Mother Goose and her babies are back in the hustle and bustle of Chicken World.
They stay by Mum's side most of the time and she takes them off for 'Mum and Baby' time frequently, but they are now brave enough, and more importantly accepted enough, to be able to hang out with the rest of the flock.
The 'chook, chook. chook' call I make when it's time for the daily ration of corn brings them, as well as all the other girls out of the undergrowth and over to hardstanding for their favourite treat.
Once it's all gone you can almost see them thinking "right what was I doing a minute ago?"
And it's back to whatever it was for everyone, and Chicken World goes back to the business of the day.
Caldwell the cockerel has decided he doesn't like Rosy and keeps a beady eye on us while we're in there, she nearly always comes in with me on her mission to find a rat. If he manages to get her on her own and within striking distance he really goes for her, luckily being a quick and nimble Jack Russell she always manages to get out of his way in time and threatens him with a growl and a a proper snarl, but she's a good girl and knows that although she could kill him in one fell swoop he's family .... so it's just not done!!
She's a good girl.
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Edited to Add
'The One' died last night. She simply pined away after the death of her friend. I've put this photo of the two of them together taken from THIS post, she was the darker Hyline on the left. They were just inseparable and although she rallied every day at corn feeding time, and ran over to get her share, her days it seems just weren't the same without her best friend. She got her strange name because when we got her she was part of The Mob a group of rescue chickens never individually named and as they died off one by one she became the one that was left, and she chummed up with Angel.
She had a good life and in some ways I'm glad they they are now re-united in chicken heaven.
Sue xx
I'd love chickens but not sure our dog would! Also I don't like the thought of encouraging more rats to us as there already seem to be quite a few on the estate already.
ReplyDeleteOur dogs and chickens mix well. Even when a hen wandered into the kitchen and tried to get into the dog basket, with the dog in it. She just looked up at me as if to say 'is this ok, look what's going on. '
ReplyDeleteMy German shorthaired pointer ( literally bred to help with bird hunts), quickly figured out our chickens are family. Not only does she not hurt them, she has protected them from possum, skunk, cats and Hawks and raises a ruckus if one falls in the pool. Dogs have a pack mentality. Just help them understand who is part of their pack and all is well.
ReplyDeleteaahh its lovely to see the chicken and hear about their day to. dee :-)
ReplyDeleteI would love chickens to go with the dog I'm going to have one day. Not until we retire and are at home full time.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading about the chickens. Sad that you have lost one again, though. We may get a few of our own once all our construction is out of the way.Deb
ReplyDeleteChickens cats & dog all got on well here. Sorry to hear The One has gone. They do pine don't they ?
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you have lost another chicken.
ReplyDeleteX x
So sorry you lost another...what is the average life span for them?
ReplyDeleteThe average age for a chicken is about 5 - 8 years.
DeleteLayers, bred to produce almost an egg a day as she was tend live for around 4 - 5 years. She was actually around six or so years old. I can't be specific as she was a rescue free-ranger. They are kept in the commercial set up for around 13 months and then sent to slaughter, or as she was re-homed for a minimal cost to the purchaser.
They have a much better life than commercial meat birds who tend to be slaughtered at around eight weeks old :-(