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

[Snowy]

Managed to get a few pics before they went to bed!

If you've missed the saga - I had a phonecall this morning - did I want 6 more chickens? Seems that the lady had bought 2, then added 4 more, then added another 4. And all hell had broken loose. They were plucking each other and fighting and she couldn't cope. Would I take her original 6 as the 4 newbies were all OK together.

I went to visit her and they were all in a lovely open air run, about 3m x 3m, but it was bare mud. No branches, no dry area to dustbathe, watched one poor girl try to dust bath in the mud and give up Their knickers were all missing, but not as bad as she'd led me to believe - there was also some feather loss due to moulting. I made some suggestions to improve her run but she was adamant she wanted to get rid of them. In the end I took four, she agreed to keep her original 2 and the 4 newest hens. She had a lovely big lawn and an area with trees - they would have been so happy there but she didn't want to spoil her garden. I did suggest netting off an area under the trees but I don't know if she will do it

 

Anyway, here they are. No names yet! (she hadn't named them ) I'm not being judgemental, honest, I'm just sad for them

 

Sweetie no 1 - Nutmeg - the only one with any knickers! Looks like she's just had a moult. Not sure if she is laying - her comb still looks very small and her legs are still quite yellow.

 

Sweetie no 2 - Pepper - has no knickers, and I have definitely seen her gobbling up stray feathers

 

Merrydale Copper Black - Cinnamon - a timid little girl, again with no knickers.

 

Merrydale Pied - Clove - no knickers and a rather alarming bulge to her abdomen Can't feel an egg there and she is well in herself so I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on it.

 

The other girls stood at the other end of the run and had a really good gossip about the new girls

 

The new girls looked a bit bewildered at all the branches and leaves in the run - but they soon got the hang of it and the first thing they did was dig a dust bath each

 

I kept them seperate at first, then let them all in together (well, they let themselves in together, I didn't plan it that way, they mobbed me ). I stood in the middle trying to be a cockerel and jumping on any fighting that broke out. There were a couple of skirmishes, I just pressed the culprits to the ground. It's worked so far, they are now all tucked up together for the night.

Edited December 22, 2008 by Guest

[Redwing]

They look sweet Snowy, your original girls look so tidy in comparison

 

One of your original girls has a beautiful tail (brown/black one at back) - may I ask what breed she is?

[Cinnamon]

Bless.

Sweetie 1 looks just like my Bracken .

 

That is a bit of a bulgy bum isn't it

[Snowy]

They look sweet Snowy, your original girls look so tidy in comparison

 

One of your original girls has a beautiful tail (brown/black one at back) - may I ask what breed she is?

 

That is Bella. She is a gold campine and much admired! She is very cheeky, follows me round the garden and scolds me for everything I'd love another like her.

 

Cinnamon I love that term - a 'bulgy bum' she most definitely has!

[susanbb]

They are so lovely, but how chilly their little bottoms must be

[ruth1]

Hope they're little bottoms aren't to chilly. Poor girls Im glad you could take them in.

 

Your original girls are lovely

[Snowy]

The new girls now have names! The brown and white sweetie is Nutmeg, the white one is Pepper, the copper black is Cinnamon and the pied is Clove.

 

They seemed to do OK last night - only Clove looked a bit worse for wear this morning. She took refuge in the nest box so every hen that wanted to lay had a peck at her. Poor little thing had a bloody comb I was out all day so rang OH to ask him to keep an eye on them - he said they were fine, he had let them all out into the garden! I had visions of returning home and not being able to catch the new girls. As it was, they all came running together for some corn and mealworms. Even Clove had been out and about and her comb was nice and dry. And I had 3 eggs off them!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

They're lovely . Well done for rescuing them - they're lucky girls .

[Gamebird]

Well done you for rescueing them. Not an easy decision to make on the spur of the moment.

 

They are lovely birds and once they put their knickers back on I'm sure they will be a perfectly respectful addition to your flock.

[jomaxsmith]

My Maran Cuivre always has a 'bulgy bum' like your new girl - it's only really noticeable when I've washed her knickers. As she's a similar size and shape to the Copper Black I guess their hybrid parentage is similar and maybe it's just their shape?

 

Jo

[Snowy]

My Maran Cuivre always has a 'bulgy bum' like your new girl - it's only really noticeable when I've washed her knickers. As she's a similar size and shape to the Copper Black I guess their hybrid parentage is similar and maybe it's just their shape?

 

Jo

That's interesting to know Jo. I am a bit concerned about it - but maybe it does just look worse because she is knickerless She seems happy enough, and I think she laid today, so it's not affecting her laying tackle at all.

[Egluntyne]

They are lovely girls. I love the picture of the old girls "gossiping" about them. The two hens on the left look very put out. Priceless.

 

Nutmeg in particular is a very pretty girl.

[moochoo]

Aaaw they're lovely girls. Well done for giving them a new home. I'm sure they'll blossom now they'll have things to do and new friends to make.

[Tilly Bud]

They're gorgeous! Sweetie number 1 looks JUST like my latest girl, Harriet! They're gorgeous looking chickens arent they?! I hope they settle in nicely and your older ladies aren't too judgemental!

[dancing cloud]

Aaww! They look lovely and your other girls look gorgeous too

 

Hope your older girls tell them what lucky hens they are

[skye]

They're all gorgeous, but I want to smuggle Nutmeg away with me!

 

Well done Snowy I bet they'll have a great time living with you

[Snowy]

Just a quick update on the 4 new girls. They have settled in really well and, although they still spend most of their time in the branches, they are also mingling with the rest of the flock when food is around!

 

They haven't laid since their first day, I think that is a combination of the stress of the move and using energy to regrow feathers. Talking of which:

Clove's Botty

Clove had the really swollen bottom, it's now much better and look at all her new little quills coming through!

Pepper's Botty

Pepper also had a bare bum, but again, (although you can't see it very well) it is now covered in little quills. When I got them, they were plucking each other bare. I've seen no sign of pecking since, and hopefully they will now have forgotten the habit.

And this is Clove and Nutmeg posing:

They are lovely girls, very friendly, I am so lucky to have them!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Lovely pictures, Snowy . Hope the bare botties feather up soon .

[abwsco]

Oh bless them, they look sooooooo much better Snowy