Ribh's D'Coopage

[Ribh]

I love your new girls Ribh. My son thinks they’re pretty cute too!

Thank you, Lozzy. I've been wanting these breeds & colours for some time. I really love having very pretty birds ~ even more than I like getting eggs!

 

[Shadrach]

Not the nicest boy on the block?

He's just not very good at his job. He had a very strong mum and his dad was the best rooster the hens have had since I've been here. So much for inherited traits.

 

[Ribh]

All Ready for Bed & No place to Roost.
In the @BY Bob tradition...
We have a routine for roosting round here. Once I consider it dark enough for my girls to have put themselves to bed I go out to the coop to count heads & say goodnight. Sometimes I'm a bit early ~ or the girls are a bit late~or they aren't quite ready & are dithering...So I sit on the stoop & wait. It is always a special time between a keeper & her chickens.

Tonight everyone except Soda, who is still broody, was already in bed. I went round to the nesting boxes to grab Soda, who is never happy but knows what is expected of her & hops up onto a roost. Happy chirps & trills & purrs as I said goodnight & went to see what the new girls were doing.

Everyone had investigated the coop earlier. They knew it was there but only one Wyandotte was actually in there & she wasn't on the roost. Everyone else was pacing the small run squawking. It was getting darker & darker. Three Campines attempted to roost on the ladder. Neither Agitated Araucana could get past them. One Wyandotte went round round. A Campine attempted to roost on the thin frame. I started grabbing birds & shoving them bodily into the coop. Most promptly re~emerged. I turned on my phone torch & propped it under the nesting box lid. Everybody filed up the ladder into the coop. I took the torch. Two Campines promptly reemerged.

Not sure what these girls are used to but it's definitely not an enclosed coop. The Campines were eyeing off the trees. Everyone did eventually enter the coop but only 2 were roosting ~ my dominant 2; the oldest Campine & the oldest Araucana. I do hope this isn't going to be a nightly event!

 

[Ribh]

Take some video., please, please, please.

I'm sorry, Bob. No video. we were desperately trying to keep everyone cool.

 

[LozzyR]

He's just not very good at his job. He had a very strong mum and his dad was the best rooster the hens have had since I've been here. So much for inherited traits.

What doesn’t he do that he should be doing?

 

[Shadrach]

I'll have to let Alice on BeakBook so she can "friend" them

Edit to add photos of Alice for Araucana comparison purposes

View attachment 2025920View attachment 2025921

Great picture that second one.

 

[Shadrach]

Me too... I was going to ask because those girls certainly seem to have tails, not big ones but certainly not rumpless by any means!

There seems to be lots of differences in the original breeds and the breeds sold as original breeds in the US.
I am told that Campines should have tail feathers but stumpy.

 

[Shadrach]

Yes, I think so. They actually seem pretty calm ~ both lots, old & new. I'm thrilled to have more Campines. I know they're not everyone's cup of tea. They are a lot of work to start with but have so much personality & I'm glad to have silvers rather than Goldies just now because I still miss Tuppence. Ha'penny & Lottie were the ones most interested in the new girls. Breed to breed it seems. The next few days will tell but I think it will work.

I'm pleased you got what you wanted...mostly. I'll be fascinated to read how they group up. If as you write one of the Campines is a senior hen that should prove interesting.

Breed to breed it seems.

It's what I and others have found.

 

[Ribh]

There seems to be lots of differences in the original breeds and the breeds sold as original breeds in the US.
I am told that Campines should have tail feathers but stumpy.

My Campines have long upright tails. Nothing like my other girls @ all.

 

[Shadrach]

Hoping for a successful integration.

I'm going to mention this but I won't bang on about it mainly because it's too late for you and Bob.
Quarantine.
At least 20 metres apart from the existing flock. Absolutely no physical contact; not even through a fence. One month like this. A full set of overalls and foot covers to be used when coming into contact with the newcomers.
Lots of people get away with it but when it goes wrong and you introduce a serious disease it's devastating.
Just saying.