MJ's little flock

[RoyalChick]

She decided to roost alone in the sleepout. However, she lingered by the big coop for a very long time before deciding the hens were too scary. Perhaps tomorrow evening she'll try the big coop.

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I'll keep her company for a little longer. She seems to like my presence.

In the meantime, Edie is fully enclosed in the cat box nest which I carried into the run.

Mary got up, ate and went to the roost as usual.

That’s a lovely picture MJ.

 

[MaryJanet]

That’s a lovely picture MJ.

I seem to get focussed photos when I use the timer, as long as the chicken or cat doesn't move during the the countdown! Which is not often.

 

[BY Bob]

Hmmm I'd have thought she was a trifle young for brooding. 32 weeks or thereabouts.

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As for this old darling, she probably put Edie up to it!

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They can't stay where they are. Both will have to be moved to the safety of the funrun.

I don't know what Katie will do without her roosting bestie. Maybe she'll decide to try living with the older hens.

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For a point of reference, Sydney was 36 weeks old when she went broody and Maleficent was 33 weeks old. So she is not that early in going broody.
It is a lovely compliment to you that she feels so safe that yours is a great place to raise babies.

Maleficent

 

[Grammy60]

Good evening MJ and everyone

She decided to roost alone in the sleepout. However, she lingered by the big coop for a very long time before deciding the hens were too scary. Perhaps tomorrow evening she'll try the big coop.

View attachment 3421211

I'll keep her company for a little longer. She seems to like my presence.

In the meantime, Edie is fully enclosed in the cat box nest which I carried into the run.

Mary got up, ate and went to the roost as usual.

That is a lovely picture

 

[rjohns39]

Good evening folks

 

[MaryJanet]

For a point of reference, Sydney was 36 weeks old when she went broody and Maleficent was 33 weeks old. So she is not that early in going broody.
It is a lovely compliment to you that she feels so safe that yours is a great place to raise babies.

Maleficent
View attachment 3421250

This morning she's screaming at anyone who approaches the nest. So I'm thinking she's delighted at having got through the night on her nest and wil sit tight today and maybe tomorrow before getting up for self-care.

it wasn't easy for Katie to wake up alone but once she saw someone else, in this case me, she stopped calling. I let her out and she went looking for Edie.

I let the red marauders out of the run as usual, took the door off Edie's nest and showed Edie to Katie who took a good look then went to eat breakfast.

Then it was time to let the old ladies into the run. Edie was ignored by Janet and Mary but Ivy made a beeline for Edie's nest for a close look at whatever was going on. That's when Edie started screaming and when Peggy heard that she decided to take a look too. I thought it would be a good moment to put the door back on Edie's nest so others can't peck her.

That's when I noticed this out over the sea.

Spoiler: Pretty

By that time the red marauders were fussing because they were in the sleepout and had finished hoovering up the remains of Katie's dinner and wanted to be out in the yard. That's all part of "as usual" at this time. If they're hoovering up in the sleepout, others get to have some breakfast largely un-marauded.

Anyway, it's been a morning. Once I'm sure the hens won't badger Edie too much I'll open up her nest again.

The cat box works extremely well as a nest! It's extremely convenient to shut the door when necessary and to carry the nesting hen from place to place .I may put the other one out for nesting purposes too. Now Blossom's got her special woven cat basket, she won't need the cat boxes any more.

 

[MaryJanet]

By the way, @RoyalChick the new cat basket has resolved all violence on vet day. Blossom willingly jumps in for treats and closing the lid on her is super easy. It's very roomy for her too. I think it's roomy enough for two big hens or three little hens, so it will definitely double-up as a chicken basket, which means the picnic basket can revert to picnic duties. Just in time because I've made a commitment to a friend to go on a picnic somewhere new every public holiday this year.

 

[RoyalChick]

By the way, @RoyalChick the new cat basket has resolved all violence on vet day. Blossom willingly jumps in for treats and closing the lid on her is super easy. It's very roomy for her too. I think it's roomy enough for two big hens or three little hens, so it will definitely double-up as a chicken basket, which means the picnic basket can revert to picnic duties. Just in time because I've made a commitment to a friend to go on a picnic somewhere new every public holiday this year.

Oh I am so glad it worked out for you.
It is definitely a game changer with my cats - I have no idea how I would get them into a conventional cat carrier.
I love the picnic commitment - I am sure that will be lovely.

 

[MaryJanet]

Oh I am so glad it worked out for you.
It is definitely a game changer with my cats - I have no idea how I would get them into a conventional cat carrier.
I love the picnic commitment - I am sure that will be lovely.

The first one was delightful - we sat by a lake. I'm sure the next one will be just as lovely.

 

[RoyalChick]

MJ, I know you saw the post about my Eli's alarming poop (if it even was poop), After that icky mess she drank like crazy for two days and had copious, completely liquid diarrhea.
She was behaving perfectly normally, but I was anxious.
Today I posted this and thought you would want to see.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-26598218