What did you do with your flock today?

[ChookaPete]

Well done, Cumin!
Mine are also partial to frogs. I wish they wouldn't go after the frogs though, due to them being in world-wide decline and being great pest exterminators.
Gladys has taught everyone else in my tiny flock how to restrain and dispatch smaller rats but she's really the only one who bothers with them. Penelope (RIP), Ferdy's (my head cockerel - he thinks ) extraordinary sister, was an extremely good ratter - better than my cats! I have a clear, plastic storage box which I converted to a dust bath. One day, I watched a young rat go behind it. I then watched Penelope stalk it. She moved to the corner of the box and peered around it. Every time the rat looked out to check the coast was clear, Penelope would draw her head back out of sight. This went on for about 10 mins before the rat decided to make a break for it. She was after it in a flash and would have caught it had it not been for Pru getting in the way. The rat escaped down a hole but Penelope waited by the hole for another 15 mins for it to emerge but it didn't reappear and she eventually gave up. I've never seen that stalking behaviour in a chicken before!

What a clever chooky-chook! Penelope certainly wanted to catch that rat!

 

[Shetland lover]

Hehe thanks! Here is the full video if you like ->

https://streamable.com/01ntjl

That was a well deserved snack, for sure!

 

[Shetland lover]

What a clever chooky-chook! Penelope certainly wanted to catch that rat!

She was a super star! Possibly the oddest chook I've had. As a chicken, she'd bite me almost every day. It wasn't unusual to find me walking round with her hanging from my lip! The first time she went broody turned her into a cuddle monster and she was always wanting fusses after that. She crowed exactly like a cockerel - in fact, I thought it was her brother, Ferdy, until I saw her doing it. She often laid twice a day and once laid an egg on my foot. Weirdly, I'd just said to her that I needed another egg for my baking
She desperately wanted to be a mom and kidnapped Stan (Ferdy's son with Pru) every chance she got. She'd sit in the middle of the lawn, the picture of innocence while Pru ran around frantically, screaming for him. She also used to insist on joining us indoors for breakfast!
We lost her last March to leukemia. She was just three. I still miss her and her antics. This is Penelope:

And with her brother, Ferdy:

 

[ChookaPete]

She was a super star! Possibly the oddest chook I've had. As a chicken, she'd bite me almost every day. It wasn't unusual to find me walking round with her hanging from my lip! The first time she went broody turned her into a cuddle monster and she was always wanting fusses after that. She crowed exactly like a cockerel - in fact, I thought it was her brother, Ferdy, until I saw her doing it. She often laid twice a day and once laid an egg on my foot. Weirdly, I'd just said to her that I needed another egg for my baking
She desperately wanted to be a mom and kidnapped Stan (Ferdy's son with Pru) every chance she got. She'd sit in the middle of the lawn, the picture of innocence while Pru ran around frantically, screaming for him. She also used to insist on joining us indoors for breakfast!
We lost her last March to leukemia. She was just three. I still miss her and her antics. This is Penelope:
View attachment 4045692
And with her brother, Ferdy:
View attachment 4045693

Awww look at her face! I love her story!

I am sad that she is now gone.

 

[Shetland lover]

Awww look at her face! I love her story!

I am sad that she is now gone.

Thank you. I miss her so much. I just wish she could have been a been a mom, she'd have been the best.

 

[TropicalBabies]

She was a super star! Possibly the oddest chook I've had. As a chicken, she'd bite me almost every day. It wasn't unusual to find me walking round with her hanging from my lip! The first time she went broody turned her into a cuddle monster and she was always wanting fusses after that. She crowed exactly like a cockerel - in fact, I thought it was her brother, Ferdy, until I saw her doing it. She often laid twice a day and once laid an egg on my foot. Weirdly, I'd just said to her that I needed another egg for my baking
She desperately wanted to be a mom and kidnapped Stan (Ferdy's son with Pru) every chance she got. She'd sit in the middle of the lawn, the picture of innocence while Pru ran around frantically, screaming for him. She also used to insist on joining us indoors for breakfast!
We lost her last March to leukemia. She was just three. I still miss her and her antics. This is Penelope:
View attachment 4045692
And with her brother, Ferdy:
View attachment 4045693

So beautiful inside and out I enjoyed hearing about how special she was and seeing how beautiful she is. Perfect in every way.

 

[TropicalBabies]

I guess i forgot to collect eggs the day b4 and was thrilled to see this yestereve! Bravo ladies!!

Don't tell my neighbors... I'm not sharing eggs anymore, lol.

I've been busy with house stuff so not enjoying the kids like i should. I do open the gate for freerange in the eves and they get lots of bugs, grass and starfruit in that time. They have been drinking a ton of water. Next couple of days will be south winds and volcanic haze total yuck. Will feel warm but probably high 70's, which is normally nice. Think I will add another 1.5 gal waterer, which will make 3!
Still pondering hatching eggs... but don't feel mentally prepared to deal with roosters right now. So still don't know, lol.

 

[Shetland lover]

I guess i forgot to collect eggs the day b4 and was thrilled to see this yestereve! Bravo ladies!!View attachment 4047218
Don't tell my neighbors... I'm not sharing eggs anymore, lol.

I've been busy with house stuff so not enjoying the kids like i should. I do open the gate for freerange in the eves and they get lots of bugs, grass and starfruit in that time. They have been drinking a ton of water. Next couple of days will be south winds and volcanic haze total yuck. Will feel warm but probably high 70's, which is normally nice. Think I will add another 1.5 gal waterer, which will make 3!
Still pondering hatching eggs... but don't feel mentally prepared to deal with roosters right now. So still don't know, lol.

Wow! So many beautiful eggs! My girls aren't laying yet. Their combs and wattles are reddening up nicely, though.
Our weather is cold and wet - again! It's so muddy out, my chooks would be better trading feathered feet for webbed ones! I keep them on sand in the run but as soon as they get on the garden they all make a bee-line for the flower beds.

 

[Shetland lover]

Ferdy's right spur sheared off completely last night. Just as i was putting him to bed. There was so much blood! I was covered in it, as I was holding him as it happened. I looked like a serial killer, my clothes were soaked!
Ferdy was completely unphased and was just delighted he was going back to the house rather than being put to bed!
Anyway, I got his foot cleaned up and the bleeding stopped with a mix of cornflour and antiseptic powder. Because of the risk of the bleeding starting up again, I decided not to blow dry his wet feathers. As it was too cold out to put a wet chicken back in the coop, he spent the night in the house. At 4 am I had the double delight of a cat puking up a hairball on me and a rooster crowing in my ear. Talk about a rude awakening!

 

[TropicalBabies]

Ferdy's right spur sheared off completely last night. Just as i was putting him to bed. There was so much blood! I was covered in it, as I was holding him as it happened. I looked like a serial killer, my clothes were soaked!
Ferdy was completely unphased and was just delighted he was going back to the house rather than being put to bed!
Anyway, I got his foot cleaned up and the bleeding stopped with a mix of cornflour and antiseptic powder. Because of the risk of the bleeding starting up again, I decided not to blow dry his wet feathers. As it was too cold out to put a wet chicken back in the coop, he spent the night in the house. At 4 am I had the double delight of a cat puking up a hairball on me and a rooster crowing in my ear. Talk about a rude awakening!

Sorry, been there done that. So I can't help but laugh through the tears. I am sorry to hear about the spur, blood and hairball. Sounds a like Tuesday.