Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[RoyalChick]

I've bought it marketed for cats and the notice has a number of contraindications that worried me. But apparently it's quite safe for poultry.
It's not the first product I've encountered where that is the case !

*********
Woke up to clear blue skies and the forecasted wind turned, like often here, into a storm at noon. The chickens did have time to enjoy the morning, yesterday's rain had brought lots of bugs and worms out for them.
My partner was late for work so he asked me to give the bit of banana he keeps for Chipie every morning. I made a mistake and let her run away with a big piece in her beak. This caused her to be attacked and pecked by Brune. It bled a lot, but Chipie always heals very well from these small wounds and it was the case again.

The four ex-batts tried to lay this morning, but only Blanche and Nougat succeeded. Blanche was more active today, it was one of her good days. Merle and Léa laid later in the morning.

In the afternoon the wind became very strong. We have turning winds, and branches began flying around everywhere. I noticed that both groups of chickens understood after a while that taking shelter under a tree wasn't a good idea. The problem was that they both wanted to go inside the coop, but Théo didn't let Gaston even enter the chicken netting. So several times when it was really too dangerous I locked Théo's group in the coop, so that Gastounet's team could shelter in the run. After a while however there was so much wind that it didn't feel safe even in the run. I'm not sure how solid the polycarbonate would be if a roof tile fell on it. So I got Gaston's team in the coop early at four, and as soon as they were roosted Theo's group in. They didn't complain too much and were all roosted at 4.15 : I think they understood that it was the only safe place, and the only way they can stay together in the coop is when they are roosted.

It's bad news for us for two reasons. The first is that we won't be able to cut the fir tree if the wind continues all week. Second is that we can't use the stove with that much wind, so this means we can't heat the house. It's bearable for one night, but the temperature falls down pretty quickly.

Chipie got pecked above her nose.
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Blanche (on the right with Cannelle on the left) stayed outside quite a bit and even took a few sprints from the coop to the laurel tree and back.
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Sounds scary. Do those kind of winds usually last for more than a day?

 

[ManueB]

Sounds scary. Do those kind of winds usually last for more than a day?

It usually lasts for several days but only from noon to six or seven pm, and then again during the night until four or five am.
It has stopped just now, so I've got the fire going .

 

[Perris]

we can't use the stove with that much wind, so this means we can't heat the house

why can the stove not work with high winds?

 

[ManueB]

why can the stove not work with high winds?

The stove evacuates smoke through a huge chimney that doesn't go sufficiently high above the roof's ridge. This means smoke comes back in the room when there is wind coming from the wrong direction.
Apart from needing to do it for insurance it's the other reason why we need to tube the chimney.

 

[Perris]

well I hope you can keep the fire going long enough to warm up the building. Then the mass of all that stone will retain quite a lot for quite a while I imagine.

 

[Solanacae]

The stove evacuates smoke through a huge chimney that doesn't go sufficiently high above the roof's ridge. This means smoke comes back in the room when there is wind coming from the wrong direction.
Apart from needing to do it for insurance it's the other reason why we need to tube the chimney.

My family has a cabin in the mountains. It has a big river rock fireplace, and is quite tall. It was assumed when it was built that it would draw air properly but there’s a flaw somewhere and you can’t light a fire unless you open a window in the basement for it to vent correctly. I wonder if having a second fireplace in the basement (both connected to the same chimney) would be the cause.

 

[ManueB]

My family has a cabin in the mountains. It has a big river rock fireplace, and is quite tall. It was assumed when it was built that it would draw air properly but there’s a flaw somewhere and you can’t light a fire unless you open a window in the basement for it to vent correctly. I wonder if having a second fireplace in the basement (both connected to the same chimney) would be the cause.

I know almost nothing about chimneys, but what we were told is that it's not simply about height. It needs to be one meter (3.3 feet) above the roof's ridge so it obviously depends on where the chimney is located on the roof, and on the roof's slope.
I found a lot of information online because we initially had no clue about it. I think it also depends if it's an open fire place or with an insert (not sure if my direct translation will work). My brother didn't have sufficient air draw and the solution at his place was to put in an insert.

 

[Perris]

I know almost nothing about chimneys, but what we were told is that it's not simply about height. It needs to be one meter (3.3 feet) above the roof's ridge so it obviously depends on where the chimney is located on the roof, and on the roof's slope.
I found a lot of information online because we initially had no clue about it. I think it also depends if it's an open fire place or with an insert (not sure if my direct translation will work). My brother didn't have sufficient air draw and the solution at his place was to put in an insert.

you could make a virtue - or at least have some fun - with this necessity, as Gaudi and the builders of the Topkapi and Hampton Court Palaces did for example

 

[ManueB]

you could make a virtue - or at least have some fun - with this necessity, as Gaudi and the builders of the Topkapi and Hampton Court Palaces did for example

I loved Topkapi, Palau Güell not so much, and have not visited the Hampton palaces, but I wouldn't imagine living in any of those places. I was very tempted by Istanbul when I visited in 2008. There was a nice job opportunity two years later, which one of my then-colleague took up. I think it has unfortunately changed a lot since, hopefully it's long multicultural history will allow it to pick up in better times.
***************
The good news was no wind today, and a beautiful cold day (-2/28 to 8/46).
The bad news is I made a stupid beginner mistake that got Blanche even more unwell. I left the chicken netting not sufficiently tightly closed on it's entrance. I was five minutes inside at lunch time and heard that unmistakable noise of a hen in danger and both roosters shouting alarm. Blanche was stuck inside the netting, trying to get back in from the outside and struggling like crazy.
She must have gone out through the tiny opening I left, and either Gaston got to her, either she saw a raptor and was terrified and tried to force her way back in. When I held her she stopped struggling.
I undid the poles next to her so she wouldn't be so tight and thinking I could try to untangle her, but unfortunately she tried to fly and fell from the border wall. I ran to get scissors and cut the netting off her as she was too stuck in to come through easily one way or the other. She had her legs through but the wings wouldn't.
Once she was freed I took her in the run where she ate and drank immediately and then lied down in shock I think. I got her isolated for an hour in the run. Then she got up and started looking for the other chickens and after a while she looked no worse than she had in the morning, which was not great compared to yesterday and the day before.
I feel angry at myself for not having tightened the netting more securely. There is no excuse for carelessness.

Cannelle and Piou-piou had both already laid when I opened the coop and without any drama for once! Cannelle is really getting more tolerant both with Chipie and the younger chickens. Nougat, Merle, and Léa laid in the early afternoon.
There was quite a lot of rooster challenging but after whatever happened with Blanche, Gaston stayed away. Once or twice I saw him herding his hens, and also charging them when they came back after not heeding his calls for too long.
Early morning through my bedroom 's window

Blanche early this morning

Gastounet both sides

And here you can see zooming that Theo's legs are completely fine now.

 

[Perris]

I loved Topkapi, Palau Güell not so much, and have not visited the Hampton palaces

but are you inspired by their chimneys to have fun with your new one? Hampton court is worth a visit by the way if you do ever come back to the UK.

I was very tempted by Istanbul when I visited in 2008. There was a nice job opportunity two years later, which one of my then-colleague took up

I love Istanbul and its long and cosmopolitan history too; I'm sure it'll bounce back, after all, the Greek community there goes back nearly 2,700 years! Was the job in one of the libraries? There are outstanding collections of MSS there.

Sounds like Blanche was less upset by the netting than you were, if she ate and drank straight after.