Right now they are confining their work to the end of the coop with the heater in place. So they must be a little chilly.

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I thought you were going to put the broody plate in there so they could have another refuge if necessary?

It's a wonderful coop. They really look at home in there don't they?😍
 
Well, folks, this should be my last post on the thread about dear Ruby. OMG, the report is horrible. My poor, sweet baby. I wish I hadn’t kept her alive so long. Ruby did not have cystic right oviduct, salpingitis nor fatty liver. Her fat stores were depleted and she was severely emaciated due to extensive metatastic ovarian cancer (liver, kidneys, intestines, coelom). The mass did indeed obstruct her duodenum, which could explain why she was so malnourished.

I’m going to crawl into a cave now. I might be joining the cull-all-sick-birds camp. Poor Ruby. Poor, poor sweet Ruby. OMG. ???
Oh my, I am sorry to hear that things were even worse than you thought. Poor Ruby. And when I think of how she rallied again and again. She was a strong-willed chicken!
Please don’t beat yourself up, though. You did the very best for her with the information you had. Remember, too, that she did have a lot of good days. You took the best care of her, and she knew that you were there for her.
:hugs :hugs
 
Bedtime

Well bedtime was very interesting. As you can see in this picture, they found the roost.
View attachment 2857799

However, once there, they just peeped and peeped at the top of their lungs until I came over and moved them to my arm. Then they settled in and started grooming. After about 10 minutes they were settled on my arm for the night and Phyllis was roosted next to me on Maleficent's roost.

View attachment 2857810View attachment 2857811View attachment 2857812

Of course, as much as I would have loved it, they needed to sleep in the coop. So I got up and put them in the nest box with the heat block. They snuggled under it and went to sleep.

After it was dark, I put Phyllis on the roost and locked them in. I expect I will be checking the camera all night. ?

Now we wait and see how things go in the morning. ?
I think that is so sweet that your babies wanted some quality roosting-on-dad time before going to sleep.
I can’t wait for the morning report!
 
Those who read on my thread will have seen this already but I wanted to share my broody Jap bantam here as well as I've never seen a broody do this before. Just watch what she does with her tail!
She is so pretty. I love her tail action . 🥰
 
The theory and the practice often part company when realiity intrudes.
This is coucil property. It was earmarked for building on. The local residents objected and the council stated that if the residents could come up with a community scheme they would reconsider. Allotments won the day.
The original idea was that everyone would work together and grow food for personal consumption and sale. What happened was the initial burst of enthusiasm waned and those that stayed with the project marked out their own plot and grew more or less what they wanted.
Now about half the plots are tended. There are community trees in the orchard and various fruit bushes beging to run wild. The chickens and geese were the idea of the man who used to maintain the allotment public areas. Since he died the place has slid into decline.
Some council allotments you pay the council a small annual fee for. I don't think this place works like that. It's as close to common land as land gets these days.
Thanks Shad. Sounds like you shouldn't get too much unwelcome interference. The chooks will be able to flourish!👍
 

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