Saturday, December 16, 2006

Molting over...


It seems that Kiev and Leia have stopped molting and in fact Kiev has grown some lovely new white and caramel coloured feathers.

She looks like a fine specimen of Buff Orpington at last (she has even got feathers on her bottom at last - no more baboon bum, hooray!).

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Not amused!


The chooks looked such a sorry sight after their adventerous night that I felt the need to take some pics.

Molly seemed to think this was a little insensitive (she might have a point!).

Topless!


It was a wild old night last night here is Southampton, even so, I couldn't believe my eyes this morning when I saw that the roof of the coop/run had blown off! The roof is really heavy, it takes two of us to lift it (although when pushed I found out this morning that in fact one person can reinstate it on their own!).

Leia and Kiev (who are frequently found lacking in the common sense department) were huddled inside the coop with the lashing rain having soaked them to the skin. Molly, showing a bit more sense, was underneath the coop.

I don't know when the roof blew off, but the inside of the coop, the newspaper and wood shavings, were absolutely sodden. The three nestboxes were still nice and dry and snug, but as it was not night time and not time to lay an egg, the chooks evidently elected not to use them.

Friday, December 01, 2006

Molting Chickens




















For some time now, we have noticed quite a lot of Kiev's and Leia's feathers in the coop and run and generally around the place. It seems they are molting, which evidently chickens do about once a year (further information about molting here). Aparently most chickens stop laying while they are molting and they generally molt when the light levels get poorer. This seems a bit daft to me as their feathers fall out just as it's getting cold! (mind you, not having any teeth isn't a brialliant design feature either!). One of our chooks is still laying most days and although Molly doesn't seem to be molting, I think it is Leia who is still laying. Leia and Kiev are starting to look a bit scrawney as you can see!