UK Member Please Say HI

[BecciD]

Hello! I'm Becci and I'm in Poole, Dorset. We are new to chicken keeping and currently have a flock of 6 pekins and Polands who are looking like they're mostly male! The suspected male Poland looks like Mac from Chicken Run!

 

[Rudies Roost]

Hello! I'm Becci and I'm in Poole, Dorset. We are new to chicken keeping and currently have a flock of 6 pekins and Polands who are looking like they're mostly male! The suspected male Poland looks like Mac from Chicken Run!

Hi there Becci. Welcome to the thread. My family have a holiday place 10 mins from Poole...I spent most of my childhood there. Good luck with all the boys, so annoying when that happens. @Yorkshirecoop will be along soon, she loves her Polish and Pekins. Sasha xx

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hello! I'm Becci and I'm in Poole, Dorset. We are new to chicken keeping and currently have a flock of 6 pekins and Polands who are looking like they're mostly male! The suspected male Poland looks like Mac from Chicken Run!

Hi Becci and welcome to the thread! I love polish and Pekin Could you post a pic of your suspected male polish?

 

[timon]

Hi everyone. I've been away with work travelling for a week, which sounds glamourous, but really hotels, travel & office meeting rooms isn't as exciting as being at home.
I'd just started to teach my new hens that roosting is better than cramming into the nesting boxes... and now that I'm back it's as if they've forgotten all about roosting.
I'd love to keep the straw in the nest boxes clean.... the eggs are a total mess otherwise.

Also thought egg production had slowed to 1or2 per day, but found a massive stash under a bush yesterday. So out of 8 girls, I'm still getting 5 eggs each day.

Moulting.... I've not seen any loose their feathers yet, but they've only just grown back for most of them.

Also, I lost 1 battery hen. They free range each day and out themselves in the coup at night.... one day one of them didn't come back. Something must've happened, but there's no sign of foul play. Could it have gotten lost?

Sorry to hear the news of losses and tough hatches-Keep smiling if you can, the birds you do have will appreciate your care.
Timon

 

[Rudies Roost]

Hi everyone. I've been away with work travelling for a week, which sounds glamourous, but really hotels, travel & office meeting rooms isn't as exciting as being at home.
I'd just started to teach my new hens that roosting is better than cramming into the nesting boxes... and now that I'm back it's as if they've forgotten all about roosting.
I'd love to keep the straw in the nest boxes clean.... the eggs are a total mess otherwise.

Also thought egg production had slowed to 1or2 per day, but found a massive stash under a bush yesterday. So out of 8 girls, I'm still getting 5 eggs each day.

Moulting.... I've not seen any loose their feathers yet, but they've only just grown back for most of them.

Also, I lost 1 battery hen. They free range each day and out themselves in the coup at night.... one day one of them didn't come back. Something must've happened, but there's no sign of foul play. Could it have gotten lost?

Sorry to hear the news of losses and tough hatches-Keep smiling if you can, the birds you do have will appreciate your care.
Timon

Ah, what a shame...hopefully she's just a little lost and may appear soon.

@Yorkshirecoop I've been very naughty and just bought 2 new Cream Legbars. Really shouldn't be introducing new birds with my lot moulting but couldn't resist! Only went to buy some Flubenvet and wood shavings but the lure of a 7 week old and a 14 week old was too much after all my losses! Well that's my excuse anyway! Other half offered to pay so they've been a lovely little bonus.

 

[dan lindley]

Hi there,
Another UK'er from up in Yorkshire here. Finally set up with five lovely young ladies and eagerly waiting their first lay. I know it might be a while.

We have introduced them to the dogs and they all get on really well with each other, which I am so pleased about and some of the girl's don't mind being handled either which is reassuring as Lew are rather new to this.

Have read something today on training hens and wondered if anyone has had any success with this?

Here is a picture of the flock

Thanks and once again hi,

Dan & Becky,
Vera, Gertrude, Marjorie, Dorothea, Esmerelda

 

[Rudies Roost]

Hi there,
Another UK'er from up in Yorkshire here. Finally set up with five lovely young ladies and eagerly waiting their first lay. I know it might be a while.

We have introduced them to the dogs and they all get on really well with each other, which I am so pleased about and some of the girl's don't mind being handled either which is reassuring as Lew are rather new to this.

Have read something today on training hens and wondered if anyone has had any success with this?

Here is a picture of the flock

Thanks and once again hi,

Dan & Becky,
Vera, Gertrude, Marjorie, Dorothea, Esmerelda

They look super! Lovely names too...my hens names all end in "a" so I may pinch some of yours (though I already have a Vera). My chucks (and ducks) are well trained where food is concerned but nothing else, so can't help on that point, sorry. Enjoy the thread. Sash xx

 

[timon]

A few weeks ago, some of you may remember one of my chickens was gashed down one side.... I think by a clumsy Roo. As she's trying to grow her feathers back following life as a caged hen, a 3 inch tear in her skin looked pretty bad.

I'm pleased to report that her skin has healed very well indeed following some 'home surgery', and here is a picture of her wound today. Sorry it's a little blurred, but feathers are also growing back in the way !

 

[dan lindley]

@Rudies Roost you're more than welcome to pinch a name if you like. Just want to mention I went to the allotment today with some dried mealworms and managed to call Gertrude over and have her eat from my hand. She seems to be the only one that responds to her name at the moment but I hope that it is a good first step. Once she was over the rest of the flock came and ate from my hand out of curiosity.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi everyone. I've been away with work travelling for a week, which sounds glamourous, but really hotels, travel & office meeting rooms isn't as exciting as being at home.
I'd just started to teach my new hens that roosting is better than cramming into the nesting boxes... and now that I'm back it's as if they've forgotten all about roosting.
I'd love to keep the straw in the nest boxes clean.... the eggs are a total mess otherwise.
Also thought egg production had slowed to 1or2 per day, but found a massive stash under a bush yesterday. So out of 8 girls, I'm still getting 5 eggs each day.
Moulting.... I've not seen any loose their feathers yet, but they've only just grown back for most of them.
Also, I lost 1 battery hen. They free range each day and out themselves in the coup at night.... one day one of them didn't come back. Something must've happened, but there's no sign of foul play. Could it have gotten lost?
Sorry to hear the news of losses and tough hatches-Keep smiling if you can, the birds you do have will appreciate your care.
Timon

The little monkeys sure do creep back into their old ways! I have an odd one that sneaks into the nest box after lock up. I find picking the poop out of my coops each morning works well. I have a pair of marigolds and a little tub to pick with. It really does help with keeping the coops cleaner and smelling that bit better.

Sorry to hear about your lost hen Could she have flown away?

@Yorkshirecoop I've been very naughty and just bought 2 new Cream Legbars. Really shouldn't be introducing new birds with my lot moulting but couldn't resist! Only went to buy some Flubenvet and wood shavings but the lure of a 7 week old and a 14 week old was too much after all my losses! Well that's my excuse anyway! Other half offered to pay so they've been a lovely little bonus.

You go girl, congrats on your new birds! Even better that the other half bought them for you
Hope they have settled on ok?

Hi there,
Another UK'er from up in Yorkshire here. Finally set up with five lovely young ladies and eagerly waiting their first lay. I know it might be a while.

We have introduced them to the dogs and they all get on really well with each other, which I am so pleased about and some of the girl's don't mind being handled either which is reassuring as Lew are rather new to this.

Have read something today on training hens and wondered if anyone has had any success with this?

Here is a picture of the flock

Thanks and once again hi,

Dan & Becky,
Vera, Gertrude, Marjorie, Dorothea, Esmerelda

Hi & the thread!

Your new girls look great
Sounds like they are settling in well with you and the dogs. I'm afraid I don't know anything about training hens, mine just go around doing as they please and don't pay any attention to me unless I have treats! Love there names by the way.

A few weeks ago, some of you may remember one of my chickens was gashed down one side.... I think by a clumsy Roo. As she's trying to grow her feathers back following life as a caged hen, a 3 inch tear in her skin looked pretty bad.

I'm pleased to report that her skin has healed very well indeed following some 'home surgery', and here is a picture of her wound today. Sorry it's a little blurred, but feathers are also growing back in the way !

That is looking fantastic
You have really done a fab job with the "Home surgery"