It’s still incredibly windy today, and nothing at the site has gotten better, so I decided to do something about this muddy playground.
Big work, let’s go!
I opened the net and started bringing grass inside. The only birds out right now are three roosters, one hen and our ducks, so I’m betting nobody escapes. The roofs over there got dented by the wind, but they pop back if I push them. A stepladder would sink into the mud, so grass goes down first. Big work for the first time in a while — let’s go!
It’s hard to see on video, but the playground is soaking wet, so the chickens can’t go out. Dry grass I cut earlier should help it dry. The ducks are having fun, but the chickens would end up covered in mud.
Twelve guests
This coop is home to some big hens that belong to our neighbor: six White Leghorns and six Red Stars, the same kind as our Peanut Butter. Twelve hens in all. He’s too busy with work to come over, so I gave them a safe, dry place. I checked with him first (“May I handle them? Is that okay?”) and then simply caught them all. After a night here their feathers are dry and they seem fine. Once he’s back and his coop is properly finished, I think I can return them.
One hen laid an egg that had been held inside her. Good! When chickens get stressed they try to hold back eggs already formed in their body, which can lead to egg binding (an egg getting stuck), so it’s something to watch out for.
A very crowded house
So many birds need lots of food: third serving today. Prince, who usually stays far off outside, looks well, with his retainers guarding him. The Shiratama team froze at the sight of so many hens, and Sister Oreo couldn’t care less. The guinea fowl are big and won’t dry once soaked, so they moved into the shed too, leaving no security outside! Pineapple is very loud. Sonata pecked at the wall and it sounded like someone knocking. Here’s hoping the weather recovers: prayers from 200 birds.
A little blue sky has appeared. Sonata’s tail is much neater now. Luna and Sonata were good friends, so I took their names from the “Moonlight Sonata.” The ducks are all grown up and laying lots of eggs. Grey is camera-shy, and Sonata keeps an eye out; Jack, on the other hand, loves the camera and shows up even when it’s not his turn. Beanstalk calls Chako over: food here!
Thank you for watching Chicken Paradise. See you next time!