Not much happened in the world of chicks this week. We didn’t get any more work done on the chicken coop or chicken run due to long work days and rainy days. We got half of the chicken run covered with chicken wire last week. We have the backside, where the 4 foot fence separates our yard from the field, covered. The front side, where a 5 foot fence separates the chicken run from the yard, is still uncovered but the chickens cannot fly high enough to clear this yet.
The chickens enjoyed time in the chicken run area nearly every day this week. They continue to entertain me when it’s rainy. If it starts pouring down rain they will run into the chicken coop as fast as they can. Once the rain slows down or stops they will slowly start coming back out. On Wednesday we had on and off rain throughout the day and I got to watch this play out numerous times in the evening.
The chickens have also developed a routine. As it gets dusky outside they will start to fall asleep out in the chicken run. But as soon as the sun actually sets they will all go back into the chicken coop. Then when Barry or I go out to close the hatch door between the coop and chicken run at night the chickens are already inside.
They also occasionally lay on their side and “sunbathe” on this overturned black basin. The first time one of them did it, I thought she was sick or something. It’s funny to see… they will just lay down on their side and spread their top wing out. I’ve been trying to get a picture of it, but haven’t been able to yet. Sometimes two will try and lay on it at the same time and they both end up falling off.
I bought more cantaloupe and honeydew last weekend and cut them up midweek. The chickens got to enjoy special treats consisting of leftover melon flesh and seeds.
Last time we gave them the rinds and the flesh that you scoop out from the middle of the melons. They didn’t eat the rinds, but they did pull every last bit of melon off of it that they could. However, this left a big mess of melon rinds in the chicken coop and the chicken run area that I had to clean up. I didn’t want it sitting in there rotting in the coop because that would be gross and would also attract pests. Out in the chicken run area it’d be likely to attract a raccoon and we definitely don’t want that. SO (sorry that was such a long explanation) this time I shaved as much melon off of the rind I could and just gave them that instead of the leftover rind.
Once again the melon was a big hit and all of the chickens swarmed the bowl to get a treat.
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| Don’t mind my poor photography skills… this was taken with my phone |
They really enjoy the melons, but strawberries seem to be their favorite. We have a bunch right now, so if they start getting soft the chickens may get an extra special treat and help us finish them up before they go bad. Usually they just get the tops off of them. I bet they’ll go wild for whole strawberries.
Turkey Runner 
I watched my friend’s chickens before and she always said the best time to let them in at night is just after it gets dark because they will all be inside already. If I went too early, they would still be outside and would not want to go inside. Glad they are getting fun, fruity treats!
We camped this weekend for the race. We left Friday afternoon and just before we left I had to chase them all back into the coop. I had a particularly tough time with one chicken. She was not to be caught and she was not going to go back into the coop, either! I finally got her back in with Barry’s help, though.
So funny that they lie down and rest like that! They are so cute in their little chicken way. They look so healthy, too!
I know! I hope I can get a picture of it. They lay down so abruptly, too, like they’re collapsing.
I can’t wait for you to catch them sunbathing! They are so funny. Do you notice any differences in personality among them?
Some of them are less skittish than the others and will come to me when I bring treats. In general they’re all pretty random, though. They run around and find worms and sunbathe 🙂
Laying on their sides? Is they get Sunny Side Up?Thought you could use a little chicken humor but I guess that was really a bad yolk.LUD.
Ha-ha. That must be how you get sunny side up. Thanks for the chicken humor (both yolks).
I’ve never seen chickens lying on their sides. I hope you can get a picture to share!
I’m glad I did! I totally thought they were sick or fainting at first, haha. In all my reading up on chickens, sunbathing was never mentioned.