Maybe cranky from too much 'cooped up' time while you were away? Mine get testy if they don't have free range time at least every-other-day...even with tons of run space and putting potted plants, weeds, etc for distraction/entertainment. Hopefully they will be better behaved tomorrow - they look like they are having a grand time now!
Might be a handy device to mount to roof of coop/roof of run...I was thinking of a drone like thing with a pre-programmed flight pattern!
Even better if it had hawk-recognition software on board.
Start engineering: the solar panel powered thingy, rigged to nerf gun, with a motion sensor light thing set to pull the trigger..., set up several at assorted angles for individual FIRE if something large enough to set it off swoops in...
Om my gosh. I see it now.He WAS Canoodling...he was being quite close (snuglilng) with the idea to tease out intricacies. Can't know details without closeness, LOL
(Sorry, @BY Bob, little light on the effectiveness, but I DID try to mount a defense for you)
. I was "noodling" it. What an idiot I am. 
That looks quite effective. Was the steep roof slope to make the snow slide off?@Shadrach:
This:
and:
I use sheet plywood for floors/walls roof. It allows for more space WITHOUT having a plywood seem on the floor. My coops are all 4' wide because of this.
Also, it allows me to easily raise the nest boxes up some ( width of 2x4 on edge + plus a 1x4 front to nest box) from coop floor level so they don't kick bedding material into clean nests...but still easily keep them below roost level so they don't roost/sleep in them...again, without losing floor space.
Most of my permanent coops have a footprint of 4x8.......but the coop proper is generally 4x4 & raised at 2.5 - 3 ft. (both depending on coop) with the full 32 sq. feet under able to be super protected/wrapped in winter. Makes clean-out and reaching chickens in coop easier, less total space for chickens to heat in winter.
Square footage for coop space is small by BYC standards (only 1.5-2 sq. feet per bird), but they have well over the 10 sq. feet of run space per bird when not free ranging..and they are only in coop proper for sleeping/laying...with plenty of additional really protected space in winter to hang out in & be in sun.
Pics of my first coop. (sorry, needs repainting
I unapologetically love this general design and am working on my 3rd of this style. (with minor tweaks, such as not quite as steep a roof, and more ventilation - the 2 non-painted boards are temporarily covering ventialtion ports as the hardware cloth needs to be replaced. )
That is an award winning comb. She won best comb in a BYC contest. I just love it and took great pains to protect it in the winter.I just love her comb!
Sounds like an improvement..even if she isn't eating as much as you would likeMinnie update
Sorry for long post - really just therapy for me.
Even though she is a damaged breed (no, @Shadrach I am not going to let that go any time soon
At @BY Bob's suggestion I am trying starter grower feed - she seemed only so-so interested but at least she ate some yesterday.
She is way more interested in finely diced cabbage. Everything smells of cabbage - her poo (now more-or-less reliably solid) smells of cabbage, the Chicken Palace smells of cabbage (do chickens fart at night? I think she is gassing up the place!), my kitchen smells of cabbage, I assume I smell of cabbage.
I rather like cabbage but I may not be able to face eating it myself for some time after this.
Anyway, this morning at 6am when I went in to take Minnie off the roost for her private breakfast of starter/grower food with cabbage and meal worms, she was already up and about in the dark. And, shockingly, was nibbling on regular commercial feed.
She was joined by the rest of the tribe and they do run her off the food a bit but she was getting in there. I have observed that they are communal eaters and prefer to eat together so I decided not to put her in the hospital ward but let them all chow down on her breakfast. She of course didn't get the lion share, but I can do another plate at lunch for them.
Minnie is still very keen on Gatorade which probably isn't healthy, but on the other hand provides fast calories (dextrose) so I think I will keep letting her have it until she puts on some weight.
Her comb is still pale and shriveled - seems to go up and down a bit during the day, but hasn't been wonderful since I first got worried about her.
Her behavior is normal and energetic.
And her feather growth is interesting - she is developing a grey striped patch in the middle of her red chest and a thick wad of black feathers at the base of her rump. I don't know if those are future tail feathers or something else.
You can see all of that in the pics and short video below.
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Yes it does. Poor amber has this problem
Boots.
Boots and fluffy butts. I shall have to have a word with mrs Bob
