We have been really busy again and I haven’t had much time for blogging. I don’t know why the orders are pouring in at the moment but we are taking bookings for more lunches and bigger lunches than usual. Maybe everyone is trying to get their training and meetings out of the way before Christmas.
Yesterday I took a few photos of the flock perching in the sun again. At this time year if there is any sun it is always on the ladder and the perch above it so this is the spot where the girls congregate together.
The flock perch in the sun
The two bigger girls perch side by side
The four little girls lower down
Because of the dividing wire in this part of the run I can’t step back enough to easily get all the girls in when they are at different levels. It is lovely to see them all together and making the most of the sun.
Tomorrow will be the fifth and final day of the tylan in the water. I am still hearing them sneeze occasionally, especially Freckles and Dandelion. They look fine though and I can’t hear any wheezing in their breathing. I would like to see Freckles looking more alert but she isn’t dozing like she was doing. I think perhaps they are just not enjoying the cold.
I would be glad to see some egg laying to reassure me that they are fully well but egg laying has completely stopped for now.
I am still picking up loads of feathers so that is probably why there are no eggs. The moult seems to be going on forever this year. Emerald is still dropping some long feathers and some short fluffy ones. Dandelion is dropping wing and tail feathers and some of them are really ragged.
Dandelion’s feathers
Dandelion’s tail
Dandelion now only has a couple of tail feathers. I will be glad when this moult comes to an end as I am sure the girls will too. It would be good to get them all fully feathered before it gets any colder.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Lovely to see them all perching together in the sun.
Even if they are moulting they still look very good.
They do look much better while moulting than chickens I have had in the past. There are no obvious bare patches, just pins on heads and a few missing tail feathers. This morning is a hard frost and no sun or blue sky this time. It’s dull and grey!
Mine are all moulting too Carol and am getting one egg a week at the moment – no idea who!!! :-0
Guess what – I started mine on Tylan yesterday too as Betty Boo is sounding congested!
xx
Oh dear! I do wonder if this going to be regular for us every winter. I hope she perks up soon. Freckles is still sneezing. I would be so pleased if the sneezing stopped because it does niggle away at me but no sound to her breathing now.
xx
Sounds encouraging. Now that Cotton is broody, egg laying has ceased here, although yesterday there was one egg, but no idea who. Apart from missing getting eggs, I miss the sing-song before laying and the post-lay cackling. You are right about the silie-feathered birds – they never look as decimated by the moult as those with regular feathers; a few of mine are deep into the moult and, like you, I’m wishing they were through it, as it has been so very cold over several days. Energy levels are way down; strangely, despite having a cosy shed with loads of bedding, they don;t spend much time in it, unless it’s raining.
Silkie feathered girls don’t seem to show the moult, as you say, apart from pins on their head. Apricot looks like a fluffy ball when it’s cold.
My girls never go in the chicken shed during the day which is why I thought the shelters would be a good idea. They do sometimes spend time in the shelters but it seems random rather than on cold days. Today has been frosty again but there is sun on the ladder so they are sitting there in the sun.