New Chickens & Donkey Chaos! (Will the baby live?)

Oh my gawd, baby jezuz, mary and joseph! My uncle went to the local Haywood County Small Animal Auction and brought me back six new chickens.... 5 big laying hens in beautiful colors and one tiny tiny TINY adorable white americuana chick (which I am holding in the picture above.)

The rooster (whom I have had for over a month now) was oh so proud of all his new ladies, and even though my one hen "Honey Pie" was pecking at them & pulling out their feathers - the rooster still stood tall, proud, protective and horny.

And you can see why! HAwt Ladies!

This is what chicken sex looks like (pictured below)... the rooster chases the hen, holds it by the back of it's feathered neck, opens wings and goes at it pretty quick. Even though the hens resist at first, or maybe just tease, they seem really satisfied after... happy.

BUT..... as amazing and wonderful as this all seems...... there was JuJu Bean, the donkey. The donkey who has been a great guardian animal to my hen and rooster, she has loved them, she knows them. So to say I was shocked when she hauled ass on my new chickens is an understatement, I screamed in horror at the unexpected scene!!!

She went after them, not just in a dominating way but with her front hooves pounding at them like she was going to smash them to bits, like she hated them the way a donkey hates a coyote!

*

At first I tried yelling "NO" and hit something loud (a bucket onto a tree stump) to startle everyone into reality. That didn't 'work' per-say, but it did slow things down. Then I ran to my house, cut up carrots and used the reward method. I had JuJu walk past the chickens over and over while giving her treats, and if she made a move towards them I touched her chest and said a firm "NO". That seemed to calm things down for a little while.

....but then after JuJu was rolling in her favorite mud spot, she saw the tiny little white wonder who had been following me around, standing between my legs & who I had also been carrying around in my arms. She turned on the tiny bird standing near her and went straight to threatening, stomping, kicking, and running over it. I let out a terrible high pitched scream and ran for the bird. I charged JuJu in an animalistic way, angry/in charge, then left the area with the possibly half dead baby chick. I put it in a basket and brought it in my cabin. It's sitting on my desk next to the computer right now as I write this post! Fingers crossed it'll live!!! Cause I already wuve it. Tons.

Xoxoxo

Barnyard Relationship Building (when they discover each other)

Yesterday was the first moment that all my animals living at the Luck Cabin lined up in a perfect row and got acquainted. At the moment I have one donkey (Juju Bean), one cat (Toots) and one rooster with one hen (who need names but I am afraid if i name some animal will come and eat them!)
The donkey is being gentle with the chickens now, who are her neighbors in the mini barn - but upon their first meeting JuJu forgot about her HUGE-MUN-GUS size and was hauling ass after the squawkers trying to make friends (they ran and hid to her dismay). When Toots the cat finally came around on the outside of the fence, JuJu knew the smell was familiar, she sniffed the cat, then sniffed my clothes then the cat again - and made an acknowledgement beyond words. But when I put Toots inside the fence, Juju chased her trying to get close.
The BIG discovery though was when Toots, saw the chickens! ANd JUJU, all together. It was all she could do to keep from going crazzzzy - she tore at the ground, attacked sticks and dirt and plants, ran back and forth and showed off to her new friends. (Ya know when kitties get that wild bazzurk look in their eye and let the wind of their spirit control every movement....)
Slowly, we will evolve to all understand each other a little better, get in the groove of habits- luckily animals allow time for that sort of thing. In fact they demand it. Sometimes I wish the humans would let me just observe them from the other side of the fence, quietly before being thrown into hand shakes and introductions. But.... then everyone would think I was the weirdo stalker staring at their yard & houses. ;)

Xoxoxo

First EGG at The Luck Cabin!

I have one rooster and one chicken - and they made one egg.

xoxox

My Rooster Has Arrived!

Look how big and red and handsome he is! The chickens are coming this week, but as I have started to learn, if ya live rural everyone has an extra rooster they need to get rid of - my uncle brought over this beauty yesterday. At first the rooster was totally nervous and spazzzzed out - I tried putting in some food scraps and water and he was flapping his gigantic wings at me, crowing, screaming and going bazzurk.... now he is cool with me but said he could reallllllly use some ladies, and fast!
.....
And you can see he knows where to look for the ladies too.....


I think I will name him Chante Rouge!
Xoxoxox

Prepping The Chicken Coop Nesting Boxes

NO chickens yet, but the part of my Mini-Barn (built this month) that is for the hens and their handsome rooster is only a day away from being completed! My uncle who built this barn (who was nice enough to teach me some shit while buidling it) loves raising chickens - he has bunches of chickies, and we designed their safe house together. :)
He said for the nesting box the best layers underneath where the chicken will lay eggs is the following:

• Bottom Layer - Dirt
• Middle Layer- Hay
• Top Layer - Cedar Shavings
  

I didn't have hay and I noticed all the dirt was wet from the rain. So I made a dirt/hay compromise for now ---

I made the bottom & middle layer all super dry peat moss, and then put thick cedar shavings on top! I figured this was good cause I use peat moss for my compsting toilet, and essentially you want the same kind of 'clean composting' action going on where your chickens will poop-pee.

Hope the ladies will love it!!!

Xoxoxo