Jump to content
Chickens Dogs Cats Rabbits Guinea Pigs Hamsters and Gerbils Birds
HasSumAmi

Introducing...

By HasSumAmi, in Chickens, Eggs and Hatching

Recommended Posts

HasSumAmi Chicken Eggspert

HasSumAmi

Posted
Posted

Well I've got the bug obviously, and two just wasn't enough.

 

I blame it on my son of course. He really wanted a chicken of his own (the two we have belonging to his sisters) and I couldn't just get one, now could I? So we drove to Crofters Farm in High Wycombe and got a White Star (Snowdrop) and an Amber Star (Margot)....

 

We had got an rabbit hutch for their temporary accomodation on Freecycle and the plan was to divide the run with sticks for the daytime.

 

We ended up bringing in the hutch into the house last night, because my daughters were in tears after our recent fox scare. In the morning I created Fort Knox (or so I thought) with bamboo canes. I put them vertically and horizontally, I put in cardboard and extra boundaries between the middle. It looked like one strong structure.

 

The white star jumped right through the top of it as there was a small gap at the top! She probably regretted doing that because as soon as she landed Omlet and Ginger hit her with the pecks. :cry:

 

After getting them divided again - Omlet pushed through a tiny gap, closely followed by Ginger. :cry: They then pecked the new girls like crazy. :cry::cry:

 

Not sure how - but I got the two new girls separated and then added even more canes. There was no going through!...

 

I had to take the children out, so left them with my sister-in-law.

 

Well it seems nothing is as determined as a chicken. Omlet and Ginger broke through the barricade again and Margot and Snowdrop were cornered inside the Eglu.

 

To cut a long story short - my sister-in-law - totally tearing her hair out - basically let them all free range together. This was probably the best thing as it gave Margot and Snowdrop space to run off if necessary, and there is no catching Snowdrop. She is ONE FAST CHICKEN!

 

When bedtime came I didn't dare risk them all in the Eglu just in case I didn't get up early enough, so we put Omlet and Ginger into the Eglu and the other two went into the rabbit hutch which is now suitably fortified from Mr Fox, as it is wedged inside the herb bed, which is then covered in netting!!

 

So, let's hope tomorrow goes a bit better. Not sure if I should re-try the sticks inside the run or just let them free range with all day supervision, like today!

 

As nothing as so far gone to plan, I'm sure I'll find out tomorrow.

 

One cool thing - both girls were already in lay, so we got FOUR eggs today, and Snowdrop's are WHITE!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HasSumAmi Chicken Eggspert

HasSumAmi

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Here are the links to some photos in our gallery

 

Ginger

http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=26529

 

Omlet

http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=26532

 

And the new girls...

 

Margot

http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=26535

 

Snowdrop

http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=26538

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HENthusiastic Chatty Chicken

HENthusiastic

Posted
Posted

Hi HasSumAmi,

Hope the chook problems have been more settled today. Ours have amazed me by popping effortlessly through what I thought was a chicken secure fence....... and into next doors garden where she has destroyed the edge of our neighbours lawn!!! (I shall have to apologise and give her some eggs!).

I was interested to see that you've got an amber star. I have a hen (Butercup) who I think is an amber star. Although she has a lot more brown on her than others I have seen. I havent managed to find much info on amber stars on the internet. Have you? I think mine must be a cross with something because she is so much darker than the others Ive seen. Shes also smaller than my other two hens, who started out as the same size only 5 weeks ago. Is your amber star on the smallish size? Its hard to tell from the pictures.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HasSumAmi Chicken Eggspert

HasSumAmi

Posted
  • Author
Posted

She's a cutey Henthusiastic.

I think she's an Amber Star. Amber Star's are all white but sometimes have a throw back to brown. Probably one of the colours of their original parentage.

The day I went to Crofters - they were all white except for Margot.

I got her because she was a little bit different.

However I do wonder if she was singled out by the flock because of her brown feathers.

I say this because she just stands there and lets Snowdrop peck her. Snowdrop was pulling out her feathers (and eating them :shock: ) and she didn't even move. It was as if she was totally used to having her feathers pecked out.

And I have never seen a chicken sleep so much! She sleeps all the time. Even when she's standing up being pecked, she has her eyes closed?!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...