Speaking of hens and ducks....

On Wednesday of last week I finally got two chooks, Isa Browns of about 9 weeks age. Carter is on the right, Daniel is on the left.  Stargate SG-1, not Rugby Union. :-P

On Saturday of last week I finally got my duckies, who are Khaki Campbells of about 4 and 5 months of age.  They're such gorgeous colours!  The left duck is Teal'c - the larger duck; on the right is O'Neill.  I couldn't help but to call them this, as they both have colourful personalities which suit the names (if you know Stargate SG-1 team at all).

Yes, the chooks ARE currently living underneath a triumph stag pop top - they prefer that as their shelter than the temporary shelter I actually bought for them!  I guess this one makes a better wind, sun and rain (if it would actually rain) break than the one I have set up for them.  I even tried putting what I bought for them INSIDE the Stag's top... nope, wouldn't have it.  lol

The chooks were not very active until the morning after I got the duckies - they would only come out of their temporary shed when I ushered them out.  As soon as I disappeared around a corner, they'd go and hide again.  Now, both the duckies and the chookies are happy and wagging tails, eating up a storm and... as the chooks would have it, scratching up my backyard garden.  The ducks sleep next to the blue shell pond I installed - and spend most of the day in the water, or resting in the sun or shade.  The chookies come in and out of their temporary shed all throughout the day to ruin my garden or rest.  hehe

It is a real learning curve, having birds!  They don't have teeth, so if you give them treats of lettuce or bread, you have to tear it up finely.  And whilst the chickens will scratch around for the mix of seed I've bought for them, the ducks need their food covered in a layer of water.

Neither will lay for quite some time - spring in all likelihood for the duckies (if I have indeed got two females!) although they are full-grown; and an unknown time period for the chookies who are not yet full-grown.

I chose a larger chook, and a smaller chook; a larger duck and a smaller duck - alas, the duckies are pretty huge.  When I first went to get them, I could not believe how huge they were - marching in a group of their brothers and sisters!

Neither of them are used to me yet - the chooks are not particularly used to human contact, and the ducks have been allowed free reign except at night.  We will indeed see how it goes!  Right now though, I'm just enjoying having more animals surrounding me.

I need to spray out (final time), rinse, paint and create a slide or swing door in the side of the dog kennel, which will be the laying house for the two species of avian.  I apparently need to put fake eggs in the house to encourage the duckies to lay in there, as they are not very good with figuring out where to do it at first.

I certainly have high hopes of these avians becoming pets and good layers!  I'd love nothing more than them to adore me and come when I call them, like the native hens (although they're still wary, as a wild creature).

Ash decided to check out the ducks today, and freaked out just a bit.  Yes, that is roof gutter guard... an attempt that failed at keeping possums out.  As are all of the solar lights.

Labels: backyard, chicken, chookies, dog kennel, duck, duckies, eggs, hen, horse, isa brown, khaki campbell, layers, my new chooks, my new ducks

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posted by Da at 3:14:00 AM