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That's so cool!! I guess that's why they use feathers to insulate winter coats too! We do snow blow paths for the dogs already, so we'll add a few more for the chickens! I saw on a chicken forum that someone suggested tossing some straw down on snowy areas for them to walk on - that seems like a good idea too!

Eeeeee!! So exciting @laritheloud your little variety of eggs is super pretty so far!! I had the chickens out a ton today, no odd behavior or anything out of the ordinary that I can see, so maybe we are still a ways off! I think I just need to be patient. Even my neighbors (who have all enjoyed coming to visit the chickens for months now) are like "any eggs yet?" It's reminding me of when I was pregnant close to my due date, when everyone would ask every 2 seconds "any baby yet?" 😂 We did get some coop chores done today, and have started gathering supplies for winter. I picked up a couple heated waterers, and we ordered the plastic wrap and poly carbonate sheets which we will put up around the run to keep drafts down. I am not planning to heat the coop as I want the birds to naturally acclimate, but do have a couple heat panels ready to use for any longer stretches of sub-zero temps... Hubby and I are VERY anxious about our first winter, where we live gets VERY cold and snowy, and we just love these dumb birds. So hopefully all goes smoothly and we will be OK. If anyone has advice or a supply list they make sure to have on hand, please feel free to share... We are planning: -Some extra (chicken safe) insulation on the coop walls -Deep litter method is already underway from summer - and adding additional straw to coop -Wrapping the exterior of the run to keep drafts and snow/moisture out -Heated waterers so water wont freeze -Warmed food, and snacks like oatmeal and warm corn/extra carbs for higher body temps -Heat panels ready to use if we have sub zero temps -already monitoring temp & humidity inside and outside the coop and run, so that will continue -2x4 roosts turned on the wide side for extra comfy feet, and I may even wrap with scraps of fabric for the winter for extra warmth and snuggliness... To say they are spoiled would be an understatement! 😂 But fall at the coop is looking pretty! I want to get a few more pumpkins, which will eventually become a chicken snack! 🎃

YES!! Salmon Faverolles are high on my wish list as well!! I hear they are full of personality. I want to get a good idea for what my egg colors look like, and add breeds to give lots of egg color variety. I know I will add at least one dark brown egg layer, and maybe an olive egger too! Otherwise, I may get a few more orpingtons, because honestly they are just the sweetest chickens ever. This picture from the other day had me laughing... it was raining out, and they were mad I wasn't letting them out into the yard... My lavendar (below) is closest to being ready to lay I think... She is the biggest of all the girls, has a big red comb, regularly does the egg song, and is starting to squat!

Hi Everyone!! YAY @laritheloud That is so exciting! Congrats!! 🥳 I am not sure it gets more rewarding than raising these girls from babies, learning how to care for them, giving them everything they need, and then collecting your eggs! We are still waiting here too! A few of our girls are showing signs that it might be soon (squatting, going in and out of the nesting boxes, etc). I hope we get a few girls laying before it starts to get too cold and they slow down. Though I have read they can sometimes lay all through their first winter too, so I guess we will see! @Hobbit I'm so sorry to hear you lost one of your flock. 😢. Sending virtual hugs to you! Thank you for sharing that information about the vet, I wouldn't have thought that either, but I agree I would rather it be dome humanely with the vet than any other method. I am so attached to my girls now that I can't imagine losing any of them, so I don't look forward to having to make those hard decisions, though I know with any pets it is usually inevitable. As for our update - our flock of 7 are doing really well! It is starting to get cold in New England at night time (and even during the day, today's high temp is only in the 50's!!) so I am of course stressing about winter and leaving these sweet birds outside. 😂 But we will get through it. I've been gathering all of my supplies to winterize the run and get as prepared as I can. We have also started prepping the area that will soon become the run extension/chicken yard. I think I want to build a few chicken tunnels around the backyard too. We are definitely becoming crazy chicken people, but thankfully my husband is just as into them as I am. I am planning to add at least 4 more babies to my flock next spring, thinking about trying to hatch from eggs this time, but we'll see... Anyone else expanding? Chicken math has gotten me BAD. 😂

UGH... YES, this heatwave is miserable!! Fingers crossed it happens for you guys soon! We are going to open our nesting boxes up in the next week or 2, but I expect it might be closer to early/mid September before we see any eggs. We have one that is already doing an egg song like sound, but it seems to be only when she gets spooked by something (my dogs walking by, usually) 😂

Thanks all for making me feel better! ❤️ The overall system is on our backup generator for power outages since we live in a cold climate. But when I am the power outage, I guess it's a little different. 😂 It would have been out a little over 10 hours total. I will test parameters tonight!

Ugh. I did a water change last night and stopped my filter... Water change went fine, cleaned up, closed up the tank, and went to veg on the couch, then went to bed...... This morning I thankfully noticed things seemed "calmer" than usual in there, no plant movement etc. [insert panic here.] Got everything up and running again and so far the fish seem ok - I had one angel who was hiding, but she is back out swimming around now. I'm really kicking myself!! 😩 Feeling like the worst fish mom ever, what a DUMB move! Anyone else done this? Was everything OK after?

Swooping in with a little update! The girls are now 12 weeks old and nearing full size, I would think. They are still working on growing those combs and wattles, and their "voices" are starting to change from little baby peepers to grown ass chicken ladies. I think we are still about a month or more away from having fresh eggs, but I am in no rush. We are going to open the nesting boxes up in about 2-3 more weeks. We started letting them "free range" inside our fenced in back yard space a couple weeks ago, and they are really loving it! We have a large, overgrown patch of raspberries in the back yard that they are LOVING pecking through. They gobble up the raspberries fresh off the bush. Here's our sweetest girl, Tammy - she is the cuddliest and most docile chicken ever! Our mean-mugger Brandy who is actually quite the lap chicken as well, but is really only interested in food, not love. LOL. And Miss Matilda, who always looks this terrified, but we love her all the same. 😂 Anyone getting any eggs yet from this years babies??

😍 TOO FUNNY! I didn't realize they had a tall boot option, but I am definitely going to get some for the winter months!!

No copper that I am aware of, I will look more closely at all of the foods. And at least as far as I've observed, no problems with the fish. And no meds or salt in the tank (outside of co-op plant ferts, and prime at water changes) we do all of the meds and other stuff in the QT tank. Temp is a bit harder, since I am also keeping fish in there. It may be something to consider not keeping them together, you are right. 😞 Exactly what I was thinking!! I love using up food waste, so this is right up my alley! My next question though is going to be, will the extra calcium hurt my pleco, because I am rather attached to him as well, and he noms the repashy hard. 🙂

Holy crap!!! How did I never think of this?? I've been very focused on the calcium in the water, but not in the diet!! Do you think this could be why? We have added liquid calcium to help raise the calcium in the water, but I've never added it to the rapashy, or given them a banquet block! 😞 I assume they must be getting a little from the veggies, but not enough it seems. Thanks so much @Guppysnail and @CJs Aquatics!!! Maybe I can get it right this time!

OK!! this makes sense, because some of the ones I got from big box store were small, so I assumed they were babies... They were the first that died of this batch!

It's a mystery! Pun intended... 😉 Temp is set at 79 which based on google is a good spot for everyone? I've bought both batches of them from different places. One batch came from my reputable LFS, the other came from a bigger pet store. I know mystery snails don't have a super long life expectancy, I suppose it's possible I am buying "middle age" snails that are then dying a few months later?

Ugh, aren't families the worst? 😂 I'm so sorry you are going through this. Stay connected to your fiance and find humorous ways to deal with the stress (the eye-roll emoji is your friend.) And as everyone else already said - stay the course and do what YOU (and your partner) want to do. ❤️ With 40ish years and 2 marriages under my belt (LOL, son't I sound fun?) I will tell you this... 1st marriage we eloped... 2nd marriage, we had a medium-ish sized wedding.... BOTH scenarios had major drama that were not started by or involving myself and my partner. For the love of all that is good in the world, people can't seem to understand that the day is not about them, and act accordingly. For my 3rd wedding we will set up a fish tank together and never tell anyone. 😉 (joking of course, still happily married to #2.) Rooting for you, @Hannah Parker

and sorry - to clarify on Calcium... I measured 4 drops to change color, which translates to 80 mg/L (ppm) Calcium (Ca2+) on the included chart.

After 2 "failed" tries with mystery snails, I am trying to adjust and do better. I love the little derpy guys and want to continue to keep them in my big tank. They are doing "ok" but do not seem to be thriving. I will get a batch of 8, and end up with only like 1 or 2 that survive after about 6 months or so. None of them ever lay eggs (which isn't a big deal, but tells me they aren't happy here?). Regular water parameters are all good and stable, below are what I think are the important parameters to review, but let me know if I am missing anything: pH - 7.5 (so we realize we are on the lower end for mystery snails) gH - usually around a 10, never below an 8 kH - 6. (is this too low for mysteries? And if so, will raising it make it too high for the fish?) Calcium is really hard to measure. Last time I had it at a 4 using the API kit which is really for salt/water (not sure if that matters or if it is accurate?) I have lots of plants in the tank, and in addition to good quality daily pellets and flake foods, I am using repashy a few times a week, and also tossing in blanched veggies a few times a week. My fear is always that the snails are not getting enough food? I never have problems with algae in this tank (knocking on everything wood around me), so they are doing a great job keeping on top of that. Thanks in advance for any insight!

YES to this!! Kids & I all got these slip on sloggers which are working pretty well for going in and out of the coop. We have a dedicated boot tray for them in our mudroom. I think I might get a pair of actual muck boots or the bog boots for the winter though because that will be better for trudging through snow to get to the coop. My kids are older (16 and 19) so I don't do much for any extra protection. They are old enough to be cautious, and are generally pretty good with animals. I do obsess about hand hygiene, but that was already happening way before chickens (and even the pandemic) so they are very well trained to wash wash wash. 🙂 After 20 years working in a medical lab, you become a germaphobe about certain things... @laritheloud how exciting that your flock already got an upgrade! It is a lot of work - but its so rewarding to see them so happy in it after!! Share some pics! I am really wanting to let them out to free range a bit, but with HPAI in our wild bird populations up here, I am really too nervous to do so. The run will have to do for now!! Hopefully by late summer/fall we will be in the clear for free ranging again!! 😂 After the "freckle incident" I do not think I would be willing to go this far for tick removal, Torrey, hahahahaha!! It is a really good idea for the dogs though. We are working on desensitizing the dogs to the chickens, so maybe someday they can be tick patrol for their furry siblings. I have a feeling chicken leashes are in our future here... 😂 My kids discovered them on amazon not long ago and are already pestering me to get some... Honestly, we live on a dead-end street with mostly elderly neighbors who would LOVE this kind of entertainment, so we might give it a shot. Honestly - I have enjoyed having my little flock so much these past couple months. They are so much entertainment, they draw us outside more and more every day, and taking care of them is giving me joy as my actual children grow up and "fly the coop" on their own.

You are NOT kidding about their beaks. I have a freckle on the back of my arm, and once in a while if I am not paying attention a chicken will sneak up behind me and do what I can only describe as a "titty twister" (sorry if not appropriate, but its the exact right visual explanation) 😂 on my freckle... I've also learned the hard way that flip flops are a no no. 😂

OUCH, and YES!! I have a weird "phobia" about eyeballs in general, and I have read so many stories of people being in the ER because their chicken pecked them in the eye... To say I am super paranoid about it is an understatement. 😂 If you are anywhere near my coop you will hear me shouting "DON'T MAKE EYE CONTACT" at my kids and husband with regularity. 😂

Your ladies look like actual hens now @laritheloud - I love it! Yes, I joined the backyard chicken forum. It's funny, I noticed there is a "fish keepers" thread over there, and there is a "chicken keepers" thread here... Animal Lovers really are the best people! 🙂 We haven't done any supervised free ranging time yet, but we will soon, I think. Their recall is coming along well, and they will RUN to me for the black soldier fly treats, so I know I can gather them pretty easily at least. They have been outside full time in their coop and run for a little more than a week now. Wehave been having a spring cold snap in New England, so the nights still get down into the low 40's at times - which has made me worry a bit. Last night was possibly going to get as low as 39F, so I did put the radiant heat panel in for my own peace of mind (they're still only 7 weeks old, and according to the "charts" need to be warmer than 50F). This morning I saw them all huddled up near it, so I think it was the right call. The coop never got below 65F with the heater on, so they were mostly comfortable at least! But - they've done SO well otherwise. They are even roosting, and have "put themselves to bed" a couple times. On occasion they still need a little nudge into the door. They've gotten SO friendly - even our more skittish ones are now starting to hop on laps and enjoy pats and neck scratches. I love when they hop up on my foot and take a nap. 🙂 They also like to sit in the window and wait for me to let them out in the morning, LOL! Added some cute solar lanterns, and a light in the coop to help them know where to go when it gets dark... Love to see them sleeping with their necks dangling, LOL! Weirdos! And of course, the hubby who did all that incredible building - his ladies are very appreciative!!

Thank you @Jawjagrrl! Your Brownie is so pretty! 😍 I love her coloring. I have an Ameraucana that I think is going to be similarly colored, though she has more of a light orange neck & head. It's so fun watching them change as they feather out. I just freaken love them! They all have different personalities and are so fun to watch. Here are a couple photos from today, and a picture I took out in the run the first time they all went under the coop (into what shall now be known at the chicken spa) and took dust baths.

This sounds amazing @Rebekaacres share some pics if you can!!

hahaha!! Yes - those chairs are only there temporarily, we were sitting in the run during work breaks yesterday because it was nice and shady!

snails doing..... literally anything, hahaha. And for some reason I like seeing how quick my plecos can find the food I put in for them... I try to drop food/wafers in spots that will be hard to find, and still they find them in seconds every time!

Here's my latest update! We busted our butts over the long weekend, and are SO close to having this project "complete." I say that vaguely, because I feel like this is always something hubs and I will be tinkering with. But, if I never have to shovel crushed granite again, it will be too soon... 😂 Run still needs: shingles, a door, and one small panel of hardware cloth. Chairs are only in there temporarily... We had blocked off the door and let the girls "test run" with a supervised field trip! Coop still needs quite a bit of finishing work, mostly finicky stuff - but we should be able to get it done in a day or two (hopefully next weekend!) And here are the girls trying out the run! 😍 https://streamable.com/19ampj