Moving Day and a Rescue

As I wrote about last time, we finally finished the coop! Woohoo!!!! I still have to complete the outside run, but the structure of the coop itself is complete.

Friday I received an email about a Silkie chick that needed a rescue. Apparently the chick has a minor flaw that makes it not "show worthy", and the owner was going to cull it. My only dilemma was if the chick was a male or female. I am desperately wanting a female Silkie, because I would (one day) like to brood some chicks, and I've heard that the Silkies are great brooders, and will brood eggs that aren't even theirs.The problem is that no one knows the sex of the chick, but I took it in anyway. If it is a rooster, I pray that it is a docile one, and won't fight with Leopold.

So I picked up this poor "little" chick on Saturday and put it with the other chicks. I was told it is only about a week older than mine, but that appears to be incorrect, as it is a giant, compared to my girls. Silkies are a small breed, so I think this one is actually closer to full grown than a chick.

It was covered in poo, having been in a crate all day, but overnight it (with help of it's new chick friends) cleaned itself up. I trimmed her (I'm calling it a her) feathers by her eyes so she could see better. Here is a before photo:

According to what I've ready, I think she is a she, and not a he, but it is hard to tell.

Anyway, she is getting along just fine with all of the other chicks, and last night, during a cold snap, they all snuggled together in the completed coop.

 So last night, all chicks spent the night in their new coop. According to everything I've read, I'm doing this a week or two too early, but they have been trying to fly out of the water trough, and this was the safest place for them to be. We put up a wind shield, made out of some wood, attached to a ladder for stability last night. They all did splendidly.

Here is a video I took of them. You will see them carrying around fettuccine noodles that I gave them as a treat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai7-62A8obE

So we have everyone in thier new home, along with their new sister Silkie. I've named her Silkie (pronounced Zulka), because that is a German name that I took on when I took German in High School. It fits perfectly. If she turns out to be a he, we will rename him Rod (as in Rod Stewart). Until then it is Silkie.

I added a sandbox to the coop yesterday, so that the chicks can dust themselves, if they choose. It is 95% sand and 5% Diatomaceous Earth (food grade).

For Mother's Day, on top of the finished coop (the most expensive present I've ever gotten), I got some flowers to add as hanging baskets to the front. I think it completes it :)