Topaz settled in the bigger nest box and I thought she might finally lay her first egg of the year.
Topaz is settled in the nest box
Butterscotch looked like she wanted to go in too
I felt sure Butterscotch wanted to get in the nest box too but after a few minutes she gave up and went to one of the perches in the run. Perhaps she was just being nosey.
It did give me the chance to get a close up of her comb though.
Butterscotch’s poor comb and head
When I first saw some blood spots in the chicken shed I checked all the girl’s combs and couldn’t see any sign of pecking. Now that Butterscotch is missing some head feathers I can see a spot of dried blood on the tip of her comb and at the base of her feathers where there are some missing. You can see from this photo how difficult it is to see this against the black colour of her comb.
I feel so sorry for her but she seems her usual self and it doesn’t seem to be bothering her. She chased Barley away just after I took this photo.
I will make sure that she is not next to Honey at bedtime for a while. I think that what probably happened is that Honey pecked her comb and made it bleed. If there were spots of blood on her comb and her head feathers this probably attracted Honey to pulling them out. I am surmising of course but knowing chicken’s behaviour this seems most likely.
Meanwhile Honey was having a lovely dust bath and Speckles really wanted to join her. These two do seem to spend time together and have a bit of an alliance with each other. Peaches and Barley often chase Speckles from the dust bath and yesterday was no exception. I sometimes call them “the mean girls”.
Speckles wants to dust bath with Honey
She almost manages it
But Barley chases her away
Topaz then came out of the nest box shouting her head off. I went to check and once more there was no egg. Topaz is such an odd girl or should that be “unique”!
At bedtime I checked and Butterscotch and Honey were next to each other so I moved Butterscotch to a different position. Honey then gave Barley a peck on the comb so I am sure she is the culprit and my theory is probably correct. I felt sorry for Barley but as soon as it gets darker she won’t be able to peck her and at the moment Butterscotch needs protection the most.
Just when I think things are running smoothly there always seems to be more drama.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Settling onto the roosts and even thereafter is the worst time, I find, for pecking, always aimed at the head; if I shine a torch in after dark, for whatever reason, somebody decides to peck a neighbour’s comb. Pavlova, my marans with little brain compared to the others, once did it to Bella, top hen; in consequence, she was evicted from the perch within seconds; I’d like to say she’s learned, but I’m not convinced – although fairly well up in the pecking order, she does tend to tackle hens who do not tolerate her!
I agree that this is the worst time for pecking at combs. No more head feathers have gone since so I think it was just a blip. I too shine a torch for whatever reason and see a peck to a neighbour. Honey does it to Butterscotch, Peaches and Barley do it to Speckles, Toffee to Emerald, Emerald to Peaches and Barley and Topaz to whichever girl is next to her. The pattern here seems to be to peck the next girl down the pecking order.