MJ's little flock

[RoyalChick]

MJ. Thanks for asking about my flock.
All seems well.
- Babs had bumblefoot but all seems healed now. I was obsessing about how she got it (roosts, ramps, ladders), but probably the simplest explanation is a rose thorn - she likes the petals of the wild roses and I have not been sufficiently diligent in cutting them down. They are very spiky. Last picture I took of her foot a week ago. I am no longer treating her and will take another look in a few days.
- Sylvie is the only one of the Pentagonists to have started laying. Tiny dollhouse size eggs. She laid one nasty misshapen one but that seems to have been a one off. Well there was a nasty soft shelled one under her roost which would have been her first egg. So two problems and 4 perfect tiny ones so far.
- Tassels seems almost as keen on sunbathing as Maggie was which makes me smile as I love a pretty sunbathing chicken!
- @BY Bob came to visit and brought blueberries. They seem quite a hit.

 

[MaryJanet]

Let me know what you figure out.
I have one of those - old and not solar - and I worried about the light too. So I have been issuing it mainly in the evening just before they roost.
Judging from the sound it certainly zaps!

When I went out to take Mary off the roost, it was too bright and the hens had not fallen asleep. So I moved it to a spot where it's not shining in their faces, but it can still charge up every day and the hens are still within it's 5m zone. By that time, it had collected several bugs. It's good to know it's working and I'll get another one for the pergola.

 

[MaryJanet]

MJ. Thanks for asking about my flock.
All seems well.
- Babs had bumblefoot but all seems healed now. I was obsessing about how she got it (roosts, Ramos, ladders), but probably the simplest explanation is a rose thorn - she likes the petals of the wild roses and I have not been sufficiently diligent in cutting them down. They ate very spiky. Last picture I took of her foot a week ago. I am no longer treating her and will take another look in a few days.
- Sylvie is the only one of the Pentagonists to have started laying. Tiny dollhouse size eggs. She laid one nasty misshapen one but that seems to have been a one off. Well there was a nasty soft shelled one under her roost which would have been her first egg. So two problems and 4 perfect tiny ones so far.
- Tassels seems almost as keen on sunbathing as Maggie was which makes me smile as I love a pretty sunbathing chicken!
- @BY Bob came to visit and brought blueberries. They seem quite a hit.

View attachment 3637808View attachment 3637809

awww it must be very nice to have a byc friend you can meet up with in person! Such a cute video.

I'm glad Sylvie's eggs are small, Edie still lays little ones too and it's such a relief to know she's not struggling to push big eggs out.

I was wondering where Babs picked up a prickle too. Their house was so carefully made. No doubt it was a rose thorn.

Tassels looks so comfy in a very uncomfy spot

 

[RoyalChick]

awww it must be very nice to have a byc friend you can meet up with in person! Such a cute video.

I'm glad Sylvie's eggs are small, Edie still lays little ones too and it's such a relief to know she's not struggling to push big eggs out.

I was wondering where Babs picked up a prickle too. Their house was so carefully made. No doubt it was a rose thorn.

Tassels looks so comfy in a very uncomfy spot

For some reason that is a favorite sunbathing spot - I think maybe the concrete paver absorbs heat? It is in full sun - but there are lots of other full sun spots so I dunno why that is the place.
I also find it odd that it is the black chicken that sunbathes when it is hot - today is not so hot actually, but she was out there when it was extremely hot and I was providing ice.
You would think it wasn't sunbathing weather, but you would be wrong apparently!
It was a very long drive for Bob, but I was so happy he was willing to make the trip and I gave him a tour of the Chicken Palace and hopefully fed him well.

 

[MaryJanet]

For some reason that is a favorite sunbathing spot - I think maybe the concrete paver absorbs heat? It is in full sun - but there are lots of other full sun spots so I dunno why that is the place.
I also find it odd that it is the black chicken that sunbathes when it is hot - today is not so hot actually, but she was out there when it was extremely hot and I was providing ice.
You would think it wasn't sunbathing weather, but you would be wrong apparently!
It was a very long drive for Bob, but I was so happy he was willing to make the trip and I gave him a tour of the Chicken Palace and hopefully fed him well.

Recently at my place, Katie has become as fond of a sunbathing session as Janet, so it's something the two Barnevelders have in common and it's nice to see them crouch and spread out together. I can almost hear them saying how lovely the sun is!

It would've been a lovely drive in his special car! I can't imagine Bob not feeling well-fed after a visit. He's a very cordial sort of chap.

 

[MaryJanet]

Another cute Aussie marsupial making a comeback

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-18/successful-reintroduction-numbats-eyre-peninsula/102862928

 

[MaryJanet]

I counted 9 dead bugs stuck to the zapper and I guess some others might've been zapped and fallen to the ground.

However, the poops tell a story of a disturbed night in the new roost, which could be attributable to Mary having to come off the roost for this morning's trip to the vet.

I'll try a full night again tonight and see what story the poops tell in the morning.

 

[RoyalChick]

I counted 9 dead bugs stuck to the zapper and I guess some others might've been zapped and fallen to the ground.

However, the poops tell a story of a disturbed night in the new roost, which could be attributable to Mary having to come off the roost for this morning's trip to the vet.

I'll try a full night again tonight and see what story the poops tell in the morning.

How do you tell a disturbed night from the poop?

 

[MaryJanet]

How do you tell a disturbed night from the poop?

It had been dropped in too many places. Usually it's in small piles. This morning there were many singles here and there.

 

[MaryJanet]

Mary did well in the car and now has a full week of being left alone before a follow up appointment next Monday morning.

So far, I've continued with the ibuprofen, mainly to minimise the swelling. I'll see how she goes and will stop giving it to her as soon as possible.