Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Livestock Guardian Dogs in training,
My chicks are now 5 1/2 weeks old and are spending their days outside where they have room to run and do the things chicks do, scratch, eat, poop and nap, oh, almost forgot the dust baths. Ayla my 21 months old Anatolian seems to have a pretty good idea what's expected. The first picture shows her next to the chicken pen. 
Before the chicks moved outside during the day Ayla never sat in that spot, and neither did Leydi, now they both take up post there on and off in the morning until there is no more shade. The second picture shows Ayla inside the chicken coop.
The chicks are very unconcerned about Ayla, when I took her into the coop the next time, she laid down and the chicks were all around her, running by and just generally staying close by and checking her out. It is quite amazing to me how she is so calm around them. I do keep her on leash, since I have little control over what these 10 chicks do, I need to make sure that Ayla is under my control until I feel that I can trust her. I already know she isn't trying to hurt them, but I also need to be able to trust her that she will not hurt them in play or by accidentally stepping on them or such.
This is Goldie, my Golden Campine cockerel, he was supposed to be a she, oh well.
Tobi is a Barred Leghorn, she always seeks me out, and will fly up and sit on my hand/arm any chance she gets, she is also the most curious.
Nanuk, my Great Pyrenees, starting to get a little more relaxed about the chicks, so he only gets fence time with them, he has seen our neighbor's grown chickens and never seemed to be interested, so I think his heightened interest is due to the fact that these chicks are very small, noisy and move fast. I am pretty sure he will be okay with them once they get to be adult size. He has never shown any interest in poultry or fowl before.
Leydi has not graduated yet to inside the coop, she has been pretty good with the chicks so far and really shows a lot of interest in them, always wants to come along when I visit the coop. I will probably wait with taking her inside, because she likes to paw at things and if she paws at a baby chick she could hurt it. When they get a little bigger they should be more sturdy.
Sophie, an Ameraucana, she is the biggest chick, I am still holding out hope that she is not a HE.
Ayla looking smart.
Ayla taking a peek at the chicks trying to take a nap.
My chicks are now 5 1/2 weeks old and are spending their days outside where they have room to run and do the things chicks do, scratch, eat, poop and nap, oh, almost forgot the dust baths. Ayla my 21 months old Anatolian seems to have a pretty good idea what's expected. The first picture shows her next to the chicken pen. Before the chicks moved outside during the day Ayla never sat in that spot, and neither did Leydi, now they both take up post there on and off in the morning until there is no more shade. The second picture shows Ayla inside the chicken coop. The chicks are very unconcerned about Ayla, when I took her into the coop the next time, she laid down and the chicks were all around her, running by and just generally staying close by and checking her out. It is quite amazing to me how she is so calm around them. I do keep her on leash, since I have little control over what these 10 chicks do, I need to make sure that Ayla is under my control until I feel that I can trust her. I already know she isn't trying to hurt them, but I also need to be able to trust her that she will not hurt them in play or by accidentally stepping on them or such.
This is Goldie, my Golden Campine cockerel, he was supposed to be a she, oh well.
Tobi is a Barred Leghorn, she always seeks me out, and will fly up and sit on my hand/arm any chance she gets, she is also the most curious.
Nanuk, my Great Pyrenees, starting to get a little more relaxed about the chicks, so he only gets fence time with them, he has seen our neighbor's grown chickens and never seemed to be interested, so I think his heightened interest is due to the fact that these chicks are very small, noisy and move fast. I am pretty sure he will be okay with them once they get to be adult size. He has never shown any interest in poultry or fowl before.
Leydi has not graduated yet to inside the coop, she has been pretty good with the chicks so far and really shows a lot of interest in them, always wants to come along when I visit the coop. I will probably wait with taking her inside, because she likes to paw at things and if she paws at a baby chick she could hurt it. When they get a little bigger they should be more sturdy.
Sophie, an Ameraucana, she is the biggest chick, I am still holding out hope that she is not a HE.
Ayla looking smart.
Ayla taking a peek at the chicks trying to take a nap.// posted by ZaltanaAnatolians @ 8:58 PM 
