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My cat has also taken back to her old habit of hiding in the run. I've been actually a bit scared she would get hurt these past few days ; when most of the 17 chickens all squeeze inside the small run when it's raining, she doesn't have much room to get out !Today I saw a neighbour cat from next door as if he wanted to run and attack something near the chicken run. I distracted him.. he backed off.
When I went outside to see what he was aiming at / up to, I saw another neighbour cat from the other side of our garden. This black cat was entering the run where she likes to hide to catch sparrows.
It was clear he didn’t aim for the chickens but for a rival.
And I was just in time to stop her from hiding inside.
Cats interacting together, whether playing or fighting, can be scary for the chickens I think.
We know concrete means definitive, but it's the only safe option, since it's impossible to dig to bury the mesh, and we don't have enough space to put cinder bricks and still be able to drive the track barrow down. But this will really be the last version of the run. We are planning to downsize the flock in the future ; getting more pullets helped with the flock dynamic at some point but I feel like with the space we have, around 12 would be better, and also easier for me to watch and care for all of them.
It was raining all day yesterday but my partner really wanted to get on so he finished the covering, as he is not here today.
We have added five meters square of covered space when we had ten, but we left the other side with the small coop /brooder uncovered. The part under the small coop is sheltered, so that leaves about two square meters uncovered where the rain gets in.
The run is small for our number of chicken, but it's actually very rare that we leave them locked up for more than an hour.
Having a second door of chicken size, not right next to where the human door will be, would put an end to bullies stopping other hens from getting in or out, and would also allow Théo to get away from Gaston more easily. My partner isn't enthusiastic because he is scared we will forget to shut it at some point.
Today it's still very grey and damp, but no rain or drizzle so the chickens are out. Yesterday they weren't so keen and Piou-piou and Merle actually stayed on their roost all afternoon.
I found a soft shell egg under the roost this morning with bits of rotten material. From their behaviour and the location it's either Cannelle or Blanche and I think it's Cannelle. I have been wondering since she has not been doing well these last days if she was laying internally. It looks like reproductive infection is striking again as it has for the passed ex-batts. But Cannelle has given me worries several time, once for almost two months, and she always got better so I am not giving up on her.
We are having a bunch of social obligations and some not fun stuff so my posting has and will be not as regular, but it should be over in a few days.
Every morning since we take Piou-piou inside, Théo spends about an hour alone behind the house.
Nougat acted like she was going to lay this morning and this got Chipie in full screaming mode.
A taste of british weather.
Théo and Cannelle had one of those frozen moments. Lasted almost a minute. I think she is saying go away ?
Lilly making a good effort at getting her abscess covered in soaked sheep manure.
Cannelle when she looks good.
Nine chickens in this picture. I rarely get more.
Blue sky, sunshine, and frost to start the day. Can't last, so we're enjoying it while it's here 
. Pied-beau is doing good, and apparently they have come to an arrangement for coexistence with the three other roosters who also seemed well and not as scared as last time I saw them.
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