What did you do with your flock today?

[Shetland lover]

Happy New Year! Fun to wake up to quite.. and my tribe!View attachment 4018674Manono is also a scrambled egg chick, or actually a messed up settings chick. She had a TON of problems but has managed to outsurvive a lot of her healthier flockmates.View attachment 4018689Another keen observation i made is how this simple 4' something fence is keeping my girls in. Yet, at home our fence is going to be 5' ++ and fancy. It suddenly struck me as ridiculous. Oh well, it is pretty and the project makes DH happy, I am sure.View attachment 4018678
I have not made any mad dash plan to head down yet. My brain and bones aren't ready yet. It is quiet and cool with a misty rain and my kitties are chilling, Giz on my lap. Fosters seem OK with their camp out too, but sure will be happy to make it home and out of these cramped cages.View attachment 4018685
I'm sure there will be residual fireworks for another day or so...

As long as DH is ok, son is OK, animals are ok, I may try and overstay my welcome.

Best start to the year ever! - waking up to your feather and fur babies!!! They all look happy, healthy and beautiful.
I'm sure no-one could possibly begrudge you a bit more time in your mountain sanctuary ❤

 

[Shetland lover]

Sounds like you've done everything possible! As for insecticides, I use Pyrethrin, which is the organic form of Permethrin. It is derived from Chrysanthemums, if I remember correctly. I use this to spray coops and have also sprayed under the wings and behind the tail of birds.

I have been using Pyrethrin in the coops but I've switched to a spray which breaks down the waxy coating on mites and kills them through dehydration.
Pyrethrin is also toxic to cats so I never use it as an insecticide in the garden.
Good suggestion though ❤

 

[ValerieJ]

I have been using Pyrethrin in the coops but I've switched to a spray which breaks down the waxy coating on mites and kills them through dehydration.
Pyrethrin is also toxic to cats so I never use it as an insecticide in the garden.
Good suggestion though ❤

Yes, I only have used it in coops and on chickens. And that not often. We don't have problems with mites, etc, here. Must be the cold and damp Temps. IDK actually, just thankful it is so. Even when I've used it, it was only on suspicion and in an abundance of caution. Haven't used it in the garden, but garden is fenced and safe from all predators, including our beloved cat.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Beetle is home and approves of the coop and run improvements. Also, approves of freeranging and bugs... and cracked corn.

Nice to see Beetle butt and hear his crow. Makes things feel more happy and home-ish He is sparring with a feral roo and losing, but im keeping my ears open and backing his play so he wins his territory.

DH is doing some more tinkering and hopefully we will be able to pull some fence this eve. Anxious to get the girls down. I was able to grab a bunch of eggs while up Koke'e. Been buying for months so this is a real treat! Man, those yolks just stood up and were a beautiful dark yellow. Looking forward to being a chicken farmer again.

 

[SkyAJK]

Beetle is home and approves of the coop and run improvements. Also, approves of freeranging and bugs... and cracked corn. View attachment 4019336View attachment 4019350
Nice to see Beetle butt and hear his crow. Makes things feel more happy and home-ish He is sparring with a feral roo and losing, but im keeping my ears open and backing his play so he wins his territory.

DH is doing some more tinkering and hopefully we will be able to pull some fence this eve. Anxious to get the girls down. I was able to grab a bunch of eggs while up Koke'e. Been buying for months so this is a real treat! Man, those yolks just stood up and were a beautiful dark yellow. Looking forward to being a chicken farmer again.View attachment 4019364

Your Beetle rooster is handsome and it is a big run for him to manage. Yes, those lovely eggs yum yum, especially when you did not have them for awhile.

 

[SkyAJK]

Doing health check on all the girls
Clean 1 coop today.
Workout where to put down my Wormwood plant in the chicken run.

 

[Rick589]

Gave the clan their evening treats, had hens jumping on me for some petting and easy access to the treats.

 

[SkyAJK]

I just witnessed my big Plymouth Rock hen - Apple jumped on my Golden laced Wyandotte and did a mating like a rooster does. I separated Apple from the rest of the flock as I just don't know what does this mean or what to do with this new situation.

Update:
Separating my apple hen did not have any improvement. Now a few of the hens in my flock are jumping on the others. My flock is now a mess, they are trying to dominate each other.
What now? I just let Apple out with them, and let them free range at each other until they settled for a leader. I will keep post of new development. What a chicken drama

I think they would not have this issue if they never had a rooster, but they did have a rooster and he was gone just a few weeks ago, so now they are trying to find sort out a leader.

This is chicken's politic! I wonder if this is allowed in BYC..although it is CHICKEN politic, not just any politic.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Update:
Separating my apple hen did not have any improvement. Now a few of the hens in my flock are jumping on the others. My flock is now a mess, they are trying to dominate each other.
What now? I just let Apple out with them, and let them free range at each other until they settled for a leader. I will keep post of new development. What a chicken drama

I think they would not have this issue if they never had a rooster, but they did have a rooster and he was gone just a few weeks ago, so now they are trying to find sort out a leader.

This is chicken's politic! I wonder if this is allowed in BYC..although it is CHICKEN politic, not just any politic.

Can I ask you about the sq footage in your coop and sq footage in your run? I'm not sure if you posted photos. I'm just curious. Also, how many hens do you have now?

 

[ValerieJ]

Beetle is home and approves of the coop and run improvements. Also, approves of freeranging and bugs... and cracked corn. View attachment 4019336View attachment 4019350
Nice to see Beetle butt and hear his crow. Makes things feel more happy and home-ish He is sparring with a feral roo and losing, but im keeping my ears open and backing his play so he wins his territory.

DH is doing some more tinkering and hopefully we will be able to pull some fence this eve. Anxious to get the girls down. I was able to grab a bunch of eggs while up Koke'e. Been buying for months so this is a real treat! Man, those yolks just stood up and were a beautiful dark yellow. Looking forward to being a chicken farmer again.View attachment 4019364

Beetle is so gorgeous!!! So is his environment there. I should guess he would approve!!!