Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[BDutch]

Usually I help Théo out by carrying him outside of the chicken yard in the morning, so he can have at least one good meal in the woodshed before Gaston comes out, and now he knows that and waits on his roost for his taxi.

 

[MaryJanet]

Doubling up the love for Gaston's taxi ride

 

[Perris]

now he knows that and waits on his roost for his taxi

me too!

 

[BDutch]

Doubling up the love for Gaston's taxi ride

I suppose you mean Theo’s chauffeur.

 

[MaryJanet]

I suppose you mean Theo’s chauffeur.

No I mean his cyclist with a pillion seat

 

[BDutch]

Reminded me of this old photo (2014) taking 2 chickens for a ride.

 

[ManueB]

Well, early morning is the only time I can pick Théo without risking drama. During the day, he still seems to believe my hands coming near him are some kind of predators. Even when I give him treats , it takes at least a minute before he will come near my hand. But then, now he almost always comes when I call him, and he follows me if I want to take him to Piou-piou laying in the barn or in the woodshed to give him some food. Our relations have certainly gotten a lot better, but he is still very weary of me !

Again an incredibly warm and beautiful day. I was unhappy to find a broken egg underneath the roost, but thinking about it it must have been Laure who didn't lay yesterday after spending two hours in the nest. Kara also did not lay after spending time in the nest. Both acted normal and healthy so no worries. Cannelle’s crest is beginning to turn red and she also has been going in the nest every morning for a week now ! I would be rather surprised if she starts laying, as she has only laid about twenty eggs throughout last year. And she has been laying "flat" eggs for a long time, nearly 18 months I think.
And good news, although Merle has stopped laying and tries to sit a bit on the nest in the morning, it looks like this time for once she will turn off by herself and not switch to full broody mode - when I take her off the nest toward 10 she doesn't go back to sit and stays with the other chickens.

Today again the chickens were very cautious in spite of the beautiful weather, apart from the three black pullets, they stayed mostly in the chicken yard.

I opened Lilly 's foot today which I hadn't done for ten days. While I took a bit of gunk out, it began bleeding without having reached all the solid pus that sits on top of the foot. I guess either I give a shot at opening her foot from above, either we have to take her to the vet. The antibiotic has stopped the swelling from getting bigger but it hasn't made it get any better.

Pictures of dustbathing again - I just love watching them enjoying it so much.

Theo’s group in the back while Gaston's team is in front.

Merle is hanging out with the boys again now she has decided she wasn't going to make babies. She’s been nicer with both Gaston and Théo. She’s even sleeping next to Théo again which makes him a happy rooster.

Even Piou-piou was in the chicken yard.

Blanche is not doing great. She sleeps a lot and bumps into things, but she eats well and responds to interaction.

Nieva.

Blanche

Chipie

 

[BDutch]

And she has been laying "flat" eggs for a long time, nearly 18 months I think.

What do you mean with flat eggs?

 

[ManueB]

What do you mean with flat eggs?

Eggs that are flat on two of the long sides, because they were in contact with the following eggs in the oviduct. Sorry, I dont have any photos and I couldn't find any picture.

Today was again a beautiful day, however apparently the weather will change tomorrow. But it was one of those days where the chickens stayed mostly under the laurel tree again like they felt threatened although we didn't see anything. Gaston let again Théo stay very close to him for a big part of the day. It's as if they have hours when they are the worse ennemies, and hours when there is a truce going on.
Blanche was not looking good and she now had bad diarrhea again, however she eats a lot and still hangs out with the team so she isn't giving up. Tonight she found herself on the roost next to Gaston and I was sad to see he was pecking her again not nicely at all. But she had the space to move away from him.
We had a disaster cleaning up Lilly tonight, my partner didn't hold her when he puts her in the bath and she started flapping and she jumped on the side of the bowl and flipped it over. There was water everywhere in our kitchen / living room . He was upset at her and I at him, but we managed to get her cleaned up. For the first time it looks as maybe we will be able to empty the abscess from above in a few days as it might just open on it's own. I am sending pictures to the vet again tomorrow, we will see what she says, but anyway we can't take her before after Christmas.

Théo and piou-piou went behind the older houses this morning but then they got scared and hid in the barn for almost an hour.

Enjoy the sun and dust bath, the wind will be back !

Lulu

Two sisters on the side, Mélisse and Annette, and Lilly in the middle.

Chipie is constantly trying to pick fights with Cannelle and Kara and reminding the younger pullets that she is the boss. She still rules over Merle and Léa as well.

Léa is not doing well with the molt. Most worrying is that she barely eats.

Merle is back to herself. I think she will lay tomorrow, she visited the nests in the coop and ate egg and oyster shells tonight.

Blanche

 

[Shadrach]

So it was likely a reaction to stress.

Stress is a far bigger factor in odd chicken behaviour than most people are aware of. Sress can send a chicken into moult, reduce or completely stop egg laying, cause partial or full paralysis and be responsible for many other behaviours that may be wrongly attributed to sicknesses.
You don't say what sort of raptor made an attempted strike on Mélisse?