Ribh's D'Coopage

[Ribh]

You're a very horrid women. How could you do that to her.
I confiscated Brackets eggs this morning. Talk about foul language.
She did go into the tribe's coop this evening with the others. No doubt she will sit on the nest tomorrow for a while sulking.
I've got Tackle in the maternity coop sitting. I'll give her three days and then confiscate here eggs as well.
Then it will be time to deal with Nolia who is ready to sit. She's another one due for the switch off laying cycle treatment.
And....Donk is getting ready to sit on this lot in a couple more days I estimate.
View attachment 2086739
Knock has a nest on the West bank somewhere which I have yet to find.

I am a horrid woman. Ha'penny is swearing @ me for not letting her go nest in the wild as she wants to. After a dreadful to~do for more than an hour she's settled in her usual nesting box. Aoife & Medh are saying dreadful things about me for insisting they stay in the run & Mhari I found on her side in a pile of feathers in the run ~ gave me a terrible fright & I said unmentionable things. I don't think they were her feathers but for a moment there I thought something terrible had happened. I have put them all back in the coop early ~ fed, watered & well exercised but I am exhausted so they can cool their heels & say whatever they like.

 

[Ribh]

Thanks Lozzy. This weekend has helped a ton. Lots of chicken therapy and beautiful weather. Feeling good about heading back.

Glad you're feeling more like yourself, Bob.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

She looks like a dinosaur!

She does look scary!

She didn't want her photo taken today but I want feather progress pics

I think the tips of a couple of feathers are just starting to break through the ends of the quills if you look really closely.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

This is Mhari.
She has been broody practically from the moment she dropped her 1st egg.
I haven't had the time to deal with her so she has been shooed off the nest when I've egg checked but between weather & renovations I've pretty much had to leave her be.

Well, I've had enough. Two days ago I decided it was time to bite the bullet properly & deal with the girl.
Into broody jail she went!

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I don't have a dog crate so just use the small coop with access cut off to the nesting boxes & so far it has worked a treat. Mhari hates it. She spends all day pacing, beeping sadly. It's pathetic.

The little coop is getting a bit dodgey so rather than constantly wrestling with the latch when I'm feeding & watering I just push the door shut. It wedges tightly & I don't have to worry about an escaping chicken ~ until last night.

Mhari gets frantic as the sun goes down & she finds herself on her own in the small coop without an available roost. I feel dreadful for her but I am over broody.

Last night I went out just after the sun set to make sure everything was latched & secure. I went to the big coop 1st because if there's trouble, that's where it'll be. Odd arrangement but everyone was roosted except for the frantic cackling coming from overhead. I looked up to find Mhari had managed to escape the little coop & was trying to roost on the roof of the big coop, as close to her sisters as she could get! Not a safe alternative @ all!

The dark was my friend. I was able to grab her feet & hoy her down without trouble. She is so used to being handled now she's not usually difficult once I have her. I was so sorry for her I put her on a roost with her friends. Lesson learned. Won't be doing that again!​

I hope the broody breaking works quickly for you Ribh.

That's not the sort of excitement you want!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Mhari I found on her side in a pile of feathers in the run ~ gave me a terrible fright

Again, not the sort excitement you want! I hope she gets over her adolescent drama queen ways soon!

 

[Ribh]

She does look scary!

She didn't want her photo taken today but I want feather progress pics

View attachment 2087225

I think the tips of a couple of feathers are just starting to break through the ends of the quills if you look really closely.

View attachment 2087229

It's astonishing to me how little is left when you remove a chook's feathers...

 

[Ribh]

I hope the broody breaking works quickly for you Ribh.

That's not the sort of excitement you want!

Well, this is the 1st day in ages she voluntarily spent the day outside with everyone else.

 

[Ribh]

Well, Lock, the first hen in the picture has turned out to be, well different.
It seems she is not going to be laying any eggs. She's also crowing. Not quite full on with it yet but crowing none the less. The rest of the tribe seem fine with this and the youngsters think she's wonderful. Lock is very patient with them and often eats with them and doesn't make them wait like the others do.
I will get a better picture but I think Lock is a lovely looking hen.
View attachment 2086792

I've had a couple of crowing hens ~ but then I've never had a rooster with this lot. My present girls are all non~crowers. MY BA's both crowed ~ after a fashion.

 

[Ribh]

She does look scary!

She didn't want her photo taken today but I want feather progress pics

View attachment 2087225

I think the tips of a couple of feathers are just starting to break through the ends of the quills if you look really closely.

View attachment 2087229

I see feather tufts sprouting! Hopefully this will be over soon.

 

[Shadrach]

Shad, may I ask a question or two about the way you manage broody hens?

Of course you may MJ.