A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[KF0002]

Here is my lighter Painted hen.

And here is the Slate Painted hen. The Slate Painted are so light in their markings they look nearly white.

Pardon the dinginess of their feathers. Kentucky is a muddy state in the Fall, Winter, and early Spring.

 

[Amer]

Finally got a decent pic of this painted hen. I had her in a holding pen for a few days but she is back with the others now. I was worried she was egg bound but she is just extra “squatty” with spring hormones. She is a very gentle girl. The painted birds are all extremely docile, even with little handling.

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I had a royal palm hen who was very squatty as well and I remember the first times she did it, I thought there was something wrong with her because she'd sit on the ground all demure and flat.
Her name became Pancake because she was so flat.
Unfortunately the name turned out to be prophetic.
She found a secret place to nest in the hay field (futility, we had no tom) and only a few days after that started the hay chopper came through and she got hit. She was injured but we thought she would pull through. But unfortunately, she died of her injuries a week later.
It's too bad, she was my favorite bird ever. RIP Pancake.

 

[KF0002]

I had a royal palm hen who was very squatty as well and I remember the first times she did it, I thought there was something wrong with her because she'd sit on the ground all demure and flat.
Her name became Pancake because she was so flat.
Unfortunately the name turned out to be prophetic.
She found a secret place to nest in the hay field (futility, we had no tom) and only a few days after that started the hay chopper came through and she got hit. She was injured but we thought she would pull through. But unfortunately, she died of her injuries a week later.
It's too bad, she was my favorite bird ever. RIP Pancake.

Oh no! That is so tragic!! I am so sorry about Pancake. Poor thing!

I spoke with the original breeder of the Painted variety in Australia, Daryl Deutscher, and he says they are particularly extra squatty. I have one who, everytime she sees me or my husband, she assumes the position. But yes flat and demure describes it well!

 

[KF0002]

I changed my username. I just wanted to let you all know.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Good morning everyone! I'm getting ready to head out and feed everyone but thought I would drop in and say that Miss Sweet Pea is still around. She's 10 now and I have to help her off the roost every morning and set her out in the run. She has to have arthritis in those old legs. She hobbles around like a meat bird at its popping point. There are days that I wonder if I should put her down, just because she looks so sore but then I see her in a pile of dirt, throwing it all around her or just laying in the grass in the sun with her eyes closed, soaking it in. She's still very healthy besides her sore legs. I need to get some pictures of her to share. But not today. Today is yucky and rainy out. She'll be hanging out in the run all day for sure.

 

[KF0002]

Good morning everyone! I'm getting ready to head out and feed everyone but thought I would drop in and say that Miss Sweet Pea is still around. She's 10 now and I have to help her off the roost every morning and set her out in the run. She has to have arthritis in those old legs. She hobbles around like a meat bird at its popping point. There are days that I wonder if I should put her down, just because she looks so sore but then I see her in a pile of dirt, throwing it all around her or just laying in the grass in the sun with her eyes closed, soaking it in. She's still very healthy besides her sore legs. I need to get some pictures of her to share. But not today. Today is yucky and rainy out. She'll be hanging out in the run all day for sure.

We have had several old chickens over the years, usually old breeders we become fond of. But as long as they can get around and seem healthy we just let them be. Once they start acting decrepid we put them down. As long as she has quality of life, I find no fault in just letting her live out the rest of her days.

 

[KF0002]

Watched this painted hen lay an egg. Not in the many available nesting areas with nice comfy straw, but on the bare dirt floor of their house. Some have more (or less) instinct than others I guess. lol

 

[R2elk]

Watched this painted hen lay an egg. Not in the many available nesting areas with nice comfy straw, but on the bare dirt floor of their house. Some have more (or less) instinct than others I guess. lol

When they first start laying, they may drop their eggs anywhere until they figure out what's going on.

One year I kept finding a turkey egg in the same place on the grass almost daily. One day I saw what was going on. She was laying her egg as she walked along with just a brief pause as the egg dropped and she went on her merry way. She eventually figured it out and made her own hidden nest.

 

[KF0002]

When they first start laying, they may drop their eggs anywhere until they figure out what's going on.

One year I kept finding a turkey egg in the same place on the grass almost daily. One day I saw what was going on. She was laying her egg as she walked along with just a brief pause as the egg dropped and she went on her merry way. She eventually figured it out and made her own hidden nest.

She just recently started laying, so hopefully they start using the nesting areas eventually. I have been collecting eggs from this pen for about 2-3 weeks, and none of them have gotten the hang of laying yet. They are doing like you said, dropping them wherever they are standing.

On the other hand, my Grizzled Black hen has laid her eggs in an actual nest from day 1, and has already tried to go broody this year. I had to break her up, and just put her back in with the tom so she hopefully she starts laying again soon. I begged the Grizzled Chocolate hen to go broody and sit on her own eggs last year and she refused. Then when you want them to keep laying, they go broody. They literally do the opposite of what you want them to do on purpose I think. lol

 

[R2elk]