Gael Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Hi All, What a week it has been!! Last Tuesday we took delivery of our cube and 5 hens. Hubby was delighted and all the children were totally over-excited! After much deliberation, decided to move the cube around the garden as Omlet intended it. We have already found out that the 4 days George from Omlet suggested before moving the cube proved too short and we need to move it every second day to save the grass. We might give it a more permanent place for the winter when the grass might not have enough time to recover. It would then move onto slabs in a corner of the patio, with a lot of aubiose. After the 5 compulsory days, we let the hens have use of the space under the trampoline. Thanks to the netting that we have attached in a semi-permanent fashion, we can move the cube around the garden and make an access corridor the the trampoline. The hens did not know what to do with the cube the first night and we had the help them all in. No need to do anything since then, they have all understood where they sleep...except they are using the nesting box! So last night we blocked its access and shut the cube door to get them all to sleep on the bars. We re-opened the door late last night. We leave the door open overnight so they can go out when they are ready. They were all fine with the glug. Then it that was not enough excitement, we got our first egg yesterday. Could not see Odile for a while and I was petrified a fox might have visited the garden...until the penny dropped and I remembered that hens actually lay eggs! I was so convinced it would be another few weeks!! Here are a few pictures: http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=29816 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Hello Gael! What lovely pics of your Omlet girls--we love photos here (someday I'll have to reciprocate ) and to hear about all the excitement! Happy henning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surferdog Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Hi Gaol, what brilliant photos - I love the way you've made the whole story from arrival! Have fun with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg Lou Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Congratulations!! they all look very heppy and love the idea with the trampoline! I'm still waiting for my cube so love seeing photos of other peoples! Have a lovely time with your new girsl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Lovely piccies Welcome to the happy world of chicken keeping. Warning it is addictive. In 3 days time we will have had our girls for a year, they are great productive pets and our garden is still just about intact. Be a bit careful of the long grass because it can get caught up in their crops and cause problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Lovely photos Gael - so glad you're enjoying your new chooks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 They look lovely Gael, I'm glad they have settled in well. I'm sitting here nervously (very nervously - even having second thoughts...) waiting for the Omlet van to arrive. Anytime between 1 and 3. Good to know that you are enjoying your chooks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutmeg Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Lovely photos, especially like the one with the chicken corridor to the Trampoline - Brilliant! Lucky you having your first egg after only 6 days with your girls. We have had our cube and girls 5 days now, still no egg, so hopefully it wont be too long. Nutmeg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutrix Farmers Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Welcome to the addictive world that is chickens! Fab gallery of photos! Congratulations too on an early egg, we had to wait nearly 2 weeks for our first one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaylis1980 Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 aww bless lots of happy kids and happy chooks!! i loved the pics, and you have to tell me where you got the cream bins, i love them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prettychic Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Wow , your pics are brillaint! perfect story! x x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Good luck Seagazer keep us posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenlass Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Looks like they are a big hit with the children! Great to make use of that space under the trampoline . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 What fab pics They look very settled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Great photos - loved the one with the children in the run? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Love your trampoline run idea. I'm even more amazed you have grass under there!!! Ours is completely bare earth with the odd weed!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Smashing photos. What a super week you have had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gael Posted May 14, 2008 Author Share Posted May 14, 2008 Sarah, cream bins werew from Ikea, a 40l one holds a 20 kg pellets or corn bag just perfectly (hence my 2 cream bins in the garage ). They also cost only £10.49!! Nutmeg, I guess your Babs must be a pepperpot from the same "batch" as my two, since our deliveries were so close. One has already laid her second egg today, the other one is still fairly immature and my guess is that one of my ginger will start before her. Amazing to see how much they have grown in 1 week only AJuff, the secret of grass under the trempoline...is like grass in the run...we move it around the garden once every 6 months...but must say that particular spot is never back to "normal"...and certainly stand no chance after 5 days of 5 hens free-ranging there from 5 am-9pm!! Chickencam - No more risk with long grass anymore!! Seagazer - read your post about arrival...How fab!! Beautiful spot too!! Thanks to all for your lovely comments. I must say I read avidly all posts for 2 months before daring to write, and thanks to all who posted photos before, as you gave me lots of inspiration! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
