Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[BDutch]

We don't do much of a winter garden but we’re more worried about what will happen long term if we begin having boars. It's difficult to secure the whole fence perimeter, because of the size, and the steep rocky ground.

Maybe there is a possibility to make a strong boar proof fence around a smaller veggie garde? On say 50-100 m2 you can grow a lot of veggies. Keep potatoes and other less vulnerable vegetables outside the fence to keep the costs limited. Other possibility is to electrify a more flimsy fence. Get the electricity of in the morning.
My neighbours have a mini pig behind pig behind a silly fence. The electric wire keeps her in.

I’m sorry I don't remember, are both Ini Mini and Abby deutsch bantams ? There is some air of similarity between the two.

They are both called Dutch bantams in English. In the Netherlands we say Hollandse kriel.
In french its Naine hollandaise.
I’m not sure if these bantams are plain Dutch or if they originate from the 2 western provinces of the Netherlands: North and South Holland .

5 of my chickens are Dutch In 4 different colours. 1 is a bantam RIR and one is a mix breed, from Dutch and naine de Tournaisis.

Interested? more colours on http://www.kippenencyclopedie.nl/php/index.php?title=Hollandsekriel

 

[ManueB]

Maybe there is a possibility to make a strong boar proof fence around a smaller veggie garde? On say 50-100 m2 you can grow a lot of veggies. Keep potatoes and other less vulnerable vegetables outside the fence to keep the costs limited. Other possibility is to electrify a more flimsy fence. Get the electricity of in the morning.
My neighbours have a mini pig behind pig behind a silly fence. The electric wire keeps her in.


They are both called Dutch bantams in English. In the Netherlands we say Hollandse kriel.
In french its Naine hollandaise.
I’m not sure if these bantams are plain Dutch or if they originate from the 2 western provinces of the Netherlands: North and South Holland .

5 of my chickens are Dutch In 4 different colours. 1 is a bantam RIR and one is a mix breed, from Dutch and naine de Tournaisis.

Interested? more colours on http://www.kippenencyclopedie.nl/php/index.php?title=Hollandsekriel

It seems people in Holland and even more in Belgium were really interested by bantam breeds, both ornemental and games, they are many of them.
I don't know much about breeds but I like the typical form of the hens, with the long wings and the slim body.
Are they really around 500 grams ? It makes them very small, even for bantams !

My partner doesn't want any type of fence around the garden. It's what we had in the beginning, we saw it from our house and we were really happy when we moved the fencing out of sight. It would definitely be the most simple solution.
A boar digs so much it destroys everything. It's amazing the amount of earth it can turn. It can probably destroy saplings as well as all the vegetables.
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We had another downpour today and several small rain episodes as well, 12 ml total . ! It was interesting : there was no forecast of rain this afternoon so when it began drizzling I didn't pay much attention - and all of a sudden the adult chickens came running back directly in the coop, not even in the run, and the youngest in the woodshed, about 45 seconds before there was a huge gush of wind and the sky came crashing down on us. The chickens sheltered all afternoon and went to bed very early. While they like the wet grass, they have grown really afraid of getting wet themselves. When it rains for long period they don't act like this.

As I wrote in Shadrach's thread Amelia said Petit Blanc was crowing and playing pretty boy with her seven hens this morning ! My partner had a quick glance this afternoon passing in his car and he saw him prancing and looking like the king of the world. She’s keeping him inside the coop for a few days until he gets used to it. It's a sort of mix of open-air coop and run, visible from outside, I'm going to see tomorrow how he is. Their chickens free range with the dogs and sometimes the goats, they have a little boy, and they are on the road where he will see a few cars daily, so it will be a lot for him to get used to !

I was a bit worried how Pied-Beau would react without Petit Blanc. In the morning he was all alone because the pullets stayed with the adults, and he was outside. He is too big to cross the netting and he hasn't found out how to get in and out. I put him back in a bit and he did fine, but he is terrified of the big hens and of Gaston. Gaston is still patient with him. At some point Pied Beau attempted to mate one of the pullet who shrieked like a trumpet and Gaston came around and just made some wing shuffle at Pied Beau. But when Gaston chases Théo it's so fast and aggressive that anyone who’s in the way is scared, and Pied Beau seems.to believe Gaston is after him. Then he spent most of the afternoon with the pullets first in the garden then sheltering in the woodshed. Théo joined them and while he is a bit more assertive than Gaston he doesn't really bully him.

Because it was raining, we only tended quickly to Alba’s foot, so I haven't had a chance to try the hydrocolloid dressing - tomorrow i’ll put it on and i’ll have a look on Thursday.

Merle and Léa are fully broody now, trying to keep them off the nest as much as possible. Merle is terrible, she sneaks in every chance she gets. I took her off three times this evening after they had gone to roost, and i’m sure she’ll be back in when I open the coop.

We have a night thunderstorm now and rain again !

 

[BDutch]

It seems people in Holland and even more in Belgium were really interested by bantam breeds, both ornemental and games, they are many of them.
I don't know much about breeds but I like the typical form of the hens, with the long wings and the slim body.
Are they really around 500 grams ? It makes them very small, even for bantams !

I believe its about the same in the Netherlands as it is in Belgium. We share the same language and history, going back to the golden age when sailers brought chickens frim Asia to Europe. But we do have some different breeds in different regions.

The origin of the Dutch is very special. I think its not difficult to find that story. I will gladly post it if you can’t find it and are interested. One part of the story is about the small eggs, the farmers were allowed to keep. And yes. The Dutch showbirds weigh only about 500 grams. My Dutch are no showbirds and weigh a little more.

Nowadays these bantams are great to keep in backyards because most people in the Netherlands and Belgium have small gardens.

 

[ManueB]

I believe its about the same in the Netherlands as it is in Belgium. We share the same language and history, going back to the golden age when sailers brought chickens frim Asia to Europe. But we do have some different breeds in different regions.

The origin of the Dutch is very special. I think its not difficult to find that story. I will gladly post it if you can’t find it and are interested. One part of the story is about the small eggs, the farmers were allowed to keep. And yes. The Dutch showbirds weigh only about 500 grams. My Dutch are no showbirds and weigh a little more.

Nowadays these bantams are great to keep in backyards because most people in the Netherlands and Belgium have small gardens.

Wonderful! It's nice to have a "historical" breed. I guess they must be about the same size as Chipie. I understand better why you would need a kitchen scale for them.
While I certainly agree that my two bantam hens do less harm digging than the standard sized hens, both tend to be rather adventurous, Merle especially is one of the chickens that has wandered the further away from the coop. So I don't know about them needing less space ? Certainly less space in the coop.
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The main event of the day was that Théo escorted Piou-piou to lay in the barn and stayed with her the whole time. After that, his status switched from most abhorred chicken in the world to embarrassing suitor. He followed her around the whole day, tidbitting and watching around while she scratched. He even wanted to wait for her to go roost, but since he has to sneak in the coop when Gaston isn't looking, that was not possible.

I went to check on Petit Blanc, I didn't stay long because my neighbours were not home and their dogs can be frightening defending their territory. He was busy with a big grey hen . My partner is afraid that it will be hard on him being locked up a few days, but I hope having his own adult hens will keep him busy and excited for a while.

Nieva’s foot is not looking good, so we didn't dare try the hydrocolloid dressing. It's hot and quite swollen again and a bigger scab has re-formed.

I've begin adding essential oils to the mash in the morning, and DE to the dry grain and layer feed. The chickens don't like it. They take a longer time to eat the mash, and they try to leave the DE out. It's not a surprise because I know they don't like strong tastes and powdered stuff .

And I think Léa will stop trying to sit tomorrow, but Merle is still very broody!

Piou-piou and her small knight. On guard while she lays and following her around.

Lilly escaped again and found some grapes.

Kara and Molting Nougat

Mélisse

Annette and Laure

 

[BDutch]

I understand better why you would need a kitchen scale for them.

I put Black on the kitchen scale today. She weighs 650 grams.

Black is one of the Dutch who is too heavy to be a showbird but otherwise all her features are about right for a Dutch bantam. Her mother was a lavender overweight sold as a Dutch bantam too but her body was to square and not like a real Dutch should look like. Her weight was about 700 g, The father was a pile Dutch cockerel of about 700 g too.

I wonder how big Abby will grow. She is still significantly smaller than my other Dutch. . I got the eggs from a show breeder. So maybe she will become no more than 450 g.

Obviously Abby wasn’t very enthusiastic about sleeping with the flock last night. Ini mini and Abby sleep in the tiny coop in the run again.

 

[lightm]

Sorry about Nieva's foot :-(

for Theo and Piou piou. Your 4-picture sequence is so lovely it's like a short story or short film.

 

[ManueB]

I put Black on the kitchen scale today. She weighs 650 grams.

Black is one of the Dutch who is too heavy to be a showbird but otherwise all her features are about right for a Dutch bantam. Her mother was a lavender overweight sold as a Dutch bantam too but her body was to square and not like a real Dutch should look like. Her weight was about 700 g, The father was a pile Dutch cockerel of about 700 g too.

I wonder how big Abby will grow. She is still significantly smaller than my other Dutch. . I got the eggs from a show breeder. So maybe she will become no more than 450 g.

Obviously Abby wasn’t very enthusiastic about sleeping with the flock last night. Ini mini and Abby sleep in the tiny coop in the run again.

650 grams is still small, even if off standard. I should weigh Merle to see how much she weighs, but likely more. Piou-piou weighs 1kg and while she has a very strange shape she is the same size as Merle.
Abby does look tiny in the photos, even though it's hard to get a notion of size! It's nice that Ini Mini is sticking with her. I guess it's better to let her choose where to roost, even more now she is on her own.

Sorry about Nieva's foot :-(

for Theo and Piou piou. Your 4-picture sequence is so lovely it's like a short story or short film.

Today he followed her again around everywhere. In one way, it would be a relief if they paired together because Théo has a more appropriate size for Piou-piou. But for now, what happens is that Piou-piou sometimes wants to go back in with the rest of the chickens or to see Gaston, and then Théo follows her and gets a thrashing by Gaston. Obviously Gaston is not going to let Théo hang out with one of his favourite hens, and his first love (or second after Chipie!).

For the first time since we moved here, I skipped going to harvest grapes today. I didn't feel in the mood for festive drinking and with what little grape there was this year, there was no need for more hands. It was a good thing I stayed home because one of the neighbours old hunting dog went after the boar just beyond our fence. I heard him barking and dangling his bell for about an hour running in all directions, still outside, but when I went later to the hives I was surprised to find the old dog below them, panting. He had over exhausted himself and he couldn't walk anymore. His owner couldn't come get him because he was alone with his sleeping kid at home, so I half dragged half carried him over to their place, after giving him a bowl of water. I don't know if he found a hole in the fence that the boar had made before and that my partner hadn't seen, or if the boar hunted by the dog crashed the fence again. Countryside life is so exciting .

The morning was grey but fine enough. I was surprised that the five younger pullets hid in the laurel tree and stayed in there until about two. Pied beau was alone outside and he stayed close to the house as well, didn't go in the garden. Probably they saw or heard something worrying. Lily was out a bit early and she brought some remains of maybe a mouse to eat in front of our house . Not great for worms. Bit then she went back inside the netted zone and only left shortly the chicken yard to lay in the woodshed, so there was just Théo and Piou-piou hanging out.
Rain was forecasted this afternoon and all night, it started slowly but then it rained cats and dogs. The bigger chickens huddled in the run, Théo, Chipie and Piou-piou went very early on their roosts in the coop, and the five younger chickens stayed in the woodshed - everyone looking utterly miserable. Then we had to bring Alba inside under pouring rain to fend her feet and off course she popped in the bath and on the floor. One of her feet is definitely healed, at last , but not the other yet. So maybe it's a matter of time ? It's been more than six weeks now. We’re both getting a bit discouraged.

Théo exploring along with Piou-piou.

Blanche

Merle is off the broody thing ?

Alba

The younger pullets stayed with the adults. Pied beau is right on the other side of the netting, but didn't want to get in.

Annette and Lulu.

Size difference : Lilly next to Merle, a few seconds before Merle let her know she was not welcome.

Princess Hibou barely opened an eye.

Chipie is doing good apart from going to bed more early. If she does like last year , she will have regrown her feather when the other chickens are in full molt.

Théo getting soaked trying to convince Piou-piou to join him under the rain .

 

[MaryJanet]

Then we had to bring Alba inside under pouring rain to fend her feet and off course she popped in the bath and on the floor. One of her feet is definitely healed, at last

So happy for you! I know it's an ongoing struggle but little wins eventually add up.

 

[BDutch]

. I was surprised that the five younger pullets hid in the laurel tree and stayed in there until about two. Pied beau was alone outside and he stayed close to the house as well, didn't go in the garden. Probably they saw or heard something worrying.

They probably heard the dog barking when he/she chasing the boar. My chickens have a huge fear for dogs. Wise chickens be precautions. Dogs are one of the most dangerous predators.

 

[ManueB]

They probably heard the dog barking when he/she chasing the boar. My chickens have a huge fear for dogs. Wise chickens be precautions. Dogs are one of the most dangerous predators.

The dog scared them, but they were under or on the laurel tree long before.
We had a story recently with the neighbours dog who disturbed Merle while she was sitting on an egg in the barn, and scared her so much she flew right from the barn into a tree next to our house. Then later we learnt this dog had killed one of their hen and their rooster. They have re-homed him, and that's why they took Petit Blanc.
I didn't realize before reading all those sad stories on BYC that dogs can be so dangerous to chickens. Here most often dogs live with the chickens and the Border collies and Crau shepherds guard and herd the chickens like they would do with the sheeps. Oreo, my neighbour's dog who ate her chickens, was a cross border Collie, but she took him in as an adult because he was mistreated in his previous home.
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We ended up having quite a lot of rain yesterday night, 30 ml total (still excited by the new pluviometer) ! Today it's been raining on and off. It's getting very muddy and the chickens have stayed as much inside as possible, I think they came out for maybe twice an hour. Just enough to get a taste of the wet grass.

The younger pullets have not wanted to have anything to do with Pied beau. They stayed inside almost the whole day, sheltering in the coop when it rained while the adults were in the run. They only came out to eat and rest for half an hour under the woodshed with him. Now, I remember it was the same with Gaston, but Merle, Léa and Piou-piou were also very keen to go in the garden in the afternoon. I wonder if it's just the bad weather or if it's because Petit Blanc is gone that the pullets suddenly don't want to go in the garden anymore. Maybe they don't trust Pied Beau to keep them safe ? It's true that he has never been keeping watch or acting like a rooster. Now Petit Blanc is gone he crowes more and he is beginning to try to mate but it's very awkward. He doesn't tidbit or try to stay close to the pullets. Also, I think he sees the yard inside the netting as Gaston's territory and he doesn't want to come inside because he is afraid of Gaston.

I had to tend to Nieva’s foot on my own, and inside because of the rain, which is the worse configuration. She struggled less than usual probably because I didn't keep her in the bath, just cleaned her feet as fast as possible. When I brought her inside she was trembling all over, from stress I suppose. Unlike other chickens we have taken care off for some time, our relationship has not grown better, not at all. Anyway, I thought her feet looked slightly better, less swollen. I hope it's finally going to make some progress .

Only a slight drizzle when they got out of the coop.

No wonder she gets bumblefeet.

While Théo was tidbitting like mad calling piou-piou, Pied Beau stared at him wondering what the heck he was doing.

Three old ladies and grandma Chipie.

Wet...he spent again half the day under the rain calling Piou-piou...

No chickens on this picture. This is where the boar got in, where we had already reinforced the fence. I did something again..but I have no doubt it will get in elsewhere .