Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[MaryJanet]

Gastounet is doing a great job, looking out for raptors. Does he give an alarm when he sees one?

 

[Perris]

is Chippie full or part Mugellese? I've been reading about this rare Italian breed this morning, and she seems to fit the bill quite well.

 

[ManueB]

Gastounet is doing a great job, looking out for raptors. Does he give an alarm when he sees one?

Yes, he's really good at it I must say. Almost too good as between him and Théo the alarm is sounding very often, they don't really discriminate between screaming jays, or sparrowhawks . But when it's repeated several times it's always for a real threat. Funny thing, he makes exactly the same sounds as Théo. I wonder if they are common to all roosters or if he learnt by listening!

is Chippie full or part Mugellese? I've been reading about this rare Italian breed this morning, and she seems to fit the bill quite well.

Well, I never heard of the Mugellese before, but looking the breed up it's true that there are many similarities with Chipie, the looks, the fact that they are raised to brood, the small white eggs. But she has blue legs, beige ears, and is a bit smaller than the Mugellese seems to be. I have no clue about what she is, really. The farmer who gave her to us, Gaston, probably got her from his neighbour where I saw a hen that looked just like her. These people raise bantams for hatching, they have quite a lot because they hatch every year. I don't know where they come from. It's possible that they get them from Italy but it doesn't seem likely that they would go all the way to Tuscany. I don't even know what age Chipie is- when Gaston gave her to us we thought she was about a year but last time we mentioned her, he said he didn't know her age but that maybe she was quite old!!

 

[ManueB]

For the first time today we locked up Gastounet and his gang in the barn while we went running this morning. Usually we leave them outside, but my partner was worried with all the raptors around and we were planning to be gone for almost three hours.

They took very well to it but quickly broke in the fencing we had made to keep them off the clean hay. When I came back and opened the door for them, Gaston was crowing on a huge pile of hay, Merle and Léa were asleep nesting in the hay and Piou-piou was scratching around. They weren't eager to come out though because we had that same raptor flying around- I don't know what type of hawk that is, and it was there more or less all afternoon.

I really thought Merle was going to lay today because she made all the noises, nested around many places, but I didn't find anything. I searched in the hay but couldn't see a nest. I'll try to track her tomorrow morning !
I must look out for Chipie also because I saw her trying out some of her old nests and her tail feathers have grown back.

Starting tomorrow we're supposed to have a week below zero (freezing point) but no real snow forecasted. The ski resorts are opening next weekend and we are wondering where they will find the water to create the artificial snow .

This is the side where Théo hurt his ear- it has a little scab that seems like it will heal quickly.

Léa is a sun worshipper- takes the lying dragon on the side posture everytime.

Post-mating shake.

Chioie the mysterious bantam.

On the run- finally put a foot in the rare white stuff

 

[RoyalChick]

For the first time today we locked up Gastounet and his gang in the barn while we went running this morning. Usually we leave them outside, but my partner was worried with all the raptors around and we were planning to be gone for almost three hours.

They took very well to it but quickly broke in the fencing we had made to keep them off the clean hay. When I came back and opened the door for them, Gaston was crowing on a huge pile of hay, Merle and Léa were asleep nesting in the hay and Piou-piou was scratching around. They weren't eager to come out though because we had that same raptor flying around- I don't know what type of hawk that is, and it was there more or less all afternoon.

I really thought Merle was going to lay today because she made all the noises, nested around many places, but I didn't find anything. I searched in the hay but couldn't see a nest. I'll try to track her tomorrow morning !
I must look out for Chipie also because I saw her trying out some of her old nests and her tail feathers have grown back.

Starting tomorrow we're supposed to have a week below zero (freezing point) but no real snow forecasted. The ski resorts are opening next weekend and we are wondering where they will find the water to create the artificial snow .

This is the side where Théo hurt his ear- it has a little scab that seems like it will heal quickly.
View attachment 3334340View attachment 3334341Léa is a sun worshipper- takes the lying dragon on the side posture everytime.View attachment 3334342
Post-mating shake.
View attachment 3334344View attachment 3334345Chioie the mysterious bantam.View attachment 3334346View attachment 3334347
On the run- finally put a foot in the rare white stuff
View attachment 3334343

Ugh. Artificial snow in a drought. With any luck it will be industrial rather than ground water and will actually help the situation when it melts. But I am guessing that won’t be the case.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

On the run- finally put a foot in the rare white stuff

Every time you write about running on this landscape, I get jealous of your blood oxygen!

 

[ManueB]

I'm worried. Merle has been screaming since dawn. She's gone nesting in a hole in the wood stack, and some time after I noticed a puddle of blood under where she roosts when I cleaned up. She's been nesting for two hours now, I can't reach her where she is.

Edit :

 

[MaryJanet]

I'm worried. Merle has been screaming since dawn. She's gone nesting in a hole in the wood stack, and some time after I noticed a puddle of blood under where she roosts when I cleaned up. She's been nesting for two hours now, I can't reach her where she is.

Edit :
View attachment 3334904

Is she ok??

 

[ManueB]

Is she ok??

I think so, thanks for asking!
She didn't look too good when she came out of the nest but after a while she seemed to perk up and ate and started talking again.
There appears to have been an other predator approach meanwhile while I was inside , so they are all hiding now under the laurel tree so deep that I can't even see her. It's beginning to snow a bit...
I hope she will be ok.

 

[Perris]

I hope she will be ok.

me too