CharlieScherrer
In the Brooder
Hi there. I am a married 32 year old Yorkshire girl living in Leeds. I have two Bedlington Terriers and a rabbit and soon to have 4 added to my furry family too!
I thought I would introduce myself. Last year I rescued 4 "Warren" hens (roughly about 1/1.5 years old) after persuading my Dad to take another 4 for his huge allotment plot. I did this through the British Hen Welfare Trust. They all did brilliantly. They didn't look great when I got them but their plumages grew back quickly and they are all so happy now! They lay great eggs (on average one a day per hen). Recently one of them died but my Dad said (he's kept hens for over 20 years) that you can expect a 25% mortality rate so this is normal (is it?).....also I realise that I gave it a great last year of its life, after having a horrible life in its previous home (factory farm)! It didn't have anything wrong with it, it just croaked!
Anyhow, this Sunday I am getting another 4 hens, though the British Hen Welfare Trust again. This time its for MY garden! I have ordered a decent size Coop (it arrives tomorrow), all the correct feed, a feeder, drinker, the correct bedding and even a swing for them ha ha! I am so excited to see them in the garden. All the neighbours have been informed and have been great about it (probably cos I am not getting a rooster!) and I have ordered some lovely colourful "4 egg" boxes and free range labels too so I can start handing out my eggs to friends and family in an attempt to spread the word about how (hopefully) easy it is to keep you own chickens. my dad has given me lots of sound advice and I have done lots of reading about hens and how to keep them happy and healthy!
I am hoping joining BYC will be useful as and when in need questions answering, which I am sure there will be many!
Actually here goes....1st question.
We have a neighbour who has said she'll look after the hens whilst we go away for 1 week in june. the kind of feeder I have is a galvanised steel one with a bucket type lid and food comes out in a circle shape at the bottom (standard looking feeder).....will she just have to keep topping up their water and this feed? how can you control how much they eat so they don't just eat constantly with these feeders?
Another question also.......how long do eggs stay fresh?
And another (sorry!)...........my Dad says that he has clipped the wings of a few of his more troublesome hens. He says this doesn't hurt them? what our stance on this? I don't think I like the sound of cutting anything off them to be honest but it may make me feel better about them potentially jumping my fence in case they do get out for whatever reason?
thank you
charlotte
I thought I would introduce myself. Last year I rescued 4 "Warren" hens (roughly about 1/1.5 years old) after persuading my Dad to take another 4 for his huge allotment plot. I did this through the British Hen Welfare Trust. They all did brilliantly. They didn't look great when I got them but their plumages grew back quickly and they are all so happy now! They lay great eggs (on average one a day per hen). Recently one of them died but my Dad said (he's kept hens for over 20 years) that you can expect a 25% mortality rate so this is normal (is it?).....also I realise that I gave it a great last year of its life, after having a horrible life in its previous home (factory farm)! It didn't have anything wrong with it, it just croaked!
Anyhow, this Sunday I am getting another 4 hens, though the British Hen Welfare Trust again. This time its for MY garden! I have ordered a decent size Coop (it arrives tomorrow), all the correct feed, a feeder, drinker, the correct bedding and even a swing for them ha ha! I am so excited to see them in the garden. All the neighbours have been informed and have been great about it (probably cos I am not getting a rooster!) and I have ordered some lovely colourful "4 egg" boxes and free range labels too so I can start handing out my eggs to friends and family in an attempt to spread the word about how (hopefully) easy it is to keep you own chickens. my dad has given me lots of sound advice and I have done lots of reading about hens and how to keep them happy and healthy!
I am hoping joining BYC will be useful as and when in need questions answering, which I am sure there will be many!
Actually here goes....1st question.
We have a neighbour who has said she'll look after the hens whilst we go away for 1 week in june. the kind of feeder I have is a galvanised steel one with a bucket type lid and food comes out in a circle shape at the bottom (standard looking feeder).....will she just have to keep topping up their water and this feed? how can you control how much they eat so they don't just eat constantly with these feeders?
Another question also.......how long do eggs stay fresh?
And another (sorry!)...........my Dad says that he has clipped the wings of a few of his more troublesome hens. He says this doesn't hurt them? what our stance on this? I don't think I like the sound of cutting anything off them to be honest but it may make me feel better about them potentially jumping my fence in case they do get out for whatever reason?
thank you
charlotte
