Windy hill chickens - first flock(s) of my own

[kattabelly]

Since I keep banging on about them, I should probably mention that planning permission was just granted to build a new broch down in Caithness.

Local paper report
BBC

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Where's Wally wrenny?
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Rognvald and (my) wifey. There's some perspective at play here, he's actually closer to her in size already. Saddle feathers already coming in at just 9 weeks old.
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Wednesday? is spending a lot of time hanging out with his brother (working name: Donald) and grooming his face. Not sure if she actually likes him or just the food around his beak They're all clarted in mash at the minute because I still can't get growers pellets and they waste loads of the chick crumb unless I wet it.

One of the Shetlands has just found out she can fly and she likes it.
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Once I realized that you were referring to an actual wren, I found her!

Around here, we have a tiny little wren called a Carolina wren that has an incredibly loud and piercing call. I still don’t know how something that tiny can create so much volume. TEAKETTLE TEAKETTLE TEAKETTLE

 

[kattabelly]

Once I realized that you were referring to an actual wren, I found her!

Around here, we have a tiny little wren called a Carolina wren that has an incredibly loud and piercing call. I still don’t know how something that tiny can create so much volume. TEAKETTLE TEAKETTLE TEAKETTLE

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Just found a video of them, they're great!

The ones here do a more complicated song and a very simple alarm call as well as some other noises - there's recordings here if you click the drop down under Identification (the call plays much quieter than the song for some reason - it's not IRL!)

It's always funny having one alarm call at you because they sound so furious for such tiny birds.

Got some very slightly better photos yesterday. They're zoomed in so you can't really tell how small it is but they're tiny - that and the round silhouette with the little sticky-up tail make them easy to ID for a "little brown job".

Shetland and the Hebrides both have their own main subspecies and another subspecies found only on the remotest islands - Fair Isle and St Kilda respectively - which are slightly larger and have a slightly different song.

 

[kattabelly]

One of the new girls came out of the run for about a minute this morning. It was very windy and she still isn't that confident around the others, plus her sister was making panicked "where are you?!" noises from the door, but she had a quick wander round and then found her own way back no bother.

Eggs from both Hylines - wifey's was almost spherical - and another soft shell

Last ones went to roost 32 minutes after sunset and the earliest were only about five minutes before that.

I've posted this elsewhere but I love it so much. Completely sums up both of their personalities. They're a funny little double act right now.

 

[kattabelly]

Oh yeah -

Chick 2 I'm certain is a cockerel

I don't play this game anymore, because I'm really bad at it

I'll update if I'm right!

I was right

Apparently he's really sweet. I got asked if I want him back, but I already have Rognvald and (for now) Donald. Then I started thinking maybe it would be better to have him since he's unrelated to the two RIR girls. But I already have these two and they're thriving, and the other guy came out of a really bad hatch - the one other chick that hatched with him later died, so he does really need a home...

 

[kattabelly]

Just checked next week's forecast. This is why I laugh when people talk about prevailing wind

 

[BDutch]

Just checked next week's forecast. This is why I laugh when people talk about prevailing wind
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Prevailing wind is more than direction.
Here the rain comes from the west. The cloudless sky’s and sun-shining days from the east.

 

[kattabelly]

Prevailing wind is more than direction.
Here the rain comes from the west. The cloudless sky’s and sun-shining days from the east.

Northerly winds are colder but other than that we get weather from every direction here. There might be more wind or rain from a certain direction but you can't just build things with no protection from the weather on one or two sides, for example.

 

[kattabelly]

New two were out exploring the plot with the others when I got there this morning! They retreated to the safety of the run when I let the others out into the back field but at least one of them came and watched through the gate for a bit.

(I must take some more photos out on the field, not in the high traffic bit of the plot that's a muddy midden right now)

Big girls annexed the greenhouse in the afternoon, so the littles spent time exploring the runs. They're still sticking together a fair bit but all of them seem happy to be off either on their own or with a few of the older birds at times, now. I've noticed Wednesday hanging out with - or least next to - one or both of the Sussexes a few times now and they seem to be especially tolerant, of her particularly.

Stragglers went to roost 35 minutes after sunset. Can't remember about eggs for certain as I gave them to a plot neighbour who came over to chuck some chickweed over the fence (got a laugh when I stood up to greet them with a little chicken on my shoulder and another on my head). Just Bertha and the Hylines, I think.

 

[Shadrach]

Northerly winds are colder but other than that we get weather from every direction here. There might be more wind or rain from a certain direction but you can't just build things with no protection from the weather on one or two sides, for example.

What does my head in is when there are different wind directions at different heights.