Confounded by Sicilian buttercup chicks shunning their heat cave

[BigBlueHen53]

That poor little Dom looks more like a little barn owl than a hen. These hard molters can sure look pathetic.

Two nights in the house had a positive effect on her. I let her sleep in the coop with the others last night and again tonight because she had a full crop at bedtime and was nice and active again, joining the troops when I tossed out scratch, worms and BOSS about 3:30 in the afternoon. The previous three or four afternoons before that she had not, but had huddled off by herself looking miserable. I'll continue to keep an eye on her.

 

[azygous]

Since I don't think I've mentioned it before, I will now in order to document it. One of the two Buttercups has developed a distinct set of spurs while the other has none whatsoever.

It's the smaller one, Shorty, that has a nice set of sickle shaped spurs. I'll try to post a photo later.

In itself, it's not unusual as I have had several hens in my flock who have had spurs. It's just a curiosity that one Buttercup would develop this secondary sexual characteristic and not the other one, and even more curious that it would be the smaller of the two to do so.

Nature is weird.

 

[azygous]

 

[AntiqueB]

They certainly get around, don't they!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

View attachment 3720461

She's quite fashionable and the spurs suit her!
She's just adorable

 

[BigBlueHen53]

She's beautiful! And those are some kick-ass spurs!