Down to three

In quite rapid succession we have lost two of our rescue hens. Their droppings became very runny and they became listless and died. We are starting to realise that these poor birds have been so intensively bred that their life expectancy is shortened. Our bantam Rhode Island Red, who outlived our other batch of hens however is still going strong!!

One down! Yes that does mean dead!

Yes, sadly we have lost one of the girls. It was two days ago and we had noticed one started to get picked on. We took her away from the others during the day, but she did not make it more than two nights. Don't know why, maybe being halfbreed they are just not as resistant to thing? Any advice from others?

Poor Old Red

Poor old Red is no longer number two in the flock! It looks like she has once again been demoted to 'the other one'. This begs the question "can a specific breed be more likely to be dominated by others?"

I think the answer to that question is "yes" as she, like her long departed (a nasty indecent with a fox, almost two years ago)sister, were both bottom of the pecking order.

Nothing like a long hot bath

Henny Penny

Yes, hens in a pen, or at least given a bit more space to roam. Melanie came up with a good idea of extending the girl's run by using some of the wire frames (part of the pen we temporarily had them in on day one)to contain them from the rest of the garden.

We still have a garden opening for Wilmslow Wells for Africa to come next month, and judging by their raised earth policy, I think it best we keep them on the 'scrappy' lawn outside their run.

I must admit they seem very happy and when I gave them more water yesterday, they started to try and eat the laces on my shoes!

All Them Eggs

I thought it was time to show you the results of having eight hens, just look at all those eggs! The small ones are from our two bantam hens Rhodey and Red (Rhode Island and New Hampshire Red)and this is only what was left after we gave a dozen to Lou my mother in law next door. They are really molting quite a lot now, but certainly they are doing well in the egg laying department. Because they have been in small cages, their wings are still quite weak and one was seen to almost fly up to the outside perch, before smacking into it at breast height!

Birds of a Feather Molt Together

At two weeks and two days, the feathers have started to fly! That is because our girls have started to molt in a big way god bless em! With our garden open this last weekend for the NGS, they did not look quite at their best, but they were still very popular.

I will post another video with some garden highlights, and of course some more pictures of the girls and how they managed all that excitement.