Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[ManueB]

Two separate people have sent messages saying they are interested by Pied beau but we are waiting to have them on the phone. Today for the first time I saw a tapeworm segments in his poop. Up to now none of the young chickens had shown any sign of having them . I think i’m going to have to do an individual chemical deworming before he moves and be sure it's effective. I wouldn't want him to bring tape worms somewhere they don't have them.
Lilly is now following him everywhere.

Piou-piou staid with Théo, Merle and Léa most of the day and I saw Théo chasing Pied beau away when he came close to them.
Tonight Pied beau didn't want to go to roost in the coop again. I almost thought he would try to go elsewhere but in fact he was busy waiting until Gaston was fully settled and almost asleep.

 

[Perris]

Two separate people have sent messages saying they are interested by Pied beau but we are waiting to have them on the phone.

Most people have trouble finding new homes for their roos; what's your secret?

 

[MaryJanet]

You have so much trouble all the time while you really care for your chickens. It doesn’t make sense to me anymore.

It feels like that.

One of my friends recently said, "Your chickens have twice as many vet appointments as my dog!" hinting I spend a lot on the chickens.

So I pointed out there's seven of them, so they should need seven times more appointments. They're actually doing really well because they only cost twice as much!

Anyway, a greater number of chickens have to show a greater number of problems, right?

No wonder people with huge flocks, 100s of birds, can't cope with each individual bird's problems. There would be dozens and dozens of problems every day. Fights, injuries, sicknesses, bumblefeet...

 

[MaryJanet]

Two separate people have sent messages saying they are interested by Pied beau but we are waiting to have them on the phone

That seems like a very good outcome!

 

[MaryJanet]

Most people have trouble finding new homes for their roos; what's your secret?

Ok, so today it's my turn to say I should've read your post before I posted

 

[ManueB]

Most people have trouble finding new homes for their roos; what's your secret?

I had one of them on the phone, she wants the rooster for her grandfather, who lives in the village next to us. He hasn't had chickens for many years and she wants to help him start a small flock with five hens and a rooster. She is buying him a coop and looking for chickens. She would have wanted to buy the four pullets as well, but we're not ready to sell them, especially as they are not really attached to Pied Beau.
Nothing is done yet. On that site many people make contact and never follow up.
But we’re not worried because we always have the solution of putting Pied Beau in Gaston's flock. His 18 year old son has moved in to live with him, the son takes care of the chickens now, and I think that he is changing some of the things that I didn't like about how they were kept.

The "secret".... was rather peculiar. The woman who called me said she had flashed on the ad because her mother was born on the same day as Pied Beau.

By the way, I discovered that it's now illegal for someone who is not a professional, or has a breeding capacity, to sell any other animal than cats and dogs. It's one of the new points from the 2023 animal welfare law.

It feels like that.

One of my friends recently said, "Your chickens have twice as many vet appointments as my dog!" hinting I spend a lot on the chickens.

So I pointed out there's seven of them, so they should need seven times more appointments. They're actually doing really well because they only cost twice as much!

Anyway, a greater number of chickens have to show a greater number of problems, right?

No wonder people with huge flocks, 100s of birds, can't cope with each individual bird's problems. There would be dozens and dozens of problems every day. Fights, injuries, sicknesses, bumblefeet...

Interesting perspective, I never saw it that way.
I’m actually less stressed for my flock now they are 18, than last year when they were 10, because the global interactions feel more like one big flock with a good dose of bickering and quarrelling, and not like two groups hating each other.
Some things remain the same independently of the number of animals : buying food for six or twenty, for example, takes the same time.
It's true that it becomes more likely many will have issues at the same time, and that's something I find hard to cope with, when you need to tend to multiple different problems.
Cleaning the coop and the yard takes a lot more time !

But it's with chickens as with life in general, things are fine for a while and you just don't think about it, and then all of a sudden all kind of troubles seem to happen at once.

And sometimes positive things also take time and attention, like getting your chickens to accept going in the new roost without it being stressful !
I’m pretty sure there is a number which means a change in scale and in the way of doing things. Like not giving names to all the chickens, tending only to sickness if they could affect the flock.. but I don't know what that number would be.
******
We are having an Indian summer. It went up to 27c today. In the shade it's really nice though, so the chickens enjoy their morning and then they have a long spanish nap until four.
The pullets did not leave the yard today, and Lilly only stayed part of the day with Pied Beau, so he was alone most of the day. While Piou-piou really tried to avoid him, at one point she forgot and went in the garden when he was there. I heard running and terror cries and she managed to be fast enough to escape and to fly over the netting, which is just incredible seen how her mobility is terrible!
At another point Pied beau arrived out of nowhere while Théo and Piou-piou were eating in front of our house, and he started doing the chase. I ran after him and stopped him with arms wide open and that scared him in turn.
It seems Théo will bully Pied beau away, but not when Pied beau does the chasing thing. He really scares everyone doing this.
Pied beau is still very friendly with us, and terrified of Gaston. Again I thought he wouldn't roost tonight ! When he did he wanted to roost next to piou-piou so there was a bit of chaos as everyone moved around.

Nieva’s foot is still not great. One is definitely better ; the scab came off with the dressing, and it's less swollen. Hopefully it's on it's way to healing. But I took the scab off the other one and there was still a bit of pus under, and the foot is still hot and swollen. I think we may have to go back to tending it every two days instead of three, at least when my partner is home.

Soon I will be tail less.

Soon I will have a tail again.

Gaston sweet talking to Mélisse.

His black is really looking blue now.

Merle is not looking good. She is molting underneath and shedding huge amounts of dandruff and today she seemed to be panting a bit. She has just began laying again two days ago and her eggs have changed colours, they used to be cream, almost white, and now they are light beige.

What's up there ?

Nougat is both molting and getting a bare back from over mating by Gaston .

 

[RoyalChick]

I just love this picture!

 

[MaryJanet]

I just love this picture!

View attachment 3649803

Isn't it wonderful!

Will you put it in picture of the week, MB?

 

[Molpet]

By the way, I discovered that it's now illegal for someone who is not a professional, or has a breeding capacity, to sell any other animal than cats and dogs. It's one of the new points from the 2023 animal welfare law

Here they are trying to limit people selling dogs.....most cats are a dime a dozen

 

[BDutch]

By the way, I discovered that it's now illegal for someone who is not a professional, or has a breeding capacity, to sell any other animal than cats and dogs. It's one of the
new points from the 2023 animal welfare law.

This sucks and is really weird. Can you explain why they restricted selling chickens/ poultry and other animals. ?

Nieva’s foot is still not great.

Unfortunately the special doesn’t work if its infected. Hope it will cure soon with a little extra attention.