Miss Marple

I am using verm-x pellets to worm my girls, because I read on the forum that this was something I needed to do, but I have no idea how I can tell if they have them..... is it obvious?

We have had our girls for three weeks too. They are ex-batts, the friendliest Barbara encouraged the other two to take corn from our hands by following her example. Chicken will now allow herself to be stroked, though she is not totally convinced. Miss Marple has always been the nervy one, she will eat out of our hands, but will not let us get near enough to stroke her. We feel that she will come around in time and to just be patient. The treats which they love most are oatmeal and probiotic yogurt made into a porridge, i craftily added the worming pellets and they scoffed the lot. They were using their wings to elbow each other out of the way, their legs were at such a stance that they had alot of strength, you had to see it, it was so funny. Their other favourites are live mealworms and spaghetti, the spaghetti is the funniest to watch, its almost like a game of rugby, they steal it off one another and won't wait patiently to be given a strand each. They pelt around the garden and will leap into the air for it if its dangled. I have offered veggies, sultana's and grapes, but so far they are not interested. Oh, I must say they love popcorn too!

I thought you would like an update on my noisy girls. Well, thanks to all your suggestions the girls are waking up at around 6.30am now I solved the problem of their early waking by getting a navy blue shower curtain from IKEA, we put on their run at night and shut the house door and they think that the night is longer than it really is. I am so relieved, i was getting so stressed about it. I have also been around to the neighbours with a box of eggs each and they have said that the girls haven't bothered them at all...phew They say that they actually like to hear them bokking as they roam the garden during the day. So thanks again everyone

Thanks for the replies so far, I will try the wrapping of the house at night. i plan to visit all the neighbours tomorrow, I am hoping that they are ok and don't think of themselves as being disturbed too much. As the chickens are better if it is dark, then does that mean that when the mornings are darker then they should sleep that bit longer? I hope so.

My three ex-batts wake up really early, like 5am onwards. When the eglu door is shut they sing loudly enough to wake us and quarrel, when we leave it open they bok and when we try the free range option they have stood on their tip toes and bok boked. I am concerned about our neighbours and do plan to ask how much the girls are disturbing them. At other times of the day they just cluck about chatting to themselves, but the mornings are becoming a concern. I would like some feedback to whether they are are just settling in as we have had them only two weeks or is this normal behaviour. A friend of ours says hers are content to stay in until she lets them out, but hers are about 5 years old. In time will our girls be quieter? Otherwise, what do you suggest we do for a quieter wake up for ourselves and our neighbours.

Thanks for your help everyone.

I am collecting Miss Marple and two friends tomorrow, they are ex battery hens. I know that they need mash and other stuff that I have read about to keep them fed and healthy, but I don't know how I get them to eat the grit. Someone has said that she puts a dish of it in their coop so they can help themselves, but I am wondering if you can give it in the food, would this be easier, or would it be dangerous? This may seem a silly question to those of you who know what your doing, but it is something that has been puzzling me. I am a complete novice when it comes to hen keeping so any advice would be very welcome. Thank you