BDutch's bantam flock & natural breeding projects #5 🪺 🪺 and #6

[BDutch]

I’m so sorry to read this, and I really didn't expect it. No news by now ?

Unfortunately no. Gone with the wind.

No-one in the neighbourhood has seen her either. I don’t expect to see her ever again.

Its not the first time I loose a chicken this way. I now it’s not safe here for chickens. Other people had even more losses by predators (fox polecat, hawk, buzzard, and maybe even a feral cat or a dog on the loose).

The risk of predation was the only reason why I didn’t want the chicks to free range without supervision.

When a chick, pullet, or chicken is predated or lost of course I feel sad. But to lock up the chickens 24/7 is not nice for them either. They enjoy to free range so very much. But unfortunately it comes with a price.

 

[fluffycrow]

Oh my, I'm so so sorry. I don't know what to say

 

[BDutch]

I am so happy Ini mini started to sleep with the pullets not so long ago.
So cute and reassuring that granny Ini mini and Abby, stick together.

Today I only let 4 chickens free range unsupervised for several hours. Abby, Ini mini and Kraai (she was laying an egg) stayed safe in the run. At the end of the day they all had 40 minutes when I was cleaning up in the garden.

 

[ManueB]

I'm so sorry for Chef . I agree with your choice, locking them up completely, which would be the only way of keeping them completely safe, is very sad. And would probably not be good for their health either. It's such a difficult balance to find.
Yes, it's very reassuring for Abby to see Ini Mini with her, she would certainly feel very lonely otherwise.

 

[ManueB]

How is Abby doing @BDutch ?

 

[BDutch]

Abby and Ini mini became real friends after Chef disappeared. She slept with the pullets before and remained doing so since.

Only at feeding time Abby is not tolerated. Otherwise there is not much of a problem anymore. When they are free ranging Abby stays witin a couple of meters from the flock. Sometimes by herself and sometimes with Ini mini. She doesn’t get much companion from the other chickens.

Abby’s feeding table. (Middle piece of an old outdoor table)

Most scratch is distributed in the main run were Abby won’t go at snack time.

 

[BDutch]

Granny Ini mini and teenager Abby make a sweet couple.

Because I had no mites anymore I reinstalled the poop board in the extension. Also finished the Finecto a week ago. Guess what : yesterday I found a few tiny lice or mite in the corrugated biscuit paper control rolls. They were not red. But found them in several places.
Not sure what to think of it.

Today it was all clean again. Nevertheless I decided to buy new Finecto to make sure my hens are not a tasty bite. And if I find just one red mite the poop board disappears again.

 

[NanaK]

What a sweet photo!

 

[Sequel]

Granny Ini mini and teenager Abby make a sweet couple.

Because I had no mites anymore I reinstalled the poop board in the extension. Also finished the Finecto a week ago. Guess what : yesterday I found a few tiny lice or mite in the corrugated biscuit paper control rolls. They were not red. But found them in several places.
Not sure what to think of it.

Today it was all clean again. Nevertheless I decided to buy new Finecto to make sure my hens are not a tasty bite. And if I find just one red mite the poop board disappears again.

I have some rolls of cardboard in my coop too and so far nothing is living, laying eggs or chewing on them. I did dust with poultry dust though.

 

[BDutch]

Abby and Ini mini sleep in the coop extension with the other chickens. Abby finally overwon her fear and is accepted by the adults now.

Today just one tiny crawling lice or mite in the control rolls. Took away the poop board just to be sure. I didn’t go to the hobby-farmers store for the Finecto because the sky turned black when I wanted to go. A few minutes later we had a heavy rainstorm.