Wing It Ranch

[WingItRanch]

What a pretty bird! I'm sorry your baby has an ouwie. I hope she'll be ok.

Thanks! Her coloring is so beautiful. My other blue marans is a shade darker.

I think she'll be fine. It wasn't actively bleeding and cleaned up with no issues.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Lovely little ma'am you have there! It may be due too being snagged in something or may be feather picking (either by her or another curious sibling) if the latter, it should pass. Don't stress

 

[wrathsfarm]

Lovely little ma'am you have there! It may be due too being snagged in something or may be feather picking (either by her or another curious sibling) if the latter, it should pass. Don't stress

I agree. The littles are always curious especially non feathered to feathered. Or if they are rumbling at roost time for the best spot they (chicks and adults), they tend to go for the head or feet so it's not unusual for them to grab a feather in the process.

 

[wrathsfarm]

As I was switching out the water in the brooder, I noticed my most feather footed little girl (one of the blue copper marans) had some blood on our foot. I took her out and cleaned it and it's looks like a feather maybe got caught or something. No serious injury.

@wrathsfarm and @Auntiejessi3 I know you guys have feather footed chickens. Is this normal? I've never had one with so much fluff on their feet.
View attachment 4077285
View attachment 4077286

She's gorgeous!!
Keep the pics coming please.

 

[WingItRanch]

It's official! The littles are out in their little coop/run right up against main coop. The big girls are very unhappy with the development but the chicks are having a blast with the extra room.

Here's a pic... the big girls have murder in their eyes...

 

[Auntiejessi3]

It's official! The littles are out in their little coop/run right up against main coop. The big girls are very unhappy with the development but the chicks are having a blast with the extra room.

Here's a pic... the big girls have murder in their eyes...
View attachment 4079148

They can get over it or under it But I bet it all works out!

 

[WingItRanch]

Well... an interesting afternoon. I went out to collect eggs and noticed one of my fake eggs completely missing. It didn't make sense so I looked for a snake. I'm a shorty so had to get a step ladder but there it was... 4 ft rat snake.

Apparently my coop is NOT snake proof like I thought. I see now the issue and will be patching. I underestimated their climbing prowess.

Got the snake out and killed it with a shovel. Figured the chickens wouldn't appreciate a shotgun blast so close to them. I cut the snake open and got my fake egg and saw 2 more whole real eggs. If it hadn't eaten my fake, I wouldn't have suspected.

 

[WingItRanch]

I bet the chirps of the chicks in their little grow out coop/run attracted it. Thankfully it didn't (or couldn't) get in there. All the big chickens are fine and they even went back into the coop on their own once the danger was passed. When I got the snake out, a couple of them made the 'danger' call so they knew it was bad news. Poor things.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Well... an interesting afternoon. I went out to collect eggs and noticed one of my fake eggs completely missing. It didn't make sense so I looked for a snake. I'm a shorty so had to get a step ladder but there it was... 4 ft rat snake.

Apparently my coop is NOT snake proof like I thought. I see now the issue and will be patching. I underestimated their climbing prowess.

Got the snake out and killed it with a shovel. Figured the chickens wouldn't appreciate a shotgun blast so close to them. I cut the snake open and got my fake egg and saw 2 more whole real eggs. If it hadn't eaten my fake, I wouldn't have suspected.

View attachment 4080574

You get it woman! We haven't had an issue in about 3 yrs, but our first year at this property was crazy with the snakes!

 

[Bawkbok]

Well... an interesting afternoon. I went out to collect eggs and noticed one of my fake eggs completely missing. It didn't make sense so I looked for a snake. I'm a shorty so had to get a step ladder but there it was... 4 ft rat snake.

Apparently my coop is NOT snake proof like I thought. I see now the issue and will be patching. I underestimated their climbing prowess.

Got the snake out and killed it with a shovel. Figured the chickens wouldn't appreciate a shotgun blast so close to them. I cut the snake open and got my fake egg and saw 2 more whole real eggs. If it hadn't eaten my fake, I wouldn't have suspected.

View attachment 4080574

Wow that's crazy. It's unfortunate you couldn't have carried it off somewhere else into the woods far away until you had time to make necessary coop enrichments. Black snakes are harmless (aside from being thieves) and are good to have around for mice, etc.
Happy to hear all is well with the chickens.

We have a serious mole problem that is getting worse by the day. The tunnels are all over the yard! I'm beginning to think there's an entire family of them down there. I wish our black snake would return for that reason.