![\"Peaches](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/peaches-checks_on_topaz.jpg\")
<\/a>Peaches checks on Topaz<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"Now](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/now_speckles_and-toffee_want_to_see_too.jpg\")
<\/a>Now Speckles and Toffee want to see too and Emerald is on her way over at the back of this photo<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"Speckles](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/speckles_and_peaches_peer_in_at_topaz.jpg\")
<\/a>Speckles and Peaches peer in at Topaz<\/p><\/div>\n
Topaz doesn’t like all this attention and marches out of the nest box.<\/p>\n
![\"All](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/all_the_girls_are-interested-in_the_nest-boxes_except_buuterscotch.jpg\")
<\/a>All the girls gather by the nest boxes except for Butterscotch<\/p><\/div>\n
Butterscotch is her own girl and doesn’t feel the need to join in with all this. Butterscotch is only interested in the nest box if she needs to lay an egg or if she is broody.<\/p>\n
![\"Three](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/three_red-combs.jpg\")
<\/a>The lovely Speckles<\/p><\/div>\n
I couldn’t resist another close up of Speckles. Because she came to us at the end of July and had already started her moult I had never seen her with a red comb. There are three lovely red combs in this photo and I am sure that Peaches and Speckles will be laying soon as well as Barley who has laid two eggs so far.<\/p>\n
![\"Butterscotch](\"http:\/\/www.carolschickens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/butterscotch-seems-to-have-even-less-head-feathers.jpg\")
<\/a>Butterscotch seems to have even less head feathers<\/p><\/div>\n
I am sure that Butterscotch has less feathers on her head today. She has grey under feathers where her orange crest feathers used to be. This is such a shame and I really hope it doesn’t go beyond this.<\/p>\n
We have concluded that Honey is the culprit but we haven’t seen this happen yet and are basing this on a few facts. Butterscotch roosts next to Honey. Honey did pull feathers from Butterscotch’s back when we first had her and we have never seen any other girl pull feathers ever.<\/p>\n
My husband wondered if she could be moulting them but I think it is unlikely that just her head feathers would go although she does lose some feathers each time she takes a break from laying. It has never left any gaps before though. It is a mystery because we just don’t see it happening and are really guessing.<\/p>\n
I am really hoping this will stop at this stage and not end up with her having a bare head. All the girls are looking so good apart from this. I find this upsetting but I know from past experience that there is nothing I can do about it. I just have to hope that it passes without getting any worse.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This morning my husband saw Honey go into the nest box for the first time this year. I went to check on her with my camera in hand. Honey was back out but Topaz had gone in. Whenever I check … Continue reading