Just remember lovely. Just remember lovely. I have to repeat that to myself as Diana took another taste of my finger. Ouch!
Mine aren't too rough with me... except Buttercup has a hard, aggressive peck when it comes to food! What's hard is when they are young and suddenly see something interesting on your face. I've learned to recognize that sudden, intense stare and quickly squeeze my eyes closed. LOL.
 
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I have to make an off-topic post. I'm actually on a computer, so will have to pay the tax afterward from my phone (which is in the bedroom with a sleeping husband, so it will be later).

All of my tomato plants look happy. Just sayin'! I'm really hopeful for a good harvest. However, something took a significant chunk out of a sarong I had out there for shade... which means something is making a nest. I've only seen mice do this around here (using human fabric for nests), but I'm wondering if I should start putting out rat traps already, just in case. Last year they RAVAGED my tomatoes to the the point that I barely got to taste a couple varieties. I don't like killing ANY creatures, but did end up killing about 8 rats in the garden. That combined with destroying their habitat (the project when I poked my eye) took care of the problem. Today they was blood-colored liquid pooled with the dew on top of the metal chicken feed trash can... a sure sign of rodents. Ugh!:he
 
I had forgotten about Bowerbirds. Thanks for reminding me! 🥰
Satin Bowerbirds visit us quite often. We get lots of females and/or juvenile males (I can't tell the difference) and sometimes adult males. I even found the beginnings of a bower in the backyard once but the chooks scratched it apart. ☹️

Female (or juvenile male)
View attachment 2670343

Adult male
View attachment 2670347

Good bye darlings. 😢 ❤️

Hope you are ok Blazinga. :hugs:hugs
I wanted to comment on this last night, but got tired and went to bed. Are these really PURPLE eyes? So cool!
 
I wanted to comment on this last night, but got tired and went to bed. Are these really PURPLE eyes? So cool!
Yes, I saw that too. These photos were from the interwebs. I have never gotten close enough to a Bowerbird in real life to see the colour of their eyes.

Now I want to sneak up on some....
 
Flock Size for Space

Bob, you have mentioned that you would love more chickens, but your space isn't set up for that. I applaud you. I find I have probably "maxed out" my space. While I don't see behavioral issues, I feel their health might be compromised if I crammed more in there. In California, they spend little time in the coop. The main coop is 5x5 (and taller than me) and the upper level is 3x5, plus I have that area underneath, which I call the sun room, which is also 3x5, but I don't count it in my coop square footage. That's about 3 sq. ft. of coop space per bird, which seems tight, but they pretty much only sleep and lay in there (they will pile in when there is a bad storm, but I put plastic around part of the run, which has a pitched tarp over it). There are 4x 5-foot roosts, plus two shorter ones in the back corners of the main coop, which ends up being about 2 feet of roost space per bird (they are usually pretty spread out, but there are two "favorite" roosts. Bridge decides who gets to roost up top with her, so there are usually only two birds up there).

The run is 16x10 plus 12.5x8, which works out to about 20 sq. ft. per bird. They get to free range pretty much every day after work, except for the shortest days of winter when I just can't get home before dark. So that ranges from only about 15 minutes in winter to sometimes 4 hours in summer, and pretty much almost all day most weekend days.

I once read that it's not good for chickens to live on the same ground for long periods of time, and that makes sense to me. I like to rotate the litter... take the stuff in the uncovered side of the run, scatter it around the yard, transfer the dry side of the run to the side I just emptied, and empty the coop litter into the dry side. In the fall, I also add LOTS of leaves to both sides for them to play in, and as you know, treat them to 50 pounds of rice hulls on either (or both!) side(s) periodically. The leaves, rice hulls and litter (I use pine shavings for bedding) provide a great material for them to scratch in and is great for the garden months down the road after the manure has broken down (I use it UNDER the potting & raised bed mix).

The coop (and even the little, red grow-out coop) is/are pretty dirty right now. I need a couple hot, dry days, as I'd like to not only completely empty the litter, scrape off poop and vacuum dust, but I'd like to scrub things down with a vinegar wash. This probably won't happen until June.

Anyway, it seems like Bridge (5) is my most robust bird, followed by the 4-year olds (except Ruby with her issues). Why don't the 2-year-olds seem as healthy as the older birds? I can see why the pullets don't... they are bottom of the pecking order.

Does anyone else see this trend? That the older ones actually seem healthier than the younger ones? That's why I recently treated for worms and coccidiosis. I know some of you own large properties with seemingly unlimited space. If I let me girls free range all day, I would most certainly have significant predator losses, since we have hawks, eagles, great horned owls, raccoons, coyotes, bobcats, fox and mountain lions (and probably others I am forgetting).

I feel a little guilty for maxing out my space. I give them the best life I possibly can (clean water, high-quality organic feed, greens all year, avian veterinary care when needed).

Anyone care to discuss a little? Is that OK, Bob?
 
Thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you! I was extremely hard to leave tonight and I cried on the way home, but I have trust and faith in the hospital and I'll be back in the morning.

Thank you! I'll show him tomorrow

It's been a wild one that's for sure. He is indeed feeling better. He actually had an apatite and ate all his dinner.

Thank you! We'll take all we can get.
I'm glad he ate! I'll be looking for more updates. You are in my loving thoughts! (my form of prayer).
 
I have to make an off-topic post. I'm actually on a computer, so will have to pay the tax afterward from my phone (which is in the bedroom with a sleeping husband, so it will be later).

All of my tomato plants look happy. Just sayin'! I'm really hopeful for a good harvest. However, something took a significant chunk out of a sarong I had out there for shade... which means something is making a nest. I've only seen mice do this around here (using human fabric for nests), but I'm wondering if I should start putting out rat traps already, just in case. Last year they RAVAGED my tomatoes to the the point that I barely got to taste a couple varieties. I don't like killing ANY creatures, but did end up killing about 8 rats in the garden. That combined with destroying their habitat (the project when I poked my eye) took care of the problem. Today they was blood-colored liquid pooled with the dew on top of the metal chicken feed trash can... a sure sign of rodents. Ugh!:he
Kill them. I don't like killing living beings but rats at my house are unacceptable. Get them now before you lose all your tomatoes. I would try to find their warren and go mass distruction.
 

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