4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[blackpuddinonnabike]

Just wondering how long it is (if ever) before your chickens really come to accept you?

 

One of our two isn't bad (we've only had them since Saturday) - she's already eating from hand, but shies away from being stroked or picked up. The other is pretty timid and tends to hide behind her sister.

 

Started letting them out to free range and managed so far to get them picked up to go back into the run. It appears we have one hooligan who just likes to eat the veg patch no matter how many times you shoo her off; and one lazy one who bathed in the dirt in the greenhouse for about 45 minutes last night.

 

And damn this forum! After looking at some rather impressive runs on here yesterday I now have plans for a big walk-in run off the side of our shed once I've cleared the overgrown area there this weekend....

[Egluntyne]

They will be far more biddable when they come into lay.

 

You will have to fence the veg patch off though with netting. They will never learn to leave that alone.

[blackpuddinonnabike]

They will be far more biddable when they come into lay.

 

You will have to fence the veg patch off though with netting. They will never learn to leave that alone.

 

Ah now that's already been designated one of my jobs for the weekend....

[BeckyBoo]

Within a week or two they will both be happily mugging you every time you approach, once they sart laying they will be easier to catch as they crouch down when you go near them.

And may I suggest that you don't come on here again? This place is TERRIBLE for making you spend money on things you hadn't thought of before, or look really really desirable - walk in runs, powders and sprays for chickens, never mind all the chickenalia, magazine subscriptions etc that get put about on the nesting box. Never having been a magazine person before I now subscribe to THREE, two of them ENTIRELY down to this bloomin' place!

 

Mrs Bertie

[Clur]

I was convinced that the chickens would be fine in the eglu run....until I started looking in on here, and now they have a 6ftx3ft run down the side of the house. Until the girls started laying regulary, DH had worked out the cost per egg was about 90 quid

 

Best advice I had on getting the chooks used to you, is to wait until they are in the eglu in evening, then open up the egg hatch and pick them up from there. The girls are a little sleepier and easier to handle.

[jess]

Just pick them up and give them a treat every single day and talk to them and EVENTUALLY they will just accept it.

[Abbey Road Girl]

Don't bother to clear away the overgrown area--let the hens do it for you. Your job is to sit in a comfortable chair and watch them do the work.

[Egg Lou]

And damn this forum! After looking at some rather impressive runs on here yesterday I now have plans for a big walk-in run off the side of our shed once I've cleared the overgrown area there this weekend....

 

Agree with this! before I found forum I was planning on a simple "arc" coop with a couple of hens.. Now have a cube which before it even arrived grew to having an extension, extra grubs etc, extra this and that.. and a whole store shed of feed and supplements oh and four lovely girls that may get added to next year

 

All good advice though!

Edited June 7, 2008 by Guest

[Puffin]

We got our hens last Saturday as well and I too am planning a walk in run round the side of the house now!

We have three Warrens that had all just started laying, two are really friendly and run to meet me - one is a bit less keen and is always the last one to get back to the run. I try and pick them all up once a day so they are used to - and also so I am too!

One thing I have learnt this week is dont go out with them in open toed sandals - they were chasing me round the garden trying to peck my toes!!!

[Egluntyne]

One thing I have learnt this week is dont go out with them in open toed sandals - they were chasing me round the garden trying to peck my toes!!!

It is a mistake you only make the once.

[Abbey Road Girl]

Just pick them up and give them a treat every single day and talk to them and EVENTUALLY they will just accept it.

 

Jess, you are so right! I think it's a Yorkshire saying that dogs look up to you, cats look down on you and "pigs is equals". Chickens (speaking for my own, anyway) tolerate you!