UK Member Please Say HI

[rebrascora]

@Yorkshire Coop

Hi Kim

Sorry to hear your Nanna is not making any progress. Hope that has changed in the last few days since you posted.

Shame on you, winding your mother up like that about bringing the chickens in the house!

Pleased to hear Harry is still ticking along. My GGs are all pretty down in the mouth at the moment too but physically OK. Got Cora and Rainy's feet trimmed yesterday with the help of my sister, so that was a huge relief as the big lad's were in desperate need of attention. With being in the field all the time there is no wear on them so they just get very long and then split if I don't catch them in time. I get the farrier to do them once or twice a year but when it's filthy muddy in the field, I can't really expect them to do them. With my sister's help we brought them into a nearby car park and alternated one feeding them haylage from a bag whilst the other rasped and then swapping over when one got tired. Farriery is incredibly back breaking work, especially when you aren't used to it!
Layers moved into neighbours coop tonight, so we will see how they take the idea of being incarcerated tomorrow morning! It will be odd for them being on the other side of "the wall"! Still got work to do on the pens down here at home, but made a little progress once the rain stopped. Yes another 10 or 20 hours in the day wouldn't go amiss!

As regards your question about Zak a few days ago, apart from first aid treatment when he needed it the other week, my input into his training is at an end, at least until next year. He is getting training on the job now as Ian has started taking him out for the occasional days hunting. He was just bemoaning the fact that all the local cross country courses are closed for the winter as he could really do with taking him somewhere like that now, so that he can experience different fences. He is looking incredibly well though and is so full of himself now, it is lovely to see.....especially when you compare him to the photo Ian took when he first arrived as a skinny, shaggy forlorn looking youngster. I have to say, he must be a very good judge of horseflesh to see the potential in such a sad looking beastie!

Think that is all my news. Hope you are having a pleasant evening.

Best wishes

Barbara

 

[PaulaMc]

Hi

I only have 6. At a pinch for now I could put the silkies in one run and the big girls in a rabbit run. They won't like it but at least I can cover them up. Should I do it now do you think?

I have a friend on the case to help me with the run but might take a day or two.

As there are no cases in UK at moment do you think we don't need to panic too much at the moment love?

Thanks

Hi all

How have you all spent your day re the 30 day sanction for Avian Flu?

Being the manic panicker that I am, I have spent most of the day cobbling together two runs attached to the coop. However, I needed to pop out for a few hours and the little darlings were ranging free when I got home

Not sure how they escaped but have worked on it ha ha.

So, this evening I have secured the enclosure where the pop hole is and where I have used 3 garden tables, tarpaulin and bamboo netting to create it. Am planning to buy netting tomorrow and put poles in the ground to secure it. I have disassembled the run from the other coop I had and attached that to the front of the coop. As the big girls lord it over the silkies I thought giving them two escape routes through the coop might be best.

I have used a washing up bowl to create a dust bash using the soil and some wood ash that they usually bathe in. Pictures to follow tomorrow

Am shattered, tennis elbow is giving me jip, but hopefully will keep my girls safe -even though they hate not having full range of the garden.

Would love any tips on what everyone else is doing.

Hugs

 

[PaulaMc]

Gosh! I dont know what to think!! I'm in the same boat as you....I have to order the mesh for the roof so it'll be a few days before mine are "contained" too. I suppose one good thing is that at least as it's Winter, mine are generally not out in the morning's till around 8am and then in bed and locked up by 4pm (ish) so the exposure hours are less than if it was the Summer.

I have nearly 30 (including 5 ducks) so only having to pen up 6 should be ok, a rabbit run sounds good....could even get second hand ones if needs be. Oh the stress!!

Good luck!! Mine are already queueing up at the gate to be let up the garden....better give them some lettuce or something as it's going to be a while till they can have the grass

Sasha xx

Hi Sasha

I agree that this is best happening now as they are out for shorter periods. Hope you get your roof sorted soon. See my post further on to see what I have cobbled together for my 6 girls. As 3 were ex batts am paranoid about giving them space so have worked really hard in the last few days to make their confinement as lovely as possible ha ha. The rabbit run has been used to put against the run to stop them getting out ha ha. Photos to follow tomorrow.

Don't you want to give them anything they want when they look at you as if to say 'why are you doing this?' I feel so bad but know I might be saving their lives. I really hate having to shoo the wild birds away and remove their food. Am going to get on to RSPB and ask for tips on this-have put bird feeder at the front of the house for now as they are used to me feeding them.

Good luck sweetie and let me know how you get on xx

 

[PaulaMc]

I'm sure all this will be just for precautionary measures. As always though things like this can be very worrisome especially as more migratory birds head over here. As already said wild birds are the biggest carriers of this so keeping them out is a good precautionary measure. Thankfully I have covered runs so wild birds are kept out. I'm sure though my little birds won't be happy at not being let out in the garden

I could not resist winding my mum up this morning though over it all

She text me early this morning when she had seen it on the news, she asked "Can I let the girls out of the coop" She has a couple of warrens & polish in a covered run like mine. Well I just could not stop myself when I rang her back and told her she would have to bring them in the house!

She replied rather loudly that no way were they livng in the house with a few bleep words thrown in there

It gave me a good giggle for the morning and she felt very daft that she believed me!

Ha ha that was so funny.

Mind you, I actually have thought of bringing my 6 into the house tee hee xx

 

[PaulaMc]

I live very near to a wild bird conservation area and regularly walk around it with my sister and her dog but am not going to for the next few weeks- just in case. Am I being too paranoid or being sensible? Please let me know peeps x

 

[PaulaMc]

@Yorkshire Coop

Hi Kim

Sorry to hear your Nanna is not making any progress. Hope that has changed in the last few days since you posted.

Shame on you, winding your mother up like that about bringing the chickens in the house!

Pleased to hear Harry is still ticking along. My GGs are all pretty down in the mouth at the moment too but physically OK. Got Cora and Rainy's feet trimmed yesterday with the help of my sister, so that was a huge relief as the big lad's were in desperate need of attention. With being in the field all the time there is no wear on them so they just get very long and then split if I don't catch them in time. I get the farrier to do them once or twice a year but when it's filthy muddy in the field, I can't really expect them to do them. With my sister's help we brought them into a nearby car park and alternated one feeding them haylage from a bag whilst the other rasped and then swapping over when one got tired. Farriery is incredibly back breaking work, especially when you aren't used to it!
Layers moved into neighbours coop tonight, so we will see how they take the idea of being incarcerated tomorrow morning! It will be odd for them being on the other side of "the wall"! Still got work to do on the pens down here at home, but made a little progress once the rain stopped. Yes another 10 or 20 hours in the day wouldn't go amiss!

As regards your question about Zak a few days ago, apart from first aid treatment when he needed it the other week, my input into his training is at an end, at least until next year. He is getting training on the job now as Ian has started taking him out for the occasional days hunting. He was just bemoaning the fact that all the local cross country courses are closed for the winter as he could really do with taking him somewhere like that now, so that he can experience different fences. He is looking incredibly well though and is so full of himself now, it is lovely to see.....especially when you compare him to the photo Ian took when he first arrived as a skinny, shaggy forlorn looking youngster. I have to say, he must be a very good judge of horseflesh to see the potential in such a sad looking beastie!

Think that is all my news. Hope you are having a pleasant evening.

Best wishes

Barbara


Hope all your sweeties are well Barbara x

 

[Rudies Roost]

Hi Sasha

I agree that this is best happening now as they are out for shorter periods.  Hope you get your roof sorted soon. See my post further on to see what I have cobbled together for my 6 girls.  As 3 were ex batts am paranoid about giving them space so have worked really hard in the last few days to make their confinement as lovely as possible ha ha.  The rabbit run has been used to put against the run to stop them getting out ha ha. Photos to follow tomorrow.

Don't you want to give them anything they want when they look at you as if to say 'why are you doing this?'  I feel so bad but know I might be saving their lives. I really hate having to shoo the wild birds away and remove their food.  Am going to get on to RSPB and ask for tips on this-have put bird feeder at the front of the house for now as they are used to me feeding them.

Good luck sweetie and let me know how you get on xx

Hey @PaulaMc Still waiting for the flippin' netting so no progress here. I too have moved the wild bird feeding station away from the coop...I have a large, long garden so have shoved it right down to the end...just hope I remember to top it up often enough. We have a load of Sparrows, 2 pairs of collared doves, great tits, blue tits and bullfinches that need help over the Winter.

My poor lot are already suffering as we lost our Cockerel this week to some unknown problem (my girls have now got a Silkie cock running the show...he's tenacious but small compared to most of mine), so being locked in a pen, albeit a huge one, is not making them happy. Oh well, they and we just have to deal with it.

We will be away when the sanction is lifted so my neighbours who look after them whilst we are away will get the joy of the release! Boy! They will fly!!

Hope your tennis elbow cheers up and best of luck with the future construction.. I look forward to seeing the pics. Mine are using the sawdust on the coop floor for dust bathing at the mo rather than the dry patches of soil under the fir trees at the top of the garden....what a mess they are making in there!

@rebrascora Hope the work at home goes well. I'm another one that could do with another few hours in the day especially with the lack of daylight hours these days. It didn't even get light here till gone 08:30 this morning! Hope it all goes well, what a lot of bother for 30 days...but spose we must do our bit

 

[PaulaMc]

Hey @PaulaMc Still waiting for the flippin' netting so no progress here. I too have moved the wild bird feeding station away from the coop...I have a large, long garden so have shoved it right down to the end...just hope I remember to top it up often enough. We have a load of Sparrows, 2 pairs of collared doves, great tits, blue tits and bullfinches that need help over the Winter.

My poor lot are already suffering as we lost our Cockerel this week to some unknown problem (my girls have now got a Silkie cock running the show...he's tenacious but small compared to most of mine), so being locked in a pen, albeit a huge one, is not making them happy. Oh well, they and we just have to deal with it.

We will be away when the sanction is lifted so my neighbours who look after them whilst we are away will get the joy of the release! Boy! They will fly!!

Hope your tennis elbow cheers up and best of luck with the future construction.. I look forward to seeing the pics. Mine are using the sawdust on the coop floor for dust bathing at the mo rather than the dry patches of soil under the fir trees at the top of the garden....what a mess they are making in there!

@rebrascora Hope the work at home goes well. I'm another one that could do with another few hours in the day especially with the lack of daylight hours these days. It didn't even get light here till gone 08:30 this morning! Hope it all goes well, what a lot of bother for 30 days...but spose we must do our bit

Hi

So sorry about your cockerel. It's so sad when you lose a bird. Hugs. If your silkie cockerel is anything like my silkie ladies he will be a bugger ha ha.

My silkies are being bullied in the confined space but have added on to it tonight so fingers crossed. I just keep telling them that it's 'saving their lives' and only 'for a month'. Obviously they don't understand but it makes me feel better haha.

Aww thanks for your concern about my elbow-won't stop me I'm a tough old bird ha ha .Am also using shavings and it is a mess but have put in a washing up bowl of: soil, wood ash and DE for them to dust bathe. Will let you know how that goes.. Mine too prefer to bathe in a hole under the trees.

Night night x

 

[PaulaMc]

Hey @PaulaMc Still waiting for the flippin' netting so no progress here. I too have moved the wild bird feeding station away from the coop...I have a large, long garden so have shoved it right down to the end...just hope I remember to top it up often enough. We have a load of Sparrows, 2 pairs of collared doves, great tits, blue tits and bullfinches that need help over the Winter.

My poor lot are already suffering as we lost our Cockerel this week to some unknown problem (my girls have now got a Silkie cock running the show...he's tenacious but small compared to most of mine), so being locked in a pen, albeit a huge one, is not making them happy. Oh well, they and we just have to deal with it.

We will be away when the sanction is lifted so my neighbours who look after them whilst we are away will get the joy of the release! Boy! They will fly!!

Hope your tennis elbow cheers up and best of luck with the future construction.. I look forward to seeing the pics. Mine are using the sawdust on the coop floor for dust bathing at the mo rather than the dry patches of soil under the fir trees at the top of the garden....what a mess they are making in there!

@rebrascora Hope the work at home goes well. I'm another one that could do with another few hours in the day especially with the lack of daylight hours these days. It didn't even get light here till gone 08:30 this morning! Hope it all goes well, what a lot of bother for 30 days...but spose we must do our bit

Hi

So sorry about your cockerel. It's so sad when you lose a bird. Hugs. If your silkie cockerel is anything like my silkie ladies he will be a bugger ha ha.

My silkies are being bullied in the confined space but have added on to it tonight so fingers crossed. I just keep telling them that it's 'saving their lives' and only 'for a month'. Obviously they don't understand but it makes me feel better haha.

Aww thanks for your concern about my elbow-won't stop me I'm a tough old bird ha ha .Am also using shavings and it is a mess but have put in a washing up bowl of: soil, wood ash and DE for them to dust bathe. Will let you know how that goes.. Mine too prefer to bathe in a hole under the trees.

Night night x

 

[RascalAndJemima]

Managed to get Clear plastic lining from B&Q and cover the pen in the dark after work today. The ducks sat inside in the warmth of my house and watched me, working in the cold, out of the French doors with curious eyes

If there are any cases of bird flu in the uk they will have to live in our house. I feel thankful that we only have the two as even this is stressful enough. So lovely to read about how much everybody loves their birds though. Poultry-less people are missing out!