BeckyBoo Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 (edited) Yup, off to sunny Chichester (or somewhere near there) to collect four girlies left over from the December rescue. Would really have liked to get them straight from the cages so I could see their first taste of freedom but that's just for my benefit, these are chooks that are left over which kind of makes me want them more! Had a call from Sarah the organiser a while ago and one of them has become poorly today so fingers crossed she's OK for the journey tomorrow, had to go to Mums for lunch so have been getting their ark ready in the dark! Very excited, my Dad ("all chooks are smelly horrible creatures" who LOVED looking after our hens when we were on holiday) has casually asked if I would like some company for the journey. What, apart from the three excited kids you mean? He loves them as much as I do! So, think of us at 10am we'll be in the big red bus hurtling towards Sussex! Got some names in mind but will have a good look at them first before I decide! Mrs Bertie Edited January 7, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 how exciting, I wouldnt be able to sleep tonight it if were me! Photos when you can please, what lucky chooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 How exciting! Have a lovely day and we'll look forward to piccies of your lucky new girlies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 How wonderful You won't regret it for one second Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Fantastic. Have a wonderful day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Wonderful news Mrs Bertie!!! I'm sure they will love their new home with you. Well done for rescuing them!! I thought of you the other day! We drove through Bisley, visiting friends in St Johns!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bantam of the Opera Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Brilliant news! looking forward to hear the names and see piccies. hope everything goes well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 Bcoz I am slightly pickled I just wanted to add how comforted I am to be taking these hens, I know there are hundreds of thousands that have been homed already and I can't take anywhere near as many as I would like, but I am so looking forward to having these poor babies, who have had such an awful life adn giving them a taste of freedom - what happens to them if they don't get rescued - do they go to dog and cat food? Pickled though I am (you'll never know how many times I've edited it prior to posting!) I hope everyone remembers the HFW Jamie and Gordon programmes. Printed off my posters prior to walking to the pub so they're in my car byt he A322 so everyone can see - "Free Range is Fairer"! Mrs Pickled Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenarees Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Well done to you, there'e nothing nicer than watching ex-batts scratching around (knowing their previous life). Helena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Well done Mrs B! Can't wait to see the photos of your little luvvies!!!! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 Well, here they are! Thankfully the poorly one seems to have just had an off day and is scratching around with the others. They've got dry mash, wet mash in case they want that, pellets in case they want to try them, corn and grit and mealworms! So far they've tried the corn (like it) the mealworms (not sure - which is torture for the other hens who are trying to break through the mesh to get to the worms that they've left!) and the wet mash so they know where the food is, I'll make sure they've found the water when I go back out in a minute. So, "We're off to get some hens!" .....four rather tatty but VERY strong and flighty ladies! "Tuck in girls" "More bloomin' hens, and they've got our worms!! Our old girls are very interested and there's a fair amount of shouting going on in the garden. So far the names of the new ones are Pansy (because the coordinator sprayed her with purple so I would know which was the poorly one, so we said purple Pansy, but she's already known as Monkey as my eldest thought I said CHIMpanzee, not Pansy ) Then Margot who has darkest brown on her back and the other two are Barbara and Henrietta but I couldn't tell you which is which yet! And bless them, one had laid an egg in the box on their way home. So, have hot cup of sweet tea, feel good and am off into the garden to fret / keep an eye on them and clean the cube. Happy days Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Fabulous, I love the 1st and last photos 1st one shows the excitement in the car and the last one with your original chickens looking in!! Well done you, they will have a lovely new home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 Just to say I have just spent the last half an hour trying to get them to go to bed in the end I had to lure them up one end of the ark then open the door and grab them one at a time by surprise - poor things, what a day they've had! However they're now in the warm on a nice bed of straw (as I had to shove them through the nest hole and they have refused to go any further to where they're supposed to roost ) so we shall see if they manage to find the ladder in the morning or wether I have to reverse the whole process. Now I just have to get the two Polands off the cube ladder and into the cube itself, they've decided the rungs make better roosts than inside I don't fancy crawling in there in the dark again, all that poo, yuk - anyone got a broom? Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 the last photo of the spectators is hilarious! Good on ya Mrs B, may they have a long and happy life with you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Congratulations - I hope you enjoy them. I love the last picture too of your other girls looking on. What breed is that lovely black and white one? She's gorgeous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 Hmmmmm, gorgeous maybe, but that is my flighty, untame, bullying freeloader aka an exchequer Leghorn called Bertie! three eggs since May, she keeps getting threatened with the roasting tin but still won't lay Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Lovely pics Mrs B The smiles on the children are a delight to see. The hens don't look in too bad nick considering. Good luck with them and can we have lots of updates on their progress? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 What brilliant photos . Good luck with your new arrivals - keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 They're not too bad actually but then they were left over from the December rescue so they've had a while to start regrowing feathers. Henrietta has a naked neck, Margot is the biggest and tatty but not too bad, Barbara is a bit bald on her neck and back and generally tatty but Pansy is the worst, she's small, has a completely bare chest (thought about calling her Jordan ) and no top feathers anywhere really so they're all covered in the fluffy downy stuff they have underneath but they all look beige or white where they've got no flight feathers or proper feathers or whatever they're called. Can't believe on Fathers Day last year I got OH 4 chickens and a cube - now we, or should I say I have 15!! Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Wondeful news Mrs Bertie, the girls look fab and will have a very happy life with you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxanne Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Well done Mrs Bertie! You are so lucky - I was supposed to get 4 chicks in the December rescue but we are due to go away this Wednesday for two and a half weeks and Sophie said it would be better to wait for the next one. In the meantime I have damaged my knee so we might be going nowhere for a while (except into hospital for an arthroscopy ) But I am so thrilled to see the photos of your new girls... and look forward to my turn soon. My only bit of good news is that today Hetty, who has been broody for a few weeks was back to normal this morning and I collected freezing cold eggs instead of centrally heated ones!! Good luck with your new girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 ooooh you are so lucky! Your girls look lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Lovely girls Mrs B, great pics and great names! Sounds like it's been a good day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Can't believe on Fathers Day last year I got OH 4 chickens and a cube - now we, or should I say I have 15!! Mrs Bertie oh no Mrs B, 15 is an odd number you need more to make it balanced (shall I run and hide now? ) cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 .....well, it's funny you should say that, we originally wanted 5 ex-batts and I was trying to persuade OH that we should also get two Brahmas but he stamped his feet and said no BUT, he did end up yelling "For Gods sake I'll get you a b****y Brahma for your birthday, don't you think another 4 is enough for now?" So, that'll be July then! I want Buff Columbian Brahmas like Jantys, two please, big, imposing and like eagles. That'll scare the cat to death, he doesn't know chickens come supersized!! Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...