Friday, June 29, 2012

Feathered Friend Friday

Welcome to our series "Feathered Friend Friday." Every Friday I write a post with interesting facts, photos, or funny stories about my chickens and guineas. If you need to catch up, you'll find all the Feathered Friend Friday posts here. 

Here in Missouri, we are stuck in a major heat wave. Today's high was 105! That is some serious heat. I've written about how much my older chickens love yogurt on hot summer days, and I wanted to introduce yogurt to our new chicks. I was sure they'd happily gobble it down on a hot day like today.


I had totally forgotten about how wary chicks are of anything new! My older chickens come running when they see me carrying anything in my hands because they think I'm bringing them treats (and that is usually the case haha). But the new guys just stared at the bowl trying to figure out what it was, then finally walked away wanting nothing to do with it!


I picked a few of them up and stuck their beaks in the yogurt, knowing if they just tried it they would love it. That didn't really work too well, though.


I had an idea to combine the new, scary yogurt with something they were familiar with; something I knew they'd scarf up. I sprinkled some of their feed on top of the yogurt, sat the bowl down, and immediately they began to peck at the feed and inadvertently got some bites of yogurt in the process! Once the grain was gone off the top, they were still dipping their beaks in the bowl for some bites of yogurt. Success!


Pretty much everything is old hat to my chickens, but the new chicks are still learning about the world. I have to remember to take it slow and let them explore and figure things out in their own time.

~Tammy

10 comments:

  1. I can't believe how big the new chicks have gotten. Si says "chicken drinkin yogurt, good!"

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    1. I can't believe it either! Going on 4 months now, so they are just about full-grown.

      Silas is so funny! I think he may be the comedian of the family. I love hearing his responses to Feathered Friend Friday :)

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  2. You're such a good chicken momma, teaching them how to try new foods! Those gals are lucky to have you taking care of them.

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  3. Another Missourian! Hello, there! :)

    Just found your blog, and I am enjoying reading through some of your older posts. My fiance and I just moved into the country last year, too. I hope you all are enjoying it as much as we are!

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    1. Hello! Nice to hear from a fellow Missourian! :)

      I'm so glad you're enjoying my posts. We are absolutely loving it out here in the country. I just wish we had moved sooner!

      I found your blog through your profile and I'm now a follower! Lots of great information. Really enjoying your posts on preserving!

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    2. That is so true! I bought some freeze dried meal worms as a treat for my month old ducklings and goslings to celebrate my return from vacation, thinking they would LOVE them. They didn't. My older girls coming running whenever I approach since I usually have some kind of scraps for their pleasure. I finally sprinkled it in with their feed and they decided it wasn't too bad. I can't wait to make yogurt from the goat's milk and give them a taste of THAT!

      Sonja Twombly of
      http://lallybrochfarms.blogspot.com/

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    3. So funny! I guess all little ones are scared of treats at first. I bet they will love the goat's milk yogurt!

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