Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[ManueB]

Merle stole Grochatila's mouse today.

When he tried to get it back, she attacked him in broody mode.
She's taking her revenge for all the times he stalked her as a chick.

When I see them like this before roosting I think it's all worth it.

 

[RoyalChick]

Merle stole Grochatila's mouse today.

When he tried to get it back, she attacked him in broody mode.
She's taking her revenge for all the times he stalked her as a chick.

When I see them like this before roosting I think it's all worth it.

View attachment 3515905

Poor cat!
That reminded me of this.

 

[ManueB]

This morning Théo and Nougat have sign of disease. Théo just has teary eye and swollen face but acts normal. Nougat is very unwell. She is lifting her legs very high as if in pain, red eyes, she has a very ugly diarrhea, and she stinks.
As of yesterday I thought she was our healthiest ex-batts but she's obviously being hit much harder than the other chickens have been up to now.

 

[Perris]

stay strong, and try not to worry over things you can't change. This too will pass.

You can give a little aspirin to help if you think Nougat's really in pain.

 

[ManueB]

I hate to see a chicken in pain, but I know my ex-batts, regardless of this bacteria, will probably not live much longer. They are three years and seven months old. I would feel extremely fortunate if one of them is still here after the three months of summer heat.
They are now delighting on the first barely ripe few cherries that survived the hail. This was a milestone for me, as I think it's one of the thing that have given them the most happiness here.

I have certainly learned with them not to say it's over before it actually is, but I am ready to say goodbye when it happens.

I'm more upset about all the other chickens and the chicks.

Also, you may be interested to know that here aspirin has had really bad press for the last fifteen years. I understood from seeing it mentioned so often on BYC that it's not the case in anglo-saxons countries. Here you wouldn't find it in most households unless it was specifically prescribed, The risk of hemmorhage being the main reason. I find it really curious how much the approach to different medications can vary depending on the country, in spite of the fact that all of the medication business is very much international.

 

[RoyalChick]

I hate to see a chicken in pain, but I know my ex-batts, regardless of this bacteria, will probably not live much longer. They are three years and seven months old. I would feel extremely fortunate if one of them is still here after the three months of summer heat.
They are now delighting on the first barely ripe few cherries that survived the hail. This was a milestone for me, as I think it's one of the thing that have given them the most happiness here.

I have certainly learned with them not to say it's over before it actually is, but I am ready to say goodbye when it happens.

I'm more upset about all the other chickens and the chicks.

Also, you may be interested to know that here aspirin has had really bad press for the last fifteen years. I understood from seeing it mentioned so often on BYC that it's not the case in anglo-saxons countries. Here you wouldn't find it in most households unless it was specifically prescribed, The risk of hemmorhage being the main reason. I find it really curious how much the approach to different medications can vary depending on the country, in spite of the fact that all of the medication business is very much international.

Your ex-bats are lucky to have you and the wonderful home you have given them.
I am not so sure it is that different on aspirin - it is no longer the household staple it was - in part because of gastrointestinal bleeding and in part because it is often not safe for kids.
Parecetamol/acetaminophen has largely replaced it along with the newer non-steroidal drugs like ibuprofen. Low dose aspirin however has had a bit of a renaissance due to its cardioprotective effects for people who have had heart attacks, and it remains on the WHO essential drugs list.
And this treatise on non-opioid pain killers was all just an excuse to pay tax.
Three cuties all in a row.

 

[Perris]

what are they RC? And I spy another foot below...a lurker!

 

[ManueB]

what are they RC? And I spy another foot below...a lurker!

I bet I know the answer.
Chickens.
Baby chickens to be more precise.

I thought Léa was being too cautious this morning. She wouldn't take the chicks out of the run, even when we tried to bribe her. They stayed for a few hours in the big chickens run and met a few of them, though Léa turned into a growling monster everytime one came near.
But in the afternoon it turned out her caution was welcome. We were caught by surprise by a very sudden thunderstorm with hail. They took shelter under their coop but it's not sufficiently sheltered for such a big storm. Luckily my partner was home early and he managed to catch them under there and put them back inside. I can't reach them, or maybe I could if I crawled.
Tomorrow we will try to have her train them to climb back up the ramp before the afternoon rain / storm.

Nougat laid a fragile egg today, staying almost three hours in the nest, and seemed slightly better after. She didn't do that weird leg movement again. In the evening she came out and nibbled some of those seeds on the grass that they like to eat when they're not feeling good.

 

[Perris]

I bet I know the answer.
Chickens.

Tomorrow we will try to have her train them to climb back up the ramp before the afternoon rain / storm.

Good luck with that. It takes most of mine a few days to get them all using it properly, and I love to watch the broody go up and call them from the pop hole, then go down again and try again a little while later. Usually the brightest one(s) get it quickly, but there's also usually a plank or two that goes to one side or the other, or behind, or just stands like a lemon (waiting for lift?). In the worst case here the broody brings all those who did make it back down to join the laggard(s), and settles down for the night with them all under the coop, then I have to intervene.
But Paprika had it nailed from day 1, and it was a military operation by about day 3!

 

[BDutch]

Congrats with the sixth sense ManueB!
It seems that I loose this thread every now and then. So Im reading from Saturday.

I had broodies pooping in the nest a few times. They provably feel the urge to poop but also feel the necessity to care for the eggs/chicks. And a little accident can be the consequence. But this is probably no issue anymore by now.

I've also found that a broody will direct her chicks to eat the adults’ feed, but the chicks largely ignore it in my experience (perhaps intuiting that the whole grains are too big for their system to comfortably manage). I base my chick feed on recipes in old poultry manuals, which you may or may not find useful or interesting; the broodies here all like it so I don't need to offer them their usual feed as well.

For the first week, chicks here are offered chopped boiled egg, milk- or fermented-feed-liquor- soaked breadcrumbs, and oatmeal, mixed into a crumble. Thereafter I add, increasing in quantity and variety as the weeks progress, fresh curd or plain natural yogurt, live mealworms (small ones), mashed tinned sardines, peanut butter, currants, polenta or semolina, smashed Weetabix or Shredded wheat (local whole wheat breakfast cereals), and smashed dry high protein dog or cat food. They forage with the broody all day too of course and eat whatever she identifies as food.

Chicks eat little and often, befitting the tiny size of all constituent parts of their anatomy. Supplied food is presented in small particle size or of soft consistency. It is easiest to eat in a crumbly consistency, not a powder, and not so wet that it sticks to the beak. When they are out on the ground, their broody will find and direct them to eat grit, hopefully of an appropriate size, but they use their own judgement too.

Inclusion of some live yogurt soon after hatch will inoculate the chicks’ gut with lactobacilli (at least), which will help them deal with the coccidia that they are bound to encounter outside. The broody may direct them to consume some dried chicken poop for the same reason (faecal transplant to get good bacteria into the chicks’ gastrointestinal tracts). Yum

Of course this isn’t the only way you can feed chicks.
I gave chick pellets soaked in water in little bowls. The mama’s picked a bit and threw it on the ground the first day the chicks started to eat, clucking to the chicks (come eat?)
As a treat I gave a little egg and some soft cheese (huttenkase).
After a few days I gave some dried mealworms. And clipped grass. And now the get tiny grains and I scattered grit for pigeons in the run. Today the had tiny pieces of apple.
The mothers are enthousiast with every treat I give them.