New Feathers After Molt

The hens are so pretty in their fancy new fluffy feather outfits after molting

even on this grey overcast day.

Buff Orpington

I think this is the hen we call the house chicken. She is the one who survived the predator attack. She had two good sized wounds and spent a lot of time inside in a pen and got used to all the special care. I haven't noticed it, but Kristine says she has a very slight limp. She is a big Buff.

Buff Brahma & Buff

I cut up some cabbage and kale and scattered it on the porch so I would have a fairly good chance of getting some decent photos. The chickens do not stand still for picture taking.

Two Light Brahmas & Buff

After I took a few photos, all of a sudden all but 3 hens took off in a big hurry around the side of the house? Morgan looked... I looked... ?

Australorp, Light Brahma, Buff Brahma,
Australorp, Buff

Then they came scurrying back. I think one of the hens picked up something and ran away with it and the other hens ran after her to get a share. I don't know what happened because I didn't go look. I was busy taking photos of the hens that stayed... evidently those 3 are the smart ones.

I gave Morgan a few small pieces of cabbage before I gave the rest to the chickens. She really likes cabbage and would like to give the hens some competition in the scramble for the greens.

Wyandotte, Buff, Buff Brahma

Here is how I tell who is who in the flock:

Australorps - Black

Cochin - Buff color, feathers on feet

Golden Lace Wyandottes - brown & gold

Light Brahmas - White

Buff Brahmas - Buff color, dark tail/neck, feathers on feet

Buff Orpingtons - Buff color, no feathers on feet

No eggs yesterday. We don't use any extra lighting to force eggs laying. In fact, since I covered the pen there is way less light in the coop so that may have contributed to the low egg production. We want the hens to lay naturally and stay healthy. They have a cold winter to get through and they are getting to be old chickens. I think they are around 6 years old and even though their life span is said to be up to around 10 years with even 15+ being reached, still I would rather have healthy non-stressed chickens. They will lay when they are ready. That's a lot of work making all new feathers!

Last night I was talking about getting a rooster, but we decided only if we could get another one like we had. He was docile, quiet (he crowed once or twice in the morning) and he didn't drive the hens nuts or mess up their feathers. A coyote got him. Our roosters never seem to last very long.