Hello . . . and a little help please?

[craddweb]

Hello everyone - am new to the forum having read a few posts in the past and found it to be really useful, I thought it was time I signed up.

I've had three brown shavers for two years - Zoe, Roxy and Ginger. When one, Zoe, went broody for the second time we decided to let her have a go at hatching and so bought 6 eggs of various kinds. We now have four four-month old babies, 2 araucanas, a silver spangled hamburg and a houdan. None of them are laying yet and one has started making what sounds like a definite crow ! I have read many of your posts about identifiying the boys from the girls but am still none the wiser as to which one it is! By the time we open the curtains or race outside they are all just standing there looking at us and don't make a sound

I will attempt to insert photos and see if anyone can give me some clues.

The other thing that has always puzzled me about my chooks is that none of them roost inside the hen house. The shavers have always slept on the floor, despite having a great pole which has been moved and adapted many times to encourage them and now some of the babies are copying. The other babies have taken to roosting outside on the top of hen house! Should I worry about them not being in the hen house. We live in a small village so there are plenty of cats and possums about. Any ideas?

Thanks for your help
Debbie

 

[Amyable]

Not really sure how to help with your questions, I'm a newbie myself ( getting first chicks this month.) I guess if your girls are happy sleeping on the floor, that's ok. Unless you don't have a secure run, then predators would be a problem. Do you freerange or have them in a run? Maybe you can lock them in their house at night, then nobody will get picked off by not roosting off the ground.

 

[nzpouter]

your second araucana is the roo, cats won't bother a grown hen of the size you got and the possum we got (I assume you're from NZ) are not chooks eater.... you got more worries with hedgehog if your hens are sleeping on the floor.

 

[craddweb]

Thanks for those replys. I didn't make it clear about them sleeping on the floor - it is on the floor of the henhouse so we can shut them in at night. The other roost on top of the henhouse and seem very indignant if I try to put them inside. I guess they know best

Thanks for the info too on the roo - that one is most certainly a lot bigger than the other one and I just noticed doesn't have feathery legs, whereas the other does. He is the hardest one to catch too! Decision time for him I guess.