Ms Tilytinkle Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Helloooooo, Wow - didnt think i'd ever be back Well being very appreciative to all stickies, postings & advice .. after adhering mostly to all. (except the free ranging, just let them all do it together from the word go, the garden is large & as we would be with them constantly it seemed natural) Tonight - after 2 weeks of monitoring, loving, introducing & being mother hen I am soo relieved, delighted to say all our 8 chickens are happily preening, bathing, resting, foraging & drinking in the same run. Haven't decided if they should sleep in their own coop or let them all sleep together . .we'll see maybe it will be best to let them free range later & see where they decide to go. As many of you know, hubby wanted some more chickens & i was very apprehensive & eventually decided NO!!!! No until i noticed 2 chooks were desperate to be rehomed . . So, taking bull by the horns & trusting fate would play its hand . .or is it destiny . .anyway I PM'd the lady who was desperate & she said yes they're yours & arranged an immediate pick up. Having borrowed a wooden pyramid style coop with run we set off to London to rescue the 2 Gingernut Rangers!!! Our girls were free ranging by the time we got back, we popped the newbies into the run & let them settle in for a few hours. Then we opened the run door & fed them all treats then we free ranged with them all all day!!!! There were the occasional rearing up at each other when they came across each other but mostly just foraged & got on with their own business. The 2 gingernuts are a little older then my 6 girlies & are such a funny couple. They chased the cats & very quickly established their maturity . . ie respect us or else .. After a few days they became a little territorial, chasing our chickens from dustabthin near their coop. So i separated them , popping one of them in the run & leaving the other to freerange with the others, this worked a treat & i occasionally do it just to even out the chook'power They're lovely girlies, totally different nature . .bit scruffy looking ..treated them for mite etc as they look like they're moulting. Will start worming tomorrow. Certainly know why theyre called rangers . .having retrieved them from the lane, the neighbours garden, the woods, anyway they can escape to they love roaming... Huh & yes this is one of us watching them 24/7.. . . theyre sooo fast!!!! Thy're also a very bad influence on my boundary adhering girlies Anyway, i have been so preoccupied with work & chooks that i've only been reading late at night & today is the first time we've been sitting enjoying leisure time without worrying about the chickens settling in Just want to reiterate the wisdom, experience & knowledge on this forum is an absolute godsend & sooo worthy of adhering to. Thank you Eglutine, Claret etc for all the sensible postings which i trawled through, all helping us turn a spontaneous decision into a practical working optimistic possibility overnight!!! Ms Tillyhas8chooks..theywerknownastheBondGirlsMissMoneyPenny& PussygalorebutnowwethinktheyshouldbeTheKrayTwinsReggie&Ronnie :)MsTillyssogratefulfortheomletforum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 MsTillytinkleissohentertainingandakindsoulaswell. Gladtohearthatallhasbeengoingwellforyouandallyourhensoldandnew. Welldoneyou! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Tilytinkle Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 Thankyou Abbey Road Girl . . you're very kind! Bless the new chooks are such characters, unbelievably different !! Ah well - they have all retreated into the cube tonight so bless i am praying they are all happy bunnies.. hmmm not bunnies that would be a metamorphosing miracle. ... hope theyre happy chooks.. i know i will be up at the crack of dawn making sure theyre okay!!! Tonight whilst they were free ranging a fox came up to the bottom of the garden, it was such a shock . .he didnt see me at first . . he ran at the chooks & i ran at him . .he got a shock & legged it. We're gon got have a peeing party through the week I shall invite all our daughters teenage friends and politely, without a smurk on my face, ask them to all go & pee down the bottom of our garden!!!!! Grrr we've enjoyed our freedom, no fox - now we are going to have to be even more vigilant!!! Hmmmm - the newbies lay their eggs beneath the hedge . .we haven't found the last few days offerings . .they've discovered a new laying spot! Ah & one of them has a longer bottom beak than her top one & the other one keeps cleaning it for her..they're so funny together . .double trouble but funny. I have been mother hen, watching their antics so when they have decided to get bullyish ( they bully together ) I've bullied them & copied what theyve done to our shocked looking chicken.. i must look insane but ts really working & because i've been with them all of the time . .i'm top of the pecking order ha ha Just not sure about trying to climb in the roosting cube at night JOKING!!!!! Soooo first night all in cube. fingers crossed & many prayers but i am so pleased these chooks are now re-homed & are settling in well & equally as important our chickens appear just as happy with their new fellow chookmates! Hope in another week or so the few minor handbags at dawn will have ceased totally & total harmony restored . but following all guidelines really does make intro's so enjoyable for all concerned. Thank you again. MsTillyhopesyouhavealovelydayahead,fullofsurprisesandlaughterwhilst MsTillywillbeunderthehedgelookingforeggswith8chickensfollowingher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cammy73 Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 So how was the first night? Sharon x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Tilytinkle Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 Good Morning Cammy 73, OOooh dear well i think the chooks must've slept better then i did only joking: thankfully it all seemed fine, I was up with the larks & let them out into the extended run. Some still snoozed on their perching branches, some foraged & some ate. I went back to bed happy. Hubby watched them when he was in garden. However after 2 hours being in the run he said they became they very restless & started chasing the speckled chicken . .there are 2 peking orders . .bizarre but thats how it seems. We separated them & allowed our girlies the freedom to free range as usual & lay freely whilst the other two are now secured in their little run & wooden coop . .as they keep laying anywhere & they really do wander. So after fox & al things considered they're restricted this morning. They're not very happy but they're safe!! Plus hubby's cutting laws & i have more work now to do . I think we will continue to let them all sleep together, knowing they are safe but when we let them out, think for the time being we will put them back into their own run so poor little Agnes doesn't get chased around the run by the newbies. Its such early days, & we're in no hurry - in fact there's nothing stopping them from keeping their separate runs . But so far soooooo good, we're having another wooden coop delivered tomorrow as the one we have is falling to bits, the very kind lady who gave it to us has another which her husband has been doing up for us. So they wil have a bigger, sturdier run & coop tomorrow. I will keep all coops, no matter how old as it is functional for intro's . .also its always handy either to loan out, or use for ...hopefully never, but if we need to hospitalise one. Ms Tillyhasherfingerscrossedallstaysharmonious.Hopeyouhavealovelypeacefuldaytoo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchlayer Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Welcome back Mrs Tilywinkle. Good to hear from you again. Glad to see that you have been busy with your chooks, me its just been work keeping me away! Looks like you have a following with your Mrstilysaysnicethingsattheendofherposts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Tilytinkle Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 Bonjour Frenchlayer How's the worming & work & sunshine & vino & children & Family & Visitors Hope the sun is shining for you & all is well. Thank you for the kind welcome, tee heee we were dragged up if wwe couldnt say anything nice don't say ought at all A Bientot MsTillyhopesyourchildrenmakeyouanicecakeandhubbymakesyouanicedrinkwhilstyou watchyourchooksafterwork:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
