The New Flock 2021: Back to Basics

[1muttsfan]

So talky!

 

[speckledhen]

So talky!

They certainly are chatterboxes! They're just loud all-round. Here is a story for you:

 

[1muttsfan]

I saw my chickens get hold of a mouse one time, poor little thing lasted about 3 seconds and was shredded

 

[speckledhen]

If that mouse ran through the bantam Cochin/EE pen, they'd all hide on the roost, clutching their figurtive skirts around them. The BRs are all business with small rodents. And snakes. And lizards. And frogs. And they'll forage until it gets dark unless I round them up.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

If that mouse ran through the bantam Cochin/EE pen, they'd all hide on the roost, clutching their figurtive skirts around them

that's perfect

 

[speckledhen]

My EE hen, Rayna, was acting strangely the same day I found Zara out of it. The Dirty Dozen had been outside for their session and I called them back inside. All came except Rayna, but that in itself is not unusual. She was just outside the door and I went to get her because she sometimes likes me to pick her up and carry her inside. She was in an odd crouched position just outside the door, frozen. When I spoke to her, she acted dazed somehow, looked like those hens do when they stroke out.
When I picked her up, she was almost limp. I talked to her and petted her and when I placed her on the floor in her pen where the entire group was eating plain yogurt from a bowl, she just stood sort of crouched down similar to the way I found her. I was about to go back in and pick her up to check her closer when she began walking in slow motion around the group ignoring the snack, and walked head-first into the bottom nest and lay down facing the back wall. I left her to rest and when I went back a couple of hours later, she was still there. Then, still there at roost time and I left her. The next morning, she was standing around almost like normal, but was back in the nest later that day and no egg from her.
Rayna, Shelby and Layla are turning 5 years old in a couple of weeks, not old by any means, but I've already lost three of the EE hens from the same group--Ripley, Scarlett and Juliette. Not the best longevity from the hatchery gals most of the time. Rayna is so beautiful with her patchwork brown and blue feathers, perfect for camouflage in oak leaves that blanket much of our property, and she's the calmest one of the bunch. I'd have ten of her if I could.