Ribh's D'Coopage

[Shadrach]

This loopy lots favourite perching spot.
I have no idea why.
There is nothing to look @.​

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As I am looking @ several of my birds aging out I am bewildered by some keepers decision to cull older, non~laying birds.

I know. I know. Every flock is different & some people need the eggs & can't afford freeloaders but I can't afford to not have my older girls. They mightn't be contributing eggs but they contribute so much else that is needful & helpful: wisdom, knowledge, leadership. My oldest girls have done about 4/5 integrations & I attribute the ease of my last integration to their knowledge that it wasn't anything to get fussed about. They set the tone for the rest of the flock & as I have good stable leaders why would I want to cull them for young, untried birds? Hmmm...​

It was/is very hard to get people to understand just how devastaing it was when i lost 3 of my middle aged to elder chickens in one year. Even the 4 and 5 year olds just don't have the same level of experience even in relative terms to the 7 plus year olds. I don't know if the elders learn or concentrate on other things when thier regular egg laying days are behind them or wisdom comes in a rush at a certain age.
Ruffles for example was the hen to tell all the others when to repel a hen from another tribe; not Fat Bird. Gedit was much the same and kept Tribe 3 stable and was more of the focal point than Notch her rooster for quite a while.
Dink did Tribe 3's fighting in general and the only hen Dink would pay any attention to was Gedit.
If I was to start again I would mke certain that I had at least one new female member per tribe every year.

 

[Ribh]

It was/is very hard to get people to understand just how devastaing it was when i lost 3 of my middle aged to elder chickens in one year. Even the 4 and 5 year olds just don't have the same level of experience even in relative terms to the 7 plus year olds. I don't know if the elders learn or concentrate on other things when thier regular egg laying days are behind them or wisdom comes in a rush at a certain age.
Ruffles for example was the hen to tell all the others when to repel a hen from another tribe; not Fat Bird. Gedit was much the same and kept Tribe 3 stable and was more of the focal point than Notch her rooster for quite a while.
Dink did Tribe 3's fighting in general and the only hen Dink would pay any attention to was Gedit.
If I was to start again I would mke certain that I had at least one new female member per tribe every year.

I just knew you'd have some insight into this! It takes a certain personality in the hen to lead well & not all of them are cut out for the job.

 

[Shadrach]

Treacle had hens all over the place today. Treacle took the tribe around the front of the house to dust bath, much like Cillin had in the past. However, Punch is not impressed with Treacle and chased Treacle away. Punch didn't bother the hens but he won't have Treacle strutting around his territory giving it the large portion. Cillin was always very respectful of Punch's authority in his territory and I never saw any problems between the two, or even with Mag who tends to do the Tribe 2 enforcing.
Fat Bird gave up trying to keep up with the chaos and came to the house late afternoon and stayed until Cillin arrived who escorted her to roost. Treacle had just left her here.

 

[Ribh]

Treacle had hens all over the place today. Treacle took the tribe around the front of the house to dust bath, much like Cillin had in the past. However, Punch is not impressed with Treacle and chased Treacle away. Punch didn't bother the hens but he won't have Treacle strutting around his territory giving it the large portion. Cillin was always very respectful of Punch's authority in his territory and I never saw any problems between the two, or even with Mag who tends to do the Tribe 2 enforcing.
Fat Bird gave up trying to keep up with the chaos and came to the house late afternoon and stayed until Cillin arrived who escorted her to roost. Treacle had just left her here.
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The sooner Cillin is well again the better. Treacle is beautiful but he's really not up to the job. Will he improve do you think?

 

[Ribh]

It's been a while. All summer we get these washed out sunrises but this morning's was interesting...

 

[BY Bob]

Obviously not! The man spotted them yesterday & was intrigued. They were all together perched like so many bottles in a row.

They were all meditating. They were exploring their inner mind and did not need a view.

 

[Ribh]

Just what I need!

 

[BY Bob]

Wow! She has really grown up! She's come such a long way. I bet you loved getting all that extra time with her!

I told my boss what was going on and wound up spending almost all day Thursday watching her while my daughter worked. It was the most time we have ever had together alone.

 

[BY Bob]

That's wonderful! Another chickeneer in the making.

You know it!

 

[BY Bob]

I'm sure your right... All I've got to do is remember what the flock was like when Lavender died & Soda went broody @ the same time. Total chaos! Poor Luna was so stressed because the lead defaulted to her. Hepzibah won't & Ha'penny is too erratic. Patricia is not a leader. Long may Soda live!

Yes. You really need a good Alpha hen. Besides soda is a great lady in and of herself!