MJ's little flock

[Oolala]

I would never clip a birds feathers. I've seen nothing that would lead me to believe it stops them trying to fly and often they end up either frustrated or injured from trying to do what they know they should be able to.

Blodwyn and Ruby are always escaping the run but I too dont want to clip their feathers, They wait until I get back to the house then up and over they go, then of course the others creat because they are stuck behind so I have to go back and let them all out.

 

[Oolala]

Not wishing to state the obvious but that is one sore arse.
I would say that someone is plucking the feathers, be it her or another. If she produces quill stumps then the potential for feather growth is there.
Sometimes such irritations are caused by uric acid (the white in their poop) coming into contact with their skin. This can cause the chicken to pick at the feather shafts and create further sore patches.
In the short term I would apply some Calandula cream to her bum first thing in the morning and last thing at night after cleaning with water infused with the herb Thyme.
I think you should be able to find the above in France.

Oh dear, she is not going to like me, again, she already panics if I go too close to her and wimpers after treating her for bumble foot, the joys if chicken keeping. What is Calandula by the way, you would be amazed what you cannot get in France, they are very strict, is it a pharmacy or vet product.

 

[Shadrach]

Oh dear, she is not going to like me, again, she already panics if I go too close to her and wimpers after treating her for bumble foot, the joys if chicken keeping. What is Calandula by the way, you would be amazed what you cannot get in France, they are very strict, is it a pharmacy or vet product.

The joys of chicken keeping indeed. It makes one wonder if some people have the same species from some of the posts.
Get them once they've gone to roost is what I do with those who don't like being touched.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CalendulaYou should be able to buy a cream or even an essential oil type product at a chemist, or a alternative foods/cosmetics/whatever type store.
It's not a vet product and doesn't fall under the drugs list.
Chickens are inclined to be a bit dramatic. I've watched them get hierarchy type pecks that haven't even disturbed their feathers and with some of the pullets in particular one would think they're being murdered. Once you've got one in your hands and they've decided that your not a mad axe murderer, most become a lot calmer. Confidence is the key. They know if your nervous and take full advantage. Slow and easy works best. Hands kept as low as poossible when apraoching a bird, no sudden movements and once you've got them contained (in a room for example, leave them standing on their feet while you apply the cream. It's often being taken off the ground they object to most. I have one in particular here who will just not be carried on my palm in the grip I use. As soon as she's got her feet on my palm she's much better and if I'm not wearing anything too slippery she'll climb up my arm and sit on my shoulder and stay there.

 

[Shadrach]

Oh look. Now there's a surprise. If it isn't Donk making another nest.

 

[Oolala]

The joys of chicken keeping indeed. It makes one wonder if some people have the same species from some of the posts.
Get them once they've gone to roost is what I do with those who don't like being touched.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CalendulaYou should be able to buy a cream or even an essential oil type product at a chemist, or a alternative foods/cosmetics/whatever type store.
It's not a vet product and doesn't fall under the drugs list.
Chickens are inclined to be a bit dramatic. I've watched them get hierarchy type pecks that haven't even disturbed their feathers and with some of the pullets in particular one would think they're being murdered. Once you've got one in your hands and they've decided that your not a mad axe murderer, most become a lot calmer. Confidence is the key. They know if your nervous and take full advantage. Slow and easy works best. Hands kept as low as poossible when apraoching a bird, no sudden movements and once you've got them contained (in a room for example, leave them standing on their feet while you apply the cream. It's often being taken off the ground they object to most. I have one in particular here who will just not be carried on my palm in the grip I use. As soon as she's got her feet on my palm she's much better and if I'm not wearing anything too slippery she'll climb up my arm and sit on my shoulder and stay there.

I have her sussed now, I open the run door in The morning, the three youngsters are out quick as lightning, then comes Daisy, Mrs Plod, so towel at the ready, and slowly slowly catch her in a corner, quickly flip her on her back then she is as calm and quiet as can be, I keep talking to her and after a minute or two she knows she is not going to be murdered and mutilated and is happy to let me do some gentle administrations, then she gets a lovely treat after it is all over, but funny to see the other three standing by curiously, not too close in case they may suffer the same, but close enough to support her, then you all tuck in to a treat. Hope I never have to catch Blodwyn though

 

[MaryJanet]

Well, the first thing that should get considered when getting chickens is can they cope and can the keeper cope with the environment the chickens are going to be kept in. Unfortunately it often doesn't get considered at all.
The Marans here for example know they should be going up trees to roost but just don't have the flight ability. Apparently some of the Marans in Marans in France do now have better flight capabilities but this has taken some generations of free range breeding.
If you want your hens to stay put then the sensible thing to do imo is get a breed that isn't noted for it's flight ability. Here in Catalonia, one of the reasons the Catalana del Pratt is favoured is because it doesn't head up the trees at night. The proper Black Minorcans on the other hand will roost in trees.

Thanks Shad. I'll be sure to get ground dwelling chickens in future.

Both Ivy and Peggy are bitzers so it's hard to know which breed is in them, much less predict how the genes will express in flight. Recall, the people who sold them to me didn't even know their age with certainty - on their account, Peggy laid 6 eggs in 6 days at 18 weeks.

For now Ivy continues to grow and I think she'll eventually be a heavier hen. She's as tall as Janet the Barnevelder and is catching up to Sandy, neither of whom fly, yet she's still lanky. Once she fills out I think she'll be a heavy hen and less likely to fly over the fence.

 

[Shadrach]

Thanks Shad. I'll be sure to get ground dwelling chickens in future.

Both Ivy and Peggy are bitzers so it's hard to know which breed is in them, much less predict how the genes will express in flight. Recall, the people who sold them to me didn't even know their age with certainty - on their account, Peggy laid 6 eggs in 6 days at 18 weeks.

For now Ivy continues to grow and I think she'll eventually be a heavier hen. She's as tall as Janet the Barnevelder and is catching up to Sandy, neither of whom fly, yet she's still lanky. Once she fills out I think she'll be a heavy hen and less likely to fly over the fence.

The flighty breeds are lovely, but they are considerably more work.

 

[Ribh]

The flighty breeds are lovely, but they are considerably more work.

 

[MaryJanet]

Yes, Ribh frequently has to put her Campines back in the yard.

According to the (unreliabe) people at the fodder store, Ivy is part Pekin, part Wyandotte, and part Silkie. From that information, I didn't predict flightiness, but flighty is one of her characteristics (at present).

And that's ok with me, actually I like it! One of my strengths is that my workplace encourages us to work at home whenever we can so I'm here to attend to the chickens and cat ad hoc and also to take delight in their company. Another strength is that I like solving problems and I have the humility to ask people for advice when I need it. A third is that I can afford things like fences - a few hundred is not a big deal for my peace of mind and a little more security for Ivy (there are things within the chickens' yard she can fly up to if she wants to use her wings).

 

[Ribh]

Yes, Ribh frequently has to put her Campines back in the yard.

According to the (unreliabe) people at the fodder store, Ivy is part Pekin, part Wyandotte, and part Silkie. From that information, I didn't predict flightiness, but flighty is one of her characteristics (at present).

And that's ok with me, actually I like it! One of my strengths is that my workplace encourages us to work at home whenever we can so I'm here to attend to the chickens and cat ad hoc and also to take delight in their company. Another strength is that I like solving problems and I have the humility to ask people for advice when I need it. A third is that I can afford things like fences - a few hundred is not a big deal for my peace of mind and a little more security for Ivy (there are things within the chickens' yard she can fly up to if she wants to use her wings).

Now who likes a challenge?