My little flock are happy campers. They have been with us now for just short of a year, their flock dynamics are very settled and they are all very reliable layers. Blue in particular loves hanging out with us - hates being touched - but enjoys just standing/sitting quietly by our feet for long periods.
Blue had to have a bath the other week - she had a really mucky butt and we were worried the flies wouldn't be able to resist it. Neil is not so confident handling the girls but he had to on this occasion; I caught her and showed him how to hold her in the washing up bowl. I had the job of cleaning her up - poor girl was most affronted by the assault on her dignity.
And we have an infestation of red mite. Oh my lord, they were everywhere. I stripped the coop out completely; all the sand in the droppings tray, all the pine shavings, aired it all out and put DE all around it. Thought I'd got them, and then a week or so later, they were back in their thousands. My poor girls.
We have now ordered a new coop, this time made of 100% recycled plastic, which should help a lot, especially as I will be able to thoroughly disinfect it much more easily than a wooden coop. In the meantime, we are keeping up with the DE and keeping the coop opened up as much as we can. The girls are allowed out everyday for hours at a time now, so they do get away from the pests.
