We were given two chooks and a tractor!

[Kiwi Amy]

So we were given two hens (Henrietta Cluck and Shelley) and a lovely chicken tractor. We live in suburban Wellington, and we hadn't expected chooks - it's been a very interesting time for all concerned!

Henrietta escaped from the tractor and we learnt that you can't negotiate with a chicken. (She went back inside the moment she wanted to and not a moment before.)

Shelley's currently contemplating going broody - she's not all that committed to the broody cause so is currently a bit grumpy but easy to distract (and she stays distracted for hours). We've got a broody jail planned if she starts losing condition but we'd rather make do until then.

Hens are fun! I don't understand their thought processes yet but it's a bloody interesting learning curve!

No doubt I'll come here with thousands of questions - thanks in advance for your help!

 

[drumstick diva]

I love your introduction. You are so totally right, you cannot negotiate with chickens. People tend to believe they are stupid but, its funny how fast they get the upper hand(wing) and teach their owners some lessons. So glad you joined the flock

 

[drumstick diva]

Am I right in guessing you are from New Zealand?

 

[Kiwi Amy]

I am from New Zealand! (And thanks for your warm welcome!)

We had a rare hot day today (Wellington's weather is more than a little bit crappy) and the girls felt it. We've extended their living quarters - during the day they get loads of foragey space - and today we added a shade-cloth to their living quarters. And semi-frozen peas - they were a hit. Plus I washed my car (that sentence in itself deserves some sort of applause) and I created temporary rain with the hose when I wasn't using it to clean the car.

That will happen precisely once a year. The rest of the time we'll be trying to figure out how to cope with the howling southerlies that welly likes to deliver. Fresh from Antartica...

(And I've been wondering if the girls are congratulating each other on training us, while we're congratulating each other on training the girls...thanks for confirming it!)

 

[N F C]

Welcome to BYC!

Nice to have you join us. Glad to hear you are enjoying your chooks, they are fun aren't they? If you haven't learned this already, you will quickly find out no one can understand chicken-keeping like another chicken-keeper. And here we never get tired of talking about them so feel free to ask any questions you may have or just share stories/photos for us all to enjoy.

P.S. Here's the applause for washing your car:

LOL

 

[ChickyChickens]

Welcome to BYC!!! There are loads of members on here…so if you have ANY questions…just ASK!!!

Hope you have loads of fun and all your answers answered here on BYC the BEST CHICKEN KEEPING FORUM on EARTH!!

 

[sunflour]

Glad you joined us.

RE: negotiation with a chicken…

First time we let ours out, one ran around the coop/run, we found out quickly that you cannot catch a chicken. I'm sure she was laughing at my DH running behind her. She came back in when she was good and ready.

 

[N F C]

Glad you joined us.

RE: negotiation with a chicken…

First time we let ours out, one ran around the coop/run, we found out quickly that you cannot catch a chicken. I'm sure she was laughing at my DH running behind her. She came back in when she was good and ready.

They are fast little things, aren't they?

 

[Book Em Danno25]

 

[Kiwi Amy]

 They are fast little things, aren't they?

Waaaaaaaay faster than me! (It's not enormously difficult to be faster than me, but still...)

One of them's very shrieky in the morning. We've tried explaining that we have neighbours but no luck so far. It's almost like she's trying to harness her inner rooster. Not entirely sure if there's anything we can do about that...nothing seems to distract her.