Category: chickens

RIP Magnet

On By CarynIn chickens

And then there were four.

Magnet the Black Star hen that has been with us since May passed away. I found her in the coop in a quiet dark corner, cool, but rigor mortis hadn’t fully set. The day before she was fine. There were no signs of mites or outward disease or trauma and she was still at a healthy weight, so I expect something when wrong in her reproductive tract. Both Black Star hens had a hiatus from egg laying for the last month while they were in molt, and I’ve heard that the time when the processes starts up again has a higher mortality rate. I did not do a necropsy. Although I have done a couple in the past, it is intense and takes some uninterrupted time and space, which I didn’t have.

Photo description: three hens on the roost, one hiding in a nest box at night

We’ll keep an eye on Wing Ding, the other Black Star hen. She and Magnet had been coop companions before the move to our flock. They didn’t really hang out together at my place, especially at night, but they were the top two in the flock. Magnet was a sweet hen and coexisted well with my Faverolles.

Tattered

On By CarynIn chickens

Molting is not a pretty time for chickens. My Faverolles (hatchery quality) usually have a very slow molt so while there are feathers everywhere, they usually just look a little disheveled. Except for one hen that in the last couple molts has lost all her neck feathers at once. It is very disconcerting to walk into the coop and it looks like the chicken has been strangled. She is fine, though, and now the feathers are coming back in.

Photo description: Faverolle hen mid molt looking quite tattered

All in

On By CarynIn chickens, Coop

I checked my cameras in the chicken coop and was shocked to see all five hens in the coop! The new Black Star chickens have both finally accepted the roost. They took the prime corner spot, which sent Seashell off to the nest box, but she isn’t broody, so I’m not concerned.

Photo description: inside of my coop at night, two Black Star hens on the roost at the left, two Faverolle hens on the roost at the right, and the tail feathers of the third Faverolle hen in the top right of the nest boxes at the far right, mouths open because the high was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit that day

Molting has begun, and egg laying has stopped. They are all older hens as well, so we may have seen the last of the eggs until Spring (maybe).

Chillin’

On By CarynIn Cats, chickens, Coop
Photo description: Mr Tom the cat laying on the outside of the chicken runs, and two Faverolle hens investigating

When it is hot, Mr Tom, my neighbor’s cat, likes to lay in wet patches of grass. I had just watered the crossvine outside the corner of the coop, and he took it as an invitation. Two hens went over to say hi and remind him to watch his manners. He was unconcerned.

RIP Magic

On By CarynIn chickens

I have been expecting Magic the hen to shuffle off this mortal coil for probably around two years. She would injure her leg and not be able to get up on the roost, loose weight because it was hard to get around, heal because she had taken weight off the injury, then fatten up again. She repeated the cycle probably a dozen times over those two years. She was the head of the Faverolles, and the most vocal for treats when she was feeling well. She passed away while we were traveling and our friend watching the animals was faced with dealing with her body (they did great). Because of course she would go when I wasn’t there.

Photo description: night time in the coop, four hens on the roost, Magic the hen on the pine shaving floor

We are down to five hens: three Faverolles and two Black Stars.