Ribh's D'Coopage

[LaFemmeKatia]

People are funny.
I have a surplus of eggs.
I give those eggs away up & down the street rather than waste them or throw them out.
I don't ask for anything back except the empty egg cartons so I can reuse them until they fall apart. Sometimes I have absolute hordes of cartons. Other times nothing @ all but people are funny about receiving something for nothing & I get back odd things: One chappie makes his own icecream, saves the egg whites then makes us a pav. Yum! Once it was the most glorious fudge! Homemade cordial, blueberry muffins, relish. This week we have been promised a pav ; one lady brought beetroot relish [gorgeous on smashed avo toast!] & today, along with an empty egg carton in our post box, I found a home made candle [coconut & mango]



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Meanwhile those responsible for such bounty were mixing it up on the roost.

Lavender is in solitary.

Beathag, without Mhari , is very much on her own & my BR, Hepzibah, was making it plain she wasn't welcome on the top roost. Down she came, disconsolate. I grabbed her & shoved her between Ha'penny & Luna because Luna is kind & though Ha'penny isn't above the odd peck she really isn't all that fazed. With a comb like that who is she to be casting aspersions?!

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Luna had Wrold, who hopefully has reconsidered her broody status, under the other wing.
Alpia had tucked herself in with the Campines & out of Patricia's pecking reach.
Everybody was calm & settled when I vacated the coop & all tucked up together ~ which is how I like it.
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That is really nice, though! Bartering, sort of. Everyone benefits. And it’s more personal.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

We don't often get amazing sunrises in summer but this morning's low cloudbank spread right along the spine of Minjerribah catching some lovely colours.
East, Nor'east
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More sou'east.

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So pretty! Pink skies. ❤

 

[Shadrach]

Tribe 2. They all seem to be getting on very well. The males don't fight each other much. The hens much the same although Bracket has kicked off a couple of times recently, mainly because she's moulting and a bit stand offish.

 

[Ribh]

I just love how Luna (I think) is looking right at you with a chook under her wing. She's like 'see mum, I'm a good chook.'

Luna is a fantastic chook! She's calm, friendly, lays well & doesn't fight with anyone. She's an absolute joy in the flock!

 

[BY Bob]

Tribe 2. They all seem to be getting on very well. The males don't fight each other much. The hens much the same although Bracket has kicked off a couple of times recently, mainly because she's moulting and a bit stand offish.
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They are a handsome flock.

 

[Ribh]

I get some odd pairings.
Alpia [Wyandotte bantam] dustbathing with Morrigu [silver Campine].

Wrold [my other bantam] was off on her own.

I​

 

[Ribh]

These are absolutely precious! I wish my flock would cuddle up like that. I have about 20 feet of roosting space and ten birds in the main coop. Only a few pair up to cuddle. I’m hoping to get the little girls (14 weeks) in the big coop soon, so there will be 13 total. It will be interesting to see what happens there.

I have a few things in my favour:

• The roosts are long & go up like a ladder. It is impossible for any one hen to patrol the whole length & repel all boarders. Even 2 can't do it. My BRs have tried.
• Most of my hens would fall into the more timid/less assertive category
• My lead hens are pretty laissez faire
• I generally try to add new hens in the cooler months when snuggling together for warmth overcomes any natural reluctance to share
• I don't have a lot of really big hens

 

[Ribh]

However silly it might be I do not like any of my girls being on their own when storms come through so Lavender went back in the big coop & promptly took up residence in her favourite nesting box ~ minus any eggs. This morning I went to hoy her out into the run for a constitutional because I am away tonight so everybody will have to be in the big coop so the man only has one lot of problems to keep an eye on. Lo & behold, Wrold was in the next box keeping Beatha's egg nice & warm & all fluffed up like an angry pine cone shrieking @ me. So I transported her to the run where she sat & sulked for 5 minutes before deciding she really was hungry after all. Back I went to collect Beatha's egg & there was Alpia cuddling it!!!! They are mad, I tell you. Mad!

 

[Grammy60]

Good morning everyone

 

[MaryJanet]

However silly it might be I do not like any of my girls being on their own when storms come through so Lavender went back in the big coop & promptly took up residence in her favourite nesting box ~ minus any eggs. This morning I went to hoy her out into the run for a constitutional because I am away tonight so everybody will have to be in the big coop so the man only has one lot of problems to keep an eye on. Lo & behold, Wrold was in the next box keeping Beatha's egg nice & warm & all fluffed up like an angry pine cone shrieking @ me. So I transported her to the run where she sat & sulked for 5 minutes before deciding she really was hungry after all. Back I went to collect Beatha's egg & there was Alpia cuddling it!!!! They are mad, I tell you. Mad!

They know what they like, that's for sure!