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[ooRachyoo]

I'm such a proud mumma Hen, My lil Darlings took them selfs of to bed on their own for the first time, I've only had them 4 days. I was thinking I would have to be tucking them in for a little while yet, feel a bit redundant now I didn't have to go round them up, don't want to speak to soon because tomorrow night might be a bit different but I am very very proud

 

[fieldyollie]

I'm such a proud mumma Hen, My lil Darlings took them selfs of to bed on their own for the first time, I've only had them 4 days. I was thinking I would have to be tucking them in for a little while yet, feel a bit redundant now I didn't have to go round them up, don't want to speak to soon because tomorrow night might be a bit different but I am very very proud

oh that's great news, I have only left my girls 2 times to see if they go it on there own, I popped to the shop they where safe in there run, I came back to find 4 huddling ladies in the coop, I have no idea how all of them fit on one the one parch lol

 

[boudiccasmummy]

Hi to all the newbies on the thread. Great to see more UK members enjoying their chickens and sharing their experiences here.

@ Yorkshire coop

Well done for getting your handsome lad out for a ride. Hope you manage to keep it up.
I've had a few setbacks in recent days/weeks. MeMe over reached a few weeks back and made a real mess of her heel. She's had a couple of weeks off during which time she managed to get tangled in some plain wire that was coiled up out of the way, but Rascal managed to pull it out. Anyway, it looks like she may have fallen (I am guessing as no one saw it) and hit her head as she didn't want me touching her head or neck for several days and her muzzle was really swollen and eating was difficult. Once it was healed enough that she would let me have a look at it, I found an inch long gash inside her top lip where her teeth must have cut through. Anyway, having got over that and her over reach reasonably healed, I put boots on and took her out again for a gentle hack. Halfway round the boot came off and there was blood all over her hoof and sock and the over reach had opened up again. Then last night I went up to do my bed time check on them and give them some haylage...(I'm still waiting for my grass to come away after fertilizing) and found Rascal and her in the feed room, with every feed bin opened, some knocked over and all had been sampled. This included the hen feed... both layers pellets and mixed corn as well as Hi Fi, fibre nuggets, unsoaked sugar beet pellets and a sack and a half of carrots and 2 bags of haylage.... oh and full egg boxes tipped over and smashed everywhere and a large tub of meal worms that I just bought for the chucks, smashed and scattered! And they had been in there long enough to poo everywhere too! What a mess!!! And an even bigger worry of course!. I spent the night at the stables waiting for colic to set in, apart from half an hour when I dashed back home to do a quick internet search on the possible effects of what they had eaten and glug a very strong coffee to keep me going. Hugely relieved to report that there have been no ill effects so far other than very fat bellies, but I'm aware that it may spark a bout of laminitis. Of course my good lad, Rebel, hadn't followed them in ...(to be fair, there is barely room for 2 people in there with all the junk I hoard, let alone 2x 15.2hh horses... but Rebel wouldn't be naughty like that anyway)....it's always that Rascal who is getting into mischief and he's leading his baby sister astray with his escapades.... she's like his shadow!. .All 3 share a large open stable (it's an old byer) and farmyard and the feed room has a small access door off the stable which was definitely latched because I clearly remember double checking it.
Anyway, I invited my two special needs chickens in to the feed room, to help me clean up and they rather enjoyed that.... the meal worms particularly! I managed to grab a couple of hours sleep at lunch time, once I was reasonably confident that the chance of colic was passed,, but I'm pretty much on my last legs now and it will be an early night for me.

Needless to say, another day when I didn't get to ride.... or do any of the many other tasks that are at the top of my "urgent "to do" list. Arghh! That Rascal will be a juvenile delinquent till the day he dies.... thankfully it seems, despite his best efforts, that will not be today....., but I must confess that I was mentally preparing myself for the worst last night!.

Chickens are a doddle to look after by comparison! My chicks are 4 weeks old and there is no doubt that I dipped out this time with gender. I've definitely got 3 little cockerels. I really hope your little brown one turns out to be a pullet. On a positive note, I've at last grasped the nettle and started using my new phone, which has the facility to take photos and down load them, so hopefully I'll be able to share some pics soon. I feel like I'm missing out on a whole dimension of the forum by not being able to share pictures of my beasties like everyone else,,,,,it's like watching a black and white TV when everyone else has colour! 

Well that's my update for now. It would be nice not to have such traumatic stuff to write about next time! 

Hope everyone's chucks are happy and healthy and laying lots of eggs or getting ready to lay their first egg in the case of those with point of lay.... first eggs are so exciting!

Regards

Barbara  

that sounds very stressful. Hope Meme is better soon. Ur very lucky keeping ur horses at home. My Trixie is kept in livery atm (very good livery tho it has to be said: really supportive with in - built training/schooling for both me and Trixie seperately. They are big on natural horsemanship. Shes totally chilled out now after her stressful and sudden move in Feb (long story) but it's not the same as having ur horse at home. We r shopping around for a small - holding as I am keen to expand my chook repetoire and also try some goats out...

 

[boudiccasmummy]

I'm such a proud mumma Hen, My lil Darlings took them selfs of to bed on their own for the first time, I've only had them 4 days. I was thinking I would have to be tucking them in for a little while yet, feel a bit redundant now I didn't have to go round them up, don't want to speak to soon because tomorrow night might be a bit different but I am very very proud

I was surprised by that too. Being a newbie chook mummy I was pleasantly surprised that they put themselves to bed! All I need to do is shut the little hatch. we have resident Foxy-loxy about so I shut them in securely every night. Plus it keeps them quiet til a bit later in the morning. Out alpha hen heralds the dawn like a bloke. Tsk. And, being as the legality of keeping my chooks in my urban garden is a grey area I need to keep the neighbours happy!

 

[ooRachyoo]

I was surprised by that too. Being a newbie chook mummy I was pleasantly surprised that they put themselves to bed! All I need to do is shut the little hatch. we have resident Foxy-loxy about so I shut them in securely every night. Plus it keeps them quiet til a bit later in the morning. Out alpha hen heralds the dawn like a bloke. Tsk. And, being as the legality of keeping my chooks in my urban garden is a grey area I need to keep the neighbours happy!

I was so surprised how quickly they got it, they were all queuing up this morning yo come out which did make me laugh, I would love to have a cockerel but living in a street with houses all around I don't think I would be to popular

 

[boudiccasmummy]

I was so surprised how quickly they got it, they were all queuing up this morning yo come out which did make me laugh, I would love to have a cockerel but living in a street with houses all around I don't think I would be to popular

I didn't get a cockerels for the same reason but my alpha female is mega loud first thing. No complaints yet...but waiting for it...that why I am eager to move to semi-rural/rural area...

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Oh my Barbara!! What a carry on for you, is everyone ok? Hope they were ok after their little expedition into the feed room. I bet it was quite a sight. We've had it happen but generally with naughty ponies who can open bolts etc. I'm sure the chucks loved the clean up though a bonus for them with the meal worms.

How is MeMe's over reach? It's a nightmare isn't it when you think things are healing only to be set back again. Such a shame the boot came off, typical isn't it. I've had the same with Harry and boots. He did his tendon last year and had to have box rest. Thought it was going to be the end of riding him his leg was so swollen and he was dog lame. But long story short he had to have box rest which did not agree with him, bute and hosing as many times a day as possible. I also got some of those bio flow magnet boots and a couple of lotions and potions for his leg. I found the leg ice gel worked well but very strange feeling on your hands. Vet came back and he had made progress so said he could go in a very small fenced off area in the field enough to walk a little but not trot. I got some of those support sports boots for him so his legs were well wrapped up and supported. Well first day not too bad really behaved well and had a few hours out. Next day put him out and he decided he was not having any of it took the fence down got his leg in it pulled the boot off his bad leg, Lord only knows how they have 4 thick Velcro straps on. He proceeded around the field like he was running the national!! All this to my horror as I'm stood there thinking watch the leg watch the leg. Needless to say when I caught he came in and thank goodness he was ok for his little mission.
Been good and ridden yesterday and today. He will be thinking she's not catching me to ride me!!

Rascal is very well named!! He sounds quite a boy.

Back to chickens. I have an egg pipped in the incubator A little early only day 19 but it can't wait. 25 in there so hoping for a good hatch.

Have a lovely evening and I hope you don't have any surprises tonight!!

 

[jay0318]

I'm in the process of trying to introduce a new chicken to the 3 I have already, has anyone got any tips? when will I know they're actually ready to live together?

Thanks

 

[boudiccasmummy]

I'm in the process of trying to introduce a new chicken to the 3 I have already, has anyone got any tips? when will I know they're actually ready to live together?

Thanks

I am a newbie at chicken keeping but I just introduced my two new ones to my four established chooks at night so that they woke up together and sprayed the newbies tails with pine tar which discourages pecking/biting. (bought at my local farm shop). They had a couple of tussles but that's it. It was more vocal and feather plumping than actual violence. Two weeks later they are flocked together. It's worth commenting tho that the two new ones were previously quarantined by the previous owner for three weeks so I didn't need to do that part.

 

[KirstieJG]

Hi everyone

, I have just found this thread after starting a UK call out of my own and here you all are - oops!

I am in Surrey and my postage stamp garden is far too small for all the animals that I want but I dream of moving to Cornwall when the kids have finished school. I have five runner ducks; two are babies and are sooo darling, all yellow and fluffy, two black copper marrans - gorgeous personalities, so sweet tempered and friendly, a beautiful 6 week old white silkie bantam and another as yet unknown bantam but he/she is looking very like a cuckoo colour at the moment.

This year I have been trying my hand at hatching using an incubator so have begged and borrowed eggs off friends to hatch, Just a quick warning - hatching is addictive.

I have ended up with a few more than expected so will probably be selling bantam chicks and runner ducklings soon - watch this space!

some photos: