I put my hand on her head or back, and then check the bunnies. 
Now, she doesn't do this behavior all the time or I would be leery of keeping her. If I add in some straw when it's freezing, she gets the same way with my hand in there fluffing it up and the sound of the rustling. I have to keep my hand above her and come down on her, not reach in it at her level.
Hope this helps some.


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## lcertuche (Mar 1, 2017)

You can't blame a mama protecting her babies. There ain't nothing meaner than a mama hen!


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## Chickens (Mar 1, 2017)

this mornings sunrise after the storms


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## Chickens (Mar 1, 2017)

Pastor Dave said:


> I have a doe that is pretty defensive with her litter. She growls and needs something to preoccupied her when I have to reach in her box. If that doesn't work, I have to come in from above her and not at her or she will box at me and maybe bite. I put my hand on her head or back, and then check the bunnies.
> Now, she doesn't do this behavior all the time or I would be leery of keeping her. If I add in some straw when it's freezing, she gets the same way with my hand in there fluffing it up and the sound of the rustling. I have to keep my hand above her and come down on her, not reach in it at her level.
> Hope this helps some.


i have been in there every day since and she hasnt tried to bite anymore but i also give her some goodies before i go messing with the babies i checked on them a minute ago and a couple of them look like thier eyes are starting to open


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## Latestarter (Mar 2, 2017)

Nice looking bunny, kits, kids and kid


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## lcertuche (Mar 4, 2017)

Being her first litter she just is extra protective. I'm sure she realizes now that you mean them no harm.


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## Chickens (Mar 8, 2017)

The kits are getting big they were 2 weeks old yesterday eyes are open and theyre not laying in the same bunny pile as they did when smaller got a really good look at them there's actualy 10 in the box all still fat and more wiggly than before. Im not sure how old they are when they start getting out of the box but im sure it wont be long my worries are thats its been in the mid 60s all week but they are calling for snow rain mix saturday and a high of 28° i hope they can adjust to the temp differences.... me and my 4 legged kiddos are off to the vet today.. updated pics on the way...


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## lcertuche (Mar 8, 2017)

I'm sure Mama's fur will keep them warm. It sure has been a crazy weather year.


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## Pastor Dave (Mar 8, 2017)

You generally see them getting in and out around two weeks.
Rule of thumb is to evict them by Day#18 so they don't get nest box eyes.
The materials in the box are usually pretty unsanitary by 18 days.
I generally put some straw in the corner the box was in and they gravitate toward it. They will keep each other warm and lay around mama to keep warm too.


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## Chickens (Mar 8, 2017)

says my pictures are to large for the server to process


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## Pastor Dave (Mar 8, 2017)

I was getting this same message this afternoon too.


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## Chickens (Mar 9, 2017)

Pastor Dave said:


> I was getting this same message this afternoon too.


 i was wondering if it would be ok to move my momma rabbit and her babies to a bigger cage. The cage they are in is older and kinda needs to be redone but was only one i had that had a box in it but this box is built in so cant take it out. I have recently been given a hutch that is alot bigger and better made and not to mention theyre 10 babies plus momma in cage theyre in now would she be ok with me moving all of them they are 16 days old now another reason i want to move them is the kits are moving around in box quite a bit if they get out of box im not sure they can get back in by theirselves and its supposed to be below freezing and snowing this weekend


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## Pastor Dave (Mar 9, 2017)

Yah, I would imagine.
I just took out my three litters of their boxes on the same day at Day# 18, 17, & 16. The oldest litter was smaller than the other two, so I knew it would be ok to evict them. The kits can get eye infections and what is known as nest box eyes if in there past 18 days. They will stay grouped up for warmth and try to get to mama to nurse.
She will try to avoid them, but will nurse periodically to relieve herself. They will lay next to her for warmth too.
Mine are all doing ok.


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## Chickens (Mar 9, 2017)

Im planning on moving them today just waiting on hubby to get home to help and wanted to ask more experinced rabbit ppl if it was ok. I was out there earlier and the babies keep popping their heads out of the box but not coming out all the way they are very active and i have only picked one up once to put it in the bunny pile  right after they were born . Can they drink water? I was wondering how you give the babies water without worrying about drowning in the bowl momma has a plastic bottle hanging on the cage but can babies drink out of it should i move it down lower so they can reach it? Ahh so many questions


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## Pastor Dave (Mar 9, 2017)

They will get enough from her, but yes, I move the bottles down so mama can drink from it kinda awkwardly and babies learn real quick from watching her. It can be abt 3" or so above the bottom because they stretch pretty well, and will have it down in a week or so. Definitely by wean time.


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## Chickens (Mar 9, 2017)

Thanks sorry to be a bug its just that the more i find out the more questions i have i swear they change colors everyday the little black one in the picture i posted before now looks like a tortoiseshell cat in the coloring its neat to see how fast they change 


Pastor Dave said:


> They will get enough from her, but yes, I move the bottles down so mama can drink from it kinda awkwardly and babies learn real quick from watching her. It can be abt 3" or so above the bottom because they stretch pretty well, and will have it down in a week or so. Definitely by wean time.


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## Chickens (Mar 9, 2017)

Star, Moon, Ziggy, and Jeff all got wormed yesterday 3/8/17 and today 3/9/17 they all got their CDT vaccines today Ziggy and Jeff have to get their boosters in 4 weeks(MIL and I gave our first goat shots did pretty good)


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## Chickens (Mar 12, 2017)

Before the new cage


after the move

 

sorry so dark tried to get more camera wanted to focus on cage


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## Latestarter (Mar 13, 2017)

They're cuties!


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## Chickens (Mar 14, 2017)

So over the weekend we got the new (to us) rabbit hutch i cleaned it best i could which it wasnt dirty from rabbits just had dirt dobber nest and wasp nest in it we fixed to few little places i thought the kits might be able to get out of or snakes get into (better safe than sorry) the move was alot easier than i thought it was going to be since the babies werent handled before this they were curious about us the hutch is sectioned off into three cages but the middle cage can be opened to either side so we closed off one side for our buck then opened the middle cage up so make it a bigger cage for momma and 10 kits  they have alot more room now and poor momma can hop on top of the box if she wants some time away from the hungry lil ****s they are 3 weeks today and i have noticed the kits trying to eat the food before 2 long im going to have to try and sex them which i have no idea how and thought my buck was a doe for about first 5 months i had him cause hes cute and looks like a girl  i over heard my hubby talking to him one day after the kits were born "i told her you was a boy but she wouldn't listen no she's always gotta be right" lol


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## Pastor Dave (Mar 14, 2017)

There's been some pictorials/tutorials on here abt sexing rabbits on here. You might be able to go through and find them.
Or, you can Google other sources to help you out.


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## lcertuche (Mar 15, 2017)

I saw a YouTube video by JNULLO building rabbit cages out of wire shelves. It was such a cool way to build sturdy, big cages. I've been trying to figure out what kind I wanted to build or buy but this decided for me. I think it is possible even with my limited carpentry/mechanical skills, lol.


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## Latestarter (Mar 15, 2017)

So now all you have to do is hit craigs list for folks selling that closet shelving or giving it away   Maybe take out an add yourself stating that you're looking for it?


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## lcertuche (Mar 16, 2017)

Good idea. I've been looking at our local 1st month street fair. I find all kinds of stuff there and soon there will be more yard sales happening with the warmer weather. The shelves are pricey at Lowes but when you consider how much cages cost I think it would still be a good deal.


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## Chickens (Mar 22, 2017)

Its been a rough couple of days i haven't been able to get on as much my father in law was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma weve got to go to cancer instute today to see what all his options are my husband and children arent taking it very well and I am trying to be strong for them


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## Pastor Dave (Mar 22, 2017)

Sorry to hear that. Did you mention your need on the prayer post on this site? Lots on here visit there to pray for each others' needs. Forums, Social, Random Ramblings, Prayer Requests. In the mean time, I will pray for your father-in-law and husband & kids.


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## norseofcourse (Mar 22, 2017)

Prayers for your father-in-law and family


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## Latestarter (Mar 23, 2017)

Sorry to hear of the diagnosis. I hope the prognosis is good.


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## lcertuche (Mar 23, 2017)

It's so scary when you hear the C-word but people do survive. My brother had two different cancers in 2 years that the doctor gave him a few months to live (if he was lucky) and after 5 years now he is still alive, kicking and ornery as all get out.


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