UK Members Please Say HI

[timon]

Why won't young chicks use the coop like other chickens do?
I've kept them in the coop for the last 3 days. Let them run around yesterday and today for about 2 hours at the end of the day.
I'm not sure this would be safe overnight....
I don't want to find them disappearing overnight from being outside.

 

[timon]

Here's the little rascals !!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

@rebrascora

Hi Barbara,

It sounds like you had a fabulous time with your side saddle lesson Those riding school creatures are sure not all plods! Glad you got one with a bit of life and that you had a fab time. It also sounds like you might need a bus to get everyone up there for your next one, you should ask the riding school for a commission on all the troops you have rounded up! Hope your next one is just as good and that you have lots of fun

All quiet here at the mo and not much news really. I did get out on Harry both days last weeeknd and have been today too. No stubble fields though as we have been babysitting a just broken 4 year old. She has been really good out on the road and fingers crossed it all carries on that way. Harry has been a star and even when a dog jumped up at a gate and scared her to death he didn't bat an eye lid when she whacked full on into him. Sometimes I think he likes to act the goat but knows when he needs to be good! He's an old softie really We went again this morning but with a couple of extra folk so 4 in total, I thought that might be off putting for her but she took in her stride and we made it round the village even with the extra traffic. We went at 6am last weekend, it was very quiet so going at 10 this morning let her see more traffic. All in all going well but I'm itching to get back in the fields before they get turned over!

A couple more of my hens have started a bit of a molt, lots of feathers the last couple of days and all of a sudden they are looking ratty Ginny my Amber hen who is about 5 now has been off it for a couple of days now Lots of sleeping and in general very slow. Still eating and drinking and perks up for treats but "off" it. She has not laid an egg for god knows how long now but there isn't one stuck, crop working as it should be so for now I'm putting it down to an age thing. She sure has been a good layer over the years and if she croaks it sure will be sad. I'm giving her a few more days to see how she goes before I make a decision on her future.

Think that's about it for now, hope you are having a great weekend Barbara and that all your beasties are ok? Especially MeMe and her war wound

Catch you soon,

Kim xx

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Why won't young chicks use the coop like other chickens do?
I've kept them in the coop for the last 3 days. Let them run around yesterday and today for about 2 hours at the end of the day.
I'm not sure this would be safe overnight....
I don't want to find them disappearing overnight from being outside.

No a fox could easily get them there

Do you have a run connected to your coop? If so you could let them out during the day and a couple of hours before bed put them in the run so they get used to going in the coop. It's a natural thing for them to get up high to roost on a night so that's probably why they are going for the top of the coop and it can often take a few weeks to coop train them.

 

[GarwKatie]

Hi all, I'm in South Wales, nice to find some other UK folk here!

I hope the backyard thing isn't too strict, mine are kept in an acre field that I use as an allotment. The land belongs to a good friend and it technically is her back garden though ;D

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi all, I'm in South Wales, nice to find some other UK folk here!

I hope the backyard thing isn't too strict, mine are kept in an acre field that I use as an allotment. The land belongs to a good friend and it technically is her back garden though ;D

Hi Welcome to the UK thread!

It's certainly not strict on the backyard thing here, there really are keepers of all kinds here

I have to say that your acre of land sounds great, room for lots of birds!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Now I won't sleep tonight, it was way too close for comfort

 

[GarwKatie]

Hi Welcome to the UK thread!

It's certainly not strict on the backyard thing here, there really are keepers of all kinds here

I have to say that your acre of land sounds great, room for lots of birds!

It's great to have an acre to play with, but it is really more the side of a steep mountain ferns, gorse and sooo many anthills included chickens don't seem to mind too much luckily

 

[LindyMandyMoo]

Hi, i've just joined today, i'm from Leicestershire in the uk.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi, i've just joined today, i'm from Leicestershire in the uk.

Hi Welcome to BYC and the UK thread!

Do you keep many birds?