- Sep 11, 2013
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Just joined.
My story ... Have recently moved to a georgeus lifestyle block, surrounded by NZ native bush. New to chooks, and have had quite a journey already since May. Inherited 9 'ferral' chooks, that had obviously been fairly neglected. Were roosting in the trees, would scream wildly whenever I came near, no eggs, and to make things worse my sheep 'eye dog' Gin, killed a couple of them, leaving feather carnage all over my lawn! That leaves 7 wild girls.
Have since, revitalised the chicken house, tended and planted out the fenced chook garden (it's even pretty enough to sit and enjoy a cuppa with the chooks now), bought in four new pullets (two rare breeds), and done all my research on feeding, caring and free-ranging. I now have 10 chickens living (by choice) in the chook house and garden, and 6 eggs a day! Only one of them insists on screaming at me and flys in and out, otherwise all is peaceful and friendly. My dog and cat sit outside the gate observing quietly, and a couple times a week I put the dog away and let them wander around the section an hour before sunset.
Never expected to fall so in love with them. They take a lot more care than I thought, and their emotional health seems important for happy laying chooks. Sadly, I have just lost my young 'Black Langsham'. She became sick and died very suddenly, with blood and mucous poo. Quite upsetting, she was my favourite – a clumsy cute friendly one with hairy hobbit feet.
Any advice? The others seem fine, and poos normal. I've fed them all a natural de-worm tonic (molasses, oats, garlic, cider vinegar, cayenne pepper) and infused their water with cider vinegar. Someone mentioned possible 'egg-bound'. I don't think she had officially started laying yet. Very sudden
My story ... Have recently moved to a georgeus lifestyle block, surrounded by NZ native bush. New to chooks, and have had quite a journey already since May. Inherited 9 'ferral' chooks, that had obviously been fairly neglected. Were roosting in the trees, would scream wildly whenever I came near, no eggs, and to make things worse my sheep 'eye dog' Gin, killed a couple of them, leaving feather carnage all over my lawn! That leaves 7 wild girls.
Have since, revitalised the chicken house, tended and planted out the fenced chook garden (it's even pretty enough to sit and enjoy a cuppa with the chooks now), bought in four new pullets (two rare breeds), and done all my research on feeding, caring and free-ranging. I now have 10 chickens living (by choice) in the chook house and garden, and 6 eggs a day! Only one of them insists on screaming at me and flys in and out, otherwise all is peaceful and friendly. My dog and cat sit outside the gate observing quietly, and a couple times a week I put the dog away and let them wander around the section an hour before sunset.
Never expected to fall so in love with them. They take a lot more care than I thought, and their emotional health seems important for happy laying chooks. Sadly, I have just lost my young 'Black Langsham'. She became sick and died very suddenly, with blood and mucous poo. Quite upsetting, she was my favourite – a clumsy cute friendly one with hairy hobbit feet.
Any advice? The others seem fine, and poos normal. I've fed them all a natural de-worm tonic (molasses, oats, garlic, cider vinegar, cayenne pepper) and infused their water with cider vinegar. Someone mentioned possible 'egg-bound'. I don't think she had officially started laying yet. Very sudden
Chickens are quite addictive and are a lot of fun, sounds like you have a really nice set up for them. Sorry to hear about your Black Langshan? When you are talking bloody poo, the first thing you suspect is coccidia, 
