The weather has been SO hot and humid lately. This coldish front coming in is a welcome break for all on the homestead.
Especially the girls…and Pecky.
We lost an older gal last week. I came out to check on them in the early evening and found her in the run.
No sign of foul play.
No pile of feathers.
No visible reason for her death.
So now, we have 3 reds and a blonde left of the old flock, and 14 girls and Pecky in the new.
Poor Blue is still segregated from the rest of the flock. Each night she tries to roost on top of their run, and every morning she escapes her dog kennel and races to the big pen, wandering ’round and ’round trying to figure out a way to get in.
When she gets bored with that, she roams the yard, pecking at bugs and eating seed heads in the yard and swale.
She seems to enjoy the amaranth the other girls spread for us.
It had overgrown so I threw a few cuttings in with the ladies and there is an amaranth trail where the run has been.
Her own eggs are another “treat” she seems to enjoy.
Ray found her toting an empty eggshell in her mouth the other day. It made us wonder if the others attacked her because they knew she was an egg eater.
They certainly seem to give her the cold shoulder now.
We thought to send her to the freezer, but she may be useful in the garden. She could eat pests and keep the weeds down in the paths.
We are probably going to make some chicken tunnels to keep her from eating all the veggies.
Since it has been so hot, we’ve been giving the girls frozen treats. Bananas, grapes and a block of frozen grain leftover from brewing beer.
Although they were reluctant to try it at first…
…they soon swarmed and attacked it with vigor.
Frozen treats for birds
Cool snacks in this humid heat
Spoiled little chickens
a pinch of homestead 