This picture made me think of a silly 'ditty' my father used to say. I've amended it here to be more appropriate to the situation:
Im glad Cannelle is doing better. Poor Theo. Chipie is so taking advantage of him...We use hay in our coop and nests. It's supposed to be a big no, but we've never had any problems. Once in a while, they eat a bit out of boredom I think if we have a whole day of rain, but it never led to crop impactions.
Thank you so much for taking the time to explain how your settings are organized ! I guess I'm trying to get ideas of what could work for us... It seems every option I can think of either has major disadvantages or is too complicated. Your post was also helpful in showing me I need to see the bigger picture and not just the actual problem we have. As you say, things may evolve quickly when cockerels grow.
I tend to be pessimistic, because everytime I've been told about things that will get better ( like broodies coming back in the flock with no problem, roosters imprinting or accepting chicks, hens being better accepted once they lay..) never worked out here. I love my chickens like they are but sometimes I would enjoy less drama.
And @RoyalChick I know that feeling about a chicken not wanting to be touched or cuddled. The ones that like to engage with me show it by spending hours pecking my pants. Most of my chickens I can't touch, or barely. Chipie never even came near us before she had the chicks, she was terrified of us. Now she will come ask for food, and eventually pick something from our hand if it's a treat she loves. Piou-piou has only once eaten a grape out of my hand (or rather snatched it off ) after dozens and dozens of trials, and she has never repeated the deed . If I even throw a treat near her, she just walks away. She doesn't run, she's not afraid: she just wants nothing to do with me
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A few tuefer. The new unlikely couple: Piou-piou and Gaston.
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Taking a bath together
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For size and color comparison: Piou-piou and Chipie
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Cannelle is molting terribly but otherwise better these last two days
Here with Brune looking for slugs after the rain this morning
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Théo would have Chipie back. She asks for his protection, comes when he tidbits, but shies away from him when he does the dancing thing, making him angry everytime...
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Big game hunter!
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I have a feeling you are joking. But just in case you aren’t, what I meant was there may have been some pieces of hay that were still slightly green instead of all dried out. That would make a little more sense as to why she ate them. But it was still a bad idea. LolOk so what are fresher strands
Excellent!This picture made me think of a silly 'ditty' my father used to say. I've amended it here to be more appropriate to the situation:
"Back to back we faced each other,
drew our feathers and quilled one another'
Original silly ditty was:
Back to back we faced each other
drew our swords and and shot one another"
Is there a place to put a hot water bottle near her...of do you have some rice and an old pillow case? Heat the rice in the Microwave, put in pillow case and put near/under her. (what is she roosting on...can you wrap and zip-tie the heated rice around her roost?
