Pipd's Peeps!

[ronott1]

We had a strange occurrence tonight. I got home from class tonight and let the girls out to free-range. With the seasonal change of sunrise and sunset, they only have maybe an hour and fifteen minutes of free-range time at the most after my Tuesday and Thursday classes. I didn't bother letting the Guineas out to range because of how little time there was, but they DID free-range yesterday.

At dusk, as I was walking down the path toward the Guinea coop to close them in for the night, I happened across Kiwi, the mostly blind, crooked-beaked Guinea hen, laying dead just off to the side in the grass. No feathers removed, no sign of damage or an attack of any sort, just dead.

I have no idea how she got out. There's a chance that she didn't coop up last night and I didn't notice, but she wasn't around the coop this morning, and I'm reasonably sure she would have been noticeable if she had been out. I definitely would have noticed if she was already laying there dead by that point. On top of that, I have no idea why she died. Most of the Guineas (including her) are at least 7 years old, maybe 8 (I can't remember for sure if I hatched that group one or two years after I got the first group), so I guess it could have been just old age? But that still doesn't explain how she got out... View attachment 1564798 This is so bizarre...


Rest in peace, Kiwi.

View attachment 1564806

Weird about her being out

She did very well for being so old. Good Job!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Awe. sorry to hear about Kiwi.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Sorry about your bird... strange how she got out and then you found her dead... Hope you are well!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Thanks, y'all. I'm okay, it just was a shock to find. Today was the Central Indiana Poultry Show, so I was able to immerse myself in all things chicken and get my mind off of things. I swore to myself I would take lots and lots of pictures to share because I just always fail to do so, but... I got a bit distracted...

Fawn Silver Duckwing Old English Game bantams. I think I've mentioned how much I've always wanted OEGBs, particularly this variety. I have a quarantine coop now (it's just an old rabbit hutch that I reinforced with hardware cloth and extra screws for the purpose), and with everything that's gone down, well, I let myself splurge a bit. I hate quarantining this time of year, but I passed up these guys too many times now. I did grill the seller pretty well and checked them over before agreeing to the purchase, though, so I'm not going into it completely blind. The hen is molting and both of them need their nails trimmed, but they otherwise appear healthy. We'll find out at the end of quarantine, anyway! They have no names yet because I wasn't expecting to be getting any new birds today.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Very pretty. Do bantams need their nails trimmed often or does it depend on how they are kept (referring to housing)?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

It's the way they're housed. None of my bantam chickens have ever needed their nails trimmed, but Crash did when she was inside. Now that she's out, her nails are keeping worn down on their own. Show birds are often kept in 'conditioning pens', inside and off the ground so that they don't damage their feathers or anything before show. The seller did mention that the rooster was moved to a conditioning pen to help with some sun bleaching in his hackles, so I imagine that the hen was in a similar pen, too. Their nails should wear down once they're on the ground--but, since they're quarantined for at least a month, I'll probably give them a trimming in the next few days just to be safe.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Short but sweet--Mr. OEGB says good morning!

I am smitten!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Short but sweet--Mr. OEGB says good morning! View attachment 1566836 I am smitten!

That is too cute. I bet he will be a mighty rooster.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Maybe in the spring, I can come down to the central poultry show. I would love to go sometime. It would be fun to meet and say hi.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

That show is actually only in the fall, always the third Saturday in October, but if you're planning on going next year, let me know! I intend to go to the Ohio National show again this year, too, over in Columbus, Ohio, on November 10. The Central Indiana show is the largest in Indiana, but the Ohio National is consistently about twice the size of the Central Indiana show! Apparently, this year the National will be even bigger, as they've moved the sales arena to the next building over for more room for show pens! I'm pretty stoked!





So, I got the OEGB's nails trimmed this morning, something they were NOT pleased about, but it had to be done. I trimmed as far as I could without hitting the quick. Birds' nails are weird in that the quick tends to follow the nail as it grows, so their nails are better, but not as short as they could be. Still, it's something! Mr. has been crowing off and on all day, replying back and forth with some of my established fellas. He also has been getting his wing flaps in and dancing for little Miss, but she just looks at him like he's ridiculous. They seem to be adjusting well to the quarantine coop.

We had another hawk scare this morning, so the girls are in the mini-yard for now, where they have more cover. I'm not sure if I should risk free-ranging them today or just keep them penned for now. We'll see.