Pipd's Peeps!

[Crazy Maizie]

Finally!

Ivy is taking a break from being broody!

I went out this morning and she was already out of the coop. I have been removing her fluffiness from the roost everyday since she became broody. I had my doubts that it could be true. But, did my normal morning routine and went back out to check on everything and tidy up. At first I didn't see her and was like - here we go again. Checked the nest box that she likes - nope. Checked the other nest boxes - nope. Looked up to the eaves - nope. Finally spotted her in the run.
I also witnessed another hen grooming her and her not running away or growling.
Yesterday she only had water until late afternoon when I gave her feed. I thought maybe she was just too comfortable in her broody cage. I don't know if that is what pushed her out of it or she just woke up and was like - nah I'm good.

Some things I've noticed over these past 2 (or 3) weeks:

• She does not get along with the top muscovy girl, Beanie. They rear at each other and are ready to duel. Now, I wonder if she will do the same since she's not broody? Beanie is broody right now - but she's kind of mean no matter what.
• She sometimes tidbits. I observed her doing it when there wasn't anything to tidbit about. I had thrown some grubs down and she wasn't getting any so to me it looked like she was trying to get the others away from the actual food.
• She has a wonky wing. It sticks out sometimes when she doesn't adjust it.
• Her toenails needed trimmed and while trimming I noticed she's got a lot of mutations going on. While I know silkies have extra toes, some of hers have claws.
• I watched Lemon (my bantam cochin) chest bump her.

Her and I have surely bonded more over the past few weeks. So, she's not as flighty as when I first got her. I'm not looking forward to the next round of broodiness, but hopefully it won't happen until spring.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Finally!

Ivy is taking a break from being broody!

I went out this morning and she was already out of the coop. I have been removing her fluffiness from the roost everyday since she became broody. I had my doubts that it could be true. But, did my normal morning routine and went back out to check on everything and tidy up. At first I didn't see her and was like - here we go again. Checked the nest box that she likes - nope. Checked the other nest boxes - nope. Looked up to the eaves - nope. Finally spotted her in the run.
I also witnessed another hen grooming her and her not running away or growling.

Woo-hoo!! Now if I could convince my knuckleheads. I'm still trying to convince Opal that she does not need to hatch and rear another batch of chicks this year. Meanwhile, Amaretto is hot and cold on it, and now Peanut Butter is starting to make low clucks like she wants to go broody again.

Some things I've noticed over these past 2 (or 3) weeks:

• She does not get along with the top muscovy girl, Beanie. They rear at each other and are ready to duel. Now, I wonder if she will do the same since she's not broody? Beanie is broody right now - but she's kind of mean no matter what.

Oh my goodness, and muscovies aren't small birds, either, are they? Crazy!!

• She sometimes tidbits. I observed her doing it when there wasn't anything to tidbit about. I had thrown some grubs down and she wasn't getting any so to me it looked like she was trying to get the others away from the actual food.

I have a few birds that do the same, male and female. My girls mostly do it when they are brooding or were recently / are soon to be. And then there's Fifi, who's just a loony and does that and crows all the time.

• Her toenails needed trimmed and while trimming I noticed she's got a lot of mutations going on. While I know silkies have extra toes, some of hers have claws.

The extra toes should have nails, or at least all the birds I've owned with extra toes do. They do sometimes need to be trimmed because they tend to stick up away from the ground and so they don't wear down like the other nails do.

Sometimes with mixes you'll have five toes on one foot and four on the other. Or you'll find extra extra toes, as in more than five per foot! And sometimes you'll have a bird with five toes, but more than five nails The gene is very fluid in expression, it's a weird one.

• I watched Lemon (my bantam cochin) chest bump her.

Her and I have surely bonded more over the past few weeks. So, she's not as flighty as when I first got her. I'm not looking forward to the next round of broodiness, but hopefully it won't happen until spring.

Feisty girls! Something about them going broody really ticks off the other birds in the flock.

That's sweet that you've been able to bond with her more! Hopefully she breaks easier in subsequent attempts at broodying.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Sorry for the late check-in again! I had planned to get at least one trip to the zoo in before the semester started, and I finally was able to do that today. They have a bunch of birds, but I didn't get very many good pictures of them, unfortunately. I did get a decent shot of some of their green-naped pheasant pigeons (Otidiphaps nobilis nobilis) getting some sun, though, just like the chickens do

Anyway, on to my birds for the picture of the day number 72. By the time I got home from the zoo, the nests were hopping! This is, I believe, Ms. Coco, Gwenyth, Janice, and Juniper, hard at work

And a runner up of a nosy Cochin hen, unnamed and meant to be rehomed... but one that I've been tempted to name and hold onto anyway

...And I do mean nosy

 

[NagemTX]

Sorry for the late check-in again! I had planned to get at least one trip to the zoo in before the semester started, and I finally was able to do that today. They have a bunch of birds, but I didn't get very many good pictures of them, unfortunately. I did get a decent shot of some of their green-naped pheasant pigeons (Otidiphaps nobilis nobilis) getting some sun, though, just like the chickens do

View attachment 3924939


Anyway, on to my birds for the picture of the day number 72. By the time I got home from the zoo, the nests were hopping! This is, I believe, Ms. Coco, Gwenyth, Janice, and Juniper, hard at work

View attachment 3924940


And a runner up of a nosy Cochin hen, unnamed and meant to be rehomed... but one that I've been tempted to name and hold onto anyway

View attachment 3924941

...And I do mean nosy

View attachment 3924942

Love the kitty litter pail nest boxes!

 

[Crazy Maizie]

The extra toes should have nails, or at least all the birds I've owned with extra toes do. They do sometimes need to be trimmed because they tend to stick up away from the ground and so they don't wear down like the other nails do.

Sometimes with mixes you'll have five toes on one foot and four on the other. Or you'll find extra extra toes, as in more than five per foot! And sometimes you'll have a bird with five toes, but more than five nails The gene is very fluid in expression, it's a weird one.

Oh, I literally meant like lobster claws not toe nails. She has like 3 sets of lobster claws plus extra toes (with nails).

Now if I could convince my knuckleheads

Good luck!

Oh my goodness, and muscovies aren't small birds, either, are they? Crazy!!

Muscovy girls are generally as big as any other regular sized duck hens. But, the drakes are massive in comparison. Beanie is definitely larger and stronger than Ivy. But, Ivy doesn't care I guess.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Sorry for the late check-in again! I had planned to get at least one trip to the zoo in before the semester started, and I finally was able to do that today. They have a bunch of birds, but I didn't get very many good pictures of them, unfortunately. I did get a decent shot of some of their green-naped pheasant pigeons (Otidiphaps nobilis nobilis) getting some sun, though, just like the chickens do

View attachment 3924939


Anyway, on to my birds for the picture of the day number 72. By the time I got home from the zoo, the nests were hopping! This is, I believe, Ms. Coco, Gwenyth, Janice, and Juniper, hard at work

View attachment 3924940


And a runner up of a nosy Cochin hen, unnamed and meant to be rehomed... but one that I've been tempted to name and hold onto anyway

View attachment 3924941

...And I do mean nosy

View attachment 3924942

We went to the zoo a few weeks ago with my grandchildren. My grandson was leading the tour and named every single animal. I was amazed, but also I think it was the fastest we have ever been through the zoo.
Oh she who isn't named is cute.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Love the kitty litter pail nest boxes!

They've been quite handy! They stand alone well so they can be used in other pens just set on the floor if I need to separate a hen for whatever reason, and when an egg gets busted in one (such as from a twisty-legged Dorking hen flopping her big butt down in a box, not that that's ever happened here or anything... ), they're easy to take out and hose down.

Oh, I literally meant like lobster claws not toe nails. She has like 3 sets of lobster claws plus extra toes (with nails).

Oh, whoops, I definitely misunderstood then!

Actually, @2ndTink was just telling me a few days ago about a chick that hatched with lobster claw toes! Silkie feet are so weird

Muscovy girls are generally as big as any other regular sized duck hens. But, the drakes are massive in comparison. Beanie is definitely larger and stronger than Ivy. But, Ivy doesn't care I guess.

Haha, it's those broody hormones, makes them think they can take on the world

We went to the zoo a few weeks ago with my grandchildren. My grandson was leading the tour and named every single animal. I was amazed, but also I think it was the fastest we have ever been through the zoo.
Oh she who isn't named is cute.

Aww, that's so sweet! Sounds like a future zookeeper!

She who isn't named... may have found a name this morning. Augusta, as a tribute to her late father, Gus II. Speaking of her, well, here's today's picture of the day number 73 of Gusta being nosy again

And as a runner up, I turned around after taking the above picture and Vega was waiting patiently for some attention, too She's molting right now, so she's got a sort of patchwork thing going on as her old, faded feathers are gradually replaced with vibrant new feathers.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

They've been quite handy! They stand alone well so they can be used in other pens just set on the floor if I need to separate a hen for whatever reason, and when an egg gets busted in one (such as from a twisty-legged Dorking hen flopping her big butt down in a box, not that that's ever happened here or anything... ), they're easy to take out and hose down.




Oh, whoops, I definitely misunderstood then!

Actually, @2ndTink was just telling me a few days ago about a chick that hatched with lobster claw toes! Silkie feet are so weird




Haha, it's those broody hormones, makes them think they can take on the world




Aww, that's so sweet! Sounds like a future zookeeper!

She who isn't named... may have found a name this morning. Augusta, as a tribute to her late father, Gus II. Speaking of her, well, here's today's picture of the day number 73 of Gusta being nosy again

View attachment 3925695


And as a runner up, I turned around after taking the above picture and Vega was waiting patiently for some attention, too She's molting right now, so she's got a sort of patchwork thing going on as her old, faded feathers are gradually replaced with vibrant new feathers.

View attachment 3925699

Love that she got a name and what a lovely name it is.

I will take a Pic of Ivy's toes when I remember to take my phone out there.

 

[2ndTink]

She got a name! That's awesome, I love it! And she's beautiful!

Sorry for not posting much, it's gotten pretty busy around here with 32 new little floofs and fruit harvest time!

Here's some funky little fuzzy feet, lobster claw on the one side.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I just tucked everyone in and took a few pics. I was wrong. She's got one set of lobster claws on each foot. She also has a weird toenail sticking up out of her toe I circled the toe which shows her regular toe nail and then one tiny one sticking up. When I noticed it, I thought she somehow had ripped her toenail apart. So tried to trim it a little and it bled. Then, I noticed it's actually coming out of the toe.
It was a little awkward trying to take pics while holding her and getting the phone in the right postition. I think she was a bit grumpy with me as well. So, this is the best pics that I could get right now.