MJ's little flock

[BY Bob]

That’s ok. I’m just worried about food now. And Snowy did this yucky splatty poo when I woke her this evening. I know there’s a spectrum of normal poo but I don’t want to have to start worrying about her too!

Sometimes a splatty poop is just a splatty poop.

 

[BY Bob]

Edie has grown a very fancy tail feather, with a black and white tip!

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That is pretty special!

 

[BY Bob]

I hope it's not evidence that she's a cockerel.

Although I have to say her behaviour is very hen-like.

This week, the pullets have spent most afternoons foraging and gambolling about. They stay out late and sleep in. Last night they didn't roost until it was twilight. All six hens had turned in long before. Now it's Saturday morning, and they're too sleepy.

Teenagers!

 

[BY Bob]

Ivy is getting so much joy from scaring them every now and then she creeps over, all innocent, then FLAAAAPPP!!!! The pullets scarper.

So you are saying Ivy has a little Lilly in her. Lilly was so good at torturing pullets. I don't think I ever saw her happier than when she was scaring a pullet.

 

[LozzyR]

So DH and I just moved the babies to a new part of the back yard. Our quarantine is probably not as strict as it should be, given the big girls were free-ranging all over the yard a week before. I hosed down the spot where the babies were initially, and put the quarantine cage down so the big girls couldn’t walk and poop there. It rained after that so hopefully gave the rest of the yard a wash.

So we move the babies every couple of days so they’re not wallowing in their own filth. Here is their setup:

And here is the tarp to give them some shade, but bricked up so there is airflow underneath.

And then Gizelle decided she was going to ‘do a Gucci’ and play dead! I was starting to panic and think she died from heat stroke, but she was just having a snooze in the sun!

 

[ManueB]

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What a gorgeous photo. Lorna is so beautiful. She's got that enchanted creature look that Glynda also had as a pullet.

If I remember right, Lilly like to roost when traveling to the vet and Hattie liked to lay in the straw. Lilly loved to ride in my lap so she could look out the window. I could only do that if Mrs BY Bob drove us.

I only traveled once with a sick hen but my experience is that sick hens won't use roost in cages or transport boxes. I've tried it countless times when we had to keep hens inside a dog crate. Maybe when they're healthy it's different. Either way I wouldn't get a set up for transport with a roost that couldn't be removed. And again in case of an accident or a brutal braking it could possibly hurt them.

So DH snd I just moved the babies to a new part of the back yard. Our quarantine is probably not as strict as it should be, given the big girls were free-ranging all over the yard a week before. I hosed down the spot where the babies were initially, and put the quarantine cage down so the big girls couldn’t walk and poop there. It rained after that so hopefully gave the rest of the yard a wash.

So we move the babies every couple of days so they’re not wallowing in their own filth. Here is their setup:

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And here is the tarp to give them some shade, but bricked up so there is airflow underneath.

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And then Gizelle decided she was going to ‘do a Gucci’ and play dead! I was starting to panic and think she died from heat stroke, but she was just having a snooze in the sun!

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I've no clue about the quarantine aspect but your setup looks great for kiddos! How hot is it now where you are ?

 

[MaryJanet]

What could happen is that water left in the pipe could develop bacteria or more likely mold could grow. The thing is I'm not certain it's all that likely. I know you thought that Janet was getting ill after using the mister. That's why I was suggesting that you bleach it. In reality, it is pretty unlikely for mold to grow like that in a hot dry climate like yours. Rather, I would expect the water left in the mister to evaporate quickly.

The key is, anywhere that water is permitted to sit, mold can grow. Mold spores are everywhere. All they need is a dank dark place to start growing.

Thanks for explaining Bob! The high pressure line drains when the tap is turned off, so I don't think there's much water left in the line between mistings, especially given the heat.

Is it possible any dampness caused by the misting might encourage bacteria?

 

[MaryJanet]

If I remember right, Lilly like to roost when traveling to the vet and Hattie liked to lay in the straw. Lilly loved to ride in my lap so she could look out the window. I could only do that if Mrs BY Bob drove us.

I was thinking if a chicken-tall, chicken-wide basket had a removal perch, there would be an option for perching and an option for sitting. And if it a whole side opened up, it would be so easy to transfer a hen from the roost perch to the basket perch.

 

[MaryJanet]

So you are saying Ivy has a little Lilly in her. Lilly was so good at torturing pullets. I don't think I ever saw her happier than when she was scaring a pullet.

Yes! That's what she's doing!

 

[MaryJanet]

So DH snd I just moved the babies to a new part of the back yard. Our quarantine is probably not as strict as it should be, given the big girls were free-ranging all over the yard a week before. I hosed down the spot where the babies were initially, and put the quarantine cage down so the big girls couldn’t walk and poop there. It rained after that so hopefully gave the rest of the yard a wash.

So we move the babies every couple of days so they’re not wallowing in their own filth. Here is their setup:

View attachment 3345818
View attachment 3345825

View attachment 3345820

And here is the tarp to give them some shade, but bricked up so there is airflow underneath.

View attachment 3345819
View attachment 3345821

And then Gizelle decided she was going to ‘do a Gucci’ and play dead! I was starting to panic and think she died from heat stroke, but she was just having a snooze in the sun!

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that looks lovely Loz!