MJ's little flock

[BY Bob]

I had a lazy day today mainly outside in a chair by the fenced area I have created for the Princesses. It will eventually be planted with shrubs and become the chicken garden, but for now it is just a bit of a green area they can hang out in.
I wanted to watch to make sure they were smart about running in when there were raptors overhead. They were very diligent and that made me happy.
It was also a great opportunity for me to ‘match poop to hen’. I have only one word to describe this: copious.
All five Princesses are prolific day-time poop producers. All good as far as I can tell - but I swear they pooped their body-weight in just a day!

Lots of fresh fertilizer. Did you move it to the garden?

 

[BY Bob]

New old teacup breakfast snap!

View attachment 2632171

Beautiful.

 

[BY Bob]

And out in the sunView attachment 2632244

I don't think I have ever seen a fancy one in the sun before. Very nice.

 

[Grammy60]

Good evening MJ and everyone

 

[RoyalChick]

Lots of fresh fertilizer. Did you move it to the garden?

Not yet - I am drowning in the stuff to be honest!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Shad also has a technique to get them off the roost which works wonderfully.

If you tap the back of their leg they will step backwards. I use this to get them to step onto my hand or arm so I don't have to pry them from the roost. They move on their own that way.

SHRA

I get them to step back onto my hand rather than try to grab them. It seems to cause a lot less stress. My Finnish chicken keeping friend has a very short stick, think old style corkscrew with the metal piece replaced by a 15 mm wooden dowel. The hand grip part is shaped so it doesn't twist and tilt in the hand.
He goes in front of the chicken and assuming you are right handed, to the right of the chicken and applies pressure with the dowel between the chickens ankle and knee joint. The chicken is then facing him as he removes it from it's perch and less likely to try to take flight.

Definitely SHRA

This is how I usrd to pick up the canaries when I was a kid. They used to step up unto a higher perch as a reflex.

That's clinched it. Absolutely SHRA

Chicken tax. When Tsuki wasn't playing Gandalf

 

[BY Bob]

SHRA


Definitely SHRA

That's clinched it. Absolutely SHRA

Chicken tax. When Tsuki wasn't playing Gandalf
View attachment 2632827

Tsuki This is a nice treat. Lovely ladies all.

 

[MaryJanet]

SHRA


Definitely SHRA

That's clinched it. Absolutely SHRA

Chicken tax. When Tsuki wasn't playing Gandalf
View attachment 2632827

Awww Tsuki

 

[MaryJanet]

Janet's moult is quite fast. Her back feathers have become very thin in just two days. If you zoom in you'll see her skin.

 

[fuentemoon]

Janet's moult is quite fast. Her back feathers have become very thin in just two days. If you zoom in you'll see her skin.

View attachment 2634009

Poor dear, mine had some fast spots last year, but over all took forever.