Théo and the chickens des Sauches

Molpet · Dec 23, 2023

ManueB said:
I have a horrible Xmas rant. So please don't read if you are in the festive mood, I can at the same time feel horrible about things, and sincerely hope that some of you will be enjoying it. I will take back to posting at the end of next week.

I have to agree. Terrible times.
Some people feel the world's troubles are covered in the last book of the Bible. Revelations

RoyalChick · Dec 23, 2023

ManueB said:
So, a bit of news, though it doesn't qualify as extremely good I'm afraid. Wednesday when the vet got the photo from Lilly's foot she asked us to bring her as soon as possible, so my partner took her on Thursday to have the abscess cleaned up. The vet opened the foot from above, and took out the small ball of hard pus. Between the drive and needing to wait for an hour after she woke from the anesthesia to pick her up they were gone from nine to five, so it was a long day for both of them. We need to watch her very carefully for a week, change the dressing and disinfect everyday, she has another five days antibiotics course. Yesterday when we tended the wound it was bleeding massively, she is not out of the wood yet. She is acting normally... but like her foot hurts.

For more fun chicken news yesterday my female cat killed a blackbird after playing with it in the chicken yard and left most of it. When the chickens found it ...there was a mad race. I tried to retrieve it from them, but mostly failed so they ate almost all of it. Today they are searching all over for any scattered remains.

I have a horrible Xmas rant. So please don't read if you are in the festive mood, I can at the same time feel horrible about things, and sincerely hope that some of you will be enjoying it. I will take back to posting at the end of next week.

Next week we have to deal with Christmas. We are hosting my partner's family monday, which I will try to enjoy for his sake though I am totally stressed and unhappy about it, then I'm going wednesday and thursday in my family. I'm never in the mood for the Christmas bit but especially not this year. My partner's oldest Italian friend, Agostino, seems to be dying of cancer in hospital, for no precise reason other than lack of proper care due to the medical system's disorganisation. Our country just voted a law I despise on immigration which among other niceties instaures national preferences for students, older people, health care, basically targeting anyone who can't contribute to capitalist economy, while we are deliberately letting thousands die in the Mediterranean sea trying to come to Europe. My 75 years old mum, who has been demonstrating for Palestine twice a month since her brother died in 2014, says her association now has to go to court every time against the local state representant forbidding protests (they win each time, it's obvious that bunch of senior ladies is no threat to national safety, but they have to pay a lawyer).

The world now feels to me like international law precedence and the idea that all humans can share some basic ethical principles has become a thing of the past. I am not catholic, the main religion in France, or religious at all, but if I was, I couldn't bear to imagine what that kid whose birth we are all meant to be celebrating at this time of year would think about us. I guess it's a good thing I have my chickens to care about and to distract me from all that.

Lilly in the next three pictures.
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Good luck with the stresses of family. I am now alone in the world and while I miss some of those who are gone, there are some real benefits of having nobody else to worry about. Well except for the cats and chickens!
The world is in bad shape on many fronts. The move to extreme nationalism is of course not new, although even more nutty now. From this comes some hope that the pendulum will eventually swing back to a better place (after a lot of suffering of course).
One final positive thought is that blood is definitely a good sign. Healthy tissues bleed - so it sounds like the vet got back to healthy tissue which should heal.
If you need to blow off steam while with the family feel free. I will likely be checking in and hopefully the weather here will be nice enough that I can sit out with the Princesses and enjoy their antics.

BDutch · Dec 23, 2023

ManueB said:
Spoiler: Horrible Xmas rant.

Im not religious either. I like the idea that all people in the world deserve a descent life. And we all should contribute in keeping this world a safe and unpolluted place to live in.

So far for Xmass wishes.

I understand you feel awful about the people and governments in this world.
Men kind is so much occupied with themselves. And do greedy. Where is the compassion?

And meanwhile the ‘father Pen-like’ types are increasing in numbers and have a horrible attitude towards people with other backgrounds. Accusing the poor and vulnerable of things they are not responsible for.

In my country it became the so called party for freedom (not democratic) is lead by a populist liar and paid by Russia.
I hate it that so much people voted for this unreliable creature with blond coloured hair. It seems that (social) media deforms or brainwashes peoples minds and people stopped thinking about the choices they make. Like if they are tempted to buy a new silver ball in the Xmass tree and cant resist.

About family, we can’t choose them. Only avoid them .
I wont go to the Bday party of my sister today. Not because I dont like to see her or my family but because of the increase (explosion) of Covid infections. We both are over 60 and belong to the group that risks hospitalisation if we get sick. My husband finally got his vaccination yesterday. So from next we are a bit safer.

Molpet · Dec 23, 2023

BDutch said:
I like the idea that all people in the world deserve a descent life. And we all should contribute in keeping this world a safe and unpolluted place to live in.

I fully agree.
I am somewhat religious. I believe taking care of each other and the earth is what he has in mind.

lightm · Dec 23, 2023

ManueB said:
So, a bit of news, though it doesn't qualify as extremely good I'm afraid. Wednesday when the vet got the photo from Lilly's foot she asked us to bring her as soon as possible, so my partner took her on Thursday to have the abscess cleaned up. The vet opened the foot from above, and took out the small ball of hard pus. Between the drive and needing to wait for an hour after she woke from the anesthesia to pick her up they were gone from nine to five, so it was a long day for both of them. We need to watch her very carefully for a week, change the dressing and disinfect everyday, she has another five days antibiotics course. Yesterday when we tended the wound it was bleeding massively, she is not out of the wood yet. She is acting normally... but like her foot hurts.

For more fun chicken news yesterday my female cat killed a blackbird after playing with it in the chicken yard and left most of it. When the chickens found it ...there was a mad race. I tried to retrieve it from them, but mostly failed so they ate almost all of it. Today they are searching all over for any scattered remains.

I have a horrible Xmas rant. So please don't read if you are in the festive mood, I can at the same time feel horrible about things, and sincerely hope that some of you will be enjoying it. I will take back to posting at the end of next week.

Next week we have to deal with Christmas. We are hosting my partner's family monday, which I will try to enjoy for his sake though I am totally stressed and unhappy about it, then I'm going wednesday and thursday in my family. I'm never in the mood for the Christmas bit but especially not this year. My partner's oldest Italian friend, Agostino, seems to be dying of cancer in hospital, for no precise reason other than lack of proper care due to the medical system's disorganisation. Our country just voted a law I despise on immigration which among other niceties instaures national preferences for students, older people, health care, basically targeting anyone who can't contribute to capitalist economy, while we are deliberately letting thousands die in the Mediterranean sea trying to come to Europe. My 75 years old mum, who has been demonstrating for Palestine twice a month since her brother died in 2014, says her association now has to go to court every time against the local state representant forbidding protests (they win each time, it's obvious that bunch of senior ladies is no threat to national safety, but they have to pay a lawyer).

The world now feels to me like international law precedence and the idea that all humans can share some basic ethical principles has become a thing of the past. I am not catholic, the main religion in France, or religious at all, but if I was, I couldn't bear to imagine what that kid whose birth we are all meant to be celebrating at this time of year would think about us. I guess it's a good thing I have my chickens to care about and to distract me from all that.

Lilly in the next three pictures.
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I live this photo. Great feather display. Chipie?

GregnLety · Dec 26, 2023

ManueB said:
That kind of a day. When the weather echoes my mood.
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I had a bad week last week. It seemed that everything was against me. But then came Christmas eve and my granddaughter and my daughters came over. And even though not everything went right but when my granddaughter handed me a hand written/drawn Christmas card. I had her read it to me and before she was finished I was crying like a baby and all my problems were washed away.

Bad times come and go but a little love makes it alright again.

ManueB · Dec 29, 2023

lightm said:
View attachment 3710877
I live this photo. Great feather display. Chipie?

Yes, this is tiny Chipie ! I wish I had a better camera because the light display was incredible, and she was spreading both her wings to take the sun.
******

Thanks all for your helpful thoughts. I made it through Christmas of course (though I might have mentioned something about leaving forever to my partner when his family finally left).
@GregnLety I am truly sorry you lost Red. I know how special he was for you, and it must have felt like the end of an era.
Yes, sometimes a bit of love, kindness, a child or an animal's display of trust can go a long way ; I wish it would be enough to change the world

.

My wonderful aunt Marie-Mad (I talked about her a bit in the post I wrote about my uncle Bernard) offered each of us a calligraphy she had made in Arabic of this poem. She had taken lessons in arab calligraphy many years ago, but she said with lack of practice it had become very difficult for her and she hoped she had not made any mistake. I didn't want any gift but this was heartfelt and made me happy.
Next week I will write a post about my aunt, she is an inspirational woman for me as I think she incarnates a constant attempt at kindness, or thoughtfulness, in her way of life.

I'm very glad to be back to normal chicken routine. The main news is that Nougat, the only of the three remaining ex-batt who was still laying before her hard molt started in october, laid a huge egg yesterday, the first in months. I wasn't there but my partner told me Gaston was glued to her throughout the whole laying process and during the day, which she apparently didn't seem very happy about. She didn't lay today, and Gaston did not pursue his attentions.

Health wise, not much has changed. Kara stopped laying for five days, which had us worried for possible internal laying, but she laid again the last two days. She is probably around one year old, so I'm not sure if hens that young can lay less because of winter and the days being very short.

Most of the chickens seem well, except Léa, who is still molting all over her head and acting like a molting chicken, and of course Blanche, who is showing signs of being very tired a good part of the day. Oh, and it seems the fuzz that Laure had on her wattle several weeks ago may have been contagious, because Piou-piou has something similar. I hope it will be as benign !

Hello Blanche !

A bit of sun in the morning but it didn't last. Temperature just 0/32 when I got up.

Nieva and Alba - Dupond et Dupont. (Apparently translated to Thomson and Thompson in english ? Anyone knows Tintin ?)

Piou-piou action shot.

Léa, with her really strange molting head

Blanche

Nougat ! I can't believe she is laying again !

Blanche.

Cannelle.

Mélisse posed for the photo.

lightm · Dec 29, 2023

Glad to have you back. I hope things are going upward for you until next Christmas...

How is Lilly's feet?

BDutch · Dec 29, 2023

ManueB said:
Nieva and Alba - Dupond et Dupont. (Apparently translated to Thomson and Thompson in english ? Anyone knows Tintin ?)

Of course. In Dutch their names are: Jansen and Janssen. And Tintin is Kuifje (after the hairdo).

lightm said:
Glad to have you back. I hope things are going upward for you..

^^ x 2

ManueB · Dec 30, 2023

BDutch said:
Of course. In Dutch their names are: Jansen and Janssen. And Tintin is Kuifje (after the hairdo).

Well he is from Belgium so maybe closer to you geographically and culturally, than to me ! I’m not sure to what degree he is known elsewhere though. The clear line had a huge impact on french comics.

lightm said:
Glad to have you back. I hope things are going upward for you until next Christmas...

How is Lilly's feet?

We promised that next year we will either do Christmas separately each in our own family, or not do it at all

.
Lilly's foot was healing nicely, the wound is making a clean scab, but the last two days it seems to be swelling slightly. At this stage, I'm not sure if it's a problem or just a normal reaction. It was quite a deep opening so we are not going to probe it or even bathe her foot for a while.
**********
I was right to be surprised that Nougat had laid a beautiful first egg, because today she laid two soft shells in a row- one in her nest during the night and one in the morning. She seemed a bit tired after but not really unwell. I am not sure if we can do anything about it, I think she eats sufficiently and has access to enough calcium. Because of Kara they always have a choice now between plain water and supplemented. It could be she just needs to get back into laying, or her reproductive system is worn out.

The pullets are now showing strong personalities. Lulu is extremely vocal ; those noises she started making when she began to lay, have now become her ways of expressing that she's unhappy about something, or wanting Gaston to come over ; and she is very loud, by far the loudest chickens that has lived here. She is the most familiar though and still speaks to us like a duck. Annette and Mélisse are both free rangers, especially Annette, who always wander far on her own. They are not familiar with us, but they are not afraid at all. When we have lunch outside it has become difficult to keep them off the table and out of our plate. Even Gaston seems a bit shocked at how they act with us. Laure, on the other hand, is still afraid of everything. She is the most dependent on Gaston and she stays mostly close to him. She gets bullied by Lulu and Lilly, but it's a strange relationship where she follows them and hangs around with them all the time, but gets pecked in the eye by Lilly and chased around by Lulu. She is now laying every other day and her eggs are the smallest, even though she is the biggest of the four.

Lilly has ruffled feathers and I saw today underneath she has a lot of broken feathers. I suspect it's because of the roosters mating too often with her, Pied-beau and now Gaston.

Laure has such a strange personality. She is really afraid, but she is also curious and greedy enough to eat from my hand, though mostly she grabs and runs. Also, you can see on that picture she is beginning to have spurs. With her huge wattle and comb, I wonder if it has anything to do with having more male hormones than the others ?