Category Archives: Chickens

A Chicken Under My Skirt

Posted on July 8, 2011 by theupstartgardener

Generally speaking, I don’t wear skirts. In the summer, I am most often in shorts. Last night however, I just wanted to be comfortable as I went about the yard watering my garden and my flowers so I slipped into … Continue reading →

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Time to Roost

Posted on July 8, 2011 by theupstartgardener

The girls have been coming and going outside just over a week. At twilight on the first day of their world explorations, Erik and I caught them one by one and deposited them into the coop through the nest box … Continue reading →

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Cooped Up No More

Posted on July 5, 2011 by theupstartgardener

Try to imagine what it would be like if all you knew of the world is contained within a large cardboard box. Day in and day out you and your box mates live under a light bulb sun on a pine … Continue reading →

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Coop Sweet Coop

Posted on July 5, 2011 by theupstartgardener

The girls moved into their coop on the last day of June. Though I have read repeatedly about how fast they grow, you just have to see it for yourself. In just 23 days they had transformed from downy fluff … Continue reading →

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The Sunnyvale Chicken Park

Posted on July 5, 2011 by theupstartgardener

With the help of husband’s father, we began building the chicken coop around the first part of June. My father-in-law and I have very different ideas on how a chicken coop should be designed and built. He is more from … Continue reading →

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Perch Training

Posted on June 13, 2011 by theupstartgardener

I found a couple of smooth sticks in the yard that I thought would make a great beginners perch. The sticks were about  ½″ diameter and 15 inches long and I screwed them together with a small bolt at one … Continue reading →

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The Naming Process

Posted on June 12, 2011 by theupstartgardener

Within hours of the chicks arrival, I had to begin the naming process. Naming is very important as far as I am concerned. I realize that some folks wouldn’t go to the trouble and name their chickens, but we are … Continue reading →

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The Darling Dozen

Posted on June 12, 2011 by theupstartgardener

It is a beautiful Sunday morning here in my corner of Northern Michigan. I sit here with a good cup of coffee reflecting upon the last few days. The tiny flock, we fondly refer to as the “darling dozen,” are … Continue reading →

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Mercury Rising

Posted on June 8, 2011 by theupstartgardener

The ideal brooder temperature for day old chicks is 95° fahrenheit. It is recommended that an infrared heat bulb in a fixture with ceramic housing is used to heat the brooder. It is also important that the light source be … Continue reading →

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Chickens via US Mail

Posted on June 8, 2011 by theupstartgardener

Finally, the chicks have been shipped!  Our weather has been unusually hot this early in June, so I hope the little chicks were comfortable en route to the post office. After several calls to MyPetChicken early this week to check … Continue reading →

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