Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[Molpet]

this has some interesting points about it, also from 8th Feb
https://euobserver.com/opinion/158051

these issues are the same in USA.

Along with real estate taxes and people wanting to build houses on good farmland.

 

[ManueB]

It's astonishing how quickly chickens adapt to something they like. And how slowly to something they don't like. Katie has seen treadle feeders and observed their operation for more than a year. She still can't/won't use them. Instead she eats from the side after someone else has opened it. At least she's eating from the treadle feeders now. Which is more than I can say for Peggy.

I think refusing change when you feel it's not a progress is something our specie shares with chickens .

Congrats on the solar panels! Will you have a battery as well? Or will your excess power feed the grid?

No battery and we are not feeding the grid. This should barely cover our own needs. My partner is totally opposed to giving back power, as it needs to be to the main historical operator, EDF, who carries a totally nuclear oriented strategy.
We will have the possibility to add more panels and a battery if we want.

Is this the current result from the farmers protests? Says February 8th.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/bsQ316PM3RRjafMb/?mibextid=0VwfS7

It's not wrong but it's a simplification as the EC backed down not on existing measures but cancelled votes on new projects. Up to now the three main regressions from an environmental viewpoint are on pesticide reduction, arable land, and water conservation.
In France at least, agriculture is very divided between what could be called big and small AG, but also between cereals growers, who do very well, animal farmers who are the worse off except for a few very big ones, and specialized ag, where it really depends.

Our main union, the FNSEA, has always had a very close relation to agro-industry. It's president (and it's former president) also preside a big industrial group called Avril. The third agricultural union, confederation paysanne, is on the other hand very oriented toward organic and small farming and they are environmental activists, so politically the movement is also strongly divided.

I feel one of the interesting proposal is that of a minimum wage in AG.
Here is a translated article about the french main AG union.

 

[ManueB]

Chipie was much calmer today.
We spread out the sheep manure in the garden and the chickens were over excited to help us .
Nougat laid an egg today after 18 days without ! We are relieved that she has no problem.

I had to give another bath to Cannelle because all the skin around her vent is getting really irritated from all the yellow discharge. I don't like it at all, she can't preen or dustbathe so the feathers stay all ruffled and it seems to really bother her.

Here she is drying in the sun. Not looking good.

Picking Merle out of the nest ten times in the evening.

 

[RoyalChick]

Chipie was much calmer today.
We spread out the sheep manure in the garden and the chickens were over excited to help us .
Nougat laid an egg today after 18 days without ! We are relieved that she has no problem.

I had to give another bath to Cannelle because all the skin around her vent is getting really irritated from all the yellow discharge. I don't like it at all, she can't preen or dustbathe so the feathers stay all ruffled and it seems to really bother her.

Here she is drying in the sun. Not looking good.
View attachment 3751243View attachment 3751244
Picking Merle out of the nest ten times in the evening.
View attachment 3751245View attachment 3751247

Poor Canelle - she is certainly looking miserable in that picture.

 

[lightm]

On February 16th, Meimei laid a fairy egg (no yolk) without a shell.

It is pretty, in a way.

But poor meimei was not feeling well before which is why we brought her inside and was able to witness this. She hasn't laid since and is otherwise fine.

Meimei is 1y9m old, a backyard mutt.

 

[BDutch]

On February 16th, Meimei laid a fairy egg (no yolk) without a shell.
View attachment 3752140

It is pretty, in a way.

But poor meimei was not feeling well before which is why we brought her inside and was able to witness this. She hasn't laid since and is otherwise fine.

Meimei is 1y7m old, a backyard mutt.

Pretty yes, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable with such an egg. I hope she has no issues within her egg system and will lay a normal egg very soon.

 

[ManueB]

On February 16th, Meimei laid a fairy egg (no yolk) without a shell.
View attachment 3752140

It is pretty, in a way.

But poor meimei was not feeling well before which is why we brought her inside and was able to witness this. She hasn't laid since and is otherwise fine.

Meimei is 1y7m old, a backyard mutt.

I've never seen anything like that.
I hope it was the fairy egg that made her unwell, and not that she laid it because she had an issue !

Is she still staying inside or have you put her back with the flock now ?

And yes, it's not only production breeds that have laying issues (although I suppose statistically they have a lot more risk) but it also happens to mutts, and sometimes heritage breed chickens, from the posts on BYC. Léa had some issues last year and seems to be over it. Laure is also looking like she will be having troubles now.

Poor Canelle - she is certainly looking miserable in that picture.

She is really miserable for a good part of the day, and she is always much worse in the afternoon. But she is not giving up. When she is in her better moments she is still calling for treats, following along whenever she feels up to moving, and still putting in place any other hens who comes a bit too close.
This is her this morning (I know I sound like a moron And I'm always telling my partner off when he baby talks to the cats !)

Because of the swollen belly, ascites, it doesn't seem likely she will survive, but I don't think it's time to think about an eventual euthanasia.

Poop talk warning . This made me think of the discussion on shadrach's article about the digestive system of the chicken. For weeks Blanche had been passing only streams of water with bits of neon green - sure sign of a sick and starving chicken. The last three days her poops have changed. They look like wet poops instead of water, which coincide with her eating a lot more of everything. However, all the grains she eats, come out whole ; they are not digested at all. I suppose she wasn't eating any before as she was too sick, and I guess although she feels up to eating them now, her digestive system is not able to process them. It's also the first time I see something like this ! Looks a bit like fox poops when they are full of undigested pits.
Good thing she is also eating mash and starter feed and the things we give her as supplements. I was thinking to let her eat what she wants and hoping that progressively she's able to grind the grains again : any opinion about that ?

Cannelle and Merle before she attacked the broody devil.

Finally thought to take a picture of Laure's single growing spur. On the other side she has just a tiny round.

You making fun of my spur ?

Merle, like all the other chickens, likes the new chicken door.

 

[Molpet]

I was thinking to let her eat what she wants and hoping that progressively she's able to grind the grains again : any opinion about that ?

Things I wonder
... if she has been eating grit? That or her gizzard muscle isn't working.
Edited

 

[Perris]

I was thinking to let her eat what she wants and hoping that progressively she's able to grind the grains again : any opinion about that ?

I'd do the same, and hope the same.

Laure's single growing spur. On the other side she has just a tiny round.

Eve has just the one too, and hers is about as long as my thumb and really sharp! I've never seen her use it in anger though; she is fully proficient with her beak for that purpose

I don't think I've seen a chicken with her head so pulled in as Cannelle in the video; where does she hide her neck?!?

Great action shot of Gaston btw

 

[MaryJanet]

Apologies if this has already been discussed, but is the starter feed medicated? I have a dim recollection you went to some trouble to get un-medicated starter, which might be better for adults.

Edie has a spur round on one leg, and nothing on her other leg. Mary has two enormous and sharp spurs, really impressive! They should do a hens with spurs photo competition.