Théo and the chickens des Sauches

BY Bob · Jan 20, 2023

ManueB said:
Another -8/17 morning, and I guess it will last for a week or more. It was cloudy at dawn but quickly the sky turned blue again- lovely winter day but I would prefer two or three degrees warmer. Again the chickens didn't seem to mind and spent most day out. It was a pretty calm chicken day which means a good day. Cannelle had laid before I opened the coop, Blanche followed and Nougat laid at the end of morning. They have now more or less a regular rythm of laying two days in a row and taking a break for one day- I think that's good for them.
Merle went into the nest this morning and I let her be- she stayed for an hour and a half and came out on her own without having laid. And she didn't go back in the nest for the whole day so maybe broody monster is slowly getting under control. The three pullets all took a break from laying today.
I also witnessed something interesting: Brune stood up to Théo ! And he actually withdrew. I think the ex-batts are getting tired of his constant failed mating attempts.

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Way to go Brune.

ManueB · Jan 20, 2023

Perris said:
twisted how?

RoyalChick said:
I had the same question

Sorry, I'm going to struggle with the language. Both her legs lean towards her inside, but the left one really does and it shows when she's running. It's straight, just not parallel to her other leg.
You can see somewhat on this picture where she's standing still that both her legs are deformed.

RoyalChick · Jan 20, 2023

ManueB said:
Sorry, I'm going to struggle with the language. Both her legs lean towards her inside, but the left one really does and it shows when she's running. It's straight, just not parallel to her other leg.
You can see somewhat on this picture where she's standing still that both her legs are deformed.
View attachment 3380824

Pigeon-toed. Does it stop her going about her daily activities?

BY Bob · Jan 20, 2023

ManueB said:
Sorry, I'm going to struggle with the language. Both her legs lean towards her inside, but the left one really does and it shows when she's running. It's straight, just not parallel to her other leg.
You can see somewhat on this picture where she's standing still that both her legs are deformed.
View attachment 3380824

So it restricts her ability to run. What about scratch?

ManueB · Jan 20, 2023

RoyalChick said:
Pigeon-toed. Does it stop her going about her daily activities?

BY Bob said:
So it restricts her ability to run. What about scratch?

It doesn't bother her at all. As for scratching she's my one chicken that will maybe dig a hole to Chatham Islands! Remember she has always had mobility issues, as a chick she was always behind and couldn't fly. She has a very strong temper and she doesn't think it's a problem. She does run, but it looks like a bit like an ewok running - a ball of fluff that moves it's very short legs as fast as it can but is still quite slow. And that has it's left leg going inside.
To be honest it's incredible she hasn't been taken by some predator. She has had the fool's luck up to now.

ManueB · Jan 21, 2023

We had a cold night and -10c/14f this morning. The chickens seemed cold, especially the smaller ones- Merle, Léa and Piou-piou. I was a bit worried that Léa and Piou-piou just lied down in the floor all puffed up, not even under cover or in a sheltered spot. As soon as the sun came out (at 9) everyone was alright. The morning was really sunny, then in the afternoon the sky turned cloudy with some wind and it was rather cold.

I tried to have lunch outside but it was really too cold so I went back in. When I came out all the chickens were hiding and indeed half an hour later I saw the couple of eagles circling very close above. They must have seen something more interesting because they flew away at an incredible speed.

Théo and Gaston nearly came to fight again. Théo caught his leg in the netting and though he managed to distance himself it made him back off. But now that Gaston has understood that he can jump over the netting in any place he tries, he's always jumping inside to go after his pullets when they are sheltering under the laurel tree, so I don't think I will be able to avoid a real fight for much longer

. It would be better if it was after the cold wave!

Léa laid this morning, and so did Piou-piou but not Merle and she didn't even go in the nest. Blanche had already laid when I opened the coop but her egg was too fragile and it was crushed by Brune, who tried to lay but didn't succeed. And Nougat laid one of her huge eggs.

I'm a bit worried that I think I saw some blood in at least two of the chickens poop from the night today. I don't think it can be coccidiosis with those temps but it's still worrying.

I'm surprised also the chickens are going to bed very early, maybe because of the cold ? Gaston's gang was roosted at 4.30 and Théo's team at 4.45, when night only falls at 6 now !
Water froze in 30 mn

Perris · Jan 21, 2023

Got some double takes there methinx...they're beautiful photos, as always, but @BDutch has been know to impose penalties for duplicates

ManueB · Jan 21, 2023

Perris said:
Got some double takes there methinx...they're beautiful photos, as always, but @BDutch has been know to impose penalties for duplicates

Sharp eye! I'm having trouble with internet access today- took me nearly half an hour to download the pictures and I had to start again twice, which explains the doubles. I will try to remove them now

.

BDutch · Jan 21, 2023

ManueB said:
Sharp eye! I'm having trouble with internet access today- took me nearly half an hour to download the pictures and I had to start again twice, which explains the doubles. I will try to remove them now .

Two penalties for not removing in time! :rant

There was snow all over the Netherlands today, except at /around my back yard.

ManueB · Jan 22, 2023

BDutch said:
Two penalties for not removing in time!

There was snow all over the Netherlands today, except at /around my back yard.

Well I did remove most of them but I missed some- internet was so bad some of the pictures didn't show !

I can't believe your garden is the only place it didn't snow in the whole country

. Who did you bribe ?

******
It was -6 /21 this morning and it almost felt warm

. However this soon changed when the weather turned very cloudy and windy- it was quite unpleasant.

First blood drawn today between Théo and Gaston

. I was gone running for an hour at the end of the morning and when I came back my partner told me Théo and Gaston had some squabble. Since it happens several times daily I didn't pay any special attention.
When lunch was ready I went to lock Theo's team in the run, as we know the eagles come between 12 and 2 and we would be inside. Then I saw Théo's wattles and neck feathers were completely covered in dry blood. I only realized then that Gaston must have actually gotten to him. Gaston didn't have anything. There was no cleaning up Théo as everything was already dry and black.

Although he bled a lot, it seems it was from a wound inside his wattles, at it's extremity, that doesn't look so big. But I don't know how we'll handle it when/ if he actually gets badly wounded because he's impossible to catch. He's extremely agile and jumps and flies all around. We would probably need to corner him, and even like that I'm not sure we would manage. Anyway, he was very angry and vexed but other than that quite all right.
Later in the afternoon, at some point Brune was on her own and Gaston came charging at her and jumped over the netting- but he changed his mind as soon as Théo came by

and quickly turned around and jumped it back the other way.

Léa and Merle both ran to the nest when I opened the coop and they laid together, Merle took more time but came out on her own. Cannelle and Blanche also laid today.

Poor Chipie is being rejected by Théo now and she spends most of her day alone. When Merle, Piou-piou or Léa come inside the chicken netting she hangs out with them, but now it's becoming complicated as Gaston jumps inside to come get them. At roost time Théo pecked her several times and she was lowering her head and making submissive (I think) sounds because she wanted to be allowed on his roost. Once again he let her stay there in the end.