Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[lightm]

The rooster climbed on his lap to eat them !

 

[ManueB]

Since sunday, temperatures have been getting very warm again, up to 21/70 during the day.
Sunday felt like a gorgeous warm spring day with blue sky and really warm. The chickens thoroughly enjoyed that. Today however it's still warm, but raining cats and dogs ! (Funny expression, we are less imaginative and say the sky is falling in french.)

Merle has began laying again. She had been running around all the highest wood stacks in the shed looking for a nest ; my partner had the good idea to put a box with filled with hay on the lower stack, where we can reach her, and that did the trick. There is a good chance that she will sit on the eggs in about two weeks so we don't want her to be out of our reach.

Gaston is starting to look funny moulting, and he is more grouchy and tired. He has hurt his middle toe, it's swollen with a bump underneath. It doesn't look like there is a wound, so I think he may have splint it while fighting Théo.

Laure is now doing really good. Unfortunately she has taken to chasing Chipie around and she is really frightening her. Yesterday I saw her chasing a small garden bird, just like she does with Chipie - maybe something to do with size ?

For the last few days I have been keeping Théo from going to roost at the same time as Merle and Piou-piou by locking him out of the chicken yard, and letting him in only once Gaston is already on his roost. He hates it, but at least that way he can't pick a fight with Gaston. It causes another problem though : Merle now roosts in the back and Piou-piou is alone on her roost at the front of the coop. Both Laure and Alba are intent to chase her and take her place and Piou-piou is terrified of Laure and would pick a fight with Alba. So, I still have to stay with them for a long time while they go to roost.

I'm thinking of trying to put something so that Théo and Gaston can not see each other while they are on their roost. But I want to give it a try with something light, lile a curtain, before fixing a permanent structure, because I'm not sure at all it would help.
I have quite a lot of pictures from the past days.

Rain and warmer temperatures means the alfafa is doing the third growth this year.

Already posted this on the FBA thread but it's cute enough to post again here

Gaston in a very unusual attitude for him.

Annette flying over the fence

Kara

Lilly. She is doing a very weird molt, feathers are growing back, but I'm not sure they will cover all her bare spots.

Annette

Piou-piou

Lulu's feathers are getting tattered. I'm not sure if she, Annette and Mélisse will really molt. They only seem to be replacing feathers on their head and butt for now.

Merle

Mélisse about to grab some walnut from my partner

 

[ManueB]

Not chicken stuff :
Yesterday I went for a long run which I had not done in months.
I'm still a long way from being back to the shape I was in, not sure it will ever happen, but it's still nice to be able to go a bit further.
Part of the sky was blue but to the north there was a white heat fog carrying sand from the sahara, which made it very eerie.

Can you spot the mountain goat ?

Today because it's raining my partner is making quince paste !

Edited to add : done !

 

[RoyalChick]

Not chicken stuff :
Yesterday I went for a long run which I had not done in months.
I'm still a long way from being back to the shape I was in, not sure it will ever happen, but it's still nice to be able to go a bit further.
Part of the sky was blue but to the north there was a white heat fog carrying sand from the sahara, which made it very eerie.

View attachment 3966285View attachment 3966286View attachment 3966287View attachment 3966289View attachment 3966290View attachment 3966291View attachment 3966292View attachment 3966293
Can you spot the mountain goat ?
View attachment 3966294View attachment 3966295View attachment 3966296View attachment 3966297View attachment 3966298
Today because it's raining my partner is making quince paste !
View attachment 3966311
Edited to add : done !
View attachment 3966316

Stunning. And yum!

I know I will never find it, but I did read on BYC of someone who created a cardboard wall to separate chickens on the roost and it worked quite well.
I remember because at the time mine were all trying to grab the spot in the roost that was up against the wall and I thought maybe some more walls would help. I never actually did it and now they seem less concerned about that being the best spot.

 

[MaryJanet]

Stunning. And yum!

I know I will never find it, but I did read on BYC of someone who created a cardboard wall to separate chickens on the roost and it worked quite well.
I remember because at the time mine were all trying to grab the spot in the roost that was up against the wall and I thought maybe some more walls would help. I never actually did it and now they seem less concerned about that being the best spot.

Was that @BDutch ? Or maybe @Ribh ?

 

[RoyalChick]

Was that @BDutch ? Or maybe @Ribh ?

No. Not someone I have chatted to. Though Bob did create a barrier for Phyllis at one point. I will see if some simple search will find it. Good excuse to have a cuppa.

 

[RoyalChick]

Well, what do you know? I am not even half way through my cuppa.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...r-roosting-bar-dividers.1559137/post-26433806

 

[Shadrach]

Well, what do you know? I am not even half way through my cuppa.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...r-roosting-bar-dividers.1559137/post-26433806

A single upright piece of wood like I used to stop Mow from bothering the chicks might work.

 

[BDutch]

but raining cats and dogs ! (Funny expression, we are less imaginative and say the sky is falling in french.)

We say it’s raining pipe stems. Or more general it’s dog weather.

If you crop it , its perfect for a POW Photo.

 

[Ribh]

Not me.

Was that @BDutch ? Or maybe @Ribh ?