Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[cheeka]

poor Rumples - she'll heal, neo is good and so is blue kote. use the blue kote to prevent others from continuing to pick at it. last year, my EE Olive had her top knot ripped off violently by 3 roosters who were all trying to mount her at once. it was awful and she still has a big bald spot, but tiny feathers are coming in this year... she may have a bald spot for quite some time but she should heal up just fine.

 

[mortie]

Poor Rumples

 

[Scrambles55]

I will get pictures when DH gets up. I saw her at her feeder this morning. She is eating. That's a good sign. My heart breaks for her. She did nothing wrong. The poor thing is going through so much and she keeps on going. Her will to survive is strong!

This morning, we were going to pick more huckleberries. I have the day off from work, but now were are going to rebuild Rumple's pen. It was originally a temporary pen that was meant to last 2 months at the most. We are now going to make it a more permanent area for her.

 

[Scrambles55]

poor Rumples - she'll heal, neo is good and so is blue kote. use the blue kote to prevent others from continuing to pick at it. last year, my EE Olive had her top knot ripped off violently by 3 roosters who were all trying to mount her at once. it was awful and she still has a big bald spot, but tiny feathers are coming in this year... she may have a bald spot for quite some time but she should heal up just fine.

Rumples head looks better already.

It is no longer bleeding and looks drier. I put neo on and gave the girls some scrambled eggs. Rump got the lion's share. I am putting a bucket in the pen for her to "nest" in. Her Little Bit and Minnie Pearl (the Ameraucanas) were in Rumples pen last night, but when I walked in, they went into the coop on their own.
I wish that I didn't love my chickens so much. Watching the pecking order is difficult, but I know that it is what chickens do.

 

[cheeka]

pecking order is definitely one of the hardest things to watch. I've broken up squabbles between the Fosters and the Dome ladies almost daily now that free range lasts so much longer, there is a lot of territory for them, and for the most part, they keep to it - but the central back yard between the pens is common ground. mingling has been occurring more often because of special treats like tomatoes and watermelon... they see it... they come. sometimes it goes well... other times, not. even Big Broody and Peach had a throwdown in front of the broody pen. Peach got her butt kicked, but she's so fierce... she would Not give up. took me more than a minute to get and keep them separated - which is a very long time. mostly, I just step between and it's over. EE Topaz is at the very bottom of the Dome hens. she has a hard time regrowing feathers after a molt because the rest pick at her. but they don't draw blood. pretty much, only the roosters draw blood - keeping only 1 large fowl boy has been the saving grace for that. now that I see I have 2 more growing out, they are shortlisted for rehoming or eating by the end of October. they'll be small for eating, but I'm not making an exception.

 

[mortie]

Cheeka - I hope you're enjoying your day off

I know my chickens are. They're taking their whole lives off, I think. I don't even look for eggs from them or watch them for signs or try to see if they will squat. Penny laid her biggest egg ever, 53 grams. A large store bought I pulled out of the fridge to compare was 60 grams. Getting close!

Maggie and Wilson continue to astound me with their steadfast refusal to even pretend they are interested. They've had deep red combs and wattles for weeks. Actually this has lead me to suspect what is up with those two. I think they're roosters, trying to blend in. That's why they've had brilliant combs and wattles for weeks. That's why wilson in particular is so big. That's why they're always hanging out together. Brothers in disguise.

I can't let on that I know. I found a shank burried in the bedding in the coop the other day and I'm kinda afraid of what they'll do if they figure out I know...

 

[gilcamp4]

my girls have given me 13 to 15 eggs a day, so this morning i gave them pie, it was a pan fell with fresh vegs. it took h=them 5 mins to get most of the pan done,
here they come running

here they are cleaning the pan up

 

[Scrambles55]

Cheeka - I hope you're enjoying your day off

I know my chickens are. They're taking their whole lives off, I think. I don't even look for eggs from them or watch them for signs or try to see if they will squat. Penny laid her biggest egg ever, 53 grams. A large store bought I pulled out of the fridge to compare was 60 grams. Getting close!

Maggie and Wilson continue to astound me with their steadfast refusal to even pretend they are interested. They've had deep red combs and wattles for weeks. Actually this has lead me to suspect what is up with those two. I think they're roosters, trying to blend in. That's why they've had brilliant combs and wattles for weeks. That's why wilson in particular is so big. That's why they're always hanging out together. Brothers in disguise.

I can't let on that I know. I found a shank burried in the bedding in the coop the other day and I'm kinda afraid of what they'll do if they figure out I know...

 

[Scrambles55]

@cheeka Rumples does not even try to defend herself. She just lays her head down and takes a beating. (sigh)........................

WINTER......................................

 

[Scrambles55]

Its kind of odd yet nice to see the flock roaming together. Two big girls and the pullets. There are some issues with food and treat time. They have even been hanging out together on occasion in the pen. Coop time is still a struggle. Penny and Smoke seem to take turns guarding the roosts. I see two lines of poop in the coop floor, so I know that at some point, the pullets are roosting.
Smoke is laying right now.