MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

I am still sitting with mine @ dinner time ~ but I am being a lot quicker about it just now. It is too cold & wet as well up here. The girls are not happy with me about it. They tell me I'm a woos but old bones complain.

I'm doing the mealtimes too but the chance to sit and relax with them comes only once or twice a week.

 

[Ribh]

I'm doing the mealtimes too but the chance to sit and relax with them comes only once or twice a week.

Yes. The wet weather has put a bit of a dampener on that! Still, we've now had the shortest day & my older girls are starting to come back on the lay. Lavender was in a nesting box this morning. Still waiting on her but she's a bit temperamental.

 

[MaryJanet]

Yes. The wet weather has put a bit of a dampener on that! Still, we've now had the shortest day & my older girls are starting to come back on the lay. Lavender was in a nesting box this morning. Still waiting on her but she's a bit temperamental.

Oh that's good news. Mary likes to keep me guessing, she was looking at the nest yesterday and I thought maybe she was going to hop up in there, but no.

 

[BY Bob]

There's not much going on with the chickens these days.

Sometimes Peggy knocks her enzyme dinner over and sometimes I think of ways to make it tastier for her so she eats every bite. I may try adding passata or pesto, but first I'll try leaving the pellets out.

Janet has been chasing Ivy. I can't work out why. Maybe because Janet is fighting fit again? I'm almost certain her eye is completely healthy again. Maybe because Ivy is sometimes in the nest when Janet wants to sit?

My brother and I have been sorting out the shed and we released an old table from all the stuff it had accumulated. The table now provides additional shelter in the chickens' yard. Mary loves it. She's always under there.

There's been rain and cold lately, so the opportunities of sitting with the chickens have been fewer and I'm a bit sulky about it

But I bet it's great weather for a lovely cup of tea in one of your fancy tea pots and cups. So there is that.

 

[rjohns39]

Good morning folks

 

[MaryJanet]

But I bet it's great weather for a lovely cup of tea in one of your fancy tea pots and cups. So there is that.

I have to admit my tea addiction is so advanced that it's always the right weather for a cuppa

 

[MaryJanet]

Good morning folks

Good morning please say hi to Sue for me when you see her.

 

[MaryJanet]

Ah! I remembered a chicken development to share.

I think everyone knows that when the pullets arrived, Ivy took to roosting on the uncomfortable rafter, so I put a branch up there for her. Then Peggy needed to get away from from the aunties at roosting time, so I provided two intermediate roosts for hopping and hopping, up to the top with Ivy.

It wasn't long before everyone was going all the way up and the squabbling really took off, but by then then new girls were more sure of themselves so I waited for them to settle their own disputes and establish a suitable arrangement.

After a few months I realised they're probably never going to reach an amicable roosting arrangement without more space, so I put a second big branch up there.

That was a month ago and for the last week, Janet (the main trouble maker - maybe she was anxious about her eye - but then she's always been a nightmare about roosting) has decided the new branch is her branch and she puts herself as far away from the others as she can, which suits them fine!

So now, each night there's the habitual complaining from Janet at the far end of one branch (from which spot she's too far away to peck anyone) and the other three happily snuggling up on the other branch.

I love how little changes in the chickens' living spaces can make such a big difference to their contentment.

 

[rjohns39]

Good morning please say hi to Sue for me when you see her.

I certainly will. She's turned a corner and now we're working to get her home.

 

[drumstick diva]

So glad to hear that Bob