Pipd's Peeps!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Eep sounds like Zilla! The Phoenix and Sebright mix girl have taken over caring for the babies now as Zilla decided she has better things to do.

Zilla is my blue cochin.

Oh goodness, bad girl! She's not younger, either, is she? Some birds definitely make better mothers than others, even within the same breed.

 

[NagemTX]

Oh goodness, bad girl! She's not younger, either, is she? Some birds definitely make better mothers than others, even within the same breed.

Yup, she is 2 years now.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Picture of the day 62, another throwback. I've talked about my old, old, old girls before here. One 13 years old and the other at a whopping 14 years old. I'd been keeping an eye on the 13-year-old, Wynne, because she'd started getting this kink in her neck a while back and was not being quite as active. The 14-year-old, Merlin, meanwhile, has been perfectly fine other than some arthritis in her feet, moseying around as usual, eating, drinking, getting out to free-range and everything. I was starting to think nothing was going to stop that old gal!

Well, sadly, despite having absolutely no outward symptoms of trouble or showing any signs of slowing down, at 14 years, 4 months, and a hand full of days, Merlin has passed on. I went out to check on the birds around lunch time and there she lay, still warm, but unmoving, no signs of any kind of trauma or anything. All I can figure is it was just her time.

What a grand old gal she was, phew! A very low-key and quiet hen for all her years, Merlin was never fond of human attention... but did tolerate it on occasion. She was queen of the flock for sure, no one messed with Merl. Merlin was one of the last group of TSC chicks I bought, and I only got her because I felt sorry for her. She was the very last chick in the straight run Easter-egger bin, someone had bought the rest of the chicks and left her alone, so feeling sorry for her (despite figuring she'd be a cockerel out of a straight run bin) I went ahead and bought her along with several other chicks. Then, to my surprise, she was a pullet... and the three Rhode Island Red pullets I had bought at the same time were instead all cockerels. Good ol' Tractor Supply.

Anyway, because she was so low-key, I actually just don't have many pictures of her. She was most well known in my flock for her Farrah Fawcett hair swoop, for which I made this silly little mash-up

She also had a scowl that could curdle milk, which she used quite often when she was getting more attention from me than she cared for. Such a grump!

Merlin was the oldest chicken I've ever owned. Man... it's going to be so strange not seeing her out there among the flock anymore. Rest well, old lady.

 

[2ndTink]

Picture of the day 62, another throwback. I've talked about my old, old, old girls before here. One 13 years old and the other at a whopping 14 years old. I'd been keeping an eye on the 13-year-old, Wynne, because she'd started getting this kink in her neck a while back and was not being quite as active. The 14-year-old, Merlin, meanwhile, has been perfectly fine other than some arthritis in her feet, moseying around as usual, eating, drinking, getting out to free-range and everything. I was starting to think nothing was going to stop that old gal!

Well, sadly, despite having absolutely no outward symptoms of trouble or showing any signs of slowing down, at 14 years, 4 months, and a hand full of days, Merlin has passed on. I went out to check on the birds around lunch time and there she lay, still warm, but unmoving, no signs of any kind of trauma or anything. All I can figure is it was just her time.

View attachment 3916011

What a grand old gal she was, phew! A very low-key and quiet hen for all her years, Merlin was never fond of human attention... but did tolerate it on occasion. She was queen of the flock for sure, no one messed with Merl. Merlin was one of the last group of TSC chicks I bought, and I only got her because I felt sorry for her. She was the very last chick in the straight run Easter-egger bin, someone had bought the rest of the chicks and left her alone, so feeling sorry for her (despite figuring she'd be a cockerel out of a straight run bin) I went ahead and bought her along with several other chicks. Then, to my surprise, she was a pullet... and the three Rhode Island Red pullets I had bought at the same time were instead all cockerels. Good ol' Tractor Supply.

Anyway, because she was so low-key, I actually just don't have many pictures of her. She was most well known in my flock for her Farrah Fawcett hair swoop, for which I made this silly little mash-up

View attachment 3916031

She also had a scowl that could curdle milk, which she used quite often when she was getting more attention from me than she cared for. Such a grump!

View attachment 3916032

Merlin was the oldest chicken I've ever owned. Man... it's going to be so strange not seeing her out there among the flock anymore. Rest well, old lady.

View attachment 3916037

I'm so sorry Pipd, but what a grand old lady

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Picture of the day 62, another throwback. I've talked about my old, old, old girls before here. One 13 years old and the other at a whopping 14 years old. I'd been keeping an eye on the 13-year-old, Wynne, because she'd started getting this kink in her neck a while back and was not being quite as active. The 14-year-old, Merlin, meanwhile, has been perfectly fine other than some arthritis in her feet, moseying around as usual, eating, drinking, getting out to free-range and everything. I was starting to think nothing was going to stop that old gal!

Well, sadly, despite having absolutely no outward symptoms of trouble or showing any signs of slowing down, at 14 years, 4 months, and a hand full of days, Merlin has passed on. I went out to check on the birds around lunch time and there she lay, still warm, but unmoving, no signs of any kind of trauma or anything. All I can figure is it was just her time.

View attachment 3916011

What a grand old gal she was, phew! A very low-key and quiet hen for all her years, Merlin was never fond of human attention... but did tolerate it on occasion. She was queen of the flock for sure, no one messed with Merl. Merlin was one of the last group of TSC chicks I bought, and I only got her because I felt sorry for her. She was the very last chick in the straight run Easter-egger bin, someone had bought the rest of the chicks and left her alone, so feeling sorry for her (despite figuring she'd be a cockerel out of a straight run bin) I went ahead and bought her along with several other chicks. Then, to my surprise, she was a pullet... and the three Rhode Island Red pullets I had bought at the same time were instead all cockerels. Good ol' Tractor Supply.

Anyway, because she was so low-key, I actually just don't have many pictures of her. She was most well known in my flock for her Farrah Fawcett hair swoop, for which I made this silly little mash-up

View attachment 3916031

She also had a scowl that could curdle milk, which she used quite often when she was getting more attention from me than she cared for. Such a grump!

View attachment 3916032

Merlin was the oldest chicken I've ever owned. Man... it's going to be so strange not seeing her out there among the flock anymore. Rest well, old lady.

View attachment 3916037

Oh my gosh. I just love her and her mash up. She lived a very long life and was lucky to be a part of your flock(s).

 

[NagemTX]

Picture of the day 62, another throwback. I've talked about my old, old, old girls before here. One 13 years old and the other at a whopping 14 years old. I'd been keeping an eye on the 13-year-old, Wynne, because she'd started getting this kink in her neck a while back and was not being quite as active. The 14-year-old, Merlin, meanwhile, has been perfectly fine other than some arthritis in her feet, moseying around as usual, eating, drinking, getting out to free-range and everything. I was starting to think nothing was going to stop that old gal!

Well, sadly, despite having absolutely no outward symptoms of trouble or showing any signs of slowing down, at 14 years, 4 months, and a hand full of days, Merlin has passed on. I went out to check on the birds around lunch time and there she lay, still warm, but unmoving, no signs of any kind of trauma or anything. All I can figure is it was just her time.

View attachment 3916011

What a grand old gal she was, phew! A very low-key and quiet hen for all her years, Merlin was never fond of human attention... but did tolerate it on occasion. She was queen of the flock for sure, no one messed with Merl. Merlin was one of the last group of TSC chicks I bought, and I only got her because I felt sorry for her. She was the very last chick in the straight run Easter-egger bin, someone had bought the rest of the chicks and left her alone, so feeling sorry for her (despite figuring she'd be a cockerel out of a straight run bin) I went ahead and bought her along with several other chicks. Then, to my surprise, she was a pullet... and the three Rhode Island Red pullets I had bought at the same time were instead all cockerels. Good ol' Tractor Supply.

Anyway, because she was so low-key, I actually just don't have many pictures of her. She was most well known in my flock for her Farrah Fawcett hair swoop, for which I made this silly little mash-up

View attachment 3916031

She also had a scowl that could curdle milk, which she used quite often when she was getting more attention from me than she cared for. Such a grump!

View attachment 3916032

Merlin was the oldest chicken I've ever owned. Man... it's going to be so strange not seeing her out there among the flock anymore. Rest well, old lady.

View attachment 3916037

Awww. Rest well.

She has my favorite look of the Ameraucana. The disgruntled hawk look.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Thanks, y'all Merlin has been properly laid to rest now.

She has my favorite look of the Ameraucana. The disgruntled hawk look.

This is a startlingly accurate description of Merl!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Picture of the day 63--or, well, these are the pictures I'd taken yesterday before I found Merlin and was a bit distracted from that.

Anyway, Rowena was very oddly willing to pose for me, including even letting me nudge her head to turn it for a better shot!

For runners up, here's Ivy being a nosy girl! She kept poking at my fingers and peeking in the way of the camera while I was getting Rowena's picture. Doesn't she look ashamed?

And just a shot of Peanut Butter. She's so photogenic

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Need some tips for breaking a broody silkie mix.
So far she's been in a dog crate for 4-5 days. Yesterday I put her in some cool water. Thought she might be ok, but as soon as she was back out of the dog crate she booked it to the nesting box. I set up a fan and put a bottle of ice in the crate hoping that would help to cool her down. She even free ranged for a bit, but then I didn't see her and yep - back to the nest box.
My cochin has been much easier to break than this and I'm just worried that the crate isn't good for her feet. While I know some people keep their birds on mesh, but she paces a lot while in there.
Now that I think about it, my muscovy are easier to break too.

 

[NagemTX]

I've just taken them out and put them on the sand pile with the other chickens from the same coop and closed the coop.