Pipd's Peeps!

[WhoDatChick]

Tonight, my old Barred Rock, Freema, was huddled on the nest box shelf with her head all twisted to the side, classic wry neck. She is in a bit of a rough molt, having dropped all of her tail and wing feathers so that she's quite round instead of chicken-shaped. I suspect a simple deficiency from a harder molt than is typical for her. I also suspect that the cooler weather we've been having has played a part, because she was back upright in the hospital pen inside and full of spit and vinegar by the time I had finished closing the coops and got back to give her a vitamin E / selenium boost. I went ahead and dosed her anyway, to be safe, but she seems to be okay for now.

In other news, the Crash report. She's been actually going into the coop on her own for the night, at least every once in a while. Malcolm has lived there for as long as he's been here (and not in quarantine), and he often has to be herded inside, so I take this as good progress! This morning, I put Crash in the pool to swim, and Malcolm climbed in as well, which usually makes Crash nervous and she flies out. Well, to my surprise, she actually stayed in the pool with him and swam around for a bit! I do believe she's beginning to accept that she might be a duck!

View attachment 1547280


And just for the heck of it, a pic I took of the flock scratching around in some hay a couple days ago. Near as I can tell, here, we have Ihi at the far left, up behind the Dogloo, then one of the Dorking babies (her band isn't visible), Roxy, Lady Wyandotte, Kate (Freema's sister), Fancy, Maggie, Freema smack dab at the center, Abra way in the back, Endymion, Rooska in front of Callette with Mako's tail sticking up behind her, She Who Sleeps Standing Up (also in a rough molt, but you can't really tell from here), Marka's fuzzy rear end, Margaret, and finally, Reuby on the far right. Not nearly everyone, but a nice mix of them!

View attachment 1547281

I just love the names of your birds!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

It looks like the duck's pool is full of liquid gold.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

Still can't believe how big Crash is. Also good luck on your exam. It's certainly that time of year

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I just love the names of your birds!

Haha, thanks!

It looks like the duck's pool is full of liquid gold.

Pretty sure no one wants that gold in their bank, though. Although it does a good job at fertilizing the garden, if I could only come up with an easier way of getting it there.

Still can't believe how big Crash is. Also good luck on your exam. It's certainly that time of year

Yeah, my li'l ducky's all grown up. Thanks for the luck! I haven't gotten any word back on how I did on that one just yet, but I had an exam in Agriculture as well last week and the instructor gave me 100% because I was "close enough". No arguments here! Hope your classes and exams are going well, too!







I've been busy, so sorry for my lack of activity! A couple happenings in the flock since my last post. Freema's back to normal, and Elda is still doing well as of this morning. Interestingly enough, Vivi has decided to have a first year molt rather than waiting until her second fall like most of them do. There are a lot of birds heading into molt and my daily egg count has plummeted as a result. Good thing I thought to freeze some eggs a few weeks ago!

We've been having visits from another juvenile Cooper's Hawk, which is odd because we usually don't have problems from them until February or March. No losses so far as the girls have a ton of cover to run to if they need to, but it sure makes my stomach tie into knots when I check on the girls and see that bird fly away. Today, despite the rain, the birds were all panicked and when I checked on them, the hawk was actually part way under the big cedar tree in the chicken yard! I thought for sure that it must have nabbed someone under there, but there are no feathers around, no signs of injury to anyone, and the bantams (the only birds small enough to be carried off by anything but a gigantic hawk) are all accounted for. It's odd. I think when I finally get the materials around to fix up the chicken yard fence (which it desperately needs...) that I may get some netting to hang up or something. There's just no way to net the entire yard with all the trees at the back, but I can give them a little more cover at least.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I've always wished I could figure out a good way to hang netting in some open places I have.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yeah, I've been thinking that over since I posted. I could strap the corners to trees or something, or sink some of the extra 2x4s to hold it up, I suppose... It's less of the how for me and more of the type of netting to use. It would have to be netting with holes large enough not to collect much snow or many leaves, but not so large that a hawk could swoop through them. Honestly, I'm thinking maybe the net isn't as good of an idea as just providing more small, solidly-roofed shelters to hide under. I feel as though if a hawk swoops over a netted area, the girls won't know to stay under the nets because they're going to feel too exposed, and that may lead to them running out where they're even more exposed. I think netting works best in cases where it makes a solid cover versus just patches for that reason. In theory, those net patches could prevent sneak attacks on hens focused on foraging, but Reuben usually keeps the girls well aware of dangers, so that isn't as much of a problem for my flock. Maybe instead of netting patches, I should cover the mini yard, or even make a small yard within their yard that can be netted fully so that they're safe and have some space for times like these. I'll have to think this over and try to visualize what will work around all the trees and bushes out there...

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Hi, all! I've had a looong week, but I now have a 6-day weekend thanks to fall break and only having the two classes this semester! So, how about some pictures? These are actually from yesterday, when I was unwinding after cleaning the coop by sitting with the gals under the big ol' cedar tree in the chicken yard. I only had my phone on me, so some of them aren't the best of quality, but they're too cute not to share. Any time I have my phone out out there, though, I see a lot of faces like these, not because they want to peck at the camera lens, but because they're curious about the little cover for the earphone plug!

Vivi (Black Marans) :

Callette (Silver Gray Dorking (SGD)) :

Ida (Mottled Cochin bantam (MCB) and I have no idea what she got all over her face!) :

Myrna (SGD) :

Bry and Sylvie (MCBs)

Okay, there are way more pictures than I realized, so let's just get to it!

Bryony the sleepy li'l puffball (MCB)

Fancy, looking stunning after her molt! (Partridge Rock)

Huka, just starting her molt. (Silver Lakenvelder) I love the various tails in the background here!

Ida bein' a cutie! (MCB)

JoseFIEND! I was holding her because she kept pinching me otherwise!! (Black (gold?) Marans)

Look at how pretty her feathers shine, though!

Dorking? What Dorking? Kita knows of no such bird here... (SGD)

Here's Kita again, in Kitato form.

Perched babies! Ooooh, these little faces! (Rooster row in the background, which the girls pulled part of the plastic sheeting off of--add it to the list for winterizing )

A little later, just Vira and Ida remained, choosing the most awkward location to sit.

Reinette. She's in mid molt and super serious about that! (Wheaten Marans)

Roha, being jealous of everyone else for getting my attention. (Exchequer Leghorn)

Here's Rooska and her pretty eyes She's molting in a weird pattern around her eyes, of all places... (Lavender Orpington)

Sweet li'l Sylvie (MCB)

Vira, who's got a little attitude going now if you couldn't tell by the picture! (MCB)

And lastly, Wynne being a derp, as always. (Easter-egger)

And I think that's all. Since I'll have so much time this weekend, I'll get some better pictures of the babies individually as an update for them. I think it's been about a month since the last update on them, so it's long overdue!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Oh my. I just love your flock. I know you have dorkings, but what are the other breeds?

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Oh and yay for fall breaks! Enjoy it!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

You know, I always forget to include the breeds despite saying I would at the beginning of this thread.

I edited the post so that breeds are listed with them.

I definitely will enjoy the break! Not that it's been an overly strenuous semester as is, but it is following a particularly busy spot, so it does make a good time for a rest.