Dottie: an excellent mother this one. When those chicks hatched, she knew just what to do. She doted on them til exactly six weeks and then didn't want anything further to do with them. Her condition had suffered over the brooding period but has recovered quickly. Of course she is back to being broody, screeching at the other hens as they enter the Chook flap to lay their eggs.
Dandy: Hatched out her lot like a seasoned pro- she is barely 12 months old! One of her babies has stayed on and is part of the ladies group. Molly I've called her - a blue Pekin. A very round shaped bird who resembles different fruits as she grows: apple, grapefruit, rockmelon... She has a companion she recognises as her flock and gets rather upset if she is more than two feet away. Initially Molly had bonded to me, this didn't feel right. She spent hours waiting for me at the back door. The introduction of a Plymouth Rock Bantam chick called Penny was a better option. I don't want any of the ladies to be upset or lonely.
Molly: a fashion conscious chicken dislikes my taste in shoes alot of the time. She's getting quite a flush around her face. I'm hoping to see a few eggs from her before winter.
Bev, Dandy and Mackles have been going through a moult. Mackles is yet to start laying again which is disappointing as her eggs are very attractive being very large and white. Bev's large brown eggs are superb particularly for such a tiny hen.
Madam: Unfortunately she is no longer with us and succumbed to a recent heat wave. Poor love she was a beautiful bird and a great layer. Too many feathers and dense muscular body don't do well in the intense dry Aussie heat.
Buckbeak: HE went off to a property with many hens to entertain. His crow was rather hard to hide and he wasn't accepted as a rooster by the ladies so it made sense for him to be rehomed.
Two recent additions are Cadbury and Quackers, not very lady like and those names most likely will change once their genders are revealed. They are two Khaki Campbell ducklings! Darling hubby is building the duckpen. I may post some pics when all is complete.
Luv Cheryl x
Hello! I'd loooooove some ducks. Just the poo that puts us off...do your ducks have free range?
ReplyDeleteThey are til the pen is complete and then I'll reassess things. The ducks mingle well with the chooks and the poo isn't a problem. I'm not keen on the chooks having access to the pond due to possible drowning.
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