The New Flock 2021: Back to Basics

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Try an extra fan in the room at night, when you and the dogs are all collected in there. I have ceiling fans in all the rooms, but Dh has a smaller fan that sits on his night stand, which he runs at night, when we're all in there, including the cat (who is a hot box). That little bit of extra air circulation makes a difference.

I have been running a fan on myself at night year round since the hot flashes started 10 years ago after my spay. So I go from hot to cold all night long. I'm also addicted to the white noise it produces, so long live my fan.

 

[speckledhen]

Luna is still iffy. She had a white film form over half that cornea, but now, though it is gone, she can't see at all on that side and there seems to be a little swelling. She is still lethargic, refuses to go outside or, if I put her out there, makes her way back into the pen. If there was infection there in or around the eye, it is very close to her tiny brain, which does not bode well for her. She's had daily treatment with Terramycin eye ointment, some amoxicillin in blueberries and now, I guess it's a waiting game. Phoebe spends a lot of time in there will Luna for company when her own flock isn't outside on their free range time.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds like you are doing all you can Cynthia. It is heartbreaking. I know how much you adore your chickens. They all have great lives with you. It's nice she has a friend who sits with her.

 

[speckledhen]

I hate that for sweet, chatty little Luna. She's the only one who perches on a low tree branch regularly, my Tree Sitter.

 

[speckledhen]

RIP Luna. We had to do it. She had become completely blind, turning in circles, no longer able to eat and refused even water by dropper. Down to 12 large fowl and 12 bantams.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Luna you were a beautiful little chicken. So very sorry Cynthia. Chickens don't live long enough. She was a joy to you while she was here. I'm glad she is no longer suffering.

 

[speckledhen]

She was a precious thing, sweet as she could be, never a problem. It was awful since she would still talk to me in that little voice, but it was time to let her go. We did all we could think to do and it just wasn't enough. She had sight in the other eye until yesterday, but today, her sight was completely gone. This is the absolute worst part of raising chickens. I told my husband yesterday that it was coming, but he said she's not bad enough because he is a big marshmallow. But, when they can't see to eat and every day is worse, you can't ignore it or it's just cruel.

I hate that I've lost more than 1/4 of my Dirty Dozen Plus One now. No more hatchery birds, not doing that again. The least amount of issues we have ever had are the Barred Plymouth Rocks. I just can't hatch any until more members have left the flocks.

 

[speckledhen]

Both Dove and Iris are screaming broodies...AGAIN. Neither has ever had anything to hatch and though it makes me feel a bit guilty denying them that for probably the 5th time each, I just do not want any more of these particular birds. I adore the bantam Cochins and I think that Rayna and Layla in particular are beautiful and are definitely less flighty than Juliette or Shelby, I just want to let them peter out as they go and start over with a flock of one breed, a calmer breed, my Barred Rocks.
I miss my Luna (even EE, Ripley, was quite calm) and I really do love the little Cochins, especially Dove and Bee, but like kids, you can like them, but are not required to have them. This group drives my husband nuts in particular. When I asked him if we could start over again, which breed would he want and it was the Barred Rocks, hands down. But, I'm afraid it will be awhile because I need to empty at least one pen entirely before I will add to my work load. And it's mostly my work load since Tom's disc disease is progressing and he walks with a cane most of the time now. This summer has made me nuts with the wildly fluctuating temps and unusually high humidity for our elevation.
This happened yesterday, narrowly missing our barn-Tom saw it fall, butt end first, right outside the barn door as we were heading to the barn in a horrible storm to close down the windows a bit:
From Roots, Rocks & Feathers Post

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm constantly breaking broodies here. I have around 40 adult Bantam hens, so it's a revolving door. Thankfully it's slowed down for a bit. I do understand it becomes repetitive.

Your barred rocks were gorgeous. Nothing more handsome than a barred rock rooster. If I ever were get another big roo that would be the breed I'd choose. One one half standard rooster is barred, but is built like a Cochin. He was out of my last barred rock hen a few years ago.

One of my newer mottled Cochin roosters has become obsessed with mating my muscovy hens. They hide now, and he stalks them. I not sure what's wrong with him. I guess at least he's not harassing the Pullets in his batch which are getting close to laying. Not sure what I'm gonna do with even more eggs.

Sorry about Tom. That sounds horrible. My back has been giving me grief. I rely on my husband to do a lot of the work. Thankfully he doesn't mind.

Hopefully that tree didn't cause too much damage to your fencing. We keep having horrible humidity in the past couple of weeks. Wish it would go back south where it belongs. I'm looking forward to fall.

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, ready for Fall 100%! Lisa, your Cochin with weird taste in women, not sure what to do about that. Maybe he considers them easier marks, who knows?
As far as too many eggs, you could cook and feed them back to the birds for some great protein. That's what I used to do when I had too many (that hasn't happened in awhile).