Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[MaryJanet]

With the hawk having landed yesterday, I was worried about leaving the younger chickens outside this morning (I had to go away for an hour and a half). But when I opened the coop in the morning, the chickens stayed outside for about 20 mn only and then they all got back inside the coop and run, which only happen when they are extremely afraid. They probably heard or saw the hawk again. So I locked all of them together.
When I came back all the younger chickens had jumped on the very small shelter's roof in the run, and the adults were on the ground under them- everyone survived ! They were all happy to be freed and Nougat directly ran to the outside nest and laid an egg in about two minutes .

The younger chickens then stayed outside in the garden most of the day. Théo chased Gaston away from the feeders whenever he came back to eat. Hard to say if Gaston screams because he's really afraid, or if he's just acting up for nothing.
Chipie was still playing sweetheart with both. She is trouble .

Merle
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Piou-piou
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finding balance is difficult for a cross bantam rooster trying to mate a bigger hen on a very steep slope.
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Chipie looking rough. I'm glad to finally see some pin feathers on her head.
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I thought perhaps people might like to see this article written by @Aussie-Chookmum a couple of years ago. Her hen Alice had a rather heavy moult.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/alices-amazing-moult-molt.75749/

Word of warning, some people find it hard to look at, right @RoyalChick ?

 

[RoyalChick]

With the hawk having landed yesterday, I was worried about leaving the younger chickens outside this morning (I had to go away for an hour and a half). But when I opened the coop in the morning, the chickens stayed outside for about 20 mn only and then they all got back inside the coop and run, which only happen when they are extremely afraid. They probably heard or saw the hawk again. So I locked all of them together.
When I came back all the younger chickens had jumped on the very small shelter's roof in the run, and the adults were on the ground under them- everyone survived ! They were all happy to be freed and Nougat directly ran to the outside nest and laid an egg in about two minutes .

The younger chickens then stayed outside in the garden most of the day. Théo chased Gaston away from the feeders whenever he came back to eat. Hard to say if Gaston screams because he's really afraid, or if he's just acting up for nothing.
Chipie was still playing sweetheart with both. She is trouble .

Merle
View attachment 3283771
Piou-piou
View attachment 3283772View attachment 3283773View attachment 3283774View attachment 3283775
finding balance is difficult for a cross bantam rooster trying to mate a bigger hen on a very steep slope.
View attachment 3283776View attachment 3283778View attachment 3283780View attachment 3283784
Chipie looking rough. I'm glad to finally see some pin feathers on her head.
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View attachment 3283777

I just love your photos. I could see them all day. Such a beautiful setting, such lovely chickens. I am so glad you are sharing.

 

[RoyalChick]

I thought perhaps people might like to see this article written by @Aussie-Chookmum a couple of years ago. Her hen Alice had a rather heavy moult.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/alices-amazing-moult-molt.75749/

Word of warning, some people find it hard to look at, right @RoyalChick ?

Oh I really do find it difficult - I just need advanced warning to prepare myself. And she did look lovely once they all grew back.

 

[ManueB]

I thought perhaps people might like to see this article written by @Aussie-Chookmum a couple of years ago. Her hen Alice had a rather heavy moult.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/alices-amazing-moult-molt.75749/

Word of warning, some people find it hard to look at, right @RoyalChick ?

Wow, that must have been scary !
I had only hen go over a hard molt, Vanille, just after she had been very ill. We thought it could have been due to the fact that we put her in semi obscurity for almost ten days. And she did grew back beautiful feathers.
But molt that almost don't show can be also quite worrying. Last year we almost couldn't see that Nougat was molting but she was hiding all day, quit eating, and was so skittish we couldn't catch her, and this lasted for almost five weeks.

I just love your photos. I could see them all day. Such a beautiful setting, such lovely chickens. I am so glad you are sharing.

Thank you so much ! I really hope we will have many grey, rainy days this fall and winter and then I won't take any pictures because everything will look bleak and austere .

 

[ManueB]

Some rain was forecasted today but we just had some drizzle in the afternoon. The younger chickens spent the morning outside and when it started raining, went inside the coop, perched on their roost, and didn't come down except to eat a little and take a quick sip.
Little Blanche was looking off yesterday evening and today. I thought maybe it was because she hadn't laid yesterday, but she laid a perfect little egg early this morning. Cannelle on the other hand looks much better, even though she spent again some time in the nest without laying.

Théo chased Gaston again this morning. He is incredibly fast. Poor Gaston was terrorized. He didn't dare come anywhere near him for the rest of the morning and he also jumped and honked everytime he saw Chipie. Such a big guy living in fear...

Morning : the younger tribe watch the ex-batts from above

In the garden

Gaston running away while Chipie flirts with Théo.

Going to bed at three because of the rain

After the rain

Blanche looking off and Nougat preening

 

[BY Bob]

Some rain was forecasted today but we just had some drizzle in the afternoon. The younger chickens spent the morning outside and when it started raining, went inside the coop, perched on their roost, and didn't come down except to eat a little and take a quick sip.
Little Blanche was looking off yesterday evening and today. I thought maybe it was because she hadn't laid yesterday, but she laid a perfect little egg early this morning. Cannelle on the other hand looks much better, even though she spent again some time in the nest without laying.

Théo chased Gaston again this morning. He is incredibly fast. Poor Gaston was terrorized. He didn't dare come anywhere near him for the rest of the morning and he also jumped and honked everytime he saw Chipie. Such a big guy living in fear...

Morning : the younger tribe watch the ex-batts from above
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In the garden

View attachment 3284745Gaston running away while Chipie flirts with Théo.
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Going to bed at three because of the rain
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After the rain
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Blanche looking off and Nougat preening
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I just love your photos.

 

[MaryJanet]

I just love your photos.

I love them too! Mountains are a rare treat.

 

[ManueB]

I was wishing for rain, we had a rainy day today ! A small rain that lasted the whole day, a good thing as it doesn't erode the soils, but we would need to have at least a month like this !

The chickens didn't enjoy it at all. They stayed inside most of the day, which mean the younger chickens stayed on the roosts . I made sure they were able to eat several times in the day by locking the adults outside in the run.
But they did manage to spend maybe an hour outside in the afternoon.

Blanche was looking much better today however Cannelle isolated herself and looked again not totally well.

 

[ManueB]

The day began very damp and grey but it got better in the afternoon. The chickens don't get up now before 7.35, although when I opened the coop Blanche was already laying in the nest box and Brune had laid sometime before !
Gaston is beginning to crow more. For two months he has been crowing only once, when I open the coop. Today he crowed several times back and forth with Théo and then once again during the day.
Théo is molting like crazy and very angry about everything. I shouted at him this morning because he was trying to block Gaston getting out of the coop while I was cleaning inside- he then avoided me for the rest of the day. He spends a lot of time picking feathers and even lying down looking unconfortable.
For the rest of the chickens it was a good day with some dustbathing under the umbrella where the soil was dry and much wandering in the garden for the younger chickens.
Three eggs today (just one yesterday) and still nothing from Cannelle.

Foggy morning

When Théo was preening I could see the quilts that will grow into new tail feathers.

 

[Perris]

how large are their eggs? I've never had bantams. Or is it just the rescue (lf) hens laying?