Ever since I got home from my trip, on the nicer evenings Cricket can be seen doing this:
Do you have an idea what she is looking at? Her nose is twitching as well and we figured out that she was watching the chickens in their new little yard.
She would spend quite a long time just standing there watching them. We decided she might be ready to meet them, so we put her on a leash and walked her over there. We wondered how they would all react. The truth? It was kind of anti-climatic. Once we got her over there, she didn’t pay much attention to the chickens at all! They were curious about her, and not afraid. One of the reasons we have hesitated to introduce the dogs to them was that we didn’t want to scare them. Cricket was so disinterested they weren’t scared at all of her.
It is wise to be cautious with dogs and chickens, because dogs can be predators to them. Since we plan to free range ours once they’re grown up, we hope that the dogs will be OK with them. The dogs are always safely inside their yard or on a leash, but we don’t want Luke to be barking every time he sees them.
Luke has joined his sister in watching them from the deck, but hasn’t shown much interest really. Luke reacts to just about everything, so we want to be especially cautious with him. I think it’s best to let him get a bit used to them from a distance, and to take him closer more gradually than we did with Cricket. We will let you know how it goes when it happens, which should be soon!
Meanwhile, the chicks are loving their new coop and yard! They have places to roost inside the coop, and we give them different vegetables, fruits, and weeds to play with at times.
They come outside as they please (when we’re home). They were quite cautious at first but seem to be coming out more and more all the time. They are so fun to watch. They dart and fly around (lowly), and tend to copy each other. If one comes out, others will follow, and if one runs back in suddenly, most times the others will as well!
They have their favorite spot just outside their door where they like to take “dust baths”. Sometimes they get so dug down in the hole, we have to make them move to make sure they’re OK!
It is fun to see them sticking together as seen below. When it’s cooler you think they might huddle together for warmth, but they do this even when it’s warm. It’s good to know they all get along well; especially since we had some issues when they were still in the house. Luckily those issues were resolved once we expanded their space and separated some for a bit.
For now, we’ll do our best to keep them healthy, growing and safe, and hopefully we’ll be seeing some of those fresh eggs by autumn!
Nice photos of the chickens. Does it cost a lot to feed them?
We buy the more expensive organic food, but still it hasn’t been bad. I think we’re only on our 3rd bag now. Plus now that they are free ranging, they won’t eat nearly as much feed.
I think it would be fun to have chickens, but I also wonder if they are a lot of work. I’m glad that Cricket wasn’t too interested in them. I think Theo would be super interested in them at first, but I’m not sure.
To be honest, they really were a lot of work when they were young (but you can buy them older too). But once we got them out to the coop, it got a lot easier. But they still have to always have fresh food and water, and the coop has to be cleaned. Plus, once they’re free ranging, they may have to be rounded up at night to get them inside! Not a lot of work, but enough to consider.
They are so fun! I love that Cricket didn’t pay them any attention. I’m not sure what my girls would think of chickens–Barley is terrified of most birds (except the Canada Geese that she’d help her grandpa chase out of the yard), so I can’t imagine her having any interest in getting close to a large group of birds. Rye, on the other hand, loves to chase birds off our bird feeder, so she might think they were fun toys for her.
Luke has always been a bit of a bird chaser too, so I think we’ll be keeping him at a distance for a while!
Chickens! I would love to have some, but live in town and they won’t change the law. 🙁 Glad your dogs aren’t too interested in them.
Thanks for joining the Pet Blogger Showcase!
We are very lucky to live in a town where we can pretty much do whatever we want. 🙂
You have The Chicken Channel? EVER LUCKY! We have Bird TV, The Crow Show, and of course, The Squirrel Escapades, but I’ve never even heard of The Chicken Channel before. Bet it’s super fun. I wonder if our cable provider carries it.
Hmmm…
Oh Peepers….
PURRS.
Yes, the Chicken Channel is very fun! You should definitely see if your cable provider carries it. If not, we would call right up and demand it! 🙂
Very true what you say about dogs and chickens. My friends new dog, a re-homed rescue dog found chickens too much of a game and killed the cock as soon as got the chance. Now the dog and chickens don’t get the chance to come into contact with each other.
Purr, ERin
Thank you for confirming that I am wise to be cautious!
A friend bought a bunch of turkeys, to let them wander the property. She heard they are great at ridding the yard of ticks.
We have heard this of chickens too, and hope that will be another benefit to having them. We’ve also heard Guinea hens can do the same, plus help to protect the chickens from predators, so we are thinking about getting a couple of them too. 🙂
Back a second time for the Showcase … thank you for linking up 🙂
You’re welcome…thanks for coming by again! ♥
Sounds like everyone got properly socialized! ????
Wow, they are very pretty! I’m glad that Cricket wasn’t too interested. I don’t think that I’d ever trust my Labs with chickens. They both have strong prey instincts so they might be fine if the chicken were sitting still but they might turn into super predators as soon as the chickens started moving.
Yes, that’s exactly what I worry about with Luke. I did take him out there, and he saw them and started straining on the leash. So I didn’t let him get any closer, and told him “leave it” and at least he never barked, and we kept it short. So maybe there’s hope, we’ll just keep taking it slow.
They’re so pretty! Interesting that Cricket wasn’t all that into them when she got up close.
I know – it really surprised me!
We would probably leave them alone too once we realized they were just birds. Katie had a thing for chickens. She caught one once, but Mom got it out of her mouth. They sure change fast, that’s for sure!
Luke shows interest in birds, barking at the wild turkeys when they go through the yard, but Cricket on her own doesn’t pay them much attention (though she will bark if he barks).
Nice chicken digs. If Cricket is calm around the chickens will that help Luke be less reactive?
I don’t know. It could go the opposite way, if Luke barked then Cricket might too! But then again, if he didn’t get her attention he might lose interest.
great!!
Cricket you good girl! The pictures of the chickens are fabulous.
Very pretty chickens. I have always wanted to get chickens, but there are a lot of coyotes around and I don’t want to attract them because some neighbors let their cats outside.
That is very thoughtful and unselfish of you. Not all people would think that way. ♥
Erm … Cricket?!? I’ll trade you some of my Momma’s stuffed animals for some of your tasty … I mean BEAUTIFUL … whole chickens! ~Bear Cat
ps – from Momma … YAAAAAAY!!! They are so beautiful! I’ve never seen such rich color … the chicks are VIBRANT!
Mmmm….we wondered what you might think about our chickens, Bear Cat! I almost expected you to be packing your bags and ask if you could move in with us. 🙂
Momma – thank you! They really are pretty, and more so the more their feathers come in.
We have fun seeing them too Cricket, they sure are enjoying themselves!
Oh how cute!! I am sure you are going to be great with them! They are pretty chicks too!
Wow they are getting big fast!!
If anyone can free range chickens and have dogs, my money is on you. I’m sure that clicker will come in handy when the time comes!
Thank you! Yes, I imagine the clicker might get quite the work out. 🙂
Oh Cricket, those things are really going to keep you busy
Lily & Edward
Have you given them all names?
I wondered how the dogs would react, kind of funny but good I guess that Cricket just accepts them as is. Hopefully Luke will do the same.
Well, pretty much nothing is easy with Luke, so at least I’m mentally prepared for that. LOL
I can’t tell them apart enough to give them all names. So far I’ve only named two – one of the Golden Comets, whose coloring is darker than the other 3, is named “Betty Boop”, and one of the Reds, who is kind of the runt, I call “Raquael”.
No rhyme or reason to those names….they just came to me. 🙂
I remember when our neighbors had their chickens (in a converted rabbit hutch) – Callie and Shadow would lay next to our mutual fence and watch them constantly. And those crazy chickens would run around their yard, pecking at their bulldog’s head. Poor Lulu just put up with it. ????
Oh no! It might be best to keep them separate anyway then. They certainly peck at us enough! 🙂
They are awesome. So much fun!
They are really pretty! I’m glad that Cricket was a good girl around them and they didn’t care about her. I’m sure they are funny to watch.
They’re beautiful! Maybe starting them off in the house with the pups helped get them all used to each other? You have a happy little brood there! 🙂
They are happy! The dogs never really saw the chicks when they were in the house, because I didn’t want them barking at them and scaring them. (they’re easily scared even now that they’re older!)
great that the chickens are “just there” and she accepted them as a part of her life :o) it’s true we have to be careful at the furst meet&great that it becomes no meat&greed :O) …and chickens are not always harmless, one pecked in phennys nose as he had his sniffer to close once LOL
Oh goodness, I can’t imagine either dog taking it very well if they got pecked in the nose! They’d probably never go near them again though! 🙂