Théo and the chickens des Sauches

ManueB · Nov 25, 2023

BDutch said:
Macron has his flaws, but he’s 100 times more acceptable than ’our’ Russian friend who’s party got most votes this election (about 25%). Wilders possibly becomes our new minister president. But it won’t be an easy proces to get there.

The second and third largest parties don’t want any commitment with this party. To form a government he needs > 50% of the votes for new laws/shifting taxes.

More tax (Kraai was wondering why I followed her)
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Yes, I imagined you weren't happy when I saw the results of the election. It's sad when democracy puts someone like him in power, meaning people are really convinced these ideas will bring solutions to their problems. I hope for you he can not actually govern.

While I am certainly not throwing them in the same pot, I think Macron 's politics is opening a grand highway for the same results here. I am also sure our traditional conservative right as it is now wouldn't bat an eyelash at an alliance with our extreme right. Years of governments flirting with their ideas, hoping to diminish the number of people voting for them, have succeeded in making them a political force similar to any other. Still living with Orbán or Meloni does make a huge difference for anyone who doesn't fit in the box

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Kraai may be a pest but she is certainly pretty. Does she have more red now than when you got her or is it the picture that makes it stand out ?
******
It was just freezing this morning but it felt cold after all the very warm days we had these last week's. The chickens didn't mind as there was a bright sun. They all had a good day, but Léa being broody gets badly bullied by all the hens above her, especially Nougat. I am trying to break her without breaking her, just taking her often out of the nest. Nougat doesn't let her sleep in it anyway, but I had to take her out tonight because Léa was getting a collective beating by Blanche and Nougat

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Mélisse didn't lay yesterday and today early morning she laid this huge egg (compared to Kara) , 86g. She seemed perfectly fine.

Breakfast.

Laure follows Gaston religiously.

Lilly.

Merle is loosing quite a lot of feathers. I’m a bit surprised she’s started laying again just now, she laid again today.

Give me your lunch.

What do you mean, chickens are not allowed on the table ? Merle and Piou-piou are always having lunch on the table with you.

Mélisse

Blanche

I locked Léa out of her nest an hour before roost time.

Shadrach · Nov 25, 2023

Nine and a half is a very respectable age. :love

BDutch · Nov 26, 2023

ManueB said:
Give me your lunch.

What lunch? Where you eating a piece of wood Manue?

Media often say Wilders is extreme right. He is not on several points. He has a very mixed program with socialist ideas too like less payment for health insurance, state pension back to 65 and more things like that. But he is very intolerant for people who come from abroad. First and foremost people from islamic countries and refugees from war zones. But also cheap workers from more poor European countries , expats and foreign students. He says they are the cause of the housing problems for our own people. And not telling the more complex truth that lies underneath this problem. Our previous governments (Rutte) abolished the housing department and left housing to the market. And they have abolished housing for the elderly who could no longer live independently without assistance. The previous governments have not interfered in the commercialization of the housing market in favor of property owners and property developers/builders who preferred to build expensive housing. That people got pissed because we have a housing problem today is not strange at all.

Another strange thing about Wilders is that he is absolute leader and dictator within his own party. And he didn’t commit to let the Chamber of mathematics check his program. Many ideas in his party programme are very expensive and he gave no clue where the money should cone from, except from taking the reservations for improvements for environmental issues. Many things he wants to change are a no go because they go against the Constitution (our basic laws), and he will never get a majority of 67% in both chambers to change these.
He’s just a populist with some fascist ideas. Must admit he’s good in charming a large part of the public.

ManueB · Nov 26, 2023

The morning began wonderfully with at last negative temperature -5/23, a crisp dry cold with blue sky.

However while I was having a nap after lunch a hawk came from below and attacked and wounded Kara, who was underneath the laurel tree, where the roosters couldn't see her.
There was no wound that we could see really, just a peck above the ear that only had one or two drop of blood, but as happened with Blanche and Brune it must have gotten to the eye, because she kept it closed. At times she opened it and it looked almost normal but with a sort of haze.
All the chickens were shocked , Kara, Chipie and the ex-batts stayed hidden all afternoon in the coop and all the others under the laurel tree.
We were hesitant to bring her inside but she seemed so shocked and stressed, and there was not much we could do, so we left her in the coop where she laid down hidden in a corner next to Chipie. She ended up eating a little, and went to roost very early on Théo’s roost, which is lower than the others.

I hope she won't loose her eye like Blanche. I’m hesitant to rinse it with saline because of hearing opposite opinions about that.

Bald eagle

getting chased off by crows

Hibou, Piou-piou and Merle waiting for pasta.

Cannelle and Nougat were not well hidden at all, but my partner couldn't find Blanche who had crouched behind the food barrel so tight she was stuck.

Théo's corner has never been so crowded

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Molpet · Nov 26, 2023

ManueB said:
However while I was having a nap after lunch a hawk came from below and attacked and wounded Kara, who was underneath the laurel tree, where the roosters couldn't see her.

Prayers for a speedy recovery

Perris · Nov 26, 2023

for Kara, and for you. Hope she gets over it quickly and no real damage done.

MaryJanet · Nov 26, 2023

Poor Kara.

RoyalChick · Nov 26, 2023

ManueB said:
The morning began wonderfully with at last negative temperature -5/23, a crisp dry cold with blue sky.

However while I was having a nap after lunch a hawk came from below and attacked and wounded Kara, who was underneath the laurel tree, where the roosters couldn't see her.
There was no wound that we could see really, just a peck above the ear that only had one or two drop of blood, but as happened with Blanche and Brune it must have gotten to the eye, because she kept it closed. At times she opened it and it looked almost normal but with a sort of haze.
All the chickens were shocked , Kara, Chipie and the ex-batts stayed hidden all afternoon in the coop and all the others under the laurel tree.
We were hesitant to bring her inside but she seemed so shocked and stressed, and there was not much we could do, so we left her in the coop where she laid down hidden in a corner next to Chipie. She ended up eating a little, and went to roost very early on Théo’s roost, which is lower than the others.

I hope she won't loose her eye like Blanche. I’m hesitant to rinse it with saline because of hearing opposite opinions about that.

View attachment 3692026 View attachment 3692027
Bald eagle getting chased off by crows
View attachment 3692028 View attachment 3692033 View attachment 3692034 View attachment 3692036
Hibou, Piou-piou and Merle waiting for pasta.
View attachment 3692059
Cannelle and Nougat were not well hidden at all, but my partner couldn't find Blanche who had crouched behind the food barrel so tight she was stuck.
View attachment 3692038 View attachment 3692039
Théo's corner has never been so crowded .
View attachment 3692040

Yikes!
I hope she gets over it quickly.

ManueB · Nov 27, 2023

Thanks everyone for the well wishes. Happy to report she seems fine as far as the eye is concerned ! She came out a bit today, she seems physically alright, except she sleeps a lot and stays inside most of the time.
Mélisse is unwell however. My partner isn't sure if there wasn't a second black chicken present when the attack went on. We took Mélisse inside to check her and everything seems totally normal , we checked for wounds around the eye and ear and under the wings, checked her crop, her abdomen, her vent, and looked for lice, and found nothing. When she was in our house she was being very active and curious. But as soon as I put her back in the chicken yard she went back to looking unwell and sleeping. She does eat a bit and she laid her egg normally. At this point, I think it could really be from schock, but if she isn't better tomorrow we might have to isolate her and try to find out what is going on.

Today wasn't as cold as yesterday, -2/25 but there was no sun at all and that makes a huge difference. It felt like a disagreeable early winter day. We cut the laurel tree down to about three meters, which makes it look very strange, but I have no doubt it will quickly grow back.
Some of the chickens came out today, but some spent a big part of the day in the coop, especially the ex-batts, Chipie and Kara.
One good thing came out of the attack : Léa isn't sitting anymore. She must have realised this world is too dangerous to raise babies.

Probably due to stress - Lilly laid the cutest tiny fairy egg.