Carol's Chickens

Yesterday we had to go out to do a delivery at four o’clock and got back just after five o’clock. Before we left I propped the coop door open with the doorstop to give the little girls more time to go in if they wanted to.

On our return I took my torch to check on the girls. Both the bantys were in the coop and settled in their usual spot on the edge of the nest box. The three big girls were huddled together on the coop roof. I lifted down Bluebell as she was nearest me, then Pepper. Dotty who was furthest away then shuffled across to get closer to me. This made lifting her down easy and it seemed as if she was ready to be put in. Why don’t they just go in on their own!

Over the last few days there have been loads of dominique feathers in the coup each morning and quite a few in the run. I think they are coming from Dotty. Pepper has been back to laying every other day for the last three weeks and apart from missing feathers on her bottom and a ragged tail, she is quite well feathered, so I think she has finished her moult. Dotty on the other hand hasn’t laid for ten days now and is looking really tatty. Every move she makes has more feathers fluttering from her and she looks really tatty under her wings.

This morning was cold and slightly frosty so I decided to give the girls some warm mash. It ensures they start the day with their pellets, they see it as a treat and it gave me a chance to take some photos of their feathers.

Tatty Dotty

I put in two dishes of mash so that they could all get a share and they were perfectly behaved, with the big girls at one dish and the little girls at the other. It looked as if I had told them which dish was for who but we all know they never take any notice of what they are told!

You can see that Pepper on the left, is just a bit ragged, whereas Dotty on the right is really tatty under her wings.

The bantys with a dish of mash

I think the bantys heads are looking much better as they are losing the white patches. I have got used to seeing them without tails now.

In the afternoon we gave the girls a bag of leaves that my husband had swept up after Mondays strong winds. They had lots of fun with them and spent all afternoon scattering them and picking out any bugs.

Scratching in the leaves

The girls are all head down in the leaves

When I went back later in the afternoon the leaves were well and truly scattered.

The leaves are scattered

Pepper is in the foreground and Dotty behind her. Again you can see how tatty she is under her wings but at least she has feathers on her head now and they are also coming back in on her neck at last.

While I was doing my end of day chores leading up to bedtime a local gardener arrived to prune some branches from next doors huge tree which was overhanging our garden and blocking light. The girls didn’t like the sound of the chainsaw so I stayed in with them to calm them. It was getting towards dusk and Honey decided to take herself into the coop to bed.

The big girls went on to the coop roof and Amber tried to join them. She would get a peck from either Bluebell or Pepper and only Dotty took no notice of her. Eventually she gave up and went into the coop. The door had started closing so I propped it open with my doorstop.

I lifted down Dotty then Bluebell. Pepper jumped down and made her own way in and I closed the door. Is this progress! We will see what tomorrow evening brings.

There has been a storm warning for days now, telling us that last night and this morning most of the country would be hit by heavy rain and winds of up to ninety miles an hour.

Yesterday (Sunday) turned into a bright day with blue sky and some sun, after a night of rain, the lull before the storm! We decided that while it was nice we should clear the vegetable plot before the storm hit. I picked the last few runner beans for a small portion with our Sunday roast and my husband cleared away the bean plants. We have been digging up potatoes as we need them but he dug up the last half row of potatoes and we were quite pleased with the size of them.

A bowl full of potatoes

Once my husband had cleared the veg plot he laid the remaining chicken wire we had in the shed over the plot and secured it with tiles (left over from our loft conversion years ago, but you never know when they will come in useful). He laid a row of tiles over the remaining space. The reason for this is that once the veg plot is cleared the neighbourhood cats use it as a toilet and we are hoping this will protect it.

The cleared and covered veg plot

We took down the patio table and chairs, the umbrella and the hanging baskets. We checked the chicken run and felt it was all quite secure. Last year over winter we put clear plastic sheeting over the top of the garden part of the run. This used to make a lot of noise when the wind tugged at it. This year we wanted to make a better job of it and put the plastic sheeting inside the run under the chicken wire. We secured it with lots of wooden batons and felt much happier about it being able to withstand the coming wind.

The clocks had gone back an hour the night before so as the automatic door closer had been closing at about half past six, I was expecting it to close at about half past five. I was in with the girls doing my last clean up chores at half past four when it suddenly got very overcast and started to rain. The door started to shut at quarter to five and I propped it open with my door stop.

With a storm coming I decided it would be best to get the girls in as soon as possible. Honey went in on her own and the big girls jumped to coop roof. I lifted them down and put them in the coop. Amber wanted to go in on her own but every time she tried to enter the coop Bluebell would peck her and  Amber would back off. This is frustrating because I would worry if that if they all started to go in on their own and Bluebell went in before one of the bantys she would stop them going in and the door may close leaving them trapped outside. It’s just as well we never go anywhere and I am always here to check that they are all safely inside.

I kept reaching in and forcing Bluebell back and eventually Amber went in. I shut the door to the sound of a banty squeal. I feel so sorry for the little girls as I knew this was Bluebell giving Amber a last peck before they settled. All went quiet and I left them at five o’clock and went back inside through the rain.

Being a light sleeper I spent the night waking and listening but there was only the sound of the rain. At half past six in the morning the wind hit us. We could hear the roar and as it was just getting light we looked out and the trees were all swaying but everything seemed okay. At quarter to seven I went out to the girls. They didn’t seem bothered and by seven o’clock when I had finished my morning chores all became calm. The wind storm had only lasted half an hour and there was no damage. I was so pleased that the run and the plastic cover had withstood the storm.

Later as I went out to do my deliveries there were a few small trees down but only blocking half the road so I was able to get through okay. There was quite a bit of debris but I feel we got off pretty lightly.

Today I went out to the girls at half past four and again the automatic door started to shut before five o’clock. I propped it open and watched the girls. They all went to the coop roof then the storage cabinet. They all did a lot of neck stretching and looking and I felt that I  could read their minds. They can’t understand where the little chair and the big perch have gone. They would go back and forth from the coop roof to the cabinet and were looking and stretching and at one point Bluebell jumped on to my shoulder which she hasn’t done for ages.

Amber went into the coop first this time and I decided to put Bluebell in last so that she wouldn’t stop Honey going in. I lifted down Dotty and Pepper and put them in. Amber didn’t look like she would go in on her own so I lifted her down and put her in then put Bluebell in last. At five o’clock they were all in and I shut the door. I am beginning to wonder if they will ever  go in on their own again.

I am so pleased that we have survived the storm unscathed and will continue to help the girls to bed until they (if ever) decide to do it themselves. As long as they are happy that is good enough for me.

Last year the girls started going into the coup at bedtime around the middle of September. At the moment they are still roosting on the high perch and I lift them down each evening and shut them in the coop. On a few cold days the bantys have gone in the coop themselves but the big girls haven’t.

I thought about what is different this year to last year and there are quite a few differences. It hasn’t been as cold as last year and recently has been exceptionally warm for this late in the year. Last winter we still had Treacle and as top hen she made sure everyone went into the coop at the beginning of the cooler weather. Now Pepper is top hen and seems to like staying out.

Another difference is that there is a high perch which they like to roost on. We put in the high perch as a place the bantys could escape to when the big girls were bullying them. They never used it as an escape though and during the day I have never seen any of the girls use the high perch. They use the branch perch in the garden part of the run. They only ever use the high perch at bedtime so I think it must feel like a safe place to roost. The answer therefore, seems to be, to remove the high perch.

Today we have taken the high perch away and I removed my little chair that hung under the roof and stored it in the shed for now. I want to see if this will cause the girls to decide that going in the coop will be a better option. It may take a few evenings but I am hopeful that it may just change their bedtime routine.

At dusk it was complete chaos and confusion. Honey was the first to go to the coop roof then the cabinet.

Honey is first to the top of the store cabinet

I love those comedy feet with her crossed legs and a look of confusion!

The three big girls go to the coop roof

You can see Honey in the background looking for the little chair which is where the bantys liked to sit.

Bluebell on the cabinet

Bluebell is next across to the cabinet and is also looking for the little chair, she also liked to sit there, to stop the bantys sitting there! You can see the hook where the chair used to hang.

Honey decides to go into the coop

There is a lot of jumping back and forth from the cabinet to the coop roof and Honey gives up and goes into the coop.

Dotty is looking for the high perch

Dotty spent a bit of time looking for the high perch and you could almost read their minds saying “where has the chair gone?”, “where has the perch disappeared to?”.

Back to the coop roof

Pepper, Bluebell and Amber were back on the coop roof. At this point Dotty didn’t seem to know what to do next and suddenly launched herself from the cabinet to my shoulder.

At this point I decided it was time to put the girls in. I put Dotty in, then Pepper. Amber jumped down and went in by herself. I put Bluebell in and Pepper came back out. I waited a few minutes and Pepper went back in.

I knew the first evening was going to be confusing. I just hope when they realise that this is how it is now they will start going in, especially if it turns colder as it is forecast to do soon. They don’t like change but hopefully will get used to it soon.

Yesterday Honey lost most of her tail during the morning. When I went back in at lunch time the first thing I saw was a long, dark, banty tail feather. I looked for Honey and sure enough, there she was with no tail. Her tail is even shorter and scruffier than Ambers. In half a day she has gone from having a tail, to one remaining tail feather, to no tail at all.

This morning Honey had one remaining tail feather

Honey with no tail

A scruffy looking Honey

Two little girls without tails

Amber is on the left with her tail starting to grow back and Honey is on the right with no tail at all. The bantys without their tails remind me of quails (okay, I just made a rhyme, but there is no other way to say it)! They do look sorry little girls at the moment but I am sure it won’t be long before they are back to their former glory.

I had only just finished my post on Amber losing her tail when I went back into the girls and found several more banty tail feathers. I then saw that Honey has only one remaining tail feather. The feathers are coming out so fast!

Honey with only one remaining tail feather

These little girls are losing feathers right in front of me and changing their looks in an instant!

As the moult continues I am picking up long, dark, banty tail feathers and I suddenly realised that Amber has lost her tail. Honey’s tail is getting thinner too.

Amber has lost her tail

What a scruffy little girl Amber is at the moment. She now has a short tail so I assume these are the new feathers and will gradually get longer.

Honey’s tail

Honey still has her tail but I am still picking up tail feathers so I don’t think it will be long before she loses hers too. I am amazed at the volume of banty feathers I have picked up and yet they have no bare patches, they just look dishevelled.

The little girls haven’t laid any eggs for a month now. What surprises me is that Pepper and Dotty are still laying every other day and Bluebell still lays every day with only one day off, on average every five days. She has never taken more than one day off and when she misses a day she always lays at first light the next day. Yesterday was only the second time that we had no eggs and Bluebell was back in the nest box at first light this morning.

Another change that has taken place is that Pepper has returned to laying in the nest box instead of the little coop. After laying only in the little coop and getting very agitated and vocal if someone else was in there when she wanted to go in, she has suddenly switched back to the nest box. I wonder if it is because it is colder now but who knows what goes on in their little chicken brains!

This morning I put two wedges of pumpkin and some of the seeds, in the run for the girls. The bantys were the first to investigate but the other girls quickly followed. The seeds proved the most attractive and they all went for them first even though the seeds were quite large. Once the seeds had all gone they ate the stringy bits of flesh then settled to pecking at the hard flesh. Honey would break a bit off and run off with it to eat in peace as is her usual way.

I took lots of photos but because they were pecking so quickly a lot of them were blurred. Dotty’s head seems to be blurred in most of the photos so I had to make do with these.

First taste of pumpkin

They like the pumpkin

The seeds have already gone

Amber’s arched shape

Since Amber has been moulting her shape has changed and she appears to have a humped back. Honey has this shape too but not as obvious as Amber. It seems to be where the feathers have come out from her back and left the appearance of a hump from the remaining thicker layer of feathers.

When I went back an hour later one of the wedges was almost cleared of flesh. At that moment there was a strange whistling bird call overhead. It wasn’t kites calling as they call all the time and are familiar to us. This was something I hadn’t heard before and the girls reacted to it. The bantys ran straight for the cover of the bush while the big girls, especially Dotty and Bluebell, stopped in their tracks. They stretched up tall and listened with a really intent look on their faces.

Dotty on alert

You can see the remains of the pumpkin by Dotty and her whole posture is on alert. Bluebell is in front of Dotty and has the exact same pose.

Dotty and Bluebell listening to the strange bird call

You can see the bantys under the bush in the background. As soon as the bird had moved away the girls relaxed back to normal.

After this we had a storm with thunder, lightening and torrential downpours. I went back in to the girls and they didn’t seem at all bothered by the weather.

Most of the pumpkin has gone

The girls keep going back to the pumpkin, so I am pleased that it keeps them busy, especially on such a horrible day.

A very wet day

Just when the run had dried out, it has now got quite wet again. Nothing is going to keep such heavy rain out though. The girls have all got muddy feet but they don’t seem to mind and they all seem to have enjoyed the pumpkin.

I had a rather pathetic small pot of parsley and as it is summers end I decided to give the parsley to the girls. I knew it would only last a few moments but thought they may as well have it.

Let’s check this out

We like this

That didn’t last long

As I expected it did only last a few minutes but it was a few minutes fun for the girls.

Last year I read about people giving their girls pumpkins and thought it looked fun. It keeps the girls occupied and they are full of goodness for them. I had seen piles of pumpkins at half price after Halloween on previous years and decided to wait to get a bargain as they seemed more expensive than usual.

I was so disappointed when after Halloween there wasn’t a pumpkin to be found anywhere. I even asked in one of the supermarkets and was told that they now only stock what they know they will sell so that there are none left over. I was determined not to make that mistake again.

This year I have been waiting for the pumpkins to appear in the shops and yesterday was the first time I saw them. They were on offer:  two large ones for £3.00. I thought this was a bargain and bought two for the girls. They will not miss out this year!

Pumpkins for the girls

We are snowed under with work at the moment but when I get a bit of time at the weekend I will give the girls their first chunk of pumpkin and be ready with my camera. Watch this space!

My girls have all been in the full swing of their first moult. Their eggs slowed down but with moulting and shorter daylight hours, what surprised me was that they actually continued to lay. The bantys who are in full moult mode have given up completely and I don’t blame them at all. They haven’t laid for three weeks now and before that only one egg every two or three weeks.

Pepper was laying about once a week during her moult but now her moult appears to have come to an end she is laying every other day. Dotty had taken to missing a couple of days between laying and is now on three days in a row with one missed in between. Bluebell, our egg machine, lays about five days in a row instead of up to two months in a row.

An interesting thing though is the difference in the size of the eggs. The first two in a row by Dotty produced a smaller egg than usual. I am sure this is all to do with moulting and any eggs are an unexpected bonus so I am certainly not complaining but like to log everything for future reference.

Dotty’s smaller egg

Bluebell’s egg is on the left, Pepper’s egg is the middle and Dotty’s egg is on the right.

I am amazed that the girls are still laying as many eggs are they are but I am interested how the process of moulting is effecting them. I am really pleased that they still look happy and healthy and are still laying eggs as this means it is not upsetting them too much and at the end of the day as long as they are happy then I am happy.