Companihens chickens

[Companihen]

Estella, Minnie and Toenails are still faithful layers. Percy is showing lots of attention to Polka and Prue and mating them several times a day now. And I've also seen polka and prue checking out the eglu house where the others lay. So I wonder if they'll start again soon.

Cleopatra is molting, she doesn't look terrible but doesn't leave the run much and goes up to bed before 3. Percy tries to stay with her but when she goes to roost he dashes out into the garden to enjoy a bit of ranging!

Everyone else is looking pretty healthy atm and enjoying the garden when it's not raining. They mainly stay with Armand and Percy is up in the run with Cleopatra. Pepin and Pinch of course so entirely their own thing and follow nobodies rules.

 

[Companihen]

Taking scraps up and opening them to the garden this morning. Cleopatra dust bathing and wasnt interested in scraps. Everyone else lively. Worried about a possible pussy sore on Toenails foot. And but of selling near it between 2 toes. Couldn't get a picture as she wasn't still but ill have a look properly when she comes to the back door. no limping at all but pinch was pecking it at one point

 

[Companihen]

Toenails feet are fine, just the usual bent backwards toes... must have just been some dirt or something!

Armand leading the polish where they shouldn't be.

Little cleopatra just sitting, with Percy nearby.

And black who is molting.

 

[Companihen]

Either Pepin or Pinch (the white polish hens) laid today. Lovely to see their small very white eggs in the mix again. 6 eggs today, Minnie, Estelle and Toenails lay the brown, then it's Grey's egg, then Esmereldas and then either Pepin or Pinch's

 

[Companihen]

Gardening with my assistants today! Percy really does not escort the hens or have much to do with them at all atm. He seems to leave it all to Armand who looks after them around the garden and walks them to and from the run. Not sure why this is. Percy doesn't appear unwell or injured but he looks very much second in command to Armand. No aminosity between them and no fighting either.

Nice to see grey and Minnie enjoying... or enduring each other's company today. Armand has such a messy tail he should be ashamed. Percy's is very smart atm, should have taken a picture today, the green was very iridescent in the sunlight.

All 14 were in the garden but these stayed near me, the others were over the other side of the garden.

 

[Companihen]

Oh Polka... I really didn't want you to start laying behind the wheelbarrow wheel again there are 7 eggboxes you could use

And a few more snaps of them today.

 

[Shadrach]

Polka and Prue settling up for the night

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The wheelbarrow on the right of the image is where they used to lay their eggs, behind the wheel. Interedted to see where they lay when they start again once winters over.

Spring will be interesting, 12 hens the most we've ever had here and 2 cockerels. See how it goes ️

The eglu comes out and down the garden near the house when we move incubated chicks outside. When they don't need the heat plate anymore we move the eglu and chicks into the main run for several weeks with the run closed off. Then we open the run door and everyone meets everyone.

She looks like a hedgehog on a stump.

 

[Companihen]

She looks like a hedgehog on a stump.

yes! They definitely look like hedgehogs

I wish I knew why they favor the tree stump. Even in the minus degrees with the wind howling round the run they stayed up there, I've never seen the pecked out of the house and they're not lowest in pecking order. They could sleep in the eglu house if they wanted too.
They are very camouflaged up there and I am pretty confident the run is fox proof so it's not exactly a concern. Just the cold and wind can't be good for them

 

[Callender Girl]

I just discovered your thread today, and I am totally enjoying it! You have such characters in your flock and great, detailed descriptions of their behaviors. You clearly adore these lovely feathery creatures!

I panicked a bit when I first read about chickens who roosted in stumps. I was concerned that they were out and about, sleeping unprotected. Greatly relieved to see the stump is inside the run.

BTW, I also find some chicken behavior perplexing. I have three Cochin hens who can and will lay eggs in an elevated nest box but NEVER fly up to the provided roost to sleep, preferring to sleep in a cuddly mass on the floor.

I will look forward to flock updates!

 

[Companihen]

I just discovered your thread today, and I am totally enjoying it! You have such characters in your flock and great, detailed descriptions of their behaviors. You clearly adore these lovely feathery creatures!

I panicked a bit when I first read about chickens who roosted in stumps. I was concerned that they were out and about, sleeping unprotected. Greatly relieved to see the stump is inside the run.

BTW, I also find some chicken behavior perplexing. I have three Cochin hens who can and will lay eggs in an elevated nest box but NEVER fly up to the provided roost to sleep, preferring to sleep in a cuddly mass on the floor.

I will look forward to flock updates!

Thanks for chipping in

Yes I am pretty confident that the frizzles are safe in the run. We built the run around the dead plum tree as it made a good perching place. Unfortunately some of the other branches have snapped off!