Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[ManueB]

So today was Merle's first egg and it didn't go as smoothly as I hoped, but I think she was fine afterwards. From what I could see once they had recovered from their fright, she had a normal behaviour and scratched around. It started to snow a bit then it turned to drizzle, and after a long time spent under the laurel tree she went back and forth between Gastounet and the coop.

Gastounet once again was really upset. I was inside the house and heard his alarm. I came running out and all I could see was Gaston who had jumped inside the chicken nettings. I frantically searched for everyone : Théo and the ex-batts were in the coop (Nougat hidden under a pile of hay), Merle, Piou-piou and Chipie were under the laurel tree, and Léa was still outside hidden in the middle of the Jerusalem artichokes. Then she went under the laurel tree as well, and Théo barely had to show his face out of the coop to scare Gastounet away. Once he was outside the chicken net, he was really upset and kept running all around it calling for the girls. This lasted a long while as they didn't want to come out, but in the end Piou-piou and Merle joined him a bit under the small rain.

I left Merle's egg where she laid it because I don't want her to look around for another place to lay tomorrow and maybe hinder her laying again. It's possible that she had been trying for a few days, since she was already nesting and screaming laying noises yesterday. I hope she won't have more egg troubles.
It was our first day that felt like winter : 0c/32f to 4c/39f. I burnt a lot of wood .

Gastounet encouraging Merle while she was nesting.

After she laid and before the supposed attack something scared her and she had that strange frozen attitude I already once took a photo of.

In the afternoon I think she was fine

The ex-batts hiding in the coop, Cannelle's tail and Nougat completely hidden under the hay in the second picture

 

[RoyalChick]

me too

Me3

 

[RoyalChick]

So today was Merle's first egg and it didn't go as smoothly as I hoped, but I think she was fine afterwards. From what I could see once they had recovered from their fright, she had a normal behaviour and scratched around. It started to snow a bit then it turned to drizzle, and after a long time spent under the laurel tree she went back and forth between Gastounet and the coop.

Gastounet once again was really upset. I was inside the house and heard his alarm. I came running out and all I could see was Gaston who had jumped inside the chicken nettings. I frantically searched for everyone : Théo and the ex-batts were in the coop (Nougat hidden under a pile of hay), Merle, Piou-piou and Chipie were under the laurel tree, and Léa was still outside hidden in the middle of the Jerusalem artichokes. Then she went under the laurel tree as well, and Théo barely had to show his face out of the coop to scare Gastounet away. Once he was outside the chicken net, he was really upset and kept running all around it calling for the girls. This lasted a long while as they didn't want to come out, but in the end Piou-piou and Merle joined him a bit under the small rain.

I left Merle's egg where she laid it because I don't want her to look around for another place to lay tomorrow and maybe hinder her laying again. It's possible that she had been trying for a few days, since she was already nesting and screaming laying noises yesterday. I hope she won't have more egg troubles.
It was our first day that felt like winter : 0c/32f to 4c/39f. I burnt a lot of wood .

Gastounet encouraging Merle while she was nesting.
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After she laid and before the supposed attack something scared her and she had that strange frozen attitude I already once took a photo of.
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In the afternoon I think she was fine
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The ex-batts hiding in the coop, Cannelle's tail and Nougat completely hidden under the hay in the second picture
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Merle

 

[lightm]

I don't know yet really. She is doing and looking better, but she still has a very pale comb and a sore throat. I think it's when she will try to lay again, that I will know if her reproductive difficulties are over. Her symptoms are a lot like Caramel first had, except Cannelle never stopped eating.

View attachment 3332228View attachment 3332230Cannelle looks like she has nearly finished molting but she is still plucking feathers so I guess it's not done yet.
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View attachment 3332232View attachment 3332233View attachment 3332234View attachment 3332235Gastounet really wanted to try these crushed eggshells that Piou-piou eats every evening before roosting. He seemed to enjoy them .View attachment 3332237Théo escorting CannelleView attachment 3332238View attachment 3332239View attachment 3332240
This is a picture I took on my run this morning, you can see the upper part of our village and the small red circle is our house.
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I am glad that Cannelle never stopped eating then. Sounds promising.

 

[BY Bob]

The mighty chicken up there must have heard my rants yesterday because today went a lot better. It rained a lot during the night. Blanche didn't limp anymore and her right foot was barely warmer than the left. Nougat's accelerated molting didn't stop her from being in good shape, much better in fact than before she began turning naked. Gastounet managed an early escape from Théo and almost behaved himself during the day apart from picking an argument with Cannelle through the netting. And there was no trouble at roosting time!
Only one hen laid today but it was before I opened the coop so I'm not sure who- from the clucking sounds I heard I think it was Brune.

My partner took Gastounet, Léa and Piou-piou in the barn when he went to work on the roof of the old house, and he melted over seeing how happy they were in there. He finished the first part of securing the roof for rain, now he only has to put the snow stoppers and he'll be done.

The smaller chickens finally decided they could climb a level to be out of reach from the bullying ex-batts.
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Gastounet after escaping Théo's wrath this morning
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Inside the chicken nettings at the same time (Gastounet's in the background)
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Cannelle
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Nougat enjoys life while looking like a porcupine
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I left two broccolis to flowers for the bees, but someone else ate the leaves and the flowers
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Visiting the highest terrace they have never been to yet
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They spent a long time staring at the man on the roof
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Everyone was in bed at 5.10 pm even though the night only falls at 5.35. This was after locking the coop. View attachment 3318476

Gorgeous photos.

 

[ManueB]

I opened the coop ten minutes later today than usual: it was raining and there was no day light yet. But I found two eggs (likely Blanche and Brune) on the floor in different places and a shattered feeder . The hens were awake obviously!
Merle seemed fine today, she didn't lay or try to, but I think that is normal, she's probably not going to be a very productive layer hopefully.

It rained a little this morning, there was some snow in the summit but it didn't stay.
I can't help notice the difference between the two tribes. Gaston and his girls spent the day foraging around outside, all fright forgotten. Théo, Chipie and the ex-batts did almost not come out of the coop and run, and when they did they stayed next to it. They seem active enough, but not wanting to go outside, even with me around.
Théo flew at my knee today when I got in the run. Just like with my partner I think he got nervous because I was close to him and blocking the exit for him. I kicked him away rather gently and told him off.
No problem at roost time at all for once!
I noted all the hens apart from Nougat had some crushed eggshells today- and both roosters too .

There was a moment when Cannelle seemed to show some interest to Gaston and this made Théo very upset. He actually got out of the netting to chase him which he almost never does.

Blanche never wants to go sleep these days.

After closing the coop

 

[ManueB]

Today was a beautiful winter day and a good day for the chicken as well.

We had two good laying news this morning: when I opened the coop Merle ran out directly to the wood stack and laid an egg- normally. She was done in half an hour, and in good shape after. So it was likely just the first egg that caused her troubles. (By the way, I was wondering what color she would lay and it's a not quite white egg, I would call it cream, whereas Piou-piou's is pinkish with a bloom.).
And Cannelle also laid an egg early morning, without any difficulties ! I couldn't tell which one it was as she followed Blanche in the nest, but the two eggs I found after were normal good looking eggs. Not at all like the flattened eggs she was laying before pausing and then molting ! So this is very good news and I hope it means her problems are over for now at least.
Brune and Piou-piou also laid, so this was a five eggs day. That hasn't happened in a very long time.

I was very happy to see my ex-batts back to normal chicken behaviour, spending the day scratching outside and revelling in the sun. We did have a huge raptor fly by but it was late in the afternoon and they had enjoyed most of their day. I think the sun also got them to go out, even if it was cold. They dustbathed, ate some grass, chased the grasshoppers , and all the things that make a chicken life worth living .

Only negative event was at roost time- Gaston attacked Chipie and chased her all around the place. My partner went after Gaston to stop him from harming her, and then I got Chipie back with Théo and the ex-batts in the run. Once she was hidden from his sight Gaston went quietly back in the coop to roost

I don't know why Chipie insists on going to roost before Gaston, and then everytime goes in a panic when he enters the coop, and flies around erratically. Once Gaston is roosted he doesn't come down, so she can go to bed without being bothered.

Theo's team. He may be a little jerk but now that his feathers have almost all grown back he is really gorgeous

Gaston's tribe

 

[lightm]

Today was a beautiful winter day and a good day for the chicken as well.

We had two good laying news this morning: when I opened the coop Merle ran out directly to the wood stack and laid an egg- normally. She was done in half an hour, and in good shape after. So it was likely just the first egg that caused her troubles. (By the way, I was wondering what color she would lay and it's a not quite white egg, I would call it cream, whereas Piou-piou's is pinkish with a bloom.).
And Cannelle also laid an egg early morning, without any difficulties ! I couldn't tell which one it was as she followed Blanche in the nest, but the two eggs I found after were normal good looking eggs. Not at all like the flattened eggs she was laying before pausing and then molting ! So this is very good news and I hope it means her problems are over for now at least.
Brune and Piou-piou also laid, so this was a five eggs day. That hasn't happened in a very long time.

I was very happy to see my ex-batts back to normal chicken behaviour, spending the day scratching outside and revelling in the sun. We did have a huge raptor fly by but it was late in the afternoon and they had enjoyed most of their day. I think the sun also got them to go out, even if it was cold. They dustbathed, ate some grass, chased the grasshoppers , and all the things that make a chicken life worth living .

Only negative event was at roost time- Gaston attacked Chipie and chased her all around the place. My partner went after Gaston to stop him from harming her, and then I got Chipie back with Théo and the ex-batts in the run. Once she was hidden from his sight Gaston went quietly back in the coop to roost

I don't know why Chipie insists on going to roost before Gaston, and then everytime goes in a panic when he enters the coop, and flies around erratically. Once Gaston is roosted he doesn't come down, so she can go to bed without being bothered.

Theo's team. He may be a little jerk but now that his feathers have almost all grown back he is really gorgeous
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Gaston's tribe
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So happy about Cannelle!

 

[ManueB]

So happy about Cannelle!

I'm really happy too, it's been a surprise in the good way. She just laid a second normal egg this morning!

With my ex-batts it hasn't been at all like what is said that when you notice signs of a chicken being unwell, it is already often too late. I can't count the times I've seen them get well when it looked like they were very ill. But on the other hand I didn't expect the two that died, because they had pulled out of it many times before.

 

[RoyalChick]

Today was a beautiful winter day and a good day for the chicken as well.

We had two good laying news this morning: when I opened the coop Merle ran out directly to the wood stack and laid an egg- normally. She was done in half an hour, and in good shape after. So it was likely just the first egg that caused her troubles. (By the way, I was wondering what color she would lay and it's a not quite white egg, I would call it cream, whereas Piou-piou's is pinkish with a bloom.).
And Cannelle also laid an egg early morning, without any difficulties ! I couldn't tell which one it was as she followed Blanche in the nest, but the two eggs I found after were normal good looking eggs. Not at all like the flattened eggs she was laying before pausing and then molting ! So this is very good news and I hope it means her problems are over for now at least.
Brune and Piou-piou also laid, so this was a five eggs day. That hasn't happened in a very long time.

I was very happy to see my ex-batts back to normal chicken behaviour, spending the day scratching outside and revelling in the sun. We did have a huge raptor fly by but it was late in the afternoon and they had enjoyed most of their day. I think the sun also got them to go out, even if it was cold. They dustbathed, ate some grass, chased the grasshoppers , and all the things that make a chicken life worth living .

Only negative event was at roost time- Gaston attacked Chipie and chased her all around the place. My partner went after Gaston to stop him from harming her, and then I got Chipie back with Théo and the ex-batts in the run. Once she was hidden from his sight Gaston went quietly back in the coop to roost

I don't know why Chipie insists on going to roost before Gaston, and then everytime goes in a panic when he enters the coop, and flies around erratically. Once Gaston is roosted he doesn't come down, so she can go to bed without being bothered.

Theo's team. He may be a little jerk but now that his feathers have almost all grown back he is really gorgeous
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Gaston's tribe
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Good news on the eggs. One thing less to worry about today.