Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[BDutch]

I have a similar attitude to all the junk at my place. It might be useful one day!

I had a good organised stock with ‘might be useful one day’ surpluses and old stuff on my attic and in the barn. Some things were useful, but over the years it has become too much , less organised and it became a burden. Sometimes I just know, i have kept something I need, but can’t find it.
About time to tidy up.

 

[Lexicon]

Me too. And it often is useful one day!

Except that when I finally need it, I can no longer find it!

Edit: Should have read ahead. What BDutch said!

 

[RoyalChick]

I had a good organised stock with ‘might be useful one day’ surpluses and old stuff on my attic and in the barn. Some things were useful, but over the years it has become too much , less organised and it became a burden. Sometimes I just know, i have kept something I need, but can’t find it.
About time to tidy up.

Yes! You have described me perfectly. I hate when I have to buy stuff I know I have somewhere!

 

[ManueB]

It seems like this is a very commonly shared problem then.
I'm still pretty sure you are all Marie Kondos compared to us. Take a look at one of our barns. Both old houses are full of caves, barns and rooms even worse than this one, which has already undergone one or two trips to the waste center.

Spoiler

We had a beautiful morning, with clear blue skies after yesterday's rain. The forecasted afternoon storm did not arrive, once again.

Brune is doing better. I can't believe that she hasn't died. I think what I am seeing is that on top of EYP, she had sour crop for a while, and that has cured itself. She doesn't stink anymore, she's far less bloated, and she spent most of the day foraging grass and seeds. I think the EYP is off course not cured, but still, it's extremely impressive to see her enjoying herself this way.
I'm sure she will be unwell again in a short time but i'm really shaken up that once again I was wrong assessing her state of decline and that she has such a strong will to live. It will certainly make things even more complicated the next time I have to think about euthanasia !

Today, instead of locking up Gaston in the woodshed alternately with locking the ex-batts in the run, I had the idea of putting him in the field on the other side of the chicken yard from which it is separated by an old mesh fencing. It worked well for a while, but then he got really stressed that he couldn't come back and started running all around the place to try to find another way back. I will try again because if he can get used to it both teams could be outside without interacting with each other.

Once Gaston had gone in the run before roosting, toward 5, we let Théo out, so we could see how his limping was. He's doing pretty good, I found his gait almost back to normal, except at times he puts the foot up. He strutted and jumped and ran around the ex-batts like crazy. Brune actually told him off but poor Blanche, who is also not well at all, had to bear with him and his mating.

In random order.

Not a sight I expected to see again, Théo with the four ex-batts.

Brune looking almost good !

Théo doing the show to gain his hens back.

Brune felt well enough to dustbathe a little !

Gaston on the other side of the fence trying to convince the ex-batts to join him. Cannelle was interested!

So, it's decided now that we will welcome four adult hens next tuesday. Not exactly the plan I was thinking of... so I hope it won't be yet another catastrophe . And Léa's chicks sould hatch five days later, maybe next saturday or sunday !

 

[RoyalChick]

It seems like this is a very commonly shared problem then.
I'm still pretty sure you are all Marie Kondos compared to us. Take a look at one of our barns. Both old houses are full of caves, barns and rooms even worse than this one, which has already undergone one or two trips to the waste center.

Spoiler

View attachment 3500327

We had a beautiful morning, with clear blue skies after yesterday's rain. The forecasted afternoon storm did not arrive, once again.

Brune is doing better. I can't believe that she hasn't died. I think what I am seeing is that on top of EYP, she had sour crop for a while, and that has cured itself. She doesn't stink anymore, she's far less bloated, and she spent most of the day foraging grass and seeds. I think the EYP is off course not cured, but still, it's extremely impressive to see her enjoying herself this way.
I'm sure she will be unwell again in a short time but i'm really shaken up that once again I was wrong assessing her state of decline and that she has such a strong will to live. It will certainly make things even more complicated the next time I have to think about euthanasia !

Today, instead of locking up Gaston in the woodshed alternately with locking the ex-batts in the run, I had the idea of putting him in the field on the other side of the chicken yard from which it is separated by an old mesh fencing. It worked well for a while, but then he got really stressed that he couldn't come back and started running all around the place to try to find another way back. I will try again because if he can get used to it both teams could be outside without interacting with each other.

Once Gaston had gone in the run before roosting, toward 5, we let Théo out, so we could see how his limping was. He's doing pretty good, I found his gait almost back to normal, except at times he puts the foot up. He strutted and jumped and ran around the ex-batts like crazy. Brune actually told him off but poor Blanche, who is also not well at all, had to bear with him and his mating.

In random order.

Not a sight I expected to see again, Théo with the four ex-batts.
View attachment 3500366View attachment 3500367View attachment 3500368
Brune looking almost good !
View attachment 3500369
Théo doing the show to gain his hens back.
View attachment 3500370View attachment 3500371View attachment 3500372View attachment 3500373View attachment 3500374View attachment 3500375
Brune felt well enough to dustbathe a little !
View attachment 3500376
Gaston on the other side of the fence trying to convince the ex-batts to join him. Cannelle was interested!
View attachment 3500377View attachment 3500379View attachment 3500380View attachment 3500381View attachment 3500382View attachment 3500383
So, it's decided now that we will welcome four adult hens next tuesday. Not exactly the plan I was thinking of... so I hope it won't be yet another catastrophe . And Léa's chicks sould hatch five days later, maybe next saturday or sunday !

I am on a short trip but when I get home I will take some pictures of my barn and garage.
I will just say that your pictures suggest you are junk amateurs!

 

[MaryJanet]

I am on a short trip but when I get home I will take some pictures of my barn and garage.
I will just say that your pictures suggest you are junk amateurs!

And I'm going to share a photo of inside the shed Not right now, because I need to keep an eye on the time, but next time it's open.

 

[ManueB]

Quick update. After all the false warnings, we're finally under a huge thunder storm with hail (yep, couldn't be just rain..) and I'm pretty sure we won't have internet access for much longer.

The roosters had a huge fight this morning, after Gaston tried to run after Cannelle right in front of Théo. Théo, who seemed totally fine and stable on his feet before, was badly limping again after that ...so he's back in his pet carrier. I'm worried that I still can't feel anything special touching his foot and leg so I don't know where the problem is for sure.
Gaston squarely refused to go in the field behind the yard. I may have shouted at him and now he runs as soon as he sees me. He's sheltering from the hail and storm under the woodshed with Merle now.

If getting more hens doesn't help, I'm at loss with what to do. It may help, as Théo now knows he's the weakest and only attacks when Gaston goes after one of his hens. And Gaston really began going after the ex-batts since he found himself alone with Merle. But it might not if both roos decide to claim the new hens, or if Gaston doesn't find them to his liking, or if he decides he wants them all.

 

[ManueB]

Hail again today. The storm didn't last as long as yesterday so the ex-batts had some time outside in the evening after Gaston and Merle had gone to roost.

My neighbor lent me a bigger cage for Théo, he's still limping, but there is some progress compared to yesterday, so it's at least something that gets better with immobilisation. The cage also allows me to see how he stands and moves on his feet so it's more appropriate.

Let me out! Now! Or I will keep going on with the loudest shrillest cocoricos of all Daluis' bantam roosters!

I let Piou-piou out for a while this morning for the first time, locking Gaston in the woodshed. She scratched around a bit and then she went to the door of the shed to try to get in with him .

Blanche passed some egg yolk and white without a shell this morning. The only Ex-batt who's still laying like a champ is Nougat. That would be coherent with illness in the flock, though Cannelle's eye has gone back to completely normal, and I didn't hear any more coughing in spite of the very damp weather. But then that weather also meant I spent far less time with them than usual. It could also just be that they are over three and a half and their reproductive system is screwed up.

I forgot to mention that for some time now I've been partially switching the feed to either damp or slightly fermented grains plus peas for the ex-batts, and almost totally for Gaston and Merle. It's a mitigated success for the time being- they eat a little of the grains, but they also want to eat layer feed. I've noticed they systematically leave out the oat grain. Maybe it's not good?
However they all agree they really enjoy the added protein twice a week in the form of mackerel, sardines or cod liver.

For the first time Léa came out on her own today. Could it be possible that she knew the storm would be there well before the time I usually take her off the nest ?

Bunch of four cuties . I can't help notice how happier they are when both roosters are locked away. I should not have imposed a roo on them when they were already well past two.

What? This is empty ? Resign!

 

[RoyalChick]

View attachment 3502632

View attachment 3502645
Hail again today. The storm didn't last as long as yesterday so the ex-batts had some time outside in the evening after Gaston and Merle had gone to roost.

My neighbor lent me a bigger cage for Théo, he's still limping, but there is some progress compared to yesterday, so it's at least something that gets better with immobilisation. The cage also allows me to see how he stands and moves on his feet so it's more appropriate.

Let me out! Now! Or I will keep going on with the loudest shrillest cocoricos of all Daluis' bantam roosters!
View attachment 3502662

I let Piou-piou out for a while this morning for the first time, locking Gaston in the woodshed. She scratched around a bit and then she went to the door of the shed to try to get in with him .
View attachment 3502661
Blanche passed some egg yolk and white without a shell this morning. The only Ex-batt who's still laying like a champ is Nougat. That would be coherent with illness in the flock, though Cannelle's eye has gone back to completely normal, and I didn't hear any more coughing in spite of the very damp weather. But then that weather also meant I spent far less time with them than usual. It could also just be that they are over three and a half and their reproductive system is screwed up.

I forgot to mention that for some time now I've been partially switching the feed to either damp or slightly fermented grains plus peas for the ex-batts, and almost totally for Gaston and Merle. It's a mitigated success for the time being- they eat a little of the grains, but they also want to eat layer feed. I've noticed they systematically leave out the oat grain. Maybe it's not good?
However they all agree they really enjoy the added protein twice a week in the form of mackerel, sardines or cod liver.

For the first time Léa came out on her own today. Could it be possible that she knew the storm would be there well before the time I usually take her off the nest ?
View attachment 3502636
Bunch of four cuties . I can't help notice how happier they are when both roosters are locked away. I should not have imposed a roo on them when they were already well past two.
View attachment 3502641View attachment 3502648
What? This is empty ? Resign!
View attachment 3502655View attachment 3502659View attachment 3502660
View attachment 3502664View attachment 3502666View attachment 3502667

That is impressive hail!
Lovely to hear developments with your chickens as always.

 

[RoyalChick]

@ManueB - finally my first wild irises are out. Hopefully many more to come!