One, big, happy, family...

She's back.  Littlefoot is back in the game.  I think her biological clock stopped ticking.  She's out with her sisters and it seems as though Dottie has stopped picking on her.  I guess the blinders did help!

The garden is dead, but we leave the ugly pepper plants up because the girls like to eat the dried leaves.  This picture is not great as far as background, but the girls are all there playing... TOGETHER... like they are supposed to.  Littlefoot looks much better.  I guess chickens work out their problems on their own.   What do you expect with that many hens in a hen house?

In case you are wondering, Ginger's butt is still bare.  I'm not sure if the feathers aren't growing back or feather rehab isn't working on Scramble.

Blinders, Broodiness, Bare Butts, and Baths

Where do I start? 

Killer (her new name is almost official) aka Dottie is currently sporting top of the line, designer, peepers.  These "Pinless Peepers" are supposed to help with feather plucking and general pecking.  I was in Boston when Travis put the peepers on Killer.  Oh how I wish I was a fly on the wall.  He said it took him a while to get them on.  He steadied her between his legs and held her little, twitchy, neck still while he put these things on.  I wonder what he was staying during this process? "Hold still Killer!"..."I swear I will eat you."

 

 

 

 

 

So far, the peepers MAY be preventing Dottie from pecking, but I can't be sure.  Littlefoot has taken shelter in the nesting box.  My theory is that since everyone was picking on her, she had no friends, and decided to turn broody.  That's what these chicken people (I guess I'm one of them now) call it when the hen's biological clock starts ticking and she wants to have a baby.  She sits in the nesting box all day long... on the eggs... hoping one of them will hatch.  Obviously she's had no luck since we don't have any roosters (if you want to know about this process in detail let me know...).  

 

 

 

Every day I have to reach under her warm body to gather the eggs.  She isn't mean about it, but acts annoyed that I've disturbed her.  I have to force her out of the coop because I'm afraid she hasn't eaten all day.  She gets up, flaps her wings, takes a HUGE poop (because she's been holding it all day), eats, sometimes she takes a dust bath, but then goes straight back to the box.  I'm going to have to research whether chickens can get depressed if they can't have babies.  Poor Littlefoot.  I feel bad for her.

 

At least she still takes dust baths

Since we've still got naked booties in the flock, I'm pretty sure another chicken needs these designer peepers.  But I CANNOT figure out who is doing the plucking! I know who it's not...

 

Dottie's naked butt... not the feather eater

Ginger's naked butt... not the feather eater

 

I don't think Littlefoot is doing the plucking because, let's face it, she's a wimp (I love her, but she's just too dang pretty and not tough enough - her mother must have been killed and eaten really quickly).  It's got to be big mama Scramble or Miss Bunny.  They both have beautiful fluffy rear ends.  Look at them....they are discussing whose feathers have grown back the most so they can pluck them out again. 

 

 

 

 

These chickens, I swear.  They really have issues... like people.  I can only imagine what is going to happen when it gets cold out and they want to cuddle, but won't let Littlefoot join in the huddle.  I think I might get her a soft, stuffed, toy chicken to put in her box with her.  Maybe she will think she's made a new friend.   Or I could strap a chicken diaper on her and send her home with her grandma....

 

See... she loves her grand-chickens

 



To cull or not to cull...

... that is the question.  I thought that Miss Bunny's fame would dissuade Dottie from attacking Littlefoot...that maybe she would get jealous of Miss Bunny and pick on someone her own size.  Wrong.  Dottie could care less about Miss Bunny. She has a thing for Littlefoot.   I let Dottie back in the group last week.  I really don't think separating her is going to do the trick.  I don't have a large enough flock for another bird to pick up and become the new bully.  Littfoot is pitiful, she jumped on my lap and basically begged to get out of the coop.  (Yes, I speak chicken now.)  I let her little, pecked to death, head out of the coop by herself so she could peck and play in peace.  She was grateful.  She followed me around the garden and came to me when I called her.  The worst part of this story is that tonight I found her sleeping in the nesting box, all alone.  Breaks my heart.  I think my only option is to kill (cull) Dottie.....



You must die

My poor little victim

Or!.... purchase a chicken diaper!!  I have just discovered that they make chicken diapers for hens who 1) live in the house (yes this happens) or 2) who need to come inside to recuperate from being attacked and mauled by other mean chickens. 

Random chicken from the internet with a diaper

Seriously, check it out... http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Diapers-and-Saddles/Chicken-Diaper-Free-shipping-p494.aspx.  Littlefoot could come in and live inside with me!  Travis would love it, I'm sure.  In case you are really curious youtube has videos of people putting diapers on their chickens.  Hilarious. 

Ok ok ok, the other option is "Pinless Peepers" (these I bought and I am awaiting their arrival). They are little chicken blinders. They block their forward vision and it is supposed to help with pecking. We'll see. Not only is Dottie getting a pinless peeper, Scramble is. 



Random chicken with some pinless peepers

Random chicken with pinless peepers

These things are really to help prevent feather picking.  As you will recall from my prior post about "crack feathers" Scramble is still in rehab for her addiction to feathers.  Yesterday I noticed that not only is Ginger's butt (and back) completely bare from Scramble eating all her feathers, DOTTIE'S butt is completely plucked! 

These chickens.  I swear.

We're FAMOUS!

We've hit the big time people!  Miss Bunny is FAMOUS!  I woke up this morning and got online to update the backyard chicken community about how Dottie was doing (I let her out) and Miss Bunny made the home page picture of the week ("POW")!   Check it out.... http://www.backyardchickens.com/. 

The amazing photo that made her a Star:  

 

Most of you know how excited I can get, but I was super pumped this morning when I saw the home page!  Travis was a little startled when I yelled, "OH. MY. GOSH!!!!  COME LOOK!!!!  MISS BUNNY IS A CELEBRITY!!!!!!"  

She's a little start struck at the moment so she won't be signing autographs right now. 

Cell Block 6

I let Killer (aka Dottie) outside in the garden with the other girls. She had one little chicken eye on Littlefoot and the other on the bugs she was hunting.  She has not learned her lesson.  After she took to a full chase of Littlefoot she was re-imprisoned.  However, she can't be too stressed out because she's still laying eggs inside her cell.  Someone inside the coop, however, is NOT.  I can't win.  I think this is how parents must feel on a daily basis.  Travis checked on killer this morning since I had to rush to work.  His text to me read, "all good in cell block 6." 

The coveted comb:  

Walnut comb

 

Scramble has the most points on her single comb

Ginger - tallest single comb

Littlefoot's little dirty, single comb



Killer's big comb and wattle

In case you need MORE info on combs:  



Prison Update

I've improved Dottie's prison. Now she can look at the other girls, but she can't hurt any of them. I feel better about this arrangement.  Dottie is protected from predators and the other girls are safe.   I think this says a lot about my parenting skills... at least I didn't kill and eat her myself.  That would have been the easy solution. 

Littlefoot:  "What up now?!"

Littlefoot and Dottie are having a Coweta Chicken Stand-off.  I really hope this helps.  I will be out of non-violent options if it doesn't work.  Let us pray. 

It's HAPPENING!!!

Oh. My. Gosh. Dottie is a killer. She is NOT my favorite, I am so mad at her right now. I feel horrible because I thought Littlefoot was acting crazy, running around, acting strange, but NO! She's been trying to get away from a killer! I caught Dottie on top of Littlefoot pecking at her head! Poor Littlefoot. I feel awful for her. I scooped her in my arms and tried to comfort her. It was heartbreaking.    I've noticed that she's been staying inside the coop for most of the day...now I know it's because she was avoiding Dottie. My friend Stephanie was over yesterday and we let them out, thinking they needed to be distracted from each other. I heard Stephanie say "IT'S HAPPENING, IT'S HAPPENING!" That's all she could say...we witnessed the third attack in the garden.  Littlefoot runs to me when Dottie is chasing her.  I'm seriously considering "culling" Dottie (i.e. the more appropriate word in the chicken farmer world for "killing" her).   What am I going to do?   Well, instead of going to extremes....I read you can separate the bully. Travis said he would build her a separate cage to keep her away from Littlefoot for a few days.


Littlefoot - The Victim



Dottie - The Killer

These attacks are recent and I think it has something to do with how large their combs are.  Dottie's comb has just become one of the biggest compared to all the other girls.  Apparently, that means she thinks she is in charge.... in charge of Littlefoot.   As you can see in the most recent pictures below, Littlefoot's comb is not as impressive as it use to be and Dottie knows it.   Why do girls have to have so much DRAMA??!!

Pitiful Comb

Bigger Comb

 

So... what were the consequences of Dottie's actions?   PRISON. (I didn't make this up, the backyardchicken.com people suggested I do this for 3 days.)

Prison - food and water.

The ax is a reminder of what will happen she doesn't behave.  Please Dottie, don't make me say "OFF WITH HER HEAD!!"   Pray for Dottie.