Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[ManueB]

do you use shallow channels across the slopes to catch some of the rain and steer it into cisterns? It's a very simple ancient technology, but surprisingly effective. Or do the terraces work well enough to reduce runoff?

The terraces do help maintain water, however they are not completely flat. We don't have cisterns, but many of the terraces and even the steep fields are bordered by old irrigation canals that would catch some of the water. We have only cleaned one up to now. The old irrigation canal system isn't maintained anymore by the town or an association, and we still pay a fixed sum for city drinkable water independently of the amount we use. We have been thinking of putting the canals back in use for some years, and I think we won't have the choice to wait any longer.
As of last Friday our county has been declared in drought alert and we are not allowed to water during the day anymore.

I got gooseberries to grow reasonably well in Catalonia in three different sites on the property.
What grew, pomagranites, figs, purple and green, parsimons, cherries, wine grapes for eating and plums.
Apple trees grew and produced some fruit but compared to what I'm used to in the UK they were struggling badly.
Couldn't grow pears.
Couldn't grow oranges.
Couldn't grow lemons.

We were also in the side of a mountain in Montseny so perhaps similar enough.

Sounds much like here, though we do have old pear trees. We just grafted two wild pear trees saplings yesterday with the local "expert".
The closest I've been to Montseny is Montserrat. The climate is quite similar to what we have here but the geology and the soil very different.
**********
We did have an impressive thunderstorm with rain at midnight but unfortunately it lasted less than fifteen minutes .

The chickens were rather surprised by the new disposition of the netting this morning, and they hadn't had time to really understand their new space when a goshawk attacked from below into the laurel tree. Gaston saved the day by screaming warnings from above, because I had seen absolutely nothing from where I was, right next to him. I ran down below and shook the tree and didn't even see the hawk fly away. Gaston and Léa had ran into the coop where Chipie and Brune were already hiding in nest boxes. The ex-batts and Piou-piou piled up under the laurel tree. I couldn't find Merle for ten minutes and she had actually flown to the wood shed where she was crouching behind a pallet. Of course as soon as it was safe Théo ran into the coop to attack Gaston in case he had flirted with Brune and Chipie .

There was a lot of wind after that, and Theo's team stayed under the laurel trees for the better part of the day. Nougat laid again for the third day in a row, so did Cannelle, Chipie(), Léa and Piou-piou.
Gaston's team "helped" us bringing out the potatoes and back in huge pieces of an oak my partner cut in a part of land he owns higher up.
At the end of the afternoon, the wind called down and the sun started shining, I took Théo's team to the field under and they had a great time. With the rain, the grass has already turned slightly greener and the bugs are coming out. Even Blanche came and stayed for half an hour !
Théo is now mating Chipie again regularly even though she doesn't really agree. I guess he knows she's laying again.

Happy to see Blanche foraging with the other ex-batts.

Someone had to stop using the drill while these ladies were having a bath.

 

[Perris]

As of last Friday our county has been declared in drought alert and we are not allowed to water during the day anymore.

that's awful - we're not quite half way through March! Looks like you really need those canals working.

 

[BDutch]

You wrote this so long ago, but it is helping me today. And many posts following, including your bday post, which melted my heart. My suffering is so much like yours. I just lost my best girl, Ruby, a couple of hours ago from EYP and somehow sour crop too. I don’t understand how the two were related. I too had overlooked her past issues with laying soft eggs. I was just relieved she had never started laying again since her molt in august. Blaming myself for her loss is doing nothing but making me more miserable. My beautiful Ruby brought me so much joy the very short 3 years I had her, and I know she wouldn’t want me to spend the next 3 hurting over losing her! She wouldn’t even want me to spend 3 days.

I lost three beloved friends this year. 1 year old Rainbow to a hawk, 8 month old Eeyore to an obstruction, and now Ruby. Like you, I don’t want to live in fear of my chickens deaths. It is taking away so much of my freedom to love them as deeply. I am now fearful of them going broody and bringing more babies into the flock, even though it is the most precious thing that I look forward to each year. Feathered mamas, and their babies. *sigh* That’s just more chickens I will someday lose to death. As it is, I have 27 I have to go through.

Also, like you, my chickens are really everything to me. I have only my husband and a couple family members, and no friends. My partner doesn’t love these fluffy little dinosaurs quite like I do. No one understands that losing them is losing a part of my family.

How have you coped with the fear of losing another one? Do you feel you might handle another loss more gracefully in the future, as you hoped? After I lost 2 in just this year, I thought I would be tougher the next time (which certainly should have been a long time later!) But then it was my Ruby. Oh no, no, no, no, not my Ruby!!

Thank you for posting your thoughts and feelings.

My best girl, Ruby…
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Sorry for losses.
I think we all have to deal with losses when we have chickens for many years , even if we give them a healthy life with lots of space. Where too much freedom can be a real risk

I had several chicks that died in the first year. After that no casualties for 5 years.
And then in the following 2 years 5 death.
2 probably of sickness (weakness in the breed). 2 probably taken by a predator (no proof) and 1 by a fox for sure. .

It’s a weighing: happy free chickens or a less healthy accommodation (more stress, less healthy soil). I try to reduce the risk by letting them free range if we are around and about, or at least at home. And build a almost secure run large enough for my chickens to lock them up all day/when on a vacation.

I feel sorry if things go wrong. Not bad or guilty. But I do feel bad/guilty if I eat meat or eggs from factory farming.

 

[ManueB]

The temperatures have slightly gone down in the morning, back to freezing, but still very warm during the day.

Gaston's team had fun following my partner with the tiller, eating all the worms to our despair. When we had lunch they were under our knees begging for some grated Parmigiano . I tested "grooming" Gaston again and indeed he likes being stroked the feathers behind his comb - but not anywhere else. He's definitely much more polite than the pullets though !
Today was one bad day for Théo's team. Cannelle laid early in the morning. Blanche was unwell, and something, probably the goshawk or an eagle, really scared them in the morning, so they spent most of the day under the laurel tree. Blanche's eye really seem to hurt her now. We are rinsing her with saline again but it doesn't seem to help.
One fun thing that happened was that Chipie attacked Cannelle again. Cannelle was rather gentle and pecked her on the head and back a few times but softly. Chipie kept coming back at it !

All hell broke loose at roost time. It began when Merle and Léa didn't roost next to Gaston, who got really upset and came down his roost. Then Blanche, who was on Thé's roost, attacked Chipie. Théo intervened to protect Chipie and not only did he peck Blanche on her head next to her bad eye, he proceeded to throw her off the roost. I got very upset and chased him off his roost. In the meantime all the ex-batts were fighting Chipie and both Blanche and Nougat fell badly off the roost. Blanche got back up uneasily. Théo, Chipie and Nougat all went out of the coop: Théo was terrified of me and Nougat was scared and hurt by her fall. She was last to go in and fell again climbing the ladder.

Up to now I was thinking I would wait until all the ex-batts die to change the roosts completely, because it would be such a huge change for them, but now I'm not sure. If they are not able to climb anymore and hurt themselves falling maybe I should just switch for low roosts now.

Gaston really wonders what's in there.

Chipie

He knows who eats grated Parmigiano.

Chipie

 

[MaryJanet]

The temperatures have slightly gone down in the morning, back to freezing, but still very warm during the day.

Gaston's team had fun following my partner with the tiller, eating all the worms to our despair. When we had lunch they were under our knees begging for some grated Parmigiano . I tested "grooming" Gaston again and indeed he likes being stroked the feathers behind his comb - but not anywhere else. He's definitely much more polite than the pullets though !
Today was one bad day for Théo's team. Cannelle laid early in the morning. Blanche was unwell, and something, probably the goshawk or an eagle, really scared them in the morning, so they spent most of the day under the laurel tree. Blanche's eye really seem to hurt her now. We are rinsing her with saline again but it doesn't seem to help.
One fun thing that happened was that Chipie attacked Cannelle again. Cannelle was rather gentle and pecked her on the head and back a few times but softly. Chipie kept coming back at it !

All hell broke loose at roost time. It began when Merle and Léa didn't roost next to Gaston, who got really upset and came down his roost. Then Blanche, who was on Thé's roost, attacked Chipie. Théo intervened to protect Chipie and not only did he peck Blanche on her head next to her bad eye, he proceeded to throw her off the roost. I got very upset and chased him off his roost. In the meantime all the ex-batts were fighting Chipie and both Blanche and Nougat fell badly off the roost. Blanche got back up uneasily. Théo, Chipie and Nougat all went out of the coop: Théo was terrified of me and Nougat was scared and hurt by her fall. She was last to go in and fell again climbing the ladder.

Up to now I was thinking I would wait until all the ex-batts die to change the roosts completely, because it would be such a huge change for them, but now I'm not sure. If they are not able to climb anymore and hurt themselves falling maybe I should just switch for low roosts now.

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Gaston really wonders what's in there.
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Chipie
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He knows who eats grated Parmigiano.
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Chipie
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They'll adapt to lower roosts after a few nights of worry. It'll save injuries.

If you can put several shorter, lower roosts, you may find less fighting at bedtime. It solved the bedtime fights at my house.

 

[ManueB]

They'll adapt to lower roosts after a few nights of worry. It'll save injuries.

If you can put several shorter, lower roosts, you may find less fighting at bedtime. It solved the bedtime fights at my house.

They used to roost lower. The coop is an old stable and it has feeders on the side walls that the ex-batts used to roost on. It's only been since Vanille and Caramel died that they are all on the higher roosts.
********
A sad day for french political life today but a better day for the chickens. Apart from Blanche, the ex-batts had no trouble coming down the ladder and acted like everything was fine.
We think that Blanche's sight, that was fading in her wounded eye, is now to the point where she doesn't see at all anymore from that eye. She was not well all day, and I'm not sure if she will be with us much longer. She's still very decided to do as much harm to Chipie as she can and to have her precious scrambled egg right on time.
She laid a small, fragile egg. Cannelle, Nougat, Léa and Piou-piou also laid.

Gaston's team had quite a good day though they got scared several times for things I did not see. The last time, they were behind our house on the path that leads to the road, when I heard Gaston's alarm call and some bells. My neighbor's cows, who are grazing this week on the property above ours, had escaped again .
Roosting was rather calm today. The ex-batts seemed to really want to avoid Théo, who's very intent on mating them before roosting. They didn't have trouble climbing and since they didn't fight there was no falling down. I will watch them for several evenings again before taking any decisions regarding the roosts. It could be that some props to get on the ladder and move from one roost to the other would be sufficient to help them.

Cocorico!

Blanche

Blanche ( I carried her down so she wouldn't be left alone)

The neighbor's cows and her baby goat that follows her around as the mom is sick.

 

[lightm]

Grey, windy, horrible weather, and sad to say there was very little snow in the end, it had all melted throughout the night.

Theo's team was very unhappy about it and they refused to leave the coop all morning. They barely came out in the afternoon, maybe twice for ten minutes . And Nougat laid a strange egg again.

Gaston's pullet on the other hand stayed scratching all around the place under the slight snow. Gaston wanted to shelter under the woodshed, but the pullets wouldn't listen to him .
The mystery of the day : the two eggs I leave permanently in their nests in the old barn, have vanished during the night . I discovered this because when Léa found out her nest was empty she made such a racket I had to go check what was going on !
Merle is switching slowly into broody mode, she dustbathed ten times today, went to the nest at four in the afternoon and made broody screams when I checked if she had laid. However she came off the nest on her own, right in time to go roost in the coop before I let Theo's team in... and she did lay an egg at the last minute.
Roosting was very peaceful compared to yesterday. I have added more strings on the ladder's side and the roosts for better grip where Nougat fell off last night.
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I don't know if this is classic broody behaviour but Merle dustbathes every half hour when she turns broody
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Before going on the nest
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**********
Long cat ramble : the vet said Grochatila got bitten by another cat in a fight, he says it's typical they fight head to tail. He has antibiotics and the dreaded collar for five days. My partner asked if there was any other solution and the vet replied that if we had to amputate his tail because he had not worn the collar, he would then have to wear it anyway. It's difficult, he switches from total prostration to knocking everything about around him, trying to run backwards and getting stuck under furniture. He can't manage to eat or drink with it. So we have to keep him inside at least for now, because he's totally unable to keep himself safe with it, adding jail to restraint . If he's not asleep tomorrow we will take him outside watching him during the day. He's had one of the worst day of his life I think.
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Our broody also had excessive dust bath.

 

[ManueB]

Our broody also had excessive dust bath.

Yes, it's not often mentioned but here it's definitely a sign of upcoming broodiness . It makes sense though- they know they won't be able to keep themselves as clean once on the nest and any mites diminish the coming chick's chance of survival.
*******
Another nice day. I had to leave the chickens for an hour and a half in the morning to pick up the cheese- with the lambing /goating season we have local cheese delivered again at the city hall, and I was a bit afraid of the goshawk. But Gaston's team was still there when I came back, and Léa was sitting on hers and Piou-piou's eggs. I took her out of the nest and she didn't go back.

There were some squabbles again between the roosters. Moving the netting has unfortunately meant restraining Théo's territory by half and the chickens don't really understand yet where they can cross it now, and where it is blocked. It's a bit confusing for them and I think it means a setback for the roosters.

Nougat didn't look good this morning, but she laid at midday and was much better in the afternoon. Blanche was also a bit more active today, especially in the evening, she even went to forage a little. She dustbathed twice this morning which I think means she won't die in the next days. At least that's what I want to believe.
And Théo was a pain before roosting hurting them trying to mate. I've got to figure out more possibility for them of escaping him.
Although Gaston's team was roosted at 4.45, the ex-batts are beginning to stay later outside, they were roosted toward 6, which makes almost a twelve hour day for them.

 

[ManueB]

The day started on a fun note (if one doesn't mind bloody rodent morsels, that is). Grochatila, our male cat, had torn a mouse apart and left it in front of the chicken's netting. When Gaston's team came out, Piou-piou found it first and made crazy excited noises and the others joined in the fun, tearing up four pieces into many, many more. The ex-batts on the other side of the netting watched jealously until Théo and Chipie made a dash through the netting and Théo brought one of the bigger piece back to the ex-batts! So they joined in the fun though it was quickly over for them.
Grochatila in the mean time came back to check on his mouse, but he did not try to take any pieces back. I worried a bit that maybe he had left it because it wasn't good, but nobody seemed to be ill during the day.

Gaston's three pullets laid in the morning. Léa was making broody noises and I took her off the nest. Like yesterday, she quickly woke up and did not try to go back on the eggs ; however, toward half past three she started puffing up and ran to the barn. Unfortunately I had already taken the eggs out and closed the barn. She was really unhappy about it and came back four times to see if the door hadn't opened in the meantime. She also got into an epic chase as she refused to get mated by Gaston. He charged after tail and wings wide open and she ran away screaming and flapping and puffed up.
I think I will leave her on the nest during the day from now on- it's not a problem anymore as I can reach the nest and she is well sheltered in the barn.

Blanche is a real punk- she's not dead! Today she digged and scratched and grazed and even went in the field down under with everyone else. She did lie down at some points but she had a much better day than the rest of the week.
And roosting went almost fine, except Blanche chased Chipie. They had no problem climbing. I think the balance problems begin when they fight or try to bypass one another.

Dustbathing and foraging

Broody serie

Crazy Blanche has her mojo back

 

[RoyalChick]

The day started on a fun note (if one doesn't mind bloody rodent morsels, that is). Grochatila, our male cat, had torn a mouse apart and left it in front of the chicken's netting. When Gaston's team came out, Piou-piou found it first and made crazy excited noises and the others joined in the fun, tearing up four pieces into many, many more. The ex-batts on the other side of the netting watched jealously until Théo and Chipie made a dash through the netting and Théo brought one of the bigger piece back to the ex-batts! So they joined in the fun though it was quickly over for them.
Grochatila in the mean time came back to check on his mouse, but he did not try to take any pieces back. I worried a bit that maybe he had left it because it wasn't good, but nobody seemed to be ill during the day.

Gaston's three pullets laid in the morning. Léa was making broody noises and I took her off the nest. Like yesterday, she quickly woke up and did not try to go back on the eggs ; however, toward half past three she started puffing up and ran to the barn. Unfortunately I had already taken the eggs out and closed the barn. She was really unhappy about it and came back four times to see if the door hadn't opened in the meantime. She also got into an epic chase as she refused to get mated by Gaston. He charged after tail and wings wide open and she ran away screaming and flapping and puffed up.
I think I will leave her on the nest during the day from now on- it's not a problem anymore as I can reach the nest and she is well sheltered in the barn.

Blanche is a real punk- she's not dead! Today she digged and scratched and grazed and even went in the field down under with everyone else. She did lie down at some points but she had a much better day than the rest of the week.
And roosting went almost fine, except Blanche chased Chipie. They had no problem climbing. I think the balance problems begin when they fight or try to bypass one another.

Dustbathing and foraging
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Broody serie
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Crazy Blanche has her mojo back
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So glad Blanche hasn’t given up yet.
It is looking reasonably green despite the drought.