New chickens

We went to collect four new chickens but came away with only two as the other two had escaped. We will probably be able to pick them up at some other time as he expects them not to have gone far. These two replace the two cockerals we returned so we are up to five chickens again. However still only one who is laying.
We have been having fun the past few nights catching the new two who insist on roosting on top of the woodpile and wedging them back in the coop. You would think they might have got the hang of it now. They are quite funny as they deactivate reasonably thoroughly as soon as the sun sets. They make a tiny bit of squawking and flapping when picked up but the other one just sits there while we deal with the first.

New chicken emerging from hedge after first night there

It is interesting that the two new ones are noticably less developed than the three we have despite being born - or rather hatched I suppose - in the same place at the same time. We have been feeding ours on 'pondeuse' feed ie layers feed and some wheat and the guy we got them off feeds his wheat. We have noticed that the french tend to feed their animals prepared feed less, for example the sheep we got from a brit had been fed on formulated sheep feed but the ones we got from a french guy got barley when they were in need of a little extra in the winter.

New chicken no red head

There is probably something like a week or more development from having no red in the head to the stage the chickens who have been with us longer have got too. We keep expecting the other two to start laying but it is still only big chicken. Pretty sure the other two aren't going to suddenly decide they are cockerals though.

Old chickens with red heads