MJ's little flock

[Grammy60]

Good evening MJ and everyone

 

[MaryJanet]

Unfortunately I failed to block off the rafters.
View attachment 3368295

I thought there was a doorway between the roosts and the raftered section? Does the roost section have exposed rafters too?

Is there a way of screening the rafters with an old sheet so Eli and Babs can't see them?

 

[MaryJanet]

Well, the roof of the new roost was done yesterday. It's a lot flatter than I imagined it was going to be when the tradie said a skillion roof doesn't need a 1:3 angle for the water to run off. I think it probably does because the water doesn't run off very well at all; instead it makes pools halfway along. On the other hand, the gutter and downpipe are fantastic, and so is the shade cast by the tinted poly carb, which extends beyond the front of the roost to provide a shady veranda. So, it's a mixed bag of outcomes. One day I'll have to get the human house re-roofed and when that happens, I'll have a better roof put on the roost.

 

[RoyalChick]

I thought there was a doorway between the roosts and the raftered section? Does the roost section have exposed rafters too?

Is there a way of screening the rafters with an old sheet so Eli and Babs can't see them?

There is a door but the 'hen house' part with the roosts also has rafters. The ventilation is from a roof ridge vent and soffit vents.
I think I have to just let them figure it out over time. They have found yet a new place to roost which is between the 'servant's quarters' which is supposed to be my storage and no-go for chickens and the run. I left a nice big open space for ventilation and I didn't cover that space in wire because it never crossed my mind there would be a chicken anywhere near it!
It is right at the top of that wall you see behind Bernie in this picture. Above the top of the human door and to the left. What they do is fly up to the nearest rafter and then they fly from rafter to rafter until they find one they like. They were going to poop all over my medical supplies in the storage cupboard so I did a quick removal and put a puppy pad down in the shelf.
I am just hoping they grow out of this phase and settle with the others. You may remember it took the Roadrunners a long time to settle down off the top of the window. But eventually they did. Hoping it will be similar here.

 

[MaryJanet]

There is a door but the 'hen house' part with the roosts also has rafters. The ventilation is from a roof ridge vent and soffit vents.
I think I have to just let them figure it out over time. They have found yet a new place to roost which is between the 'servant's quarters' which is supposed to be my storage and no-go for chickens and the run. I left a nice big open space for ventilation and I didn't cover that space in wire because it never crossed my mind there would be a chicken anywhere near it!
It is right at the top of that wall you see behind Bernie in this picture. Above the top of the human door and to the left. What they do is fly up to the nearest rafter and then they fly from rafter to rafter until they find one they like. They were going to poop all over my medical supplies in the storage cupboard so I did a quick removal and put a puppy pad down in the shelf.
I am just hoping they grow out of this phase and settle with the others. You may remember it took the Roadrunners a long time to settle down off the top of the window. But eventually they did. Hoping it will be similar here.


View attachment 3368735View attachment 3368736View attachment 3368737

They will, and it'll be bang on chicken-schedule!

Come to think of it, maybe it's chickens scheduling @Shadrach
's bus route.

Anyhoo, someone has a new old art deco teaset and that's all it took for me to revive the weekend breakfast photo. Also, one of my ongoing projects is the emptying and reorganisation of the cellar. There was lots of wonderful stuff down there, including Nana's dinner set and a set of six lovely teacups with saucers and breadplates, with a matching sandwich tray, in a gorgeous gumnut pattern.

So here's everything set for breakfast. Unfortunately the black cockatoo tablecloth doesn't show any of it advantage but you get the gist.

The plate's from Nana's set, which is in The Old Mill pattern by Johnson Bros, from the 50s I believe.

And with Peggy's eggs and some salmon.

 

[MaryJanet]

I am just hoping they grow out of this phase and settle with the others.

All jokes aside, I doubt they'll have much trouble getting up and down from the rafters, even though they'll gift you some nail-biting moments as they go about it!

I decided to stop watching Janet flying up and down from the rafter because, to me, it looked much more dangerous than it really was.

 

[RoyalChick]

They will, and it'll be bang on chicken-schedule!

Come to think of it, maybe it's chickens scheduling @Shadrach
's bus route.

Anyhoo, someone has a new old art deco teaset and that's all it took for me to revive the weekend breakfast photo. Also, one of my ongoing projects is the emptying and reorganisation of the cellar. There was lots of wonderful stuff down there, including Nana's dinner set and a set of six lovely teacups with saucers and breadplates, with a matching sandwich tray, in a gorgeous gumnut pattern.

So here's everything set for breakfast. Unfortunately the black cockatoo tablecloth doesn't show any of it advantage but you get the gist.

The plate's from Nana's set, which is in The Old Mill pattern by Johnson Bros, from the 50s I believe.

View attachment 3368743

And with Peggy's eggs and some salmon.

View attachment 3368744

Love the tea set!

 

[MaryJanet]

Love the tea set!

Isn't it lovely!

 

[RoyalChick]

All jokes aside, I doubt they'll have much trouble getting up and down from the rafters, even though they'll gift you some nail-biting moments as they go about it!

I decided to stop watching Janet flying up and down from the rafter because, to me, it looked much more dangerous than it really was.

Now I know they can get down I am going to stop watching them go up, but I do need to check where they end up to stop them pooping in food and water (which is mostly hanging from rafters just below where they choose to roost!).
If they decide they will always roost in the rafters I will move the food and water hanging chains to the sides - they can really only roost in the middles because the slope of the roof makes it too tight for them at the sides.

 

[MaryJanet]

Love the tea set!

It's got some unevenness in the finish, but I haven't cleaned it properly yet. I may have it re-plated one day, along with all the other bits of epns that need help.