Mother Tweed

+ 5 = 169

I have two Labradors and when i first got the hens they were VERY interested. Both of them tried lunging at the run and both got a sharp shock of me doing the ‘angry voice’ which they don’t hear often. They done it a couple of times more and now slink around avoiding the hens even when they come in the kitchen. My older Lab who’s nine does occasionally do the ‘stalking pose’ when the hens are all sub bathing and a short but loud ‘leave it’ has her scooting away again. It’s such a natural thing for a Lab to want to flush out birds they can’t help themselves but will learn very quickly if you praise them and treat them when they get it right. I hope this settles down as the wee chooks will be nervous wrecks otherwise.

I have just mixed up their wormer in with a weeks worth of pellets, put it out and have briefed my husband that they are to get absolutely no/zero/nada treats this week. I will see if that makes a difference and if not will restrict their free ranging time right down further again. I will keep them cooped up until 10:00 and put them back in from 18:00 on a strict routine this week and that cuts them back by 3.5 hours per day from their current raking about time ☺️ Thank you so much for taking your time to give me advice, I actually already feel so much more confident in a couple of hours of having people who know what they are talking about helping me! 👍

Thanks for your reply. Yes I worked them about four weeks ago, but. Read somewhere On here you should follow up within about three weeks the first time, so will do it again for the next five days. Our coop opens itself at 6:30 and they haven’t been getting out of the run until about 09:30, I do that to try to get them to eat their pellets, but will now cut their treats right back to only those I need in an ‘emergency recall’ which has only happened when they’ve flew over the fence 👀 Their breast bone is indeed sharp, so I’ll go with the working again and encourage them to their pellets of an evening too for at least the last hour and see if that helps. Thanks again for taking the time to respond. Thank you, restriction it is. I have Labradors too so am well used to ‘begging for food’ faces 😅

Hello all, I’m new to the forum and only two months into Hen keeping. Very interested to read this topic as I just want to feed my ladies ALL the time as they are SO skinny. I have a couple of questions if I may and someone might be so kind as to advise please? 1. I have been putting dried mealworms into an omlet peck toy which they empty every day. I’m not sure if they came from China, are they bad for the hens in general? I thought they’d be good for calcium 🤷‍♀️ I have also been feeding them a mug full of defrosted sweet corn each day as my go to, to get them all into the run, if I need to. I feed them organic layers pellets and they free range in my pretty mature herbaceous flower garden and dig and scrape for Britain. 2. As I said, my hens are very skinny they are about 6 months old now, is that normal? I feel worried that they just feel all bones when I pick the wee souls up. I have five and they are a Rhode Island Red,a Leghorn, a Plymouth Barred Rick, a Black And a Lavender. 3. The Leghorn has had trouble forming egg shells since I got her, some drop at least twice a week into the sawdust beneath the roosting tray just in a membrane with no shell, and maybe once to twice a week she’ll lay an egg with quite a thin shell but it’s ok, other than a bit wonky shaped. I’m putting Omlet grit through their layer feed as well as NET TEX Mineral boost through it. I’ve washed and baked egg shells, crushed and put through their feed also. Anything I can do that I’m not trying? I’d be really grateful if anyone can offer advice.