Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

I have a question for you fine chicken folk. For those whose hens stop laying in the winter, what happens to their combs? Do they stay bright red or go pale until they start laying again?
Also, do you switch away from layer feed just for the winter?
I feel I should know these things!

Combs typically go pale for the winter. See Sydney below.

November

December

By February they are reddening up. Here is Sydney in Feb of this year.

I now use all flock now because Lilly really doesn't lay but we used to stay on layer all winter.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

There are hens that just have days where they hate someone. Sansa is chasing Phyllis around right now. Most of the time it is only perimeter pecking but today Sansa is chasing her for some reason. Who knows why?

Maybe because Phyllis is looking spectacular as always and poor Sansa an absolute mess. Maybe Phyllis smarted off about it.

Poor Sansa
View attachment 2892974

She looks positively frizzled! Are you sure she doesn't belong to @Ribh ?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Check out that full crop on that one in the first picture. Full and happy. Came in to say hi to some old friends. I love seeing photos of the very much loved chickens. I still miss mine, especially when I read a cute little story like this one. I'm going to post a photo of one that I got a kick out of with my last group. They were happily eating spinach, when I check the photo, I see that one is ready to snatch from another! And that look from her looking straight at the camera. Gotcha! View attachment 2893103

Hello, @Cynthia12 ! Hope you're feeling well!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Good guess

More than a guess ! Her face and body, and definitely, like you pointed out, her comb - fat and goes left and doesn't flop as much as Daisy's (and I didn't think that was Daisy behind her but didn't know who).

 

[Ribh]

She looks positively frizzled! Are you sure she doesn't belong to @Ribh ?

Not mine. None of my frizzles are that bad tempered. @BY Bob

 

[RoyalChick]

Not mine. None of my frizzles are that bad tempered. @BY Bob

Ouch!

 

[Shadrach]

I think it’s just a fun chicken-thing to do.

Maybe that's your musical influence transfering to the hens.

 

[Shadrach]

Aww, poor Volt. I’m glad you’re on the case. Do you have any wood ash to dust her in?

It's a bit beyond a dust bath problem now unfortunatley.

 

[Shadrach]

Volt is still sick. She spent the night in the shed, ate a bit this morning then decided she knew anything I offered her to eat was drugged up and wouldn't touch anything at all after that. I had to syringe the medication in water into her beak and she was not at all impressed.
There is a thread running about injecting medication into chickens. It's at times like this I wish all treatmentscame in injectable form. It could all be over in seconds.
I took her back to the group at the allotments at midday. Not having transport meant she had to be carried. I put her in a strong shopping bag with a shoulder strap and walked with her head peeking out of the top of the bag. I must try to get a picture. She was fine and she came home with me the same way tonight.
She's in a box on the workbench. Do it all again tomorrow.

 

[Ribh]

As a contrast and for those who believe that the standard recommendations for coop and run sizes is more than adequate for a livestock creature called the chicken, the following pictures are pictures of chickens in what I would consider the bare minimum sized area for 23 chickens. The area works out as roughly 2300 square feet.
The person who was responsible for the conditions in the earlier posts will tell you, if you ask her, that it's better than the battery and she does what she can with what time and resources she has.
What do you think? Is "we do the best we can with what we have" a valid view, or do you think that if that is the best you can do then you shouldn't be allowed to keep chickens?
View attachment 2892356View attachment 2892357View attachment 2892358View attachment 2892359View attachment 2892360

I'm normally in the *do the best you can with what you have* camp ~ with reservations. One needs to educate oneself about the animal in questions needs because that sort of overcrowding is not acceptable. I know my daft lot like to squash 14 birds on a space meant for 8~10 but even they like to spread out in warm weather.

Will you be rebuilding the coop or expanding ~ or just starting from scratch?