Ribh's D'Coopage

[Ribh]

II'm developing an addiction to your chicken updates.

In our coop, yesterday everything seemed fine, but for a few games of chasey. Now this morning Sandy has decided to respond by making a break for it. Up and out. So at this moment she's in the big coop, inspecting it's amenities. While Mary and Janet have the yard and the little coop in which to reflect upon their commitment to forming a hierarchical society

That is hysterical! I don't think chickens reflect much on their anti~social behaviour. Sadly.

 

[Kris5902]

Kris... I have nothing good to say about the clerk I'm a farm, have a tax certificate and a legally registered farm name. But when I do get the odd "Attitude" person I just move onto the manager.



Not sure about Canada, Kris can fill us in. But here in the us some "prescription meds" are unavailable without a vet prescription. And without an avian vet, it becomes really difficult. We just find other ways around it.

It was a pesticide, which is now conviently banned here, which you do need a permit to use or be a registered Farm to obtain. One of those lucrative we store it in the back items that you need to know they have. I did get it, but oh the snark!

 

[Ribh]

Just when I thought my chooks couldn't get any madder...

I had all my big girls out in the run. Lottie & the 2 Campines were in the coop. One reason for this is simply to ensure they are getting enough to eat. Being my smallest birds they get pushed off the food easiest so often they miss out on any little tidbits I throw in the pen. I like to be fair ~ even though my chooks don't ~ so yesterday I doled out treats to my 3 prisoners first so I could make sure everyone got something! Lottie was thrilled to bits! Tomato! Her favourite! I had the Campines in there so no sudden movements & I'm pretty much ignoring the clamour at the gate because I had the other girl's treats set aside. The next thing I know Luna has done the jump & flutter thing @ the gate & is hanging by her toes Flapping & squawking @ me. Like that's going to get her a treat? So the Campines go ballistic, Luna freaks & drops off on the wrong side of the fence, the rest see the gate is going to open & swarm...Luna is frantic. She can't figure out how to get back over the fence & everyone else is now inside the coop where the treats are! And Favorelles make the weirdest noises. It was bedlam & I had to move carefully because everyone was underfoot but eventually I managed to unhook the fencing enough for Luna to shoot through & grab her share of the goodies.

It probably sounds like I don't like my campines much but in fact I love them. They are clowns & very funny, smart as ~ probably too smart for their own good~ & so, very, very pretty ~ but completely untrustworthy. If they decide to make a concerted rush @ the gate one day I don't think I could stop them. Man, are those birdies fast!

 

[WhoDatChick]

I caught up... was not getting alerts

 

[Ribh]

I caught up... was not getting alerts

I'm not for KLIL's thread & often not for Kris either. Bugs in the system methinks.

 

[Ribh]

Namaste hasn't laid for months. This is why. She's practically threadbare. I am supplementing with extra protein but the poor girl is ratty as & all her beautiful feathers have lost their sheen. I can't wait till molting season is over. I could make pillows out of the number of feathers flying round my yard!

And this is this evening's quandary. Soda is the lowest ranking of my original girls but not the chook to accept her lowly position in the scheme of things. She is also the chook most likely to be last to roost whereas Lavender & Lottie, both lower on the totem pole, are always among the first to roost & thus have a perch on the top bar. Lottie snagged a spot between the favorelles, practically covered by the larger birds. Lavender nearly always chooses a perch near the wall where she can use her bulk to best effect. I will check again shortly. From past experience Soda will simply stomp across the top of everyone causing a great kerfuffle until a space forms ~ either everyone will squeeze up a bit more or, more likely, someone will fall off. If that's Lottie she really needs to go back up where she will be warm & protected.

The top bar isn't just a status thing. It gives a great view through the air vent of the forbidden territory beyond & any time I am working there a line of curious heads appears to monitor my progress & comment accordingly.

 

[MaryJanet]

I'm glad Namaste has a snug spot, looks like she could use it!

 

[Ribh]

I'm glad Namaste has a snug spot, looks like she could use it!

I feel so sorry for her. It's being a full on molt & must be jolly uncomfortable.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I sympathise with the molting blues. My RIR Deana lost most of the feathers on her neck which looked awful, then Tsuki, my leghorn dropped feathers from all over her body!
Those pin feathers look painful coming through.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Here are my baby chicks when they were 3 weeks old on 2 April

The dark chick is an Olive Egger named Edwina and the light one is Alice who is meant to be an Araucana, but she is getting tail feathers now so she may be an Americana