Saddle's Still On!

Orp Roo got duct taped again this morning and she was not at all happy about the experience. I was surprised that there were no pin feathers growing on her back. That look she is giving me says go away! Henny Penny's saddle was loose because she is growing feathers, but not coming off, so I didn't mess with her. Putting duct tape on chickens is not my favorite thing to do. I'm glad Henny Penny is growing feathers, but Orp Roo's back is still bare. At least it is not sunburned anymore. Hopefully, when she molts this year she will grow new feathers. Kristine said she would suspect mites, but the other chickens are Ok and Henny Penny's feathers are growing back so the feather loss must be from something else.

The broody Golden Lace Wyandotte is very happy in all her new straw where she has burrowed down and made herself very comfortable. She doesn't roost and sleeps in the nest box and is always here except when I pick her up and set her down in the pen so she will go eat and drink. Kristine and I keep talking about getting a chick from the feed store and sticking it under her just to see what she would do. But we really don't want anymore chickens. Poor broody hen. No chicks.

Although, there are times I would like a Light Brahma rooster that didn't crow or jump on the hens and make them miserable. Too bad roosters don't come that way. I do miss our big Light Brahma rooster, Brutus, that the coyote got. He was so gentle. My neighbor called us that day and said that a fox had one of our chickens, but Kristine and Tom said it was a coyote.

Morgan wasn't out with the chickens that day because for some reason we were keeping her inside and then someone let the chickens out. Kristine says she sees coyotes come through the yard early in the morning before we let Morgan outside. So, the coyotes do keep checking and hope to get lucky and find the chickens unprotected.

There is the little round plant that Kristine brought home yesterday. I mixed half a bag of potting soil with the dirt I dug out of the hole and used that mixture under and around the plant.I hope it will be happy in that spot and do well. I don't have a green thumb and I rely on plants that are basically survivors. Native plants are my favorites. Weeds do well also.

[13 eggs today]

I think the hens like the new straw!

Smiles

~:>

Henny Penny's Saddle

Since Henny Penny's duct tape has been working out so well, I decided to look around on the internet and see what I could find about chickens and duct tape. I came up with these three sites that have some good information. First is a site here that lists an even better tape (Nashua Tape R 357, max temp. 200) than duct tape and has some good photos. Second is this site that has chicken saddles that you can purchase. And third here are instructions on a sew or no-sew your own chicken saddle. Personally, I think I will stick to the duct tape method. Pun intended. hee, hee.

The Old Grey Egg said that roosters will cause the hens to lose feathers because of mounting. Kristine said that these two hens had feather loss when we had roosters and never molted properly. We don't have roosters anymore, but our hens mount each other, so I guess that accounts for the feather loss. Silly hens.

Kristine took the next four photos for me because I was complaining that I didn't have anything to post. So, she went out to my little tiny overgrown neglected garden and took these pictures. I slept late today, so tomorrow I should be rested and I will make a start on my green garden.

I like this little welcome sign that Kristine got for me.

I think Tom and Kristine got this rooster .

This poor little bird bath needs water.

It needs filling every day.

These flowers are volunteers from last year.

Kristine is doing better today, except she had a bloody nose last night. She thinks that happened as a result of the fifteen minutes of retching yesterday at work. She went back too soon. Since then she has followed the dentists instructions and stopped all the medication and she is feeling better, except for the pain, and is eating foods like mashed potatoes, noodle soup, and ice cream. She plans on going back to work on Saturday. I plan on more sleep time.

[6 eggs today]

+1 = 7

Smiles

~:>