Lexi's Big Moult

Lexi started moulting in mid-March and quickly lost a lot of feathers.

We've never had a hen do moulting so bad!

The yard is covered in white feathers and it looks

like someone has had a pillow fight outside!

You can see the new feather spikes on Lexi.

Lexi is uncomfortable sitting down with all her new feather spikes.

Lexi stands under the outdoor wooden table.

Bianco pokes her head around the table leg in the background.

Lexi finds it hard to get into the Taj Mahal coop with minimal wing feathers

to help her balance up the coop ramp. Instead, Lexi sometimes chooses

to sleep in the A-frame tractor coop which is closer to the ground.

Coco watches Lexi who prepares to sleep solo.

Lexi's spikes look like mini paint brushes as they grow into new feathers.

Lexi Starts Moulting

Lexi started moulting at the beginning of autumn.

Lexi dropped white feathers all over the yard.

Lexi is getting a bald batch on her breast.

Lexi looks scruffy with her loose feathers sticking out.

Lexi loses energy when she moults.

A nesting box full of Lexi's moulted feathers.

The Flock

The five hens sit close together.

Pictured from front to back: Frenchy, Lexi,

Bianco (on left), Speckles (on right) and Coco.

The girls hang out in the corner.

The hens chill out and Lexi takes a nap with her head under her wing.

Sleepy time.

The fab four. Bianco, Frenchy, Coco and Lexi in the grass.

Speckles is not in the photo because she's in the coop laying an egg.

Frenchy takes the lead in the procession, with Coco close by,

followed by Speckles and Bianco. Where's Lexi?!

The Pecking Order

Speckles, with her characteristic fluffy face, is 'the boss'.

Speckles became the 'top hen' after Chickadee died in March 2020.

On 16/10/2021, Speckles and Coco fought for top spot in the pecking order.

Coco came off second best, even though she'd prefer to be the boss!

Lovely and large Lexi is a calm, cruisy hen in third place in the pecking order.

Lexi is quite independent and she doesn't like fuss and bother amongst the flock.

Frenchy has gone down two runs in the pecking order since

Lexi and Coco arrived. Frenchy is fourth in the pecking order.

Little, timid Bianco, who scares herself sometimes

she's that nervous, is at the bottom of the pecking order. 

Frenchy and Speckles Turn 4

Frenchy and Speckles on a hot summer's day in January,

just before they started moulting.

Speckles started moulting soon after she turned 4 years old this month.

You can hardly notice her feather loss.

Speckles lost her black tail feathers during moulting,

making her look a bit like a 'bob tail' hen.

        Speckles still has her characteristic cute fluffy face.

Speckles half-sister Frenchy is also moulting and looks scruffy.

Frenchy has lost most of her black tail feathers.

Four year old Frenchy stands on one leg and looks to the side.

Egg Jam

The Happy Hens had a day off laying eggs and the next morning,

three girls wanted to lay an egg at the same time. Coco is cranky

standing on the perch whilst Lexi sits in the nesting box.

Little Bianco jumps in the nesting box with Lexi.

Coco remains on the perch.

Bianco kicked Lexi out of the nesting box.

Look at Lexi's big fluffy white butt!

Bianco looks very cute and happy sitting alone.

There's two nesting boxes in the Taj Mahal coop,

but all the hens wanted to use the same box to lay their egg!

Coco on the Coop

Coco stands on top of the Taj Mahal coop at dusk.

Coco likes to cause trouble at bed time and she

is often the last hen to roost in the evening.

Coco thinks about jumping off the Taj Mahal coop as Lexi looks on.

Coco briefly goes inside the Taj Mahal coop,

only to jump out the side door.

Coco chooses to sleep on top of the coop, especially in hot weather.

Bad Coco fails her coop induction!

Lydia had to escort Coco so she slept inside the coop,

not on top of the coop, for her own safety.