I am feeling sad today about re homing girls once more. I was quite tearful about it last night.
I decided that I needed to remind myself why I had to do this. I looked through photos of the girls when this was happening before.
Amber
This was Amber in May, two years ago. She has a lovely red comb and face and is giving me the chat like she always did but she looks dreadful with her plucked head and neck. I simply could not let this happen again.
The girls enjoy a broccoli stalk
This was Amber, left of Honey, in April last year the day before she died. The next morning I found her dead by the pop hole at first light. She had a great last day all over the broccoli stalk and was looking really good. It was an awful shock when she went so suddenly but she had enjoyed her last year without being plucked.
I just could not go back to those days. I am sure Topaz and Honey will be as happy on the farm as Pepper and Dotty and my little flock of six can keep their feathers. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
I read that once chickens start plucking and eating feathers it can become a habit that a whole flock can catch on to.
Was the lady at the farm not bothered by her flock getting the same habit? Did she feel that because the flock was so big it would stop your girls ?
It was a wise decision . You can now enjoy your girls more and nit be so stressed.
It can become a habit but they do it their friends who offer themselves up for it. You can only see Emerald’s bare neck when she stretches up which means she must have offered herself to Topaz. In a new flock the hens would not allow a newcomer to do this plus with mostly big girls they wouldn’t be able to reach.
Pepper still plucks Dotty’s neck but none of the other hens as they won’t allow it. In such a big flock with so much space it isn’t a problem for her to have one hen with some missing neck feathers. There may also be enough entertainment for them to stop doing it to each other.
Hi Carol
So pleased all has settled down in your flock. also your two girls happy at the farm.
Mum.
Thank you Mum and hurrah! So glad to have you on board. Well done you x