Thistlewick Smallholding - Chickens & Sheep (for now)

[thistlewick]

Got a great shot of Cracker the other day;

also sheep -- timothy hay delivery is otw, got them a food block in the meantime. our bermuda goes dormant.

 

[Shadrach]

Got a great shot of Cracker the other day;

also sheep -- timothy hay delivery is otw, got them a food block in the meantime. our bermuda goes dormant.

View attachment 4249552

View attachment 4249553

I think Oscar is better looking.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I think Oscar is better looking.

I agree...I'm biased tho.

All other chicken breeds are inferior to Marans.

 

[thistlewick]

Cracker is a mixed breed - Marans momma and EE papa - an extended black with red leakage EE -- so Cracker is basically an Olive Egger!

He's about twice the size of Oscar lol

I need to get a photo of Wellington, the Welsummer -- coloring exactly like a maran, just yellow legs.

Kinda makes Oscar not stand out so much here in the pasture haha

 

[thistlewick]

I still haven't been able to get a good shot of Wellington, but he's immature anyway and only just started to crow like 3 days ago and doesn't even TRY to get with anyone. He's a sweet little guy. He actually is often underfoot, very curious. He hangs out with Cracker and his harem so we will see how all that goes.

Oscar tidbitting some girls, I am very impressed with him so far after letting him out of horny jail. He was in there for a long time - months. Everyone could see him and he could see everyone, he just was separate. It knocked ALL the jerk out of him.

Our sheep nomming on a feed block before we were able to get them some hay -- we got them timothy (expensive!) and they LOVE it lol

I think going forward we're going to mix the cheaper Bermuda and Timothy for them over the winter.

Come on guys, Cracker is a fine looking Cockerel My husband got that shot.

And here is my mob of chickens when I feed them in the morning -- I give them enough so there is some left over for them to nibble on in the mornings, but they are used to free feeding LOL

I am saving a LOT on feed by feeding them every day.

I love the "where's waldo" vibe of Spitfire there

 

[thistlewick]

Okay got some photos of the other boys!

Oscar looking fine;

He is leaning over a little looking at something.

Wellington! Welsummers and Marans have the exact same feather pattern

Just different legs;

They are both the NICEST boys.

Oscar is our oldest Cockerel but he isn't the leader, that's Cracker.

But ALL 3 of them have their own little harems and are quite happy and like each other just fine. Nary a peep from any of them. Hell, they barely crow now. It is very harmonious.

Random hens and boys:

(actually not random, it's Blanche, Daisy, Puff and Dolly)

 

[Shadrach]

I would love to see pictures of each distinct group.

 

[thistlewick]

@Shadrach I could probably get that -- they intermingle a lot since they all get along so well, honestly I am blown away -- but to be fair, there are a TON of hens for 3 boys.

Everyone loves to say 10 hens to a Cockerel/Rooster but -- that is not what is going on here -- they have each collected about 4-6 loyal girls. They leave the rest alone.

I've had SO MUCH going on here, not the least of which is just yesterday we found this guy:

SLEEPING UNDER THE NESTING BOXES IN THE RUN

lmaoooooooooooooooooooooooo

Completely and totally harmless in every way. Easily let us move him with the end of a spade into the trap. I have a video of that but imgur is being a turd right now and won't let me upload.

The chickens were in there, with him... but acting bizarre... he was just snuggled up in a ball under the nest boxes that are outside in the 'run' section -- these chickens are capable of going out into the pasture/yard/24 acres every day -- they have a pop door -- but the food is in the run section LOL

Anyway we moved him to the creek and let him go. Gave him a duck egg for his trouble lol

We might see him again. Before anyone says anything bad about possums, read this. There is literally nothing wrong with them, full stop.

My husband had just come home from a ride, so he was kitted out in full motorcycle gear, and we never touched him - so it was perfect.

Anyway, will be interesting if it tries to come back. The doors close a little bit after sundown and open about an hour or so after sunup -- have NO clue how he got in! Likely through a door, I should check the timers again.

Anyway, so that happened.

Also; is this molting??!?!?

or feather picking?? Lil' Peep (the Light Brahma) isn't old enough to molt?! She isn't even 1 year old -- BUT she was an early hatch, I got her in February 2025. Phillipa is from the sameish age/time of hatch.

 

[WingItRanch]

@Shadrach I could probably get that -- they intermingle a lot since they all get along so well, honestly I am blown away -- but to be fair, there are a TON of hens for 3 boys.

Everyone loves to say 10 hens to a Cockerel/Rooster but -- that is not what is going on here -- they have each collected about 4-6 loyal girls. They leave the rest alone.

I've had SO MUCH going on here, not the least of which is just yesterday we found this guy:

View attachment 4267556

SLEEPING UNDER THE NESTING BOXES IN THE RUN

lmaoooooooooooooooooooooooo

Completely and totally harmless in every way. Easily let us move him with the end of a spade into the trap. I have a video of that but imgur is being a turd right now and won't let me upload.

The chickens were in there, with him... but acting bizarre... he was just snuggled up in a ball under the nest boxes that are outside in the 'run' section -- these chickens are capable of going out into the pasture/yard/24 acres every day -- they have a pop door -- but the food is in the run section LOL

Anyway we moved him to the creek and let him go. Gave him a duck egg for his trouble lol

We might see him again. Before anyone says anything bad about possums, read this. There is literally nothing wrong with them, full stop.

My husband had just come home from a ride, so he was kitted out in full motorcycle gear, and we never touched him - so it was perfect.

Anyway, will be interesting if it tries to come back. The doors close a little bit after sundown and open about an hour or so after sunup -- have NO clue how he got in! Likely through a door, I should check the timers again.

Anyway, so that happened.

Also; is this molting??!?!?

View attachment 4267579View attachment 4267580

or feather picking?? Lil' Peep (the Light Brahma) isn't old enough to molt?! She isn't even 1 year old -- BUT she was an early hatch, I got her in February 2025. Phillipa is from the sameish age/time of hatch.

That definitely looks like molting. Those are fresh feathers coming in. Almost all my young pullets molted this year and they hatched in February too.

 

[StinkyAcres]

What an adorable little coop squatter. I also had an opossum in my coop once. It was interested in the food and left the ducks alone. I tugged on his tail and he was out of there in a hurry!

That definitely looks like molting. Those are fresh feathers coming in. Almost all my young pullets molted this year and they hatched in February too.

I agree. My cockerel had a light molt this fall and he was hatched in April.