Théo and the chickens des Sauches

Perris · Feb 20, 2023

ManueB said:
My partner was trying to nap next to him and had to move because he was getting covered in earth coming out of the barrel.

ManueB said:
Pictures from my run this morning

is that the Med glinting in the distance?

Perris · Feb 21, 2023

how is Tila's tail today?
If your partner can't find anything sold to deter him licking it, perhaps chilli powder or cinnamon or something similar would work? As you say, a plastic collar is a non-starter for an outdoor cat.

ManueB · Feb 21, 2023

Perris said:
is that the Med glinting in the distance?

No, just naps of clouds. I would have to climb at a much higher altitude to see it.

Perris said:
how is Tila's tail today?
If your partner can't find anything sold to deter him licking it, perhaps chilli powder or cinnamon or something similar would work? As you say, a plastic collar is a non-starter for an outdoor cat.

Chili on an open wound would be painful, but maybe I can find something cat don't like that's harmless for them, the idea is good. The wound looks the same as yesterday, not better and not worse, still leaking, at least there is no abscess.
How is Quenell ?

Perris · Feb 21, 2023

ManueB said:
No, just naps of clouds. I would have to climb at a much higher altitude to see it.

Chili on an open wound would be painful, but maybe I can find something cat don't like that's harmless for them, the idea is good. The wound looks the same as yesterday, not better and not worse, still leaking, at least there is no abscess.
How is Quenell ?

Good point about chilli; hadn't thought of that. Would vet wrap work, or do you think he'd just bite and scratch till he got it off?

Thanks for asking; Quenell re-joined the flock yesterday lunchtime, after self-isolating through the morning by the back door, and is acting as if nothing happened now, so we're great. Someone else said it sounded like she fainted. I didn't know chickens could faint, and I've never read anything about chickens fainting, but she is the most excitable member of the flock, and it would explain the floppiness. Does anyone else reading this know anything about chickens fainting?

ManueB · Feb 21, 2023

Perris said:
Good point about chilli; hadn't thought of that. Would vet wrap work, or do you think he'd just bite and scratch till he got it off?

Thanks for asking; Quenell re-joined the flock yesterday lunchtime, after self-isolating through the morning by the back door, and is acting as if nothing happened now, so we're great. Someone else said it sounded like she fainted. I didn't know chickens could faint, and I've never read anything about chickens fainting, but she is the most excitable member of the flock, and it would explain the floppiness. Does anyone else reading this know anything about chickens fainting?

I've heard a few times that fainting is much less frequent in animals, because the standing up position of humans means more strength is needed to pump oxygen from the heart to the brain. Not sure if there is any scientific truth to it, and it's hard to find any serious information about chickens fainting.
********
As soon as I opened the coop I saw that Théo and Gaston were both wanting to fight. But I was on my own today and not ready to deal with an injured rooster. Right enough just after getting out and having eaten they began fighting and Gaston didn't want to stop. I used a broomstick (which was the closest thing I could use) to separate them and to take Gaston further away. He came back twice during the day to challenge Théo and both times when the ex-batts were near by. And Théo also challenged him a few times. I think by witholding them from fighting we are stopping them from figuring out who's the boss, so this can't go on for much longer now.

The other event of the day was the eagle flying once again very close by, coming from underneath. Gaston alerted me, but I had difficulties scaring him away. I saw him twice again during the day. The last time he was above the house that is above us and I distinctly saw a first crow, then a second one attacking him and chasing him off. It was very impressive because they are so much smaller than the eagle.
We had only two eggs today from Léa and Merle. All the other hens took a well deserved rest.

Chipie is so tiny and pretty. But today she was very much on her own.

Inspecting the future roof. I was slightly afraid he would walk on it as not all the sheets are fixed.

Both roosters harassed their girls today

Wound of war

RoyalChick · Feb 21, 2023

Perris said:
Good point about chilli; hadn't thought of that. Would vet wrap work, or do you think he'd just bite and scratch till he got it off?

Thanks for asking; Quenell re-joined the flock yesterday lunchtime, after self-isolating through the morning by the back door, and is acting as if nothing happened now, so we're great. Someone else said it sounded like she fainted. I didn't know chickens could faint, and I've never read anything about chickens fainting, but she is the most excitable member of the flock, and it would explain the floppiness. Does anyone else reading this know anything about chickens fainting?

I have never heard of a chicken fainting.
For the tail wound usually wounds do better in the open air if you can prevent them being chewed on. An antiseptic spray may be enough to deter licking. Or antiseptic on the wound followed by something like bitter apple spray around the wound not even on it.

MaryJanet · Feb 21, 2023

Perris said:
Good point about chilli; hadn't thought of that. Would vet wrap work, or do you think he'd just bite and scratch till he got it off?

Thanks for asking; Quenell re-joined the flock yesterday lunchtime, after self-isolating through the morning by the back door, and is acting as if nothing happened now, so we're great. Someone else said it sounded like she fainted. I didn't know chickens could faint, and I've never read anything about chickens fainting, but she is the most excitable member of the flock, and it would explain the floppiness. Does anyone else reading this know anything about chickens fainting?

I've never heard of a chicken fainting, no. But I've only kept hens and only for five years. So I'm not the most reliable source of info.

MaryJanet · Feb 21, 2023

ManueB said:
I've heard a few times that fainting is much less frequent in animals, because the standing up position of humans means more strength is needed to pump oxygen from the heart to the brain. Not sure if there is any scientific truth to it, and it's hard to find any serious information about chickens fainting.
********
As soon as I opened the coop I saw that Théo and Gaston were both wanting to fight. But I was on my own today and not ready to deal with an injured rooster. Right enough just after getting out and having eaten they began fighting and Gaston didn't want to stop. I used a broomstick (which was the closest thing I could use) to separate them and to take Gaston further away. He came back twice during the day to challenge Théo and both times when the ex-batts were near by. And Théo also challenged him a few times. I think by witholding them from fighting we are stopping them from figuring out who's the boss, so this can't go on for much longer now.

The other event of the day was the eagle flying once again very close by, coming from underneath. Gaston alerted me, but I had difficulties scaring him away. I saw him twice again during the day. The last time he was above the house that is above us and I distinctly saw a first crow, then a second one attacking him and chasing him off. It was very impressive because they are so much smaller than the eagle.
We had only two eggs today from Léa and Merle. All the other hens took a well deserved rest.

View attachment 3411754 View attachment 3411755
Chipie is so tiny and pretty. But today she was very much on her own.
View attachment 3411756 View attachment 3411757 View attachment 3411758 View attachment 3411759 View attachment 3411760 View attachment 3411763 View attachment 3411764 View attachment 3411765
Inspecting the future roof. I was slightly afraid he would walk on it as not all the sheets are fixed.
View attachment 3411781
Both roosters harassed their girls today
View attachment 3411785
Wound of war
View attachment 3411787

I was hoping at least one of Chipie's chicks would be her friend. She's not as safe on her own.

The crows are amazing!

ManueB · Feb 22, 2023

RoyalChick said:
An antiseptic spray may be enough to deter licking. Or antiseptic on the wound followed by something like bitter apple spray around the wound not even on it.

Grochatila looked better this morning but after sleeping for a few hours he had a new sore. We got a vet appointment for him on Monday. There's snow forecasted so I hope we can go.
******
A very cloudy day but alas, no rain ! The chickens had a great day. Highlights included :
- six beautiful eggs
- planting some shrubs and trees with the chickens help : two baby guava tree and a laurel tin for the chicken yard and an apple tree to replace one that sadly died about three years after we had planted it.
- long dustbathing session and digging
- lot of rooster's challenge and a fight just before roosting. My fault, I normally put Théo and his team in the run and lock them up piling plastic panels before letting Gaston's team to come roost in the coop. I didn't notice Théo had managed to come out.

Chipie tried to play I'm the boss with Cannelle ! She's got some nerves

. Cannelle was very patient and ended up pecking her on the back to remind her who she was.

We will inspect and help.

A risky situation

You're talking to me?

ManueB · Feb 23, 2023

There was a wonderful light throughout the clouds this morning. It didn't last and the day turned grey with a very light drizzle every now and then. We're supposed to have that weather until Sunday and then heaps of snow on Monday and Tuesday

.

The chickens didn't mind the weather. Gaston and his pullets were insistent on staying inside the netting in the morning so we locked Théo and the ex-batts in the run for an hour.

The three ex-batts laid again and Cannelle, who was first, made a huge drama to find a nest. Poor Théo tried every single possible place and she wouldn't listen. I had taken the pet carrier in which they sometimes lay away, as we are going to use it to take the cat to the vet monday and I wanted to clean it. Maybe this was why she was so unhappy ? In the end I ended up putting back an egg from yesterday in one of the nest and that decided her.
Gaston's younger pullets also all laid, so that was six eggs again. Merle's eggs are turning more white than cream now.
And she made a broody sound on the nest

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In the afternoon we began to move the wood inside the shed and as usual, Gaston's team was enthusiast helping and inspecting. I took Théo's team with me to the field under their yard to cut off the brambles that are regrowing under the fig tree, and Blanche and Chipie both came to see, but didn't stay. In two weeks or so, I will reduce their yard by half for six weeks to give the grass a chance to grow.
Gaston's team went to roost very early and I heard a huge crashing noise- Gaston broke the intermediary branch I had put to help them get to their roost, jumping off it to the roost. He looked very surprised! It was very old and worm-eaten.
Théo also roosted early but the ex-batts didn't follow him and stayed digging at a stack of dead leaves I had just emptied in their run until I told them to go to bed

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Morning lights