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Lesley

The Good Life continued....

By Lesley, in The Nesting Box

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The Dogmother Eggsistentialist

The Dogmother

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What I thought was funny Buff was that L&C hadn't told Brad that there were some eggs in an incubator in the kitchen, so when he went back home with Jazz, he texted Carl so say 'there are some chicks hatching in the kitchen!!' That was sooo funny, I can just see their faces now :lol: I bet they all spent most of the night up watching them.

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Lesley Eggsistentialist

Lesley

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I'm the Mummy Hen Clare - the youngest chicks we have were 8 days old so the hen probably wouldn't accept any new ones (and that Burford Brown Mummy is a vile little toad anyway :evil: )

 

Yes, completely forgot to tell Brad about the incubator - and I knew the eggs were starting to 'pip' :roll: Luckily, his girlfriend is Hungarian and her family have always kept chickens - they have to have roof nets to stop the eagles taking fully grown hens :shock: . She wasn't too worried. Brad was enthralled - we missed all the hatching process though :roll:

 

They are in a cardboard box in the kitchen.

 

Pearl phoned about the sheep - and also has the correct lamps to keep chicks under, for sale - coincidence again? :roll::D Don't know if we'll get to see Pearl in time though as it is quite a distance and we're so short of time this week - family still all in this area and descending on me any minute :?

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Lesley Eggsistentialist

Lesley

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Well, I might have managed two in that way, but not all three! These three didn't seem to know how to go to sleep - they propped each other up in a standing position and closed their eyes. As all three went to sleep, they all fell over :(

 

I decided to see what would happen if I put the chicks with the bantam Mummy. I took the smallest one ( :? ) and popped it behind her at 6pm. She had a look at it, pecked it lightly on the head and then ignored it. I left it in and observed from a little distance. There was a cold wind blowing and I felt so sorry for it but there was no going back really - she didn't attack it.

 

As it became dusk and the bantam and 3 babies went in to bed, we took the remaining two chicks and popped them under her skirts!

 

This morning, they were all running around and she was looking after them and teaching them what they could eat etc. It is much better for them to be raised by a hen so we're happier with this situation.

 

The three new chicks on the right......

2005_0822Misc0010.jpg

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Lesley Eggsistentialist

Lesley

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All ducks are loud Martin - I think :?

 

Ours laugh at us - loudly - whenever we are rushing around trying to sort out yet another calamity :evil: - well, at least thet's what it sounds like :?

 

The ducklings are now half grown and are nearly white now. Still don't know what sex they are - still waiting for the tail feathers to grow.

 

About 10 days ago my profile changed to say 15 layers - Martin :shock: you missed it! :shock::wink: Lottie, our third addition to the flock, died suddenly. She was in the nestingbox when we were checking them all in the afternoon, we thought she was laying. When Carl went out later, she was still there, he coaxed her out and she fell over. He brought her in and we wrapped her ina towel and gave her some honey water on a syringe. She was fading fast and her comb was blue. She died very quickly - probably a heart attack. We were awash with baby chicks but we were very upset that Lottie had gone. After 5 days, we decided to see if the local Meadowsweet agent had a Speckledy - she hadn't but she had got a Heritage Amber, a new hybrid which lays white eggs. We went to collect one ........................................................... and came back with an Amberstar as well :roll: Now my profile says 17 layers :?

 

The Heritage Skyline which lay blue eggs are doing well. We have at least two out of the three laying blue eggs (there have been some problems with blue eggs - 30% may lay whiteish eggs) Untill all the hens lay on the same day - we won't know if all three lay blue eggs. Roll on the first "9 egg day" from this lot. The other 8 are separate and with the other cockerel.

 

We nearly lost 2 chicks yesterday - they got tangled in the netting which we've thrown over the small run areas. We have patrolling buzzards and didn't want to entice them down! We will have to cut the netting to size and staple it to the wood to prevent it happening again. We didn't find time last night as Carl needed to get the strimmer going on the weeds where we want to make veggie plots. We are in the process of having 30 tons of topsoil delivered - 15 so far. We needed to get it delivered while the ground is still hard as the truck needs to go across the land to the back of the house.

 

don't forget your shovel on your next visit Clare :wink::lol::lol:

 

Last time, when we had 10 tons delivered, was when I became ill with kidney stones :? I hope I'm not tempting fate - I'd better go and drink some more water :wink:

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Cate in NZ Feathery Fanatic

Cate in NZ

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If she brings Freddie I think there'll be a lot of us volunteering to come and help as well Lesley :wink:

 

Sorry to hear about Lottie Lesley, very sad news :( Unusual though for you to go and get one hen to replace her....... and come back with 2 :wink: Have you got names for these newbies yet? Mind with a flock the size you've got are you still at the stage where you can remember all their names easily :?

Do post some photos please when you've got the chance :D:D

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