Poor Charlotte (my favourite and most cuddly chicken!) Ever since her recent stay on the "front porch chicken hospital", she has been the coop pariah. Her health is improved after her course of antibiotics and she is laying great eggs, but her comb is still floppy. Her head is bald because of all the nasty chickens and amorous roosters!
Cupcake, who is now apparently channelling her inner rooster, jumps on poor Charlotte as much as the boys do! I may have to change Cupcake's name to "Butch." Even Chicky the runt has been picking on Charlotte. Fortunately Charlotte is smarter than your average chicken and has found refuge on one of the ceiling beams in the coop. She hangs out up there with her friend Ellie. When I let the chickens out for a little while this evening, poor Charlotte headed for the woodshed and got up high where the others couldn't find her...
She always wants to jump up on my shoulder these days. She seems to know that I'll protect her from the others. I sat out behind the barn for half an hour with her tonight, giving her the cuddles she seems to enjoy...
No clue what Sophie was looking at in the background! Probably a rooster gang-bang that was going on around the corner.
My velcro-dog Tristan was close at hand.
The rest of the feathered crew was sauntering around enjoying the fresh air.
Poor Charlotte, I wish they'd quit picking on her. Next I'll be buying her a diaper and making her a house chicken! I do feel a bit like a falconer these days. When I go into the coop, Charlotte will look desperately up at me, pondering how best to get to my shoulder. I've taken to holding out my forearm like a perch, and now she just jumps or flies right up onto it!
I am hoping that when we introduce the chicks (I know, I haven't posted pics for ages. They are getting big!) to the rest of the flock, they'll be a distraction and will shake up the pecking order so this nonsense stops.
Meanwhile, I am getting prepared for ducklings in a couple of weeks. We need to sort out another duck shelter and segregation for mama and babies. Here's Eugenia giving me the evil eye. She's so protective of her eggs. What a little sweetie!
And I have not mailed out Hen Haiku contest prizes yet, but I PROMISE I will soon!! I have just been swamped with work, beekeeping stuff, gardening stuff, chicken and duck stuff, helping my mother-in-law-buy-a-bungalow-near-us stuff, and a bunch of other things. I haven't even gotten out in my kayak this summer, something I hope to rectify by Monday!
Hope you are enjoying your weekend. Things are just ducky here, ar ar ar.