Chicken bald back

[sandyhas3chucks]

You have GOT to be kidding,!

say my girls

[daj198]

My girls are not very impressed... I tried giving them some corn but it just sank into the snow. The eglus look very much like iglus!

[Cinnamon]

My big girls are flying across the pen to avoid the snowy edges & the Bants are just plain refusing to come out of the Eglu at all

[Happy chickens!]

I've never seen them come out so slowly! Disgusted to say the least!

 

Don't think I'll be doing much chicken watching today!

[Suzy]

Couldn't agree more sandyhas3chucks!!!

 

First time they have refused to leave their run since they arrived (and we let them out)

 

It's dampened their ardour somewhat as they aren't even squabbling - which wopuld certainly happen if they were stuck int heir run on a normal day (I am so bullied by my hens)

 

Any ideas as to what I could put in their run to occupy them? They've got 2 porridge bowls and their pellets in a grub and a glug, but because they spend all day everyday in the garden normally there's not a lot in the run for them to do.

[Woodchick]

It is snowing hard here and my three haven't poked their heads outside the cube yet - I can see I'm going to have to go out and put some food and water inside for them.

[Olly]

Suzy, if you've got a cabbage or something like that handy, it will keep them busy! Although I guess if you don't happen to have one in the fridge, you won't want to go shopping today ... I reckon mine are just going to spend the day moaning to each other. "Cor blimey, my feet are frozen!" "Yeah, never seen anything like it". They were VERY reluctant to come down the ladder.

[Cooks]

mine dont like it at all!

[sandyhas3chucks]

an old drawer with some layers mash on it, no mash, whizz pellets with a bit of mixed corn porridge ready brek weetabix bokashi? mine love scratching around in theres (large cat litter tray with half a brick in to keep it down.)

whole cabbage? or put it in fat ball feeder & hang so they sort of have top chase to peck it?

[Adams Egg]

I now have a new white Igloo!

Only trouble is the eglu run has collapsed under the weight of snow and is half the height it once was, mind you I don't suppose anyone thought it would ever have to withstand 12 inches of snow in 10 hours just 15 miles from Trafalgar Square ( as the chiken flies!).

 

:idea:Will have to crawl inside once I have dug down and put in some pit props! Will try to post pictures if the phone lines don't come down with the weight of snow!

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I now have a new white Igloo!

Only trouble is the eglu run has collapsed under the weight of snow and is half the height it once was, mind you I don't suppose anyone thought it would ever have to withstand 12 inches of snow in 10 hours just 15 miles from Trafalgar Square ( as the chiken flies!).

 

:idea:Will have to crawl inside once I have dug down and put in some pit props! Will try to post pictures if the phone lines don't come down with the weight of snow!

 

Good luck with the pit props! Good job your girls were tucked up in bed. I'd attach plastic bags to the knees to protect them from poo though Looking forward to the pics...

 

Sha x

[gir1z]

My girls are terrified of this snow LOL!! I had to dig them out this morn as they were completely covered by snow, but they are very suspicious of the white stuff (mind you so is Rocky dog..he stood barking at it this morn). Extra treats today...me thinks..they will be staying in the run for a few days. The robin is following me around forlornly..he counts on picking up spilled treats from the girls..might have to give him a seperate bowl..

[Barkisland]

My girls are not happy. Hensington Palace is deep in snow, it has blown through the weldmesh and the floor is covered with 2" of the stuff. The big girls came out briefly for their grapes and apple, but went straight back inside. The ex batts won't come out of the eglu at all. I am worried they won't eat or drink. (Hope I don't have a repeat of yesterday's performance with poor Nancy )

[Suzy]

Regan and Ophelia have now made it outside and demolished a bowl of warm tuna and noodles (free range egg ones of course!)

 

I've put a dustbinlid in the snow with a hot water bottle and some straw over it but they don't actually seem bothered.

 

Lottie is still laying so hasn't bothered getting up yet!

 

Will have to make her some tuna and noodles - it was a bit hit with the other two so she didn't get a look in!

[tara]

My chooks are eating the snow well 3 are the others are going no were near it.

[craftyhunnypie]

The banties are stood still in the eglu run, the cube girls have stayed up the top in the cube & the girls & boys in the shed are parading round the woods as it's sheltered & no snow in there. The girls in the red eglu decided to move into the shed last night with all the others, so we now have one redundant red eglu. So Button & Bingo can move outside next weekend now. Normally the banties like to eat snow - but they are not impressed today. Bless!

 

Emma.x

[piptiddlepip]

When I took the girls their mash this morning Aggie poked her head out of the pop hole to say that as official spokeschicken she was authorised to say that they would not be emerging today on account of all the cold white stuff, and to just leave the dishes at the bottom of the ramp and they would help themselves later. Then she went back to bed.

 

I wish I could have done the same!

[sandyhas3chucks]

My girls are not happy. Hensington Palace is deep in snow, it has blown through the weldmesh and the floor is covered with 2" of the stuff. The big girls came out briefly for their grapes and apple, but went straight back inside. The ex batts won't come out of the eglu at all. I am worried they won't eat or drink. (Hope I don't have a repeat of yesterday's performance with poor Nancy )

It won't hurt to offer them food & water through the egg hatch. i would offer it over the bars though for spillages. Warm wet mash will probably be gobbled up by them, poor things. what a shock for them, don't blame em .

[Chillicat]

My 4 Omlet girls were very this morning and haven't come out of their run at all even though I've left their door open.

The Buff Sussex hates the big girls so she legged it out of the door as quick as she could and then flew to safety straight under a bush .....took me half an hour and a bowl of warm pasta to coax her out.

More snow fell and I think that freaked her out a bit so I sorted out the vacant eglu to put her in. She's now got shelter, food, water and peace and quiet from the others.

Pleeeeease don't snow anymore.......a foot is enough!

[cordelia]

mine came out into the eglu run this morning to see what I'd bourhgt them (corn on the cob) and some fresh water...

 

having failed to get to work, we had to turn back as we couldnt make it down a hill...(lorries and cars were getting stuck)...I went back out to check on them and they'd gone back to bed..

 

husband went out to let them roam the garden...

 

I did tell him that the last time it snowed they wouldnt put a foot in it...and they wont again today.....sensible girls...

 

wonder if I'll get eggs today....I wouldnt lay in this weather...LOL

[Barkisland]

My girls are not happy. Hensington Palace is deep in snow, it has blown through the weldmesh and the floor is covered with 2" of the stuff. The big girls came out briefly for their grapes and apple, but went straight back inside. The ex batts won't come out of the eglu at all. I am worried they won't eat or drink. (Hope I don't have a repeat of yesterday's performance with poor Nancy )

It won't hurt to offer them food & water through the egg hatch. i would offer it over the bars though for spillages. Warm wet mash will probably be gobbled up by them, poor things. what a shock for them, don't blame em .

 

Thanks Sandy, I did as you said, put it inside the eglu, and Floss is digging in with gusto! Am a little worried about Gerty, she is standing right at the back of the eglu and I can't really see how she looks. I hope she sees Floss eating and follows suit. I will go back out in half an hour to see how much has gone. Floss has just laid a whopper of an egg, by the way!

 

Only one of my original girls is out and about, the other 3 are crammed in the back of the cube trying to get cosy. Gilda took a quick look at the warm porridge but decided it wasn't for her.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

They can be such fussy little madams when they want can't they?!

 

Sha x

[Mrs Kettle]

When I took the girls their mash this morning Aggie poked her head out of the pop hole to say that as official spokeschicken she was authorised to say that they would not be emerging today on account of all the cold white stuff, and to just leave the dishes at the bottom of the ramp and they would help themselves later. Then she went back to bed.

 

I wish I could have done the same!

 

Yes, mine are huddled in the eglu (which they never do normally), trying to work out how to contact a union representative. They've eaten the peace offering porridge, but are still utterly disgusted. This was not in the contract!

[sandyhas3chucks]

It COULD just be that Gertie is under chook & wil have to wait till Floss has had all she wants, or it could be that Gertie is ready to lay an egg & won't eat till it is done. She isn't shivering is she I would think all this snow rather insulates the Eglu more? dunno though. you could off dry mash too just incase she just doesn't fancy that or recognise it as food! If you are still worried you could offer her some grapes as they have moisture in too.

I am sure it wil work out there will be lots of suggestions winging their way to you I am sure. got to look back at your posts now & see what happened with Nancy.

Good luck.

[helenmb]

Blimey chaps I think we have got off well in north Cambridgeshire, we've had nothing close to that kind of covering!!! The snow has almost gone from my garden now and the temp is back above zero thankfully.

 

The girls have discovered eating snow and really like it! I've left them in their covered run for some protection from the elements. They have wind baffles made from clear shower curtains bungeed to the sides and are happily eating the spring greens I bought from Sainsbury on Saturday.