MJ's little flock

[BY Bob]

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They are so beautiful. What a great picture of them.

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

Stunning new girls!! I love the penciling on Ivy, I can't wait to see that come in more as an adult. Peggy's gold necklace is lovely! She's always ready for a night on the town in her little black dress and gold necklace!! LOL

As for the black combs, you won't notice a color change, but they may get a little bigger. It's kind of a guessing game until they lay. I'm very curious as to what color eggs they will lay.

 

[LozzyR]

The new girls will live in the little coop for a few days. When they're confident in that space, I'll give them some supervised yard time with the big girls enclosed in the henhouse. Once they're confident in the yard, I'll try putting them on the big hens' roost to sleep together, but still be apart during the daytime. Finally, when things are going well, all five can be together all the time.

Are you in a position to keep the pullets in the little coop for two weeks? I’m just thinking about quarantine issues. When I got my pullets, I kept the tractor away from the run about ten metres and just moved it every couple of days as it got very yucky. I stopped Lucy and Chickie from free-ranging in that period as some of the nasties are airborne (they were not happy!) If you aren’t in a position to keep them apart for that long, and I know some people aren’t, keep an extra-close eye on all of them as apparently stress can make them more susceptible to illness. I hope everything goes well, they are gorgeous!

 

[Ribh]

How is everyone this morning, MJ?

 

[MaryJanet]

The hens are less worried than yesterday but still muttering about the interlopers.

The pullets are a bit wide-eyed. Very frightened of Blossom even though she can't get to them. Peggy's eating loose feathers off the ground instead of proper food. I'll provide some pellets and mash in addition to the mixed grain. Hopefully she will prefer those to feathers. She must've been quite hungry at some point in her life to have made a habit of eating feathers.

 

[Ribh]

The hens are less worried than yesterday but still muttering about the interlopers.

The pullets are a bit wide-eyed. Very frightened of Blossom even though she can't get to them. Peggy's eating loose feathers off the ground instead of proper food. I'll provide some pellets and mash in addition to the mixed grain. Hopefully she will prefer those to feathers. She must've been quite hungry at some point in her life to have made a habit of eating feathers.

Feathers are for protein. Try a tin of tuna or salmon. They will learn Blossom is ok. So interesting to watch from a distance.

 

[MaryJanet]

I'll make egg & salmon treat and hope she eats it.

 

[MaryJanet]

Are you in a position to keep the pullets in the little coop for two weeks? I’m just thinking about quarantine issues. When I got my pullets, I kept the tractor away from the run about ten metres and just moved it every couple of days as it got very yucky. I stopped Lucy and Chickie from free-ranging in that period as some of the nasties are airborne (they were not happy!) If you aren’t in a position to keep them apart for that long, and I know some people aren’t, keep an extra-close eye on all of them as apparently stress can make them more susceptible to illness. I hope everything goes well, they are gorgeous!

Thanks for the reminder. Unfortunately they can put face to face through the wire. I'll be watching for odd behaviour and signs of sickness.

 

[MaryJanet]

Janet's tummy

I'm deliggted to say I checked Janet's keel yesterday and it's much bulkier than in the past

I guess now the pullets are here to drive her to distraction, she'll lose weight again, but hopefully not too much.

 

[Grammy60]

Good morning everyone how's your day so far?