Pipd's Peeps!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

We had tornadoes in our area. Some have had damages. We are OK tho as are my friends and family!

Glad you and yours are okay!! That's scary weather!

@pipdzipdnreadytogo Sorry to hear about the losses.

Lemon is in full naked molt atm, she looks hideous.

Oh goodness, crazy birds going naked this time of year! Thankfully all of my full-naked molters are covering back up now that we've got cold incoming again, although Gwenyth, my naked neck bantam, went into molt this past week or so. Hard to say if she's any more naked than usual, though

@NagemTX glad all is well. Here in NE IN, the weather app is showing the tornado symbol vs the snow symbol. That means there is a slight risk which is wild for this region especially at the end of December. But, soon the temps are dropping again back to the 20s. I wish the weather would make up it's mind. This back and forth is not good for animals.

Yeah, I saw that, too. Crazy!

I hate the rollercoaster weather and I'm pretty sure my birds do, too. With all the rain and mild temps, we're almost as muddy right now as it gets here in the spring, it's a mess! Much as I hate busting ice out of water dishes, I'd take frozen ground over all this mud!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Hope you all are having a fun (or relaxing) new years eve! I'm still debating if I want to stay up another 5 hours or just go to bed like usual in a couple hours, personally

Not a great picture, but here's the new perch setup loaded with Cochins as promised!

My poor fuzzies are so soggy and muddy right now with this weather But we had a nice new year's eve snack of lettuce hearts and tomato bits, so we at least have nice, full crops for bed.

Oh, and this was before everyone had loaded up, of course, but here's Gusta giving me her complaints for the day. "Awk-awk-awk" as usual, and judging by her face in that second pic, I think she really means it.

 

[Egg Snatcher]

Hope you all are having a fun (or relaxing) new years eve! I'm still debating if I want to stay up another 5 hours or just go to bed like usual in a couple hours, personally

Not a great picture, but here's the new perch setup loaded with Cochins as promised!

View attachment 4018107

My poor fuzzies are so soggy and muddy right now with this weather But we had a nice new year's eve snack of lettuce hearts and tomato bits, so we at least have nice, full crops for bed.

Oh, and this was before everyone had loaded up, of course, but here's Gusta giving me her complaints for the day. "Awk-awk-awk" as usual, and judging by her face ive pipd!that second pic, I think she really means it.

View attachment 4018113
View attachment 4018118

Happy New Year Eve pipd! Hope your relaxing and enjoying your break off school! Your half way there!

 

[NagemTX]

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Happy new year, everyone!

Here's to making 2025 a good one!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

We're off to a great start! My first picture of 2025 this morning is... a blurry shot of Gwenyth turning away from the camera at the last moment just as one of the Cochins nosed her way in front

At least the second one was nice, though. Vega being a cutie

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Well, looks like it finally decided to be winter around here. We got some snow yesterday and more has been coming down today as well.

The birds are not interested in this weather. In fact, most won't even leave the coop to the covered portion of their run. (Don't mind the clutter, I didn't have as much time to set up for winter as usual this season )

I did get a few takers by putting a hand full of feed in their outside pan just so that there were plenty of places for everyone to eat during the daily breakfast rush. You know I maliciously keep them on the verge of starvation, of course.

For those of you who, like me, might use chicken wire for splitting birds up or other purposes where its lack of predator-resistance doesn't matter as much, a word of caution. I noticed one of the Cochin cockerels was walking weirdly last night, sort of hobbling stiffly, so I thought maybe he had built up some mud in his feet during that warm spell we had and that had frozen and was causing him difficulty walking. Instead, when I picked him up to check him over, I found an old, rusted piece of chicken wire, maybe 3 or 4 inches long and a couple inches wide, that had entangled in both of his feet. I do try to clean up old fence well when I'm done with it or it's worn out, but we're talking almost 20 years of use in some areas of the property and some of that before I took over with the birds, so scraps can sneak by me. Just be careful with your old and falling apart chicken wire, y'all, and make sure you clean up your scraps when you move things around!

And, for the record, the cockerel is walking around fine now without that makeshift hobble on him, the poor guy.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Late to the New Year's party.

For those of you who, like me, might use chicken wire for splitting birds up or other purposes where its lack of predator-resistance doesn't matter as much, a word of caution. I noticed one of the Cochin cockerels was walking weirdly last night, sort of hobbling stiffly, so I thought maybe he had built up some mud in his feet during that warm spell we had and that had frozen and was causing him difficulty walking. Instead, when I picked him up to check him over, I found an old, rusted piece of chicken wire, maybe 3 or 4 inches long and a couple inches wide, that had entangled in both of his feet. I do try to clean up old fence well when I'm done with it or it's worn out, but we're talking almost 20 years of use in some areas of the property and some of that before I took over with the birds, so scraps can sneak by me. Just be careful with your old and falling apart chicken wire, y'all, and make sure you clean up your scraps when you move things around!

And, for the record, the cockerel is walking around fine now without that makeshift hobble on him, the poor guy.

Poor guy, but at least he's free of his shackles.
My chickens are always digging up New old things. Like glass or bullet casings. We've never even shot on this property and we've lived here for 28 years. The section we live on used to be farmland. It's just interesting what they dig up and what kind of trouble they can get themselves in.

Story time:

Awhile ago I asked if the oegb bantams could roost in the rafters during the winter - well I never made them go into a coop. So that's where they've been roosting even on these colder days. One icy windy night though, Rose was not letting Ginger roost where she normally does. (Rose is the sebright - I just include her in the oegb group.) So, I try to get Ginger down (sometimes she will come down if I call her name, but this time I used the broom) and in the process Rose came down. The problem is at this point it's too dark for them to see to go back to the rafters. So, I'm running around in the dark with some motion lights and a head lamp trying to catch a chicken that hates me.
Of course, then Rebel flies down because he's got to protect his ladies (mind you Ginger is still up in the rafters).
Rose finally got in a corner and I was able to grab her only because she can't see me. I put her in one of the coops. I catch Rebel, put him in there as well. Finally Ginger flies down - her normal routine when she chooses to go into the coop. Of course that leaves one, Mango. She roosts as high as she can get and is pretty tucked up there. She always roosts alone. But, of course I felt like I couldn't leave her out by herself even though she would have been fine. For her, I had to get out a ladder to persuade her down.
She wasn't having it and was jumping from rafter to rafter. Finally, she got cornered and then kind of slid down and ended up on the dividing fencing where I could grab her. Phew. All got tucked in that night.
I might have to repeat the scenario if we get bitterly cold. That ought to be a blast!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Poor guy, but at least he's free of his shackles.
My chickens are always digging up New old things. Like glass or bullet casings. We've never even shot on this property and we've lived here for 28 years. The section we live on used to be farmland. It's just interesting what they dig up and what kind of trouble they can get themselves in.

That's for sure!! Chickens have this incredible expertise with finding new and unique ways to hurt themselves

Story time:

Awhile ago I asked if the oegb bantams could roost in the rafters during the winter - well I never made them go into a coop. So that's where they've been roosting even on these colder days. One icy windy night though, Rose was not letting Ginger roost where she normally does. (Rose is the sebright - I just include her in the oegb group.) So, I try to get Ginger down (sometimes she will come down if I call her name, but this time I used the broom) and in the process Rose came down. The problem is at this point it's too dark for them to see to go back to the rafters. So, I'm running around in the dark with some motion lights and a head lamp trying to catch a chicken that hates me.
Of course, then Rebel flies down because he's got to protect his ladies (mind you Ginger is still up in the rafters).
Rose finally got in a corner and I was able to grab her only because she can't see me. I put her in one of the coops. I catch Rebel, put him in there as well. Finally Ginger flies down - her normal routine when she chooses to go into the coop. Of course that leaves one, Mango. She roosts as high as she can get and is pretty tucked up there. She always roosts alone. But, of course I felt like I couldn't leave her out by herself even though she would have been fine. For her, I had to get out a ladder to persuade her down.
She wasn't having it and was jumping from rafter to rafter. Finally, she got cornered and then kind of slid down and ended up on the dividing fencing where I could grab her. Phew. All got tucked in that night.
I might have to repeat the scenario if we get bitterly cold. That ought to be a blast!

Haha, that's Old English for you! They always want to be as high up as possible, whether we like it or not

My OEGB girls are bunking with me lately. I normally leave them out until I see any signs they aren't tolerating the cold, but this year I brought them in preemptively. This was mostly because Gwenyth--you know, the hen who already has half as many feathers as everyone else--decided to molt as soon as we actually got cold for the winter and I had to bring her in. So, I figured I'd grab Vega and Sumi so that Gwennie had some company. V was on the ground when I took this picture, but you can see they're getting along well enough at least!

Then Achernar, Vega and Sumi's brother, was lying on the ground a few mornings ago, so I brought him in, too. He recovered quickly, thankfully, especially when he realized he was next door to some hens he could flirt with. Unfortunately, the only indoor pen space I have for birds right now are the brooders, the ones I have set up in my bedroom, so... It's always a delight to have a mature rooster in your bedroom.

It's been snowy and I've had to wear my coveralls out to do my chicken chores most every day, so I haven't had many picture opportunities with the birds lately other than the above. Not much to see anyway, other than a bunch of grumpy birds who don't want to go out in the few inches of snow we've gotten.


Also... I have no excuses for my absence the past week or so. I got caught up in vacation mode and have been catching up on some TV shows and couch potato-ing in between finishing up my program application for college. The semester starts for me on Monday, but it should be a bit less of a busy semester than the last one, I think... No guarantees, of course.

 

[Egg Snatcher]

That's for sure!! Chickens have this incredible expertise with finding new and unique ways to hurt themselves




Haha, that's Old English for you! They always want to be as high up as possible, whether we like it or not

My OEGB girls are bunking with me lately. I normally leave them out until I see any signs they aren't tolerating the cold, but this year I brought them in preemptively. This was mostly because Gwenyth--you know, the hen who already has half as many feathers as everyone else--decided to molt as soon as we actually got cold for the winter and I had to bring her in. So, I figured I'd grab Vega and Sumi so that Gwennie had some company. V was on the ground when I took this picture, but you can see they're getting along well enough at least!

View attachment 4025245

Then Achernar, Vega and Sumi's brother, was lying on the ground a few mornings ago, so I brought him in, too. He recovered quickly, thankfully, especially when he realized he was next door to some hens he could flirt with. Unfortunately, the only indoor pen space I have for birds right now are the brooders, the ones I have set up in my bedroom, so... It's always a delight to have a mature rooster in your bedroom.

It's been snowy and I've had to wear my coveralls out to do my chicken chores most every day, so I haven't had many picture opportunities with the birds lately other than the above. Not much to see anyway, other than a bunch of grumpy birds who don't want to go out in the few inches of snow we've gotten.


Also... I have no excuses for my absence the past week or so. I got caught up in vacation mode and have been catching up on some TV shows and couch potato-ing in between finishing up my program application for college. The semester starts for me on Monday, but it should be a bit less of a busy semester than the last one, I think... No guarantees, of course.

Glad you in joyed your break. You deserved it!