Wow, I haven't posted anything here all summer. I guess we are at a point where, well, quite honestly chicken farming is pretty routine and not all that exciting. I still get giddy when all the girls lay an egg on the same day, but that's been a rare event. I'm still happy with the 5, 6, or 8 a day we get. Plus we've been busy working on the house, hiding from the heat, keeping up with the garden (which has been very good to us again this year) or just doing fun summer things.
There really has been nothing new to tell. Bunny is part of the family now although she still is not allowed up on the roost at night to sleep. Instead she makes herself comfy on top of the nesting boxes. No biggee, until winter sets in and she may need the communal heat. We'll see what happens.
One of our Plymouth Rocks has developed this weird bald, red rump. She's acting normal and laying regularly. We did some searching for an answer and all I can narrow it down to is that boredom is setting in and maybe a few of the other birds are pulling her feathers out. Then today I witnessed it. Georgia went in for the kill and came out with a feather in her mouth.
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| Sorry, I know it's gross but that's life. |
Now, what to do? Adding vinegar to their water is a solution but I don't know why. Giving them something new or something to do seemed more like a more logical idea. I like the rolling treat ball but Georgia seems to think I put it in there only for HER. She doesn't let anyone else "play" with it and can be pretty mean. Maybe I need a couple of them. I could hang a head of cabbage but the last time I hung something it really freaked them out and they avoided it like the plague for days. So I bought the big "Flock Block".
I've gotten the smaller forage cakes before but thought this would give them something to do for a longer period of time. Of course they were scared of it at first. Silly chickens. Bonnie and Henrietta are the guinea pigs of the group or they just like being in the spotlight when I bring out the camera.
They decided to get closer....
and closer....
Then Bonnie decides to be brave...
and then the others decided it's ok and they got for it also...
Amelia is the only one who still isn't sure that it's safe...
Finally she decides that maybe its not so bad...
Isn't it kind of funny how you have to tend to chickens like a room full of kindergartners? WHo would've thought you have to keep coming up with new things to keep them from being bored!? That's why I sometimes feel like I'm playing playhouse in the coop. Of course, I've got roosters in the mix and that sure changes things up.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to ask you, what breed of chicken is Amelia? We hatched out a hen this summer that looks very much like her, and she's my favorite of the dozen (total flock count). The other 3 hatchlings were roosters!