One week later

The little girls have been more courageous and daring.  They are sleeping all night in the nesting box.  They hop from side to side when the ladies aren't looking.  All and all it seems better.  Remember Rome was not built in a day.
I personally am getting impatient because of the morning ruckus.  This too will pass and be a blur I'm sure.  It will be like growing leg pains, sore braces, and sleepless nights from croup.
Their names will be disclosed by end of week.
Stay tuned for new pictures tomorrow.  All will not believe how big they are.
Good night Ladies who follow Cooped up on the East Side

Segregating the Little ladies from the Ladies

The little ladies are finally in the big coop with the ladies.  It hasn't been easy.  On Saturday, Michael built a divider screen below the coop in their play area.  The little ladies have a roosting pole, their water and their fount.  The ladies on the other side have a much larger space.  They all can free range when someone is home to oversee their antics.  The little ladies enjoy the far corner of the yard, while the Ladies scurry around to see who has the best pick-ins.  Pepper still chases them over the fence on to the patio.  Ginger enjoys the little ladies company a lot, thank goodness.  The little ladies carry on until I move them back into their segregated environment.  At night, I scoop them both up and bring them into the nesting box together.  They are happy their all night.  The Ladies go up the ramp around 8:40 EST to go in for the evening.  Cinnamon goes up the ramp and peeks in to see if they are in.  She scoots back down quickly.  Pepper and Jubilee do the same. After several times they all finally retire for the evening.  At 5:15 A.M. EST, I can hear Pepper squawking so loudly.  Reminder, we live in the city, where houses are close.  Our neighbors have been wonderful with this but I feel awful.  The neighbors don't need to be woken up by squawking at that time.  I run downstairs,  outside and jump the fence, open the coop sliding door, and allow the Ladies to free range.  The little ladies hop down when they are ready and go to their segregated shelter,  all on their own.  I go back to bed until about 7:00 and all is fine.  When will the squawking stop?

Pictures

Pepper 2years old

May 15 these two chicks joined our house

         

Foraging and Mingling

The little girls are getting big quick.  We still haven't named them.  Every time I name one of them, I can't be certain.  They are still in their railroad apartment on the front porch.  Every day Michael let's them forage for about an hour.  The ladies outside are not willing to share any fine delicacies with them just yet.  Pepper is the most noisiest about the two new ones.  She will not stop squawking.  Alert!  Intruders!  Jubilee and Cinnamon could care less.  I'm hoping this week to fully integrate them .  Their deluxe apartment is a bit smelly.

Two adorable Rhode Island Red Chicks

Rite of Spring

Yesterday, Michael brought home two Rhode Island Red chicks.  We are all very excited to nurture them and include them with the ladies.  The chicks have been peeping, hopping, and sleeping.  Ofcourse they are eating their chick starter and drinking their water.  Ginger is wonderful guarding them.
The ladies have graciously been laying eggs daily.  Today they are free ranging and enjoying the sunny day ahead of them.

March 1, 2013 First Egg since January 12, 2013

To our surprise we had an egg in the nesting box Friday afternoon.  This winter has been just horrible in Rhode Island.  The snow accumulations topped charts with two big storms back to back.   A frigid week of 10 degrees at night.  The wind chill even had us put a light in the coop to keep the ladies warm.  Yes I know it is winter in New England but the past 8 years have been mild.
The girls have all their feathers back and are ready for Spring.  We

Cold outside but warm in the coop

Thank you ladies for 700 beautiful brown eggs in 2012.

Winterized the sides of the coop on December 27, 2012

I've been making warm oatmeal and putting in yogurt

Cinnamon waiting for the nesting box 

Pepper and Jubilee eating a warm breakfast. Cinnamon making sure  she gets some.

Summer Time with the Girls

Happy Birthday Girls

The girls turned one last week.  They have given us 350 eggs since December 23.  Michael redesigned the coop a little bit. The coop was picked up and moved back about 10 feet and the coop now has a different pen design.  The pen has a removable access door and a slanted roof.  The girls love it.  The worms below in the new area are delicious.

We came home from a long week of work.  Each young lady left us a treat.  We researched and it stated it probably our Barred Rock.  The middle egg measured in at 2 3/4 inches long.  We haven't eaten it yet.  I'm wondering will it be a double yolk?

Something happened last Friday...

Well I have shared our eggs with all our neighbors.  And one of the ladies shared a huge egg last Friday.  This egg was 2  3/4 inches.  

140 Eggs

I know. I know.  I haven't been able to post lately.  I've been working way too hard on my teacher duties and my pending evaluation this Monday.  The girls are wonderful.  Pepper is a bit loud.  In fact, one of my neighbors shared an email that she heard them and was worried something might be wrong.  She said no hawks were insight.
They are loving the warm March weather we are having in Rhode Island.  We have been hitting 80 degrees for the past 4 days.
We are still enjoying the amazement  of getting eggs.  Margaret has been getting the most every day.   She keeps very good records.  Their diet hasn't changed very much.  I'm still giving them yogurt every other day, rice cakes with no salt, and fresh greens.
We have been giving away about 18 eggs a week to neighbors and my in laws.  I think I'm going to share more once school is over on June 14.

New roosting pole

     Yesterday Michael installed a thicker roosting pole.   The dowel that was inside was bowing a bit in the middle.  Also he read they enjoy a roosting pole to be thicker.  He had a 4 foot hand rail left over from a project inside our house.  He never gets rid of anything.  I know why, he can always use it some time down the road.  He got inside the coop and took apart the old one.  He measured the new position.  We were concerned about the new height the girls would need to get to it.  Cinnamon kept running up the ramp poking her head in to see what was going on.  After it was done, he watched Cinnamon check it out.  She had no problem getting to it.  Jubilee on the other hand a little bit heavier couldn't get the gumption to get up.  She made it to the ledge and voila she was on.  Pepper was amazed Michael said.  She was looking up and thinking, Where should I go?  Michael put the ladder inside and up she walked the ladder to the roosting bar.  Off to sleep they went.  This morning when I went out to see them.  Plop, plop, and thump.  All three were waiting at the slide door.
     Today I chopped up some cooked beets, yogurt, and a clementine.  After eating all they graced me with 3 beautiful brown eggs.  We love our hens.  74 eggs and counting.
   

Three Hens finally all laying glorious brown eggs

We are celebrating this evening- All three ladies gave us eggs today. We believe today was Pepper's first egg. The temperature outside was about 23 degrees. Michael went outside around 9:30 to open the coop door. Michael stayed outside all day. Cinnamon delivered first. Pepper went in to the nesting box and make a loud noise. Jubilee would go up the ramp and check to see if Pepper was okay. This went on for fifteen minutes. Michael came in holding a lighter and smaller egg. Jubilee delivered an egg about an hour later. We always thank them for the eggs and they make noise. They have delivered 43 eggs. We are loving this everyday.

Thirty Eggs

The sky was falling last weekend and the girls stayed in their coop. The snow, wind, and freezing temperatures the girls weren't happy at all. On Sunday night I discovered a little discoloration on Cinnamon's crown. I brought her inside to look at it closely. I was right, a little frost bite on her crown. I told Michael to get some Vaseline and we lathered her up. Michael attached a board in the front screen to close off her look out window. Cinnamon is always watching out the top roosting window ledge, right were the wind blows. For the past 7 nights we have lathered her crown, waddles, and legs to keep her protected. All three love the attention and the spa treatment. I'm happy to say Cinnamen's crown is almost back to shining red. Their production of eggs has slowed down this week. Very happy to say 30 since December 23.

Fifteen total so far

The girls have been really busy outside. Today has been the coldest this winter. The wind today blew the wirly gig around and around. Tomorrow I will let them all free range.

Eight Eggs

Eight eggs so far.  The girls were all up very early this morning waiting for their cheese medley.