MJ's little flock

[ManueB]

Thanks for asking!

Janet is doing very well with her trimmed beak and rarely misses a bite. However she continues to plead for scrambled eggs at a table for one at breakfast time. Instead, I throw lettuce for everybody to share.

The lone marauder is pecking her way to the top and sometimes I intervene to keep her from overdoing it with the quieter, gentler hens. Or I go inside where I can't see or hear it.

Edie and Katie have been co-brooding an empty nest with a lot of determination since Friday, including sitting in the nest overnight. I remain unconcerned about their diet and disinclined to interfere until 3 weeks have passed. I saw both of them eating and bathing at different times today, and there are enormous poops being deposited. I assume they're drinking too.

View attachment 3665298

Today Ivy said enough with these kids! And laid her egg in the nest box of the little coop. I hope Mary will follow her lead because it's a lot easier to collect eggs when there's no broody to negotiate terms with.

Strangely, both broody hens continue to lay 5-6 eggs a week. So much for broodies not laying although I'm sure they will stop very soon.

Mary's eye seems fine and she appears to be cheerful. Peggy is doing well too.

Mystery Teas are packaged and ready for dispatch!

View attachment 3665347

I put in 2 teaspoons of the loose leafed teas, trusting you to know roughly how much you'll need in your pot.

And I went with ziplock bags to keep flavours and scents from mingling.

Wonderful 2x !

 

[RoyalChick]

Mystery Teas are packaged and ready for dispatch!

View attachment 3665347

I put in 2 teaspoons of the loose leafed teas, trusting you to know roughly how much you'll need in your pot.

And I went with ziplock bags to keep flavours and scents from mingling.

Wow. You are setting a really high bar with your tea labels!
Are they all ‘with milk’ kind of teas? Or do we need to decide that for ourselves?

 

[BY Bob]

Here is a Sunday jigsaw puzzle of Mary, for your quiet hours.

https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=357222b1ae0f

Here's the photo for reference and it's only 48 pieces.

View attachment 3665086

I can't wait to try this later tonight!

 

[Shadrach]

Thanks for asking!

Janet is doing very well with her trimmed beak and rarely misses a bite. However she continues to plead for scrambled eggs at a table for one at breakfast time. Instead, I throw lettuce for everybody to share.

The lone marauder is pecking her way to the top and sometimes I intervene to keep her from overdoing it with the quieter, gentler hens. Or I go inside where I can't see or hear it.

Edie and Katie have been co-brooding an empty nest with a lot of determination since Friday, including sitting in the nest overnight. I remain unconcerned about their diet and disinclined to interfere until 3 weeks have passed. I saw both of them eating and bathing at different times today, and there are enormous poops being deposited. I assume they're drinking too.

View attachment 3665298

Today Ivy said enough with these kids! And laid her egg in the nest box of the little coop. I hope Mary will follow her lead because it's a lot easier to collect eggs when there's no broody to negotiate terms with.

Strangely, both broody hens continue to lay 5-6 eggs a week. So much for broodies not laying although I'm sure they will stop very soon.

Mary's eye seems fine and she appears to be cheerful. Peggy is doing well too.

Sitting hens stop laying usually but broody hens can lay eggs. It's another one of thse badly defined and used terms; broody.

 

[MaryJanet]

Wow. You are setting a really high bar with your tea labels!
Are they all ‘with milk’ kind of teas? Or do we need to decide that for ourselves?

They're all black teas. I prefer to drink them with milk and without sugar. Others may prefer it the other way around or with nothing added at all.

The important thing with tea is to brew it strong (but don't stew it), taste, then dilute the flavour with a splash of boiling water and re-taste. If it's still too strong, continue diluting in small increments until you find it palatable.

 

[MaryJanet]

Sitting hens stop laying usually but broody hens can lay eggs. It's another one of thse badly defined and used terms; broody.

Ok, I did not know that! Thanks for explaining. I might give them a wooden egg.

 

[MaryJanet]

A wonderful idea! I will try today and report back- I have not done in puzzle in ages and I was never good at it .

Did you solve it? I can make one with fewer pieces next time if you'd like.

I can't wait to try this later tonight!

How did you get on with the jigsaw? Did you enjoy it?

 

[MaryJanet]

Sitting hens stop laying usually but broody hens can lay eggs. It's another one of thse badly defined and used terms; broody.

I've been watching a livestream from a falcon nest recently, and interestingly the falcon watchers use the term brooding more precisely than I'm used to. For them it means the act of sitting on eggs or chicks. Whereas chicken people speak of brooding as a phase hens go through.

So a falcon watcher would not describe a hen as brooding if she happens to be taking her break from the nest.

Also, Shad you might appreciate this if you don't already know it, the male falcon will brood the eggs/chicks from time to time, and he'll feed the chicks too. But his main role is to hunt for the family and bring prey back to the female for her to feed to the chicks. Also he's smaller than she is and she's the defender.

 

[Shadrach]

I've been watching a livestream from a falcon nest recently, and interestingly the falcon watchers use the term brooding more precisely than I'm used to. For them it means the act of sitting on eggs or chicks. Whereas chicken people speak of brooding as a phase hens go through.

So a falcon watcher would not describe a hen as brooding if she happens to be taking her break from the nest.

Also, Shad you might appreciate this if you don't already know it, the male falcon will brood the eggs/chicks from time to time, and he'll feed the chicks too. But his main role is to hunt for the family and bring prey back to the female for her to feed to the chicks. Also he's smaller than she is and she's the defender.

Excellent arrangement. You beat the crap out of the neighbours and I'll bugger off out of it and get some grub.

 

[MaryJanet]

Excellent arrangement. You beat the crap out of the neighbours and I'll bugger off out of it and get some grub.

He's a very efficient chick feeder when he gets a chance! He tears the meat up much faster than she does and he's utterly rigorous about the chicks taking turns while the hen pokes meat into whoever's beak is convenient, which is not always ok for the little chick.