Putting Chicks Out on Pasture: Green Acres Weekend Update

Last week I blogged about moving the Cornish Cross broilers to their field pen.  Click here to read more about their adventure!  This week, in the midst of having the entire plumbing system replaced, a computer crashing, a two-day family getaway, fence building (Byron put in eight posts by hand one day last week!), picking wild blackberries, and waging continued warfare on squash bugs and their evil spawn, we also moved the Rhode Island Red chicks out on pasture!  They're four weeks old, and most of their adult feathers are in, which is apparently a sign that they're ready to explore the big world out there.



The hen house Byron built on an old trailer has been doubling as a brooder (he'll build a real brooder next year).  He hooked it up to the tractor...

 

...after a bit of rigging, due to shot hydraulics.  Better than spending hundreds on getting the hydraulics fixed...great job, Byron!
 

When he opened the door to the hen house this morning, they eyed the ramp suspiciously...

...so they got a little help flying the coop.

Exploring the big, green world...

...and looking more like chickens and less like little birds every day.

Breakfast buffet, with a bug or two on the side.  By the way, we're having to let the older hens, the Barred Rocks, free range so the little hens can have the protection of the electric fence.  We really hope the old girls don't fall prey to marauding animals, but until the Rhode Island Reds are bigger, we can't house them together since they could be injured by the bigger chickens.

And here are our Fat Boys (Cornish Cross) at their dinner buffet.  These boys are serious about their food; Byron's finger has almost fallen prey to their voracious appetites!  They are absolutely HUGE compared to the Rhode Island Reds, and this feed is non-GMO and free of hormones!

I'm linking again to Homestead Revival's Barn Hop.  Click below to join in!