Very proud of them :-)
We extended their ranging area, so that it now includes a border. I would say a "flower border", but that's not quite true. It's a border with meadow grass in. Or at least, it had meadow grass in, before the chicks leapt on it in delight. They spent most of the day rooking about, having dustbaths, eating seed heads, and running around in the undergrowth.
Another good day today. At least, it was a good day. Until it was a slightly less good day.
I was, fortunately, in the kitchen; the back door was, fortunately, open. I heard a feathery kerfuffle and walked to the back door to see what was going on.
I saw Poppy, who had escaped from the big girl paddock, fluffed up and angrily hurling herself at the chick netting. On the other side, the top chick was similarly puffed up and hurling himself at the chick netting. I rushed out to deparate them, and chased Poppy off, eventually catching her and rturning her to the correct side of the netting.
I went back to the chick paddock and caught the little boy. He did not wan tot be caught and was very squirmy. I had to let him ride on my arm, which we normally avoid (a) becaise it's not really the best way to carry a chick and once they have the habit, it can be hard to break it; and (b) because the chick claws are really sharp! If I'm honest, it's really (b) that does it for me.
Anyhow, we got back to the kitchen and he hopped off on to the draining board. He had a cut on his comb, which I bathed. I couldn't see how to spray "purple spray" on his face, so I sprayed some onto a piece of kitchen towel (liberally dyeing the draining board at the same time), and I dabbed this on. I then gave him so Garvo Alfa Chick (which is actually just chick feed, but we use it as a treat substitute), and we went back outside.
He seems OK now.
He's a brave lad.
Poppy, on the other hand, really does seem to have a screw lose. I know it all goes back to her treatment by that b*tch of a hen, Millie. She obviously sees the chicks as a threat. I did wonder whether she was also angry at them because she'd sat for 7 weeks and hadn't been able to hatch a chick (she wasn't sitting on any eggs, she was just broody). I guess that's just anthrpoomorphising her somewhat. I'm sure chickens done't really think like that.
Do they?
