Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[BDutch]

Right then my partner came out of the shower stark naked to hang his towel outside . They must really think we are crazy.

I shouldn’t have tried to visualise this one.

 

[MaryJanet]

By the way, I learned since through that awful thing, village gossip, that these people are both very sick. This explains things though it doesn't make it right and it conforts me that we did well not to leave him there.

I wonder if they wanted chickens for eggs. Is there a way of finding out and maybe giving them a dozen a week?

 

[MaryJanet]

Blanche’s mobility was greatly improved today. She is not doing great, as she wasn't before whatever it was happened, but she is walking almost normally, although very cautiously.

That's great news! It's amazing how quickly she's recovered.

 

[Molpet]

Right then my partner came out of the shower stark naked to hang his towel outside . They must really think we are crazy.

I used to be able to run outside like that, but now there's too many people around.

 

[ManueB]

I wonder if they wanted chickens for eggs.

Probably not only. So many people have chickens here that it's easy to get eggs for cheap or free. We sell 16 eggs for 4 euros with delivery, and we aligned on what others did.

Is there a way of finding out and maybe giving them a dozen a week?

They have already bought the six hybrid point of lay pullets, so they will have a lot of eggs, hoping that the pullets survive.

I used to be able to run outside like that, but now there's too many people around.

A bunch of people see us from far away, but they can't see if we have clothes on. I know some around here use binoculars so I don't run around naked, but my partner doesn't care .
******
It was a beautiful day today though it feels cold in the morning. It's good to have some time to get used to autumn temperatures before it turns colder ! The chickens start to stay a bit longer in the coop in the morning as well. But they still wake up about half an hour before daylight, which is really annoying. I don't want to leave them locked up in the coop, but I don't like when they are out at night, something could easily get one at dawn. So I usually clean up the coop as soon as I open it, so that I stay around the chickens until daylight.

Blanche spent all the morning outside enjoying herself but in the afternoon she was really tired and stayed mostly in the run. I didn't see her stumble at all, although she still has a strange leg position at times. She was asleep at 3.30 so I put her back in the crate ; the chickens go to roost around 4.30 now, about an hour before it gets totally dark.

Lilly is still pooping tapeworms segments. I received the wormout gel today, and will be giving it to her in a week.
We are taking Pied Beau to Gaston's place tonight.

Kara and Lilly are not good friends anymore. Kara bullies Lilly badly if she gets a chance.

Léa. Gaston is sweet on her now she is laying again.

Lulu.

Annette.

Lilly and Pied-Beau hanging out for the last time together.

Cannelle, Blanche, and Nougat.

Cannelle. She’s leaving handful of feathers everywhere and looking really terrible.

Kara

Alba

 

[MaryJanet]

Probably not only. So many people have chickens here that it's easy to get eggs for cheap or free. We sell 16 eggs for 4 euros with delivery, and we aligned on what others did

That's very reassuring.

 

[Sequel]

I shouldn’t have tried to visualise this one.

Should or shouldn’t, I did and didn’t mind a bit! I may be older but I’m not dead!

 

[Sequel]

Probably not only. So many people have chickens here that it's easy to get eggs for cheap or free. We sell 16 eggs for 4 euros with delivery, and we aligned on what others did.

They have already bought the six hybrid point of lay pullets, so they will have a lot of eggs, hoping that the pullets survive.

A bunch of people see us from far away, but they can't see if we have clothes on. I know some around here use binoculars so I don't run around naked, but my partner doesn't care .
******
It was a beautiful day today though it feels cold in the morning. It's good to have some time to get used to autumn temperatures before it turns colder ! The chickens start to stay a bit longer in the coop in the morning as well. But they still wake up about half an hour before daylight, which is really annoying. I don't want to leave them locked up in the coop, but I don't like when they are out at night, something could easily get one at dawn. So I usually clean up the coop as soon as I open it, so that I stay around the chickens until daylight.

Blanche spent all the morning outside enjoying herself but in the afternoon she was really tired and stayed mostly in the run. I didn't see her stumble at all, although she still has a strange leg position at times. She was asleep at 3.30 so I put her back in the crate ; the chickens go to roost around 4.30 now, about an hour before it gets totally dark.

Lilly is still pooping tapeworms segments. I received the wormout gel today, and will be giving it to her in a week.
We are taking Pied Beau to Gaston's place tonight.

Kara and Lilly are not good friends anymore. Kara bullies Lilly badly if she gets a chance.
View attachment 3678408
Léa. Gaston is sweet on her now she is laying again.
View attachment 3678409View attachment 3678410
Lulu.
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Annette.
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Lilly and Pied-Beau hanging out for the last time together.
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Cannelle, Blanche, and Nougat.
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Cannelle. She’s leaving handful of feathers everywhere and looking really terrible.
View attachment 3678479View attachment 3678480View attachment 3678481View attachment 3678483View attachment 3678484
View attachment 3678485View attachment 3678486
Kara
View attachment 3678487
Alba
View attachment 3678488View attachment 3678489

Yet again gorgeous pictures! What is that stunning yellow tree???

 

[ManueB]

Yet again gorgeous pictures! What is that stunning yellow tree???

I think the translation is golden rain tree, Koelreuteria paniculata. It's one of the first ornemental tree we planted when we started coming here maybe eight years ago ? It's called soapmaker tree in french because the barks contain a lot of saponin.
******************
It was very quiet all night and morning without Pied Beau. Almost no crowing. We had last minutes hesitations yesterday, feeling we were abandoning him ; Pied beau was panicked when we left him perched in Gaston's coop. It will be rough for him to adjust i’m afraid, he won't be treated like a pet over there, and 40 chickens is a lot. He is by far the bigger rooster of the four, and he is very healthy and active so that will perhaps help him.
I feel bad for him and sad that I didn't manage to find a way to keep him. I think my partner could have been swayed if I had really insisted. But I have to admit that for the rest of the flock and especially the ex-batts, it seemed like a very peaceful day. Everyone was out quietly in the morning, when usually they spend 45 mn to an hour alternately roosting and running around in the coop - I guess that was induced by Pied-Beau chasing them. And the ex-batts didn't stay hidden under the small coop like they had been doing, but took their usual place under the laurel tree. Without Pied Beau, since Théo is always outside, it feels like a one rooster flock, and Gaston is not a bad guy with the hens. At roost time it also felt much more serene for Blanche, Nougat and Cannelle ; no more hiding and waiting until the last moment to roost. They had a great day. Lilly seemed to realise at one point that he wasn't coming back, because toward the middle of the morning, she made a strange loud call (she is a very quiet hen, so I noticed). But it didn't last long. She stayed with Gaston and the pullets part of the day and was alone at other times.
So I have very mixed feelings, relieved that the older hens can have quiet days for what is likely their last months, and sad and a bit worried for Pied-Beau.

My partner did call Gaston to ask him how the rooster was doing, and he said he was crowing a lot early this morning, and that he seemed to be doing fine when he went to see the chickens in the afternoon. I will try to go visit him tomorrow if it's not raining too much, or Sunday if I can't tomorrow.

Other news is that Piou-piou is limping, and not standing on her right leg , but we can't see or feel what is wrong. It has happened once before. Tomorrow it's raining so she won't be running around everywhere, hopefully that helps.
And Laure spent two hours in the nest and made the egg song. I was sure she would lay, but she didn't! But she definitely will in the next days.

Early morning.

Merle is no longer broody but she is a pain with the other chickens !

Laure has almost the same build as Kara and Lilly.

Blanche shook her butt and lost something.

Laure trying out nests.

These two enjoyed the sun in good harmony for 30 seconds

Before Merle told them to move.

Blanche, Cannelle and Nougat.

Théo looks crazy because of the molt.

Lilly.

One unexpected change of Pied-Beau's absence is that Piou-piou started hanging out with Gaston again. Poor Théo !

Cannelle

Nieva and Alba are both dirty ! belying the leghorns magical faculty to stay always white, I guess from all the mud of the last days.

Blanche is moving around again.

Annette

Lulu

Half an hour before roosting

 

[Perris]

It's amazing what a difference 1 bird can make to flock dynamics. It's hard to say goodbye to a bird you've got to know, but it can improve greatly the lives of many, even including that 1 sometimes.

Gorgeous photos, as usual. Laure really looks ready to start laying