Ribh's D'Coopage

[Ribh]

Whoever said chickens are dumb?
Mine have very definite ideas about when their meal should arrive ~ despite the fact there is always food available from the treadle feeder & there is no change in the menu!.
If I am late, I will find chickens out of the run. The later I am the more chickens are likely to be out ~ most heading round to the front door looking for me.

Yesterday as I headed out I saw 3 chickens ~ all Campines! Ha'penny shot back over the fence & pretended she had never been out. Aoife & Medh saw me & scuttled towards the fence just as fast as they could go & hopped back over. Over the next few minutes chickens began appearing from various parts of the yard & hopped back into the run. I hadn't even noticed they were out but every single one of them knew they were supposed to be in that run & hurriedly made their way home. I didn't have to say a word. I didn't need to call for anyone.
Everyone crowded into the pen & down to where I store the feed bin & yelled @ me to get a move on with it!
They have no guilt & no shame.
But they are very funny. ​

 

[MaryJanet]

Patsy had significant spurs. The only times i ever saw her use them were on Jabberwocky!
View attachment 2173756

Luna is my neighbour's hen and she's got big spurs. One grows straight, the other curls right around and almost touches her leg. Last night we snipped it back in case it does start to dig in to her leg or in case she gets hooked on something.

 

[BY Bob]

Whoever said chickens are dumb?
Mine have very definite ideas about when their meal should arrive ~ despite the fact there is always food available from the treadle feeder & there is no change in the menu!.
If I am late, I will find chickens out of the run. The later I am the more chickens are likely to be out ~ most heading round to the front door looking for me.

View attachment 2175406
Yesterday as I headed out I saw 3 chickens ~ all Campines! Ha'penny shot back over the fence & pretended she had never been out. Aoife & Medh saw me & scuttled towards the fence just as fast as they could go & hopped back over. Over the next few minutes chickens began appearing from various parts of the yard & hopped back into the run. I hadn't even noticed they were out but every single one of them knew they were supposed to be in that run & hurriedly made their way home. I didn't have to say a word. I didn't need to call for anyone.
Everyone crowded into the pen & down to where I store the feed bin & yelled @ me to get a move on with it!
They have no guilt & no shame.
But they are very funny. ​

You have them trained so well. I love that know they need to be in the run for you and give in to your desires whenever they see you. So neat.

 

[BY Bob]

Luna is my neighbour's hen and she's got big spurs. One grows straight, the other curls right around and almost touches her leg. Last night we snipped it back in case it does start to dig in to her leg or in case she gets hooked on something.

View attachment 2175423

View attachment 2175424

That's crazy. I've never seen that!

 

[drumstick diva]

Must have taken some effort to cut back that curled spur, what a thick one!

 

[Ribh]

You have them trained so well. I love that know they need to be in the run for you and give in to your desires whenever they see you. So neat.

They are very funny. I was potting up stags this morning. It's the sort of job I do out by the chicken pen so I can chat with them & keep an eye on the hoppers. They were pretty good ~ all except for Aoife, who's comb & wattles are now a brilliant red so I expect an egg any tick of the clock now ~ & she is agitated & squawking constantly, poor girl. Hormones are hard on everyone. She hopped the fence where I couldn't see her & had obviously forgotten I was there for she came round the corner & was really shocked to see she was well & truly busted. She wouldn't look @ me as she scrambled to get back over the fence!

 

[MaryJanet]

Must have taken some effort to cut back that curled spur, what a thick one!

The neighbour has special clippers for this purpose - I'm not sure what the clipper's proper name is. She's a 6yo hen and he clips her curvy spur a couple of times a year. It's a bit tricky because of the curve, but she was very calm and composed. I held her while he clipped it.

 

[MaryJanet]

That's crazy. I've never seen that!

It's very strange and interesting I'm grateful to have been the helper.

 

[rjohns39]

Good evening folks

 

[Grammy60]

Good evening everyone