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

[kattabelly]

Four eggs from Bertha, Lady Muck, one of the Sussexes and one that I'm guessing was wifey recalibrating the print settings but not 100% certain. Most went to roost around sunset+29.

Neither of the Hylines - who ARE laying - will dare set foot in there at night but Nora has moved in to the big girls' coop despite not laying yet, afaik. Ignoring her supposed lack of status and roosting next to Big Bertha the Murderbird fits with what I've seen of her personality so far

Couldn't get a photo because my phone died but the new girls came out into the back field today! Rognvald & co were there too and that was fine but they went back to the plot (not over the wall! ) when the older chickens started coming out. They're getting more confident and spending more time with them inside the plot and run though.

Before my battery died I was trying to get some nice shots of little chickens chickening around naturally in nature

 

[kattabelly]

I was late going up to check on them and top up food today (they did have some, they weren't starving) and wifey came and met me down at the polytunnel. Hope she hadn't been roaming around eating people's veg for too long and isn't going to make a habit of that.

Managed to get a few pictures of the new girls + others out in the field.

Eggs from Bertha and both Sussexes. No idea what time the sensible chickens went to roost - I was busy dealing with this nonsense

 

[cavemanrich]

Quick question.;
Do your chickens respect and observe that Rock Fence Divider?
I know its nothing for them to fly over.

 

[kattabelly]

Quick question.;
Do your chickens respect and observe that Rock Fence Divider?
I know its nothing for them to fly over.

They've been surprisingly good about staying inside fences, so far. I sometimes take them out to other areas when I'm around to keep an eye on them (off-lead dogs are potentially a risk but I'm mostly worried about them eating other people's vegetables) but they don't seem to be that bothered about going off exploring or even back to familiar spots on their own. I've found one or two of them outside the fence a few times and they usually seemed a bit uncertain and more than happy to follow me back!

I'm hoping that by fencing off different areas in rotation to allow them to recover, they'll always have decent forage within the area they have unrestricted access to and won't ever be forced to go looking elsewhere because they've grazed all the space inside their fence down to bare earth.

 

[kattabelly]

Yellow legs is going broody She took a while laying yesterday, roosted last night, seemed to be taking a while to lay again today but when I realised I hadn't noticed her around this evening I stuck my head in and got a full on dose of screeching fluffed up broody fury. She's sleeping in the nest tonight.

Pulled two Sussex eggs out from under her and both the Hylines had already laid earlier in the day. I'll need to keep an eye on Bertha in case she decides she can't be doing with the banshee impressions and starts to lay somewhere else.

Didn't make a note of roost times tonight.

 

[Perris]

well that was quick!

 

[kattabelly]

well that was quick!

She started laying one day shy of five weeks ago. I've heard of folk with Orps and Silkies and similarly known-for-broodiness breeds getting maybe half a dozen eggs before the craziness starts, so could be worse She hasn't picked the most sensible time of year for it though. (Or maybe she has - I'd quite like to be tucked up in a comfy nest away from the wind and rain for a bit myself.)

I'd say this was maybe a sign, but I think she's actually the one furthest left in the background. Hopefully this girl doesn't start getting any ideas...

You're ten weeks old, why are you sitting there like a broody pancake?!
View attachment 4175747

 

[kattabelly]

Nora's clearly unimpressed and has moved back in with the Shetlands

I had the side of the big girls' coop off while I was scraping out shite and the oldest Rock pullet was very curious, lots of staring at Yellow Legs and chatting to me about what she thought of it all. She and two of the Shetlands - Grumpy Chick especially - are getting really talkative now.