MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

I've put up the temporary fence around the chick zone. Pretty sure chicks will be safe from Peggy now. They probably would've been anyway but I'd rather apply an abundance of caution than bury another murdered chick.

So, I'm on my hatch-listening seat near the nest. A few times I've thought I heard a faint peep but couldn't be sure. It might've been one of the pullets.

I wonder if the temporary fence is a mistake. Mary can probably protect chicks from Peggy. But Peggy has been known to attack Mary quite viciously.

 

[MaryJanet]

I forgot to mention, at Janet's checkup we thought her legs were an odd colour. So Mark checked them with his special magnifying-glass torch. No trace of mites but a hint that she might have a hidden abscess.

It's nice to know leg mites are not a factor.

I'm gradually becoming convinced sandy soil and loads of space is of great benefit to chicken health and well-being. A number of common problems are simply unknown at my place.

Every float test for worms is negative. Even Jan's bacteria hasn't spread. It's the first thing Mark thinks of, yet there's no trace in the other hens.

 

[BY Bob]

Here's a list of the pullets achievements in the funrun today.

• Drinks
• Snacks, both proper food and foraged
• Jacaranda tree experimentation
• Sunbathing
• Snoozing in the shade
• Suddenly becoming very frightened for no discernible reason
• Chats
• Scratching
• Jogging
• Sprinting while flapping
• Avoiding photo opps
• Flying over the log pile.
• Hopping up on things.

That was a busy day.

 

[BY Bob]

I've cherry-picked the best photos from the pullets afternoon in the funrun. Seriously, these are the best shots. I'm guessing I took 40-50?

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They were very uncooperative for sure.

 

[MaryJanet]

They were very uncooperative for sure.

The one of Lorna with her head in the jacaranda says it all! She was looking directly at me and in the moment I took my eyes off her to click, she put her noggin in the greenery

 

[LozzyR]

I didn't hear any peeps just now when I was opening up the little coop within the room. I looked at Mary and she was flattened down.

What do you think that means?

 

[MaryJanet]

What do you think that means?

On reflection, it probably means I startled her.

But would she flatten over chicks? Maybe not. Eggs, yes.

Just guessing, because I simply don't know.

 

[LozzyR]

On reflection, it probably means I startled her.

But would she flatten over chicks? Maybe not. Eggs, yes.

Just guessing, because I simply don't know.

Did you tell Dr Mark she was sitting and did he have any insights?

 

[MaryJanet]

Did you tell Dr Mark she was sitting and did he have any insights?

I mentioned it, because I wanted him to know how well she was doing after her hernia. But he didn't have anything to say about the actual hatch.

 

[LozzyR]

When I took Tegan to the vet on Friday, we decided on five days worth of meds to see if she responded . Tomorrow will be 4 1/2 days but I am working on Wednesday so planned to call it tomorrow.

This morning she was waiting at the gate to be let out, which is encouraging. She also ate some ham and cheese, which is pretty much all she is interested in, although hubby said she is still eating frozen peas and oats. She is standing around hunched, but I saw her having a bit of a preen this morning. Does this sound like progress?