Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousRe: Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousSmidge was loved and cared for to the very end - he was so lucky to have found a home with you.
for you - it is so sad when they leave us
Re: Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousWell life goes on. I'm watching to see how the flock will shuffle about now they've
realized Smidge wont be coming back. Top girl Spotty (Smidge's sister) has been knocked off her throne, Tiny is walking up & down the garden shouting a lot, big Beany is looking very confident, little Nettle is looking very worried, Pointy is usually singing, Treacle is usually sitting (heavy girl), one eyed Bonny is very clumsy these days but still holding her own & Miss Piggy is still broody & probably has no idea what's happened! My money is on Beany becoming queen, perhaps Tiny will start crowing again and stand in as King until we find a replacement. My heart would love to let Misspiggy hatch an egg & see if we get a boy, but there are so many already looking for homes my conscience keeps stopping me! "He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant Re: Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousAll is calm at Chickenopolous, there's been none of the expected fights, perhaps I'll
just stop looking for another cockerel & let fate send me the right one. Over the past couple of weeks the girls have all been on a bit of a diet. I was getting very worried about Treacle, she's always been a heavy girl - even for an Orpington, but I think she's got heavier over winter, regularly has a messy bum, sits down a lot, breathes too heavily, struggles to get down the ramp in the morning & I have to help her onto her perch at night, I also found a big splash of blood in the coop one morning. I read up about fatty liver syndrome in chickens and alarm bells rang! I asked the vet about it when I was there & he said it was reversible, but needed to be done slowly. I realise I've given out too many treats over winter & as Treacle's a greedy girl she must have eaten more than her share! So...I've stopped the corn & mealworms but made sure the pellet trough is always full. They still get some treats in late afternoon, but much less and mostly fruit and veg. Veg rich in biotin will help repair the liver, so I'm going to grow a row of Swiss chard where they can peck at it. There's a definite change already, all poops, day and night are looking "healthier", 3 more hens have begun laying again. The change in Treacle in subtle but I can see she's walking better and panting less. So I hope I've caught this in time, apparently its quite common in pet birds and chooks & often they seem fine but just drop dead in the night. Giblet is oblivious to everything going on, still loving cuddles in the sunshine, and rolling in the grass. Last night when I closed up she was having a bath in the aubiose in Tiny's bed, poor Tiny was covered in bedding & looking very confused about what was going on! "He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant Re: Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousI spoke too soon about the flock order. After she'd layed her egg this morning,
I saw Tiny chase down every hen that was out and peck them on the head one by one! I think she was only brave enough to do it because Queen Beany was busy in the nestbox and couldn't see what was going on. "He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
Re: Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousNever trust a chicken called Tiny
assume Tiny is tiny? My Nugget was the tiniest of our chickens but that didn't stop her from squaring up to Toffee (who was MASSIVE) and coming out on top. They can be very determined, these chickens with Small Dog Syndrome Glad to hear the flock is doing well and things seem relatively calm following Smidge. Poor Tiny must wonder what's up with Giblet in the night Do you think your girls need worming as well as diets? Your porkers is a cautionary tale, I have been kind of slightly cutting down on treats with mine too now that the weather's warming up, mind you they free range most of the day so they do find their own! Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell Chief servant to Marley the cat Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey. Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous
ha ha! nope, Tiny is not tiny atall, she's a Dorking & she's a pretty big girly! "He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
Re: Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousGoog grief, I think she is even bigger than my Toffee!
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell Chief servant to Marley the cat Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey. Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper Re: Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousThis morning the girls were all out worm hunting when a sparrowhawk attacked
a starling in the bird tree, right near them all. I chased it away, then saw the chooks had all frozen in place & were poised waiting to see what happened. But none of them ran for cover or sounded the alarm as they have in the past. I suddenly felt how much they (and I) missed Smidge, who always protected them, sounded the alarm, stopped the fights. I definitely want to get them another cockerel, but want to make sure he is as friendly to us as Smidge was. "He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
Re: Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousKitla,. why don't you have a look on preloved or maybe one of the cockeral rescue organisations? Or maybe NANNA down at Finedon may have a boy who needs a new home?
We have some neighbours at the back of us who have boys and they offered us one a few weeks ago but we can't take him (as much as I'd love a cockeral, I think the neighbours may complain and I'm not sure my ex batts would thank me). I don't think they have to rehome and I'm not sure what type they are but I could get hubby to find out for you. You're looking for a particular breed aren't you? Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell Chief servant to Marley the cat Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey. Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper Re: Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousIt's not the breed that matters, but the temperament does. that's the only reason I'm
tending to look at particular breeds that I know, like bantam Orpington, brahma, fav, I'd hate to take on a cockerel that gets aggressive with us or my old dog, then I'd be in the awful situation of having to rehome him again (or worse). So someone's pet that is known to be good natured would be a good bet. I will visit Nannas sometime & I have contacted Brook farm rescue too. Best to take my time & get it right rather than make a bad decision. "He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant Re: Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousI suppose an event like the sparrow hawk attack really brings it home how important he was to them. I do hope you find exactly the right boy for your flock.
Re: Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousI think Spotty has decided she doesn't want to give up her queendom after all,
especially now big Beany is broody so out of the way. Today I saw her peck little Nettle on the head, then drop a wing and do a little shuffle - a bit like Smidge used to. As the sun was shining I decided to don the rubber gloves and give Treacle a fluffy pants wash. This time I did it in the garden in a big tin bath, but oh dear, she wasn't happy about it & got very stressed. she was panting so much I was afraid she'd have a heart attack, so I did it as fast as possible, rubbed her with a towel & sent her into the garden to dry off in the sun. When I looked in on her later her pants hadn't fluffed up atall, infact she looked like a rasta bum! If it's still like that in the morning I may be forced to bring her in for a fluff & puff! "He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
Re: Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousHi Kitla , Trust you are good and looking forward to the weekend .
Best Bob Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolousall's well at Chickenopolous thanks Bob. The girls are enjoying the sunshine & we
have a hedgehog visiting the garden! I have found an ideal cockerel that needs a new home, he's a Wyandotte bantam & looks very cuddly. He is a bit of a trek away but maybe an excuse for a day out. Anyway I'm still waiting for the nod from his present owner, if I don't hear soon I've decided to beg a couple of eggs from the bantam Orpington trio I hatched & gave to my friend last year. I'll give them to big Beany who is very broody at the moment and see what we get. "He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant Re: Blind Giblet & friends at ChickenopolousAll excited now, we're definitely having the bantam Wyandotte boy, I'll pick him up
next week sometime. I think he's a goldlace, beautiful orange/black colours and quite cuddly looking. We're trying to think of a name, most of my hens are something to do with food! I've never introduced a cockerel before, only hatched them, I wonder if he'll need to spend some time in a separate pen - probably will for his own protection! I wonder if Tiny will start crowing again when he arrives. "He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
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