motherhen Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Hi Guys It's been ages since I've been on the forum, but it's lovely to see so many familiar avatars and names - and isn't the forum bigger and better than ever now For those who remember me, I'm now on my 3rd Guide Dog puppy and have been given a lilac cube by my beloved for my 50th birthday back in September. I'm hoping to be welcoming 5 hens from BHWT before Christmas to join my current 3 Girls. I now have a full allotment plot and we are getting towards self-sufficiency in fruit and veg, aided by the greenhouse that now fills the bit of the back yard not taken up by the hen run. There is still just about room to hang out washing and sit out. We're hoping Newcastle is going to turn into a Transition Town one day and I'm spreading the message about keeping urban hens. The pink eglu is being kept so I can use it for talks on hens, and Doris is getting very good at sitting quietly and being held while I do a talk. My website is undergoing major changes to reflect the new emphasis on urban hens having an important role to play in combating climate change - so do check it out and let me know what you think. I don't do a forum anymore on my website - I just send all my contacts over here! As I say in my talks, this is an incredibly friendly forum, open to everyone - not just eglu owners, full of advice about everything you're ever likely to want to know about keeping hens, and you often get a reply to a query within minutes. So well done all you overworked mods and keep up the good work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Welcome back. You last posted just after I joined the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Hi Jane!!! Great to see you back! You've certainly been busy! you'd just had Wayne the guide dog puppy when you left us ............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted November 24, 2008 Author Share Posted November 24, 2008 Wow - have I really been away that long or have you just been getting lots of hens and omlet housing very quickly! Hope you're enjoying life as a hen keeper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 We do have that many Eglus We moved to a small-holding two and a half years ago....so we have far more than just the hens now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted November 24, 2008 Author Share Posted November 24, 2008 I was thrilled to see you've made the leap to FARMER Lesley. Assume you've had piggies in your 2 yrs but have eaten them. I've been trying to buy some land but without success and we've now decided to stick with our current house and allotment plots and just do a load of eco things to the house - got to spend the saved up land money on something! I'm getting involved with Transition Initiative Newcastle up here and spreading the word about having a couple of hens in a small back yard and growing food in small spaces. Doris became a star when we gave a talk as part of Roberto Perez's tour of England. He was most interested to hear how we do urban hens over here and has taken back to Cuba the tip about recycling egg shells back into the hens - they've had problems with soft shelled eggs over there. And I also told him about the forum, so we might be getting some Cuban visitors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Hi mother hen. I've heard all about you when I was first considering being a puppy walker with my husband (I've got ME, so he does the actual walking!) and Claret pointed me in the direction of your posts about Wayne. I heard about Puppy walking on the forum from Puffball (a teenage member who hasn't been around for a while) Quita (our first pup) is now 10 months old and I've got a thread going in the "My family and other animals" section. There is also another forum member who is a puppy walker (Maggie Mc Hen) and Smudgely works for Guide dogs as a Brood B***h supervisor Welcome back and look forward to reading your posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted November 24, 2008 Author Share Posted November 24, 2008 Well Wayne (don't they have some dreadful names!) was a 3/4 lab, 1/4 golden retriever, but looked like a very large but slim black lab, was great and passed his advanced training with flying colours but then had an epileptic fit just before moving to his prospective owner. He was started on medication and hasn't had a fit since (well the last I heard that is) and is now a very happy adopted pet in Yorkshire. My next one was a very sweet golden retriever called Margie and she's currently in Glasgow and will hopefully be paired up with her new owner and working in January. She had lots of noise sensitivity and adaptation problems, so wasn't the most straightforward puppy, but had lots of good qualities as well and after weeks of daily trips to coffee shops etc she improved enough to go to Forfar for advanced training and she really blossomed there with increased confidence and is doing very well with the final part of her training. Current one is a black lab called Briar and she's 8 mths old and just starting her terrrible teens, but is a nice sound, confident dog. I'll have a go at posting some photos tomorrow - assuming I can remember how to do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Hello Motherhen, welcome back from a newbie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Hi Jane nice to see you back............Looks like you have been very busy, just off to check out your website........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Hello again Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 You certainly have been away ages . I'm another newbie to you! Hello . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Hi and welcome back! I've seen your posts but didn'trealise you'd been away so long - very observant, me Would love to have a nosy at your website - can't find a link though Pretty please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted November 24, 2008 Author Share Posted November 24, 2008 Hi Website is www.citychicken.co.uk If you click on my profile then it's there as well - warning, revamping of site is not yet complete! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Hello Jane, lovely to see you again Buffie x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Lovely to see you again Jane My how your life has progressed since we last saw you. We now have 12 bantams in a cube, and at last have another lurcher; a naughty pup called Ruby, who I am socialising and training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 HiWebsite is http://www.citychicken.co.uk If you click on my profile then it's there as well - warning, revamping of site is not yet complete! I am but a grain of sand amongst the Omlet beach but welcome back. This is a wonderful thing you are doing. Hopefully you will get a lot of people thinking as you do. I longed for hens when I was working in "The Town" having been brought up with hens and geese in mum's council house garden. But it was never to be until I retired Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Jane!!! It's so good to see you back . Your guide dogs sound wonderful and a credit to you and your care and attention . I love the idea of the transition town. I've been reading up about these for a while now and wish that Stamford would take the plunge too! Welcome back! It really is great to see you posting again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Jane, that's made me really happy to see your post, it's always good to hear from old (I mean long lost ) friends! Great to catch up with some of your news, we've missed you. I'll def. keep up with your website, do you think you could add the link to your sig. in profile, then it would appear under your posts? I'll never forget your wise words in general on the forum, & also when I asked for advice before introducing my 2nd pair to my original pair. My flock & eglus have increased since that first year too! Delighted to hear about your lilac Cube, and the talks you have given, and everything! Do drop by more frequently if you can, your post has made my day. Love & hugs to you in Newcastle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Jane, so glad to see you back on the forum Welcome back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Jane! *waves madly* HELLO! SO nice to see you again! As already pointed out above, I remember being a new chicken keeper here in this site too and you were always so kind and full of great ideas and advice! DO hope you can stick around for a while again now?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
