Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[ManueB]

have you got a golf iron, putter or perhaps even a hockey stick? Could insert it flat over her head, and then rotate to gently nudge her or even push her from behind, all while well out of pecking range

I can reach her relatively easily, the hole she is in is actually a tunnel with two entrances that my partner made for the cats. But the problem is that both entrances are very narrow and she must crouch, which she doesn't do when she's in trance. So she has her head and back rubbing on the wood above when I pull her out. I'm going to try fixing cardboard on top to make it smoother.

 

[Shadrach]

why can the stove not work with high winds?

Strong winds blowing accross the top a chimney pot cause a partial vacume in the flu and you get smoke blow back into the room. I used to get this problem in Catalonia and fitting a cowl sorted it for all but the worst winds.

 

[ManueB]

Strong winds blowing accross the top a chimney pot cause a partial vacume in the flu and you get smoke blow back into the room. I used to get this problem in Catalonia and fitting a cowl sorted it for all but the worst winds.

Our chimney can't really fit a cowl. It's already covered. We did block two years ago the opening on the side of the wind that poses a problem, it made it worse if anything. Anyway we're breaking the whole thing down as soon as fire season is over and the inside chimney will go as well.

*****
Winter is officially on for the week-a small -8c/ 17f this morning. The three laying ex-batts had already done the egg job when I opened the coop with no chaos or screaming whatsoever! The eggs were on the floor but I prefer that to having everyone bickering before dawn.
Blanche had a good day and we tried the hot compress on her zit or abscess or whatever it is. It was not impossible but it took a lot of convincing, so I'm not sure for how many days we'll be able to do it.
I was surprised to see that the cold with clear blue skies didn't deter the chickens from coming out. The ex-batts spent a good part of the day outside and dustbathed outside which they hadn't done for a long time (they stayed in the coop or in the run).

I had broody troubles again with Merle. She kept coming in and out of the broody trance throughout the day. I found it rather impressive to see her being completely normal and suddenly transforming herself. I took a bunch of pictures showing the "change".

I'm really not used to this broody thing and I probably made a mistake- I took her off the nest after an hour and a half and she had not laid and made broody noises, and blocked the nest. It turned out the poor Merle actually intended to lay,she made such a racket that I let her go in the nest after lunch and she laid an egg. She didn't come out on her own though, I pulled her a bit and enticed her to come out with seeds.
After she left I put a piece of cardboard that should make it more secure pulling her out. Léa and Piou-piou also laid late, so I think they probably won't lay tomorrow.
Frosty early morning

Gaston tried to squeeze himself in another cat tunnel to show Merle another nest option. When he turned around the whole thing crumbled lucky he did not get hurt

Come out please

We managed to have lunch outside dressed warmly. Gastounet was a bit clingy, and Merle was a real pain, jumping on the table to steal pieces of bread .

 

[ManueB]

Another -8/17 morning, and I guess it will last for a week or more. It was cloudy at dawn but quickly the sky turned blue again- lovely winter day but I would prefer two or three degrees warmer. Again the chickens didn't seem to mind and spent most day out. It was a pretty calm chicken day which means a good day. Cannelle had laid before I opened the coop, Blanche followed and Nougat laid at the end of morning. They have now more or less a regular rythm of laying two days in a row and taking a break for one day- I think that's good for them.
Merle went into the nest this morning and I let her be- she stayed for an hour and a half and came out on her own without having laid. And she didn't go back in the nest for the whole day so maybe broody monster is slowly getting under control. The three pullets all took a break from laying today.
I also witnessed something interesting: Brune stood up to Théo ! And he actually withdrew. I think the ex-batts are getting tired of his constant failed mating attempts.

 

[Shadrach]

Another -8/17 morning, and I guess it will last for a week or more. It was cloudy at dawn but quickly the sky turned blue again- lovely winter day but I would prefer two or three degrees warmer. Again the chickens didn't seem to mind and spent most day out. It was a pretty calm chicken day which means a good day. Cannelle had laid before I opened the coop, Blanche followed and Nougat laid at the end of morning. They have now more or less a regular rythm of laying two days in a row and taking a break for one day- I think that's good for them.
Merle went into the nest this morning and I let her be- she stayed for an hour and a half and came out on her own without having laid. And she didn't go back in the nest for the whole day so maybe broody monster is slowly getting under control. The three pullets all took a break from laying today.
I also witnessed something interesting: Brune stood up to Théo ! And he actually withdrew. I think the ex-batts are getting tired of his constant failed mating attempts.

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That's a great video.

 

[RoyalChick]

Another -8/17 morning, and I guess it will last for a week or more. It was cloudy at dawn but quickly the sky turned blue again- lovely winter day but I would prefer two or three degrees warmer. Again the chickens didn't seem to mind and spent most day out. It was a pretty calm chicken day which means a good day. Cannelle had laid before I opened the coop, Blanche followed and Nougat laid at the end of morning. They have now more or less a regular rythm of laying two days in a row and taking a break for one day- I think that's good for them.
Merle went into the nest this morning and I let her be- she stayed for an hour and a half and came out on her own without having laid. And she didn't go back in the nest for the whole day so maybe broody monster is slowly getting under control. The three pullets all took a break from laying today.
I also witnessed something interesting: Brune stood up to Théo ! And he actually withdrew. I think the ex-batts are getting tired of his constant failed mating attempts.

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Fascinating watching the video of Brune facing off against Theo. She was very clear in her communication to him - no ambiguity at all!
Thanks for sharing that.

 

[ManueB]

That's a great video.

Fascinating watching the video of Brune facing off against Theo. She was very clear in her communication to him - no ambiguity at all!
Thanks for sharing that.

I find indeed quite fascinating all those moments of interactions between the chickens where they tell things to each other with their body, but often I don't understand what exactly is going on. Here it was pretty obvious !
*****************
Once again a cold morning, -9/16, which is more or less the coldest I have seen here. It doesn't feel so because the air is really dry and the sun shines for most of the day. Since the three pullets of Gaston's team had not laid yesterday it was chaos very early in the morning. I waited until a white thread became distinct from a black one at 7.10 to open the coop- Léa was waiting on the door step to get out. Merle and Piou-piou quickly came down overstepping Nougat and Brune on the ladder and the three ran to their nest. However Gaston was stuck as he needs to use the ladder to come down, but Théo and the ex-batts weren't moving. He was very upset about it. When finally everyone was down and he could get out he couldn't find the pullets - he didn't understand they were in their nests. He kept crowing to call them and then he made the alarm sound- until finally Léa came out and he was reassured.

Merle took her time, but she came out on her own out of the nest. She made some broody noises when she was in there but acted completely normal after. Maybe the cold helps : it went above 0/32 toward noon and in the afternoon with the sun shining it was only 3/37.

I don't know if it was because the day was colder, but the ex-batts didn't have such a good day as the two days before. They stayed outside sometime but mostly hidden under the laurel tree. Blanche wasn't well again, just when I was thinking she was over the worst. I was expecting no egg from them today but in fact Cannelle did lay toward noon after much anguish to chose her place- Théo spent 10 minutes in the pet carrier and succeeded her in convincing her she was safe there.


There was some scuffling at roost time. Théo and Chipie must have had a disagreement during the day because he didn't want her on his roost. He pecked her several times but in the end he let her sleep there as far from him as possible.

Merle and Nougat puffed up with the cold.

Gaston was very interested by the cardboard overlapping the nest.

Piou-piou is very brave or completely unconscious. She stays alone in the middle of the garden, and she can't fly and barely run. Her legs were so short before and she had such growth problems that I only noticed a month ago her left leg is twisted.

 

[Perris]

twisted how?

 

[RoyalChick]

twisted how?

I had the same question

 

[BY Bob]

Merle was a real pain, jumping on the table to steal pieces of bread .

I love a chicken that assumes the world belongs to them. It was nice of Merle to let you use her table. Of course she deserves recompense for allowing you to use it. She was due at least bread.