Chicken Memorials

[Roxanne]

I got my call today and am picking up 4 new ladies on the 1st March to join my 4 Omlet girls. Very exciting!!

Please can I have any snippets of advice you might think of to make my rescue girls new life an easy one?

I am not mixing the 8 initially but they will be in the same stable and run - both 15'x12' and the older girls will have access to grass while the newbies get aquainted with life on the outside. The Omlets are in a cube (which I hope they will all eventually share) and we are making a ground level wooden house for the new girls.

Are there any remedies or items I should purchase 'just in case'?

Any hints and tips gratefully received...

[buffie]

Hi Roxanne. Sounds great. I give arnica and aconite 30c for bones and bruises and shock. My 3 are nearly a month out of their cage, loving it!! I also would say don't be surprised by limps. If you notice any limps just check feet and legs but most likely bruising.

 

Yulip is limping and I think whilst I was away she had a good old digging session and her little muscles are still quite weak.

 

Enjoy them, a bit of warm mash is good (warm water added) Tuna and porridge is good made up as a protein food.

 

BBx

[Egluntyne]

Hi Roxanne. Sounds great. I give arnica and aconite 30c for bones and bruises and shock.

 

Good tip Buffie....I'll get some in stock for when my Strictly Girls come.

 

How do you administer it? Is it in liquid or pilule form? Where do you get it from?

 

Sorry....too many questions.

[Christian]

Its available from Holland and Barratt shops Egluntine. Small bottles with tiny pillules. About the size of a sweetex.

[Egluntyne]

Ta muchly Christian.

 

I might need them myself!

[Christian]

You're welcome. They are small purple plastic tubes.

 

You will be fine. Have you started knitting jumpers yet?

[Egluntyne]

You're welcome. They are small purple plastic tubes.

 

You will be fine. Have you started knitting jumpers yet?

 

As it happens......I went out and bought some wool from Coles (JLP) yesterday.

 

Only the best for the Strictly Girls.

[Dodge]

Hi Roxanne,

 

Congrats on your new ex batts, I bet you can't wait to you get them

Don't worry when you introduce them to their new environment if they just stand in one place for a couple of hours and don't move. Mine were so awe struck; I don't think they could believe their eyes. Now when ever we go into the garden they go mad to come out of their run, and they have started to lay after only 3 weeks and their feathers are now re growing.

 

Also make sure you feed them with Layers mash. This is all they will be used to; it will be like a comfort blanket for them. You will be able to slowly introduce pellets at a later date if you wish to.

 

We also had to clip all their claws as they were very long. Just make sure you use a pair of good quality nail clippers and make sure you avoid the quick.

 

We give our girls some titbits every day in the afternoon, they love sweet corn and peas (my OH has gone to the market today to stock up for the week.) We also give them some dried corn mix and they go mad for dried meal worms.

 

We let them free-range every day for about 2 hours before bed time, and it is a real pleasure watching them gain their strength and confidence and developing their own little characters as each day passes.

 

Regards

 

Dodge

[Egluntyne]

I love your signature!

 

Good advice re the ex-batts.

[Roxanne]

Thanks Buffie and Dodge.

The arnica and aconite sound like a good idea - how do you administer it??

 

I am stocking up on the food - what are they used to drinking water from?

Do the farmers still de-beak?

 

So many questions are springing to mind!!

[Guest]

how exciting for you!

 

only 1 of our girls was de-beaked (Fatima).

 

Ours drink water out of metal coop cups but I don't think you need anything special. Apple cider vinegar is good for joints (as well as being a good anti bac), maybe add a splash to their water, we do.

 

my only advice would be to keep it calm and let them settle in gradually, no fuss or noise around them when they first arrive.

 

Anything else, just ask

[Roxanne]

Thanks Poet

As I have 4 girls already, do you think it would be wise to keep them inside the first night after the rescue and take them into the stable and their new home the next day?

The Omlet girls are already in situ so I don't want to panic them (exBats) initially...

Now I've got 4 names to think of... how about Daisy, Dandelion, Clover and Buttercup? Or do they sound too much like cows?

[Guest]

Thanks Poet

As I have 4 girls already, do you think it would be wise to keep them inside the first night after the rescue and take them into the stable and their new home the next day?

The Omlet girls are already in situ so I don't want to panic them (exBats) initially...

Now I've got 4 names to think of... how about Daisy, Dandelion, Clover and Buttercup? Or do they sound too much like cows?

 

 

if they will be warm enough and if they are separated from the other girls then I don't see why you shouldn't just take them straight to the stable. It all depends on their condition (how featherless they are) and what the temperatures will be like in the stable. The less moving them around you do the better so if you can put them straight into their new home, that would be better but not if it will be too cold.

 

Pam (hillfamily) is a BHWT rescuer and she's given me some brilliant advice, I bet she wouldn't mind you pm'ing her or she might hopefully be along to give you a bit of advice.

 

I think those names are lovely

 

xxx

[Roxanne]

The rescue co-ordinator, Sophie, says she will try and find me some feathered girls, but I think I will use carpet to line their new home initially.. or will they peck it? Maybe just put it on the outside of the box.

 

It was freezing here last night, well, freezing for just outside London anyway, the chooks water was frozen and my husband took a dog bowl out to give them some liquid, but he said they were disgusted it was only water and would have preferred food! He didn't think to share his porrige!!!

[Janty]

I have had my four ex-batts since 28th december. They were mostly feathered but poor Bauble was quite bald. I gave them some of the layers mash that I feed my original girls...I add cod liver oil, poultry spice, limestone flour and a teaspoon of marmite dissolved in hot water. They loved it and it soon had baubles feathers back to normal. I also give them a crushed up multi-vitamin tablet in with the mash two or three times a week.

[Guest]

you could maybe make a deep bed in the coop for them with straw or torn up shredded paper (on top of what you normally put in the coop/eglu) and pack it round the sides to insulate it and for them to snuggle into and put carpet over the outside of the coop? They'll probably all snuggle together for warmth too.

 

I wouldn't line the inside with carpet as I think it would be a nightmare to clean out the coop/poo pick, although you could turn it carpet side down and then put bedding material on top? Hopefully you have a few spare bits as I imagine it will need changing weekly

 

Our original 4 girls were picking bits of ice out of their coop cup today and running off with them like they were a prize, funny to watch