Single hen

[sarahlou]

Hi,

 

Well, chicken-day has finally arrived and my girls were delivered to me this morning. I love them! I have one gingernut and a pepperpot and they are already showing their personalities. Cagney (the gingernut) is the greedy one and has already been eating out of my hand whilst Lacey has been staring my cat Benny out, so much so that he ran off! They have been placed right underneath my plum tree so started attacking the windfall ones immediately. Do they actually ever stop eating?? I've never seen so much go in one end and out the other so quickly! They have also had a little bit of sweetcorn and a bit of my flapjack which they wolfed down.

 

It rained earlier and I was a little worried about them, but they seem to be fine and fluffed themselves out which was lovely! They're also getting used to various noises like the traffic and the resident wood pigeon in the tree above them. I can see them out the window as I type and they are now sitting down preening and seem quite content. I am wondering how I am going to get them in the Eglu tonight as all they've done really is peer inside. Should I put a little food in there?

 

I was also shown how to hold them by the Omlet man and was so surprised how soft and easy to handle they are. That was another thing I was worried about and needn't have been. So happy with my new family additions. The cats are still a little bemused. It must be so confusing seeing a bird so big, but still wondering if you could 'have' it!

 

Just had to share. If there are any tips you would like to share with me please do although I will of course be a good forum user and read the guides!

 

Sarah

Green Eglu and Two Chickens

Rayleigh, Essex

 

I'm off to find out how to get the pictures etc. in my signature!

[Laura & CTB]

Welcome to the forum!

 

Glad you are enjoying your new chickens

[sarahlou]

Oh and here's a picture of Benny and the chickens!

 

http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m263/sarahlouisefisher/?action=view&current=IMG_4472.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch1

[melcotton]

welcome - lots of fun and advice here! Just a word of warning - this chicken business can be quite addictive!

 

Mel

[AnnieP]

Welcome Sarahlou! And congratulations on the chooks! I love the picture and look at your lovely clean Eglu and grass!

My advice is to get those girls trained! Whistle or something every time you feed them treats, so they learn the noise, then whenever you want them to come, even if they're freeranging, they'll come running! It helps if its a sound made by something, so anybody wishing to herd your chickens can do so. And pick tehm up lots and lots, so that they don't mind being handled....

You'll love them!

Good luck!

[Paola]

Welcome Sarah

 

They are lovely

 

If they do not go in to the Eglu when it gets dark, you can shine a torch in the egg port and they will usually go in.

 

Good luck. Keep us posted

[sarahlou]

Thanks everyone! Hope that I will be able to contribute advice as time goes by and I have got to know them a bit better. They are now both eating out of my hand and am wolf-whistling when I give them treats - will be a good party-trick when people come round.

 

I have my torch ready for this evening!

[AnnieP]

I bet they'll go in just fine. Do wait until it is actually dark though...I think we all have tried to put our girls to bed a bit too early at first, keen to see them all nicely tucked up....

[The Dogmother]

Don't worry too much sarahlou, so long as they are in the run they'll be fine. Mine put themselves to bed in the Eglu when it gets dark, but I hardly ever shut the Eglu door. Only when it's really cold.

[Nicola O]

Hello Sarah

 

You can tell from day one that you're going to become addicted to them and their funny little antics, can't you.

 

Love the picture - if only I had a camera I'd put some of my chooks in the gallery - perhaps I'll drop a few hints for Santa

 

Benny is SOOOOO much like my cat, Norman, only Benny's black patches are a little bit bigger - they could be brothers!

 

I see your only down the road from me, if you ever fancy a cuppa, y ou're more than welcome.

 

Nicola

[sarahlou]

Hi Nicola,

 

Thank you, that's very kind! I wonder how many more of us there are in the Essex area. The Omlet man said there were at least 10 others in Rayleigh.

 

I am addicted already. I can't stop popping out to see them and they are getting used to me now although I must stop feeding them sweetcorn everytime I go out, don't want them getting used to it! They see my hands as food now and keep trying to bite them.

 

I love your cat's name, Norman, that's brilliant! I have another cat Roxy who is not normally scared of anything, but she's not sure about the chickens. She's so funny. She forgets they're there and then gives them a very wide berth when she sees the Eglu. How does Norman get on with yours?

[parmaviolet]

Hi Sarah, welcome to the flock!

 

I am addicted already. I can't stop popping out to see them and they are getting used to me now

 

It never wears off. We've had June and Audrey for nearly two years and we love them to bits & spend any free evening with them. We used to go to our local pub, a four minute walk away, 4 or 5 eves a week as most of our friends are there. We hardly step foot in there now! The girls are so much fun and good company that we tell our friends if they want to see us, they have to come over for a beer/glass of wine with us and the chooks.

[sarahlou]

Ahhh, we left them until it went dark and then went out with the torch thinking they would need some gentle persuasion. No need. Both were tucked up ready for bed! Opened the eggport and gave them a little stroke goodnight!

 

I can't believe we haven't done this sooner! Thanks everyone!

[tara]

Thats great you sound like your going to be like the rest of us mad about chickens.I love the pic its good that they are settling so quick and so well already.When it comes to putting them to bed for the first night the tourch did not work for ours we sat up really late and they were just cuddling up together in the run and looked cold so we had to encourage them in the right direction.They had never seen an eglu so did not know what they were to do.But the next night they needed no help.As for now 3 months on they know the hole garden which is what we wanted.Mine like there porrage l put apple in it they cant get enough.Chickens are so much fun l find l dont want to go out any more as dont like puting them away they just love the garden.

 

bluebell l ruby marmalaid

[Nicola O]

I love your cat's name, Norman, that's brilliant! I have another cat Roxy who is not normally scared of anything, but she's not sure about the chickens. She's so funny. She forgets they're there and then gives them a very wide berth when she sees the Eglu. How does Norman get on with yours?

 

Norman has not been bothered at all about the chooks. He will quite happily stroll past them when they are out in the garden, or just sit a look at them for a while.

 

The 'problem' animal in my house is one of my three dogs, who has just wanted to eat the chickens since the day they arrived. The other two are brilliant, I can put them out in the garden when the chooks are out and they are all fine together, I trust those two completely. But little Freda, a terrier, is a monster and has got hold of one of the girls once whilst I was trying to introduce them , so now she is banned from the garden if chickens are out on patrol.

 

Nicola