Yesterday, saw both adults (Silver and 2IC: really need to settle on a name for her) going for some shell. Maybe they're getting ready to start laying again. Still look like they have some moulting to finish though. This morning most of the tribe (going with Shad's term for them as my set up is so similar) came up by the house...after curiously watching the mouse I turned loose in the coop when the cat turned up his nose....havent seen that 2IC or Thing (stays in/near the coop). Everyone else, though....
View attachment 2826651Twirp is being her curious self.
View attachment 2826648View attachment 2826649
That second picture is so cute! :love
 
Elizabeth: March 2019 - September 2021. RIP.
Elizabeth died suddenly today. I am sad and will miss her.
Yesterday she was running around happily exploring the long grass.
This morning she was fine, though maybe a but a bit less perky than normal. By 5pm she was clearly not long for this world - her comb was turning cold and blue and she was only semi-conscious, and by 6pm she was gone.
You may remember she had been having trouble putting solid shells on her eggs for quite a while in spite of lots of extra calcium. It wasn't that she laid soft shelled eggs (though she did once) but more that the shells were so thin they would crack on impact. So I imagine the cause of her death was something reproductive.
Being thankful for small mercies, it was at least quick.
Hopefully you don't mind me posting some pictures here as a quick tribute to the lovely Elizabeth.

Baby Elizabeth at the top of the ramp with her bff Maggie (Diana is below)
View attachment 2826051

Inspecting roofing material for the soon-to-be-constructed Chicken Palace
View attachment 2826052

Just chilling
View attachment 2826053

The three sisters
View attachment 2826055

Looking for snacks
View attachment 2826057

Snow!
View attachment 2826059

On alert in the long grass
View attachment 2826061

Admiring herself
View attachment 2826062

Picking the best grass seed
View attachment 2826063

Alert while sunbathing
View attachment 2826064

Hanging out with her bff Maggie
View attachment 2826065

Ice cream!
View attachment 2826066

Selecting the best bug
View attachment 2826067

Looking back at these pictures I think she had a good chicken-life albeit too short.
Farewell Elizabeth, you brought me happiness and were well loved.
Rest in peace.
So sorry to hear that Elizabeth has crossed the rainbow bridge. :hugs
That’s a wonderful series of photos. Thank you for sharing. She had a fabulous life.
 
Bath Time

You ever have to take a bath with your sibling? I imagine with chickens it goes something like this.

They are getting so big! You might have to put the brooder cam up on a brick to get their heads in the picture.
Looks like it’s time to add a pot of dirt to the brooder too! 😆
 
Outside in the Big World

Our trip outside was a huge success. I will post more with video later. I'm going to eat dinner now.

20210908_183556.jpg
 
I have not.

These are the ingredients, as they list them. The comments are their's not mine.

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium): A traditional remedy for gut hygiene, a long history of use for intestinal hygiene.

Walnut (Juglans cinerea): Good liver herb used traditionally to cleanse and to help control intestinal hygiene.

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum): A good remedy to help promote intestinal hygiene.

Garlic (Allium sativum): Good cleanser with a history of use for gut hygiene.

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): Traditionally used to cleanse and help controle intestinal hygiene.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum): Traditionally used to help control intestinal hygiene.

Quassia (Picrasma excelsa): One of natures best known insect repellents, with a long tradition of use for intestinal hygiene.

It is being sold as a preventative, to prevent worms not to cure them. I would not use this if your hens have worms already.

I remember reading something on wormwood and chickens a while back. Let me see if I can find it again.

Perhaps @Shadrach has some knowledge on these herbs as well.
Artemisins (from wormwood) are complex and very biologically active - they are clinically effective against malaria for example and also deter mosquitos. In Shakespeare's time they were used to treat intestinal worms (I guess though at that time there weren't many other options!).
That is about all this witch knows about them except that they are very bitter to taste.
 
Bob or Michelle might know if there's something in it that will kill worms. I haven't tried it. Every time a float test is done on the hens poop, it comes back negative. I imagine it's because of the peculiarities of the soil at my house, which is sand. We have an hypothesis it dessicates any parasite eggs before the hens pick them up, but there's no proof of that, it's only a thought bubble.
Thank you for your input. :)

This was just a guess that this lady made on my description. Later I read that it's possible that it could be a food absorption problem. I'm just really concerned that may well be doing something wrong.
 
Outside in the Big World

Our trip outside was a huge success. I will post more with video later. I'm going to eat dinner now.

View attachment 2827112
I am glad to see they were wearing their best bonnets for their field trip. They already understand the importance of looking your best in case there are any adoring fans watching!
 
Outside in the Big World

Our trip outside was a huge success. I will post more with video later. I'm going to eat dinner now.

View attachment 2827112
Whare is we?
Me no know.
Bootsifull.
Soo bootsifull.
Is feel good.
Sooo good.
Smell good.
Yairs. Taste good?
You try.
No you try.
No you try first.
Mmmm smell good.
Yairs very good.
Who is doze big laydees?
Me scare
Me scare too.
They so bigs!
Mmm smell gooood
Feels good too.
 

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