What did you do with your flock today?

[Apis mellifera]

5 below and they are out for brunch this morning.

 

[TropicalBabies]

5 below and they are out for brunch this morning.
View attachment 4012025

Stunning!!!!
Partridge Plymouth Rock?

 

[SkyAJK]

We have a cabin in the mountains that I take my chickens. It is much cooler in the summers and I like to stay up there myself but life seems to get in the way. Right now, my son is staying up there so he is caring for my chickens. It is also good as he suffered the loss of much in the Lahaina fires. As we all know, chickens have magic healing powers . My flock is normally down the mountain around this time but being I've been slow with the coop and run refresh, and it is still fairly warm here, it seems OK.
I built my first 2 coops. My husband built my new mini coop/ brooder and took on this shade and fence project solo. I just pop out to hold things and offer my advice when needed.

This is how I started out about 7 years ago ♡View attachment 4012009
You can see how i have added on and stolen more real-estate for the chooks as i progressed. Sometimes I miss the old simple days and think maybe I should have applied the breaks a little.

I am sorry about your son been through the Lahaina fires. You are right chickens are magical healing being.

That coop is spacious and big. You build the coop yourself, that take a lot of know how. I too want to do it, but thinking I lack the skills and what not..I went as far as get the to hardware store and found that to build I need a whole lots of materials, I ran off. I will start out building a small coop first and might be gain some confidence from there.

Your chickens are really lucky, get to travel up the mountain and down the mountain.

 

[WarWagon]

I went out today, counted heads, inspected all food and water, then added stall refresh and another load of wood chips to chicken coop. Gathered 2 eggs. We're in a cold snap in N. Ga for a bit. Even put coats on the two dairy goats last night . Everyone looking good so far. Weather should get above freezing at night by Tuesday.

 

[SkyAJK]

Oh, I'm so, so sorry. Whereabouts in the world are you? Vet care for chickens in the U.K. is very poor, generally. Not surprising really since vet students here only get a day and a hall's training in poultry care.
My other Shetland, Alice, laid internally too. We lost her at just 18 months old. She endured long trips to an avian vet and several treatment regimes but by the time I realised how sick she was, it was too late to save her. The vet wouldn't do an hysterectomy as he felt she wouldn't survive anesthetsia. I will always blame myself.

Sylv probably would have died anyway as he'd likely ingested the rat poison some days before. I've since learned vitamin K infusions may have helped him but no guarantees.

I am sorry to hear about your girl Alice. She must be the production layer, some of mine are Isa Brown which is production layer and they suffer horrific reproductive issues around that age 15 or 18 months old.

The Vet over here - Australia won't do hysterectomy, they told me your chicken has a low chance of surviving. I don't feel confident going to the Vet at all. But I do go when I cannot treat my chicken at home anymore and I can not let them suffer. My believe in Vet treating chicken is eroded each time to go there. I have watched many youtube videos on how to quickly and painlessly cull a chicken, but that is just not going to happen with me for now.

 

[SkyAJK]

Of course I don't mind you asking.
When I first started chicken-keeping, I had an idea that I only wanted standard sized birds and ex-battery hens in particular. I also wanted Shetlands as 5 years ago there were so few they were at risk of extinction.
I'd read that Pekins went broody constantly, had issues because of their feathered feet and laid tiny eggs. I decided they just weren't a good fit for me,
All that changed when DH took me to get a pullet to 'replace' Alice. While we were looking at some Swedish Flower hens, a gorgeous 4 week old lavender pekin came and perched on my foot. I was smitten, totally in love with the tiny fluffball! That was Sylv (we were told he was a girl!) and so began my love affair with the breed.
We decided Sylv needed some Pekin girls as our other hens were so big. That's how Prudence and Clara joined the flock and led to Ferdy, his sister, Penelope, and Stan. I wouldn't be without Pekins now.

Pekins are the same as bantam Cochin. I only refer to them as 'bantam Cochin' as most people on here seem to be from the U.S.A, where they are called bantam Cochin.

You are precisely right about Pekin chickens being "tiny fluffbal", they are fun to watch. They also make gentle quiet sound.

I thought bantam Cochin looks identical to Pekin, so they are the same.

 

[SkyAJK]

Mine do this too! It is so charming. I usually have Ferdy on my shoulder, overseeing everyone's work and shouting instructions. We also play 'bug hunt' where they all gather round a rock or plant pot and I flip it over/move the pot aside. Then there's a mad, excited dash for the insects underneath

The joy of chickens bring!

 

[Apis mellifera]

Stunning!!!!
Partridge Plymouth Rock?

Thank You!! Partridge Chantecler, no combs or wattles. A great cold hardy breed.

 

[Shetland lover]

Yes, I am worried about Beetle. He hides in the coop more than he should. He is good at navigating around an alpha as he lived with Spider... but yep. Want him home asap. My son trows sticks at the offenders but you know chooks, that only lasts so long...

Poor Beetle! I know he has all that experience living with Spider but he's also had some time not having to worry about minding his manners around another roo, let alone strange ones. No wonder he's hiding out in the coop ☹

 

[Shetland lover]

5 below and they are out for brunch this morning.
View attachment 4012025

Gorgeous!