Warm Winter Weather = Free Range Fun ~New Day, New Fun, NEW PICS Post #22

[speckledhen]

Most of this particular flock is in the 3-5 year old range. I have another coop with 4 hens who were my blue Orp, Suede's girls, and another section of that same coop houses six other old hens in it, plus the bantam coop.

This main flock consists of 17 hens plus Isaac at the moment. He used to have about 25 hens, but some are in the Old Hen's Retirement area as I felt they deserved some rooster-free days. One has very bad arthritis and her best pals went with her to that coop, along with one BR hen that Isaac positively loathes for some unknown reason.


You can see some of the other hens in this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/727211/ode-to-old-hens-pictures-of-the-seniors-in-our-flock

 

[aoxa]

Most of this particular flock is in the 3-5 year old range. I have another coop with 4 hens who were my blue Orp, Suede's girls, and another section of that same coop houses six other old hens in it, plus the bantam coop.

This main flock consists of 17 hens plus Isaac at the moment. He used to have about 25 hens, but some are in the Old Hen's Retirement area as I felt they deserved some rooster-free days. One has very bad arthritis and her best pals went with her to that coop, along with one BR hen that Isaac positively loathes for some unknown reason.


You can see some of the other hens in this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/727211/ode-to-old-hens-pictures-of-the-seniors-in-our-flock

Does Tiny get to free range?

 

[RMo2]

Beautiful pictures and flock!

The weather is warm here in Ohio too--- for January, but it rained most of the day :-( Hoping to let the girls out tomorrow? Supposed to rain all weekend... at least its not more snow!

 

[speckledhen]

Does Tiny get to free range?

Yes, that is a picture of Tiny up on the deck in the first post, by herself. That's where she usually goes when she "free ranges". She camps out on the welcome mat and waits for the humans to come give her treats. She can't see to catch bugs or pick up seeds so free ranging doesn't hold much charm for her, I'm guessing.

 

[aoxa]

Yes, that is a picture of Tiny up on the deck in the first post, by herself. That's where she usually goes when she "free ranges". She camps out on the welcome mat and waits for the humans to come give her treats. She can't see to catch bugs or pick up seeds so free ranging doesn't hold much charm for her, I'm guessing.

Bahaha. She looks so cocky!

 

[speckledhen]

She's definitely high maintenance!

 

[Sk8inChick(en)]

My, what beautiful birds you have! That rooster is gorgeous! Is he a Delaware? I love that BR hen, too. She has such a cute face!

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you! Yes, Isaac is a Delaware. He's a huge baby sometimes. He was even tugging at DH's jeans the other day, asking to be picked up when the hens were getting attention.

A little story for you: The other night, I heard them start eating at midnight over the baby monitor in the coop and asked DH to go raise the feeders up, something I forgot to do-no need for them to chow down all night when they've been eating all day, not with the cost of feed. I heard him say over the monitor, "Isaac, are you okay? What are you doing over there?" It alarmed me.

After awhile when he came back in the house, he said he found Ike sitting on the floor under the metal hanging feeder, not on the roost in the other room where he always sleeps. DH was stroking his back and chest and Ike just sat there. I was worried that he'd had some sort of stroke, but then realized he may have heard something outside and left the roost to be ready to defend the hens if something got into the coop. Over the years, I've seen roosters go to an entrance point at night when there was a disturbance around the coops, as if ready for whatever might happen. Suede, the blue Orp in my avatar, would always position himself near the door rather than his usual spot when something disturbed him at night or when we didn't close up the solid door before dusk and left only the hardware cloth screen door latched to the darkening light too long, so he was nervous about the safety of his hens.

DH said he'd go out later before he came to bed to check on him. When he did, he said Isaac was back on the roost, but not in his usual spot in the middle of his favorite hens. He was sitting on the end of the roost, right beside the human door. That cleared it up for us both-he was on high alert and ready to defend his flock against something he saw out the window or heard around the coop. He's just such a good boy.

 

[aoxa]

Thank you! Yes, Isaac is a Delaware. He's a huge baby sometimes. He was even tugging at DH's jeans the other day, asking to be picked up when the hens were getting attention.

A little story for you: The other night, I heard them start eating at midnight over the baby monitor in the coop and asked DH to go raise the feeders up, something I forgot to do-no need for them to chow down all night when they've been eating all day, not with the cost of feed. I heard him say over the monitor, "Isaac, are you okay? What are you doing over there?" It alarmed me.

After awhile when he came back in the house, he said he found Ike sitting on the floor under the metal hanging feeder, not on the roost in the other room where he always sleeps. DH was stroking his back and chest and Ike just sat there. I was worried that he'd had some sort of stroke, but then realized he may have heard something outside and left the roost to be ready to defend the hens if something got into the coop. Over the years, I've seen roosters go to an entrance point at night when there was a disturbance around the coops, as if ready for whatever might happen. Suede, the blue Orp in my avatar, would always position himself near the door rather than his usual spot when something disturbed him at night or when we didn't close up the solid door before dusk and left only the hardware cloth screen door latched to the darkening light too long, so he was nervous about the safety of his hens.

DH said he'd go out later before he came to bed to check on him. When he did, he said Isaac was back on the roost, but not in his usual spot in the middle of his favorite hens. He was sitting on the end of the roost, right beside the human door. That cleared it up for us both-he was on high alert and ready to defend his flock against something he saw out the window or heard around the coop. He's just such a good boy.

How can they see to get off the roosts to defend? Do you have night lights? I've been thinking about little night lights to help my remaining hens/roos find their places at night, as I get home just as it's getting dark and do chores, so when I'm finished it's pitch black. I stand there, flicking lights until everyone gets on. With 100+ roosting birds, it can take five minutes or so

You know you spoil your chickens when.. you flicker lights to put them to sleep

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, we have two night lights, one in each section, one really dim LED and one is a 7 watt incandescent, which is really too bright. They also have windows so if there is any moonlight, they can see by that, too. We usually have to keep the 7 watt turned off because they'll sometimes party half the night if that is left on.