Théo and the chickens des Sauches

Wonderful lanscape and flower photo’s ❤️

On the Theo thing…. If I was in your shoes , with what you are telling, I seriously would try to fix the rooster problem. ~>
Keeping Theo with his own harem or find a new home for him.

If you want to keep him think about a second run and coop out of sight with Theo, Chipie and maybe 2 other rather small hens.
Keep them locked in for a month or so / until after the harvest.

You know I have no experience with 2 roosters So please ask Shad, Perris and others to chime in you want solid advice. Or start a new help-thread.
 
Possibly. I don't know what's going on with her : the fact that she laid all these strange eggs and has stopped laying all together for three months now point to some reproductive issue, but apart from the fact that she permanently has the worse poops, I can't say she is acting ill. In fact out of the four hens that came from this bad breeder she is now definitely looking and acting the best.

Yes, it's also what I had in mind, but here it's said that people who are bipolar (not sure of my literal translation ? Manic depression ?) should not take it because it can cause or increase manic phases.

Yesterday I was ready to strangle Théo. Merle went in the chicken yard about 45 mn before roosting and went to hang out with Gaston. Théo followed her and tried really hard to make her come to him and when she wouldn't he started continuously picking fights with Gaston. I separated them a few times. Luckily Gaston is far less aggressive than Théo and I think he doesn't really want to fight him unless he really gets angry.
Tonight I told my partner to handle roosting time because I was too angry. He didn't let Théo in the chicken yard until much later and Théo didn't get in by himself (he can fly in when he's really scared). Things went better

We had the visit of a girl that used to be a very good friend up to three years ago when she overstayed her welcome until we were at odds with one another. My partner has being seeing her again but it was the first time I did and she came with her dog that I've known as a pup and who is now 14. Only Nougat knows this dog, that she has seen often the first year she was here. It was interesting to observe the differences in the chickens reactions from real fright to curiosity. I'm not sure if Nougat remembered her but she did not seem too afraid. The dog is very sweet and slow now, and she is nice with the chickens except she really wanted to eat their food.

Yesterday dozens of vultures flew above and the chickens were worried. Sound up to hear Piou-piou's alarm whistle.

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Is is a fox ?
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Merle doesn't like dogs at all but she has a good reason as she was attacked by my neighbour's dog last year while she was sitting in the old barn.
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It's likely the last time I will see Dana. I have a lot of memories with her and she always loved coming here.
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Nougat has been unwell again then better.
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Laure is still having trouble laying. When she does, her eggs are too big and like they are mended from below.
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I think that's a dog but I could be wrong. It's a bit too tall for a fox and the back isn't the shape I would expect on a fox.
 
stunning photos, as so often! But the Edelweiss has made my head spin 🙃 :lol:
Sorry about that ! It's not upside down, but I took it from above and I didn't realise it looked like this.
Wonderful lanscape and flower photo’s ❤️

On the Theo thing…. If I was in your shoes , with what you are telling, I seriously would try to fix the rooster problem. ~>
Keeping Theo with his own harem or find a new home for him.

If you want to keep him think about a second run and coop out of sight with Theo, Chipie and maybe 2 other rather small hens.
Keep them locked in for a month or so / until after the harvest.

You know I have no experience with 2 roosters So please ask Shad, Perris and others to chime in you want solid advice. Or start a new help-thread.
I hope it's just a phase. There has been ups and downs and maybe things will get better. Right now he is just obsessed with Merle for some reason. He hates Chipie on the other hand so they could definitely not be locked up together now !
I think that's a dog but I could be wrong. It's a bit too tall for a fox and the back isn't the shape I would expect on a fox.
That's my friend's dog that I talked about in the post, Dana 🙂. It was just a bad joke because she looks like a fox !
She is a rescue mangrove shepherd, which are just mix breed dogs from Mayotte, a french over sea territory.

It is hot now and it will be for another week, around 34 /93. It's not too bad yet because the mornings are relatively cool. But in the afternoon the sun is burning. The chickens manage to stay in the shade and while the chicken yard is now very depleted from grass because of the chickens scratching, the trees and bushes have really grown making it a lot more confortable in summer. There are always several places with deep shade but the chickens still favor the laurel tree, probably because it's big enough they all fit under it.
The day was more peaceful than the previous ones. Merle went directly to roost with Théo so he was a happy trooper and didn't pick a fight going to bed feeling loved.
Chipie's eye was better this morning but just before roosting, I saw that she had been pecked again. It's not as swollen as it was, I think she was pecked around the eye and not in it this time.
She really has only one friend now and that's Gaston. I'm sure she would like to hang out outside with the smaller chickens, but both Piou-piou and Théo hate her gut

I have to try to do a diagram of who dominates who and who likes who along my chickens because it's so complicated I can't see any logic !

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Nougat has bad days and better days. For now she's holding up better than I thought with the heat.
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Merle knows that cold feet baths are key to keeping cool.
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And it gives a little je ne sais quoi taste to the water.
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Chipie
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Come down here if you dare !
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The queen will lay ! Where is my servant ? Where is my escort ?
A lot of drama for such a small thing..
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Before roosting
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:gig:lau Cheese-toes taste (Dutch saying)

Looks harmonious.
That's exactly it 🤣.
They have nipple waterers, but I'm afraid not all the chickens manage to drink sufficient amount when it's really hot from those. I change the water from the saucepans two or three times a day, and as soon as I see her bathing in it....but it's still possible that they get that yummy cheese-toes taste when I'm not watching!

It was slightly less warm today as the sun didn't shine and that made a nice respite. The chickens spent less time hiding in the shade and I felt slightly more energetic- but not actually up to doing something other than watch the chickens in the afternoon 🤣.
We did something very unusual for us and bought a watermelon for the chickens. Usually when it's this hot we have some fruits or vegetables from the garden that we can give them but everything is really late and we are just getting our first tomatoes and cucumbers. It was only half a success, except with Chipie, who discovered a new passion. She has very specific tastes and doesn't eat some of the things all the other chickens love, like semolina, bread or pasta, but she really loves bananas and now watermelon.

I'm not happy with how the chickens are doing. Laure has issues laying and it's not getting better. And Alba, Nieva, and Lily are still bothered by some kind of mite, or lice, and scratching away all their feathers even though I've used all kind of products on them. I'm at loss what to do now.

And Merle didn't want to stay in the garden today, she spent most of the day inside the chicken yard and Théo went crazy trying to get her to come out, and fence fighting with Gaston. He is really the jealous guy. In a way, he's quite courageous because he is obviously still scared of Gaston but his aggressive temper and his desire to get Merle for him take precedence. But Merle doesn't care for him or for Gaston, she is far too independent and does just what she wants.

Nice rising moon from our bedroom window yesterday evening. The phone doesn't do it justice!
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Mélisse is outside nearly all day but she comes back in for a nap after lunch.
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Piou-piou spends a lot of time alone now while Théo swoons for Merle.
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Lots of eggs again now the three hens that were broodies are back to laying, so I can feed them back to the chickens.
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And Alba, Nieva, and Lily are still bothered by some kind of mite, or lice, and scratching away all their feathers even though I've used all kind of products on them. I'm at loss what to do now.
It’s important to find what lice or mite you are dealing with to adjust them.

I use DE and only have experience with red mites. Probably because I was too careful with using it where the chicks sleep.
Try wrapping cardboard around the roosts or make the rolls with biscuits paper to see if you have a red mite infestation.

The is a good article on BYC about the different kind of lice/mites.
 
It’s important to find what lice or mite you are dealing with to adjust them.

I use DE and only have experience with red mites. Probably because I was too careful with using it where the chicks sleep.
Try wrapping cardboard around the roosts or make the rolls with biscuits paper to see if you have a red mite infestation.

The is a good article on BYC about the different kind of lice/mites.
Unfortunately I think the most likely is that these are feather mites. And only ivermectin seems to be efficient for those which is something I can't use here.
I have had the cardboard rolls for about two months now. I have never seen a red mite in the coop this year yet. I saw two or three on our dining table a few weeks ago and haven't seen any since.
 
Unfortunately I think the most likely is that these are feather mites. And only ivermectin seems to be efficient for those which is something I can't use here.
I have had the cardboard rolls for about two months now. I have never seen a red mite in the coop this year yet. I saw two or three on our dining table a few weeks ago and haven't seen any since.
Nice your coop is free from red mites.

Did you know DE works for feather lice too? Don’t be afraid to apply it abundantly between the feathers against feather lice. As long as you and the chickens don’t breathe in a dust cloud of DE it’s safe to use.

Maybe it helps to read this article if you consider to use it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-red-mite-and-feather-lice-infestation.73467/
 
Nice your coop is free from red mites.
It's surprising to me as every year I've had at least a few and sometimes a lot . I treated the coop several times, like I usually do. Yesterday I went in again at night and checked every crevices and nests where I could possibly see them and saw nothing.
Did you know DE works for feather lice too? Don’t be afraid to apply it abundantly between the feathers against feather lice. As long as you and the chickens don’t breathe in a dust cloud of DE it’s safe to use.

Maybe it helps to read this article if you consider to use it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-red-mite-and-feather-lice-infestation.73467/
I'm already using it and it doesn't help. Both the pyrethrum powders I use are DT based.
Here is what I've done up to now. I spread food grade DT in the place where they bathe most often, and sometimes ashes. I use two different pyrethrum powders to dust the three chickens that are really affected once or twice a week ; these are both DT based. One of those powder also contains neem extract. I spray them once a week with a dimethicone spray that is supposed to kill lice or mites by paralysing them mechanically (and that's a fight, they hate it). Once in a while I put several drops of neem oil mixed with Lemon tea trea and geranium essential oil on their neck and back. And finally, just for Nieva who is the worse off, I used twice a week apart a permethrin horse spray that my neighbour lent me.
They still have a few lice, but nothing like an infestation, I have to look carefully all over for a few minutes before seeing two or three. But the itching problem is worse than ever. So I don't think the lice can be causing it, especially as Lilly doesn't have any and she is still plucking her feathers off. I'm just guessing feather mites because their feathers start looking ragged before they pluck them off.

We are finally supposed to be getting some rain today after a month without ! Thanks to @Ponypoor we even got a preview last evening for ten minutes 🤣. I was stupidly caught off guard this morning as the storm was supposed to start in the afternoon. I left with a tiny short and top tank and forgot to bring a rain jacket ! It started to hail just 20 mn from home, all going down hill- I ran as fast as I could 🤣.
When I got home the chickens seemed very surprised by the rain and quite indignant as though they had forgotten what it was ! But they look much better than yesterday, which was the first day that was really too warm. Piou-piou and Merle seemed to really suffer from the heat and warm violent wind, and Merle went to roost at four. The coop is very sheltered from the outdoor elements and it is still pretty cool compared to outside.

Théo is going completely crazy with Merle ! Yesterday she only came out with him for an hour and spent the whole day with Gaston. He spent the day fence fighting ! But when I saw she was roosted early, and that Piou-piou was also tired and wanting to go to bed, I let Théo in the chicken yard and he just went to sleep next to Merle and Piou-piou and didn't look for trouble.

I saw Pied Beau on Friday ! He looked really good. But the bantam broody that looks just like Chipie and that had hatched seven chicks was eaten by a fox with all her clutch 😟. Gaston and his son have killed five fox this year but more keep coming. And the chickens are safe at night now they roost in the stables, but they free range during the day and that's when the fox got them.

Chipie's new reason to live!
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Behind Mélisse you can see Piou-piou spreading her wings because of the heat.
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Laure laid another soft shell egg tonight after three days not managing to lay.
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Théo watching Merle from outside.
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Lulu.
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Merle is beginning to loose her tail 🥴. With the molt our little Geronimo will be back!
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Nougat managed to really dustbathe a bit yesterday for the first time in days.
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Strange looking chickens.
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Macho jerk.
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Mountain lavender.
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