Solitary chicken - need advice

[maryeadrian]

I don't like being in a different time zone. You all are up!!!! I'm just getting to work. (7:30 am here) But the first thing I thought of this morning is "Wonder if it's there yet!!!" And what do I find, but lots of folks wondering the same thing and NO ANSWER! I'm going to assume you're out there taking picture after picture and getting it all set up. I just KNOW that's what you're doing. Right??? Now how am I supposed to sit through a morning meeting not knowing? I'll tell you how...lots of "bathroom breaks" to run to my office and check the computer.

 

CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT AND HEAR ALL ABOUT IT!!!! TODAY'S THE DAY!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Mary

[fluffyknickers]

SORRY SORRY SORRY!!!!!!

 

 

I am here and they are here and it was chaos!

 

They came with lovely Roy around 10.30am this morning. Afraid it wasnt an Omlet van with logos on so I didnt bother taking a photo of just the plain white van!

 

However I do have loads of photos of it being set up and EVEN my dad holding Nugget the little (actually quite big) pepperpot!!!

 

Doing dinner at the moment (late rushed waffles and veg dinner!) but will attempt to get photos on tonight before i go to the cinema.

 

I am a bit worried (quite a lot actually) as the two ginger nut rangers are really bullying the pepperpot badly and its getting bad - what do i do?

 

They are gorgeous and eaten out of our hands and had cuddles.

x

[Plum]

Congratulations.

They will bully to begin with. One of my gingernuts kept chasing the others and pecking them. Don't worry too much they will settle down when they have pecking order sorted, it just feels it's terribly mean when you aren't used to it. Only worry if blood is drawn then take her out and come and ask on here. It passes, mine did a bit of it for quite a few days and I'm afraid I did laugh at them but it wasn't vicious. You could put some extra food and water in so the pepperpot can get food and water if the rotten gingers are selfish.

 

Look forward to the photos.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Congratulations . Get that meal eaten and let's see the photos .

[fluffyknickers]

Thanks plum, I do have a little food pot that I could put in actually tomorrow as they are getting at her and she is so lovely (my favourite!).

 

She is so frightened she took herself to bed and is sitting in the egg area. When I sat in the run she even came up and at on my lap and shut her eyes.

 

I am sadly at work tomorrow (hate it when work gets in the way of chicken watching ) but will check in the morning how bad they got her.

 

I have a question about the cube too as the egg area has a slit in the bottom so the bedding drops down underneath - is this right? Is it just for ventilation or muck to drop through? Or should I put a layer of newspaper over it?

 

Will post it under eglus/cubes bit.

x

[Cooks]

I line mine with newspaper

[fluffyknickers]

They are all in bed now and dont want to disturb them.

 

Tomorrow I will line it I think.

 

I have lined the pooh trays with paper and aubiose.

 

I keep thinking about them and wonder if they are warm enough just sitting on those roosting bars - am I being soft!?

 

Make a rubbish farmer wouldnt I!

 

x

[Falkor]

Don`t panic, when I lived and worked on a dairy farm I once spent a night going out to check on an ill cow every hour or so! If I was being soft so was my big manly boyf farmer cos he told me I had to do it!!

 

I am sure that they will be fine in the cube on the roosting bars.

 

Bet you dream of chickens tonight!

[fluffyknickers]

some pics but not many as off out to cinema now.

 

No linkabord yet as it didnt come with the rest so not final set up.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/michelle260377/?saved=1

[Plum]

I am sadly at work tomorrow

 

What you didn't book time off work for chookwatching. Get your priorities right!

 

The hole is a bit of everything but I put newspaper which still lets it breathe but stops the beddding falling through.

[mostin]

The pictures are lovely, your pepperpot looks right at home on the roosting bars bless her . I always think we should be granted hen-ternity leave when new chooks arrive, it's not like anything gets done at work anyway, we all just sit there day dreaming of our new chooks back home .

[chelsea]

I am sadly at work tomorrow

 

What you didn't book time off work for chookwatching. Get your priorities right!

 

.

 

Lol... and going to the cinema tonight...what are you like! You should be sat with your cube in the dark.

[maryeadrian]

Great pictures, Michelle! (Your boys are adorable, too.) The Pepperpot does look right at home. And I can see why she's your favorite. She's beautiful. So are the other two, but there's just something about that Pepperpot....

 

Mary

[fluffyknickers]

I know she is really gorgeous (was that me that just typed that a CHICKEN is gorgeous!!!). I also feel sorry for her so makes my soft spot even larger - the other two really are picking on her.

 

Just about to add more photos to flickr now I am back form watching Slumdog Millionaire (a brill film that made me cry).

 

Now have time thought I would give more info about the girls arrival and what I did.

 

They arrived with Roy the Omlet man in a plain ( ) white van with NO logos (did I mention that already ). We helped Roy unload all the bits and my 4 year old started to realise what was going on as we kept it as a surprise when they were coming. He shouted "WE HAVE CHICKENS". Roy had a coffee and chatted away to me and my son (husband was sent to B&Q for few last bits and 2 year old daughter with grandad at the shops!) while he started to put the cube and run together in rapid time.

 

The chickens were in a cat type travel box thing and my son sat and spoke to them and they flapped and made a few noises. Roy was giving lots of tips about feeding, free ranging etc. Husband arrived home and my son told him he had to say hello to the chickens and tell them his name!!! It was brilliant!!! My husband said "yes I am sure they know me already" so my son said "no you have to do it Daddy". So my football loving husband stood there and said "hello chickens my name is Daddy" - wish I had a camera.

 

Roy was ready and said we would handle them and cut their wings. He taught me the way to handle them and passed one to me and my dad and then gave me the scissors and I cut some!!! Get me being a right old farmer!

 

We put some food and water in the run and put them in the cube and left them for a while and as they didnt come out we coaxed them (ok pushed ) them down and they found the food. Roys work was done and we all waved him off. We then decided we would teach them how to drink - they were not having any of it but instead got the water (went to say licked but I dont think thats right ) off the ground. However after a few hours they all went under the glug and tapped away - so funny as they all go go each of the three metal bits like there is something different in each one. . "mmmm coke-a-cola, G&T and this one is larger"!!!!

 

As the linkabord didnt turn up we used a bit of my SIL log roll across the area to keep bedding in til it arrives (wasnt told by Omlet it wasnt coming) and I got in the run with the girls who were not bothered by me at all and added some stalosan F then woodchip and lots of aubiose. They had a lovely time digging all my hard work up. .

 

In between all this my dad went and bought us all some rolls and chips so I did stop for a quick butty - but not for long!

 

As it was after 3 oclock and my son had been patient i said we could give them a treat - so we put some toast on and we got in the run with them and offered some marmite on toast - they pecked it a bit but not bothered. So next was strawberry tops - no not bothered, ok so broccoli madames - non merci they said. Right I said to Charlie (my son) this calls for corn. THEY WENT MAD!!! My son and I had a leather glove each and sat in the run and they climbed on us and ate out of our hands like they were possesed.

 

We then left them alone til it got dark and they went in and out of the cube (see other post!) and the two gingers continued to peck at my lovely pepperpot. In the end I helped the last one in the cube and shut the door.

 

Got to try and sleep tonight now as very excited to see them in the morning!

 

Oh and I have some Eggciting cube run news about the new size door - think it warrants a seperate post!

 

They all seem healthy enough (like I would know what a non-healthy one looked like!!!) but the combs are tiny and very pale so they wont be laying for ages and I am a bit worried about the bullying but will see how it goes.

 

Sorry this is long and if you read it all then - god you must be bored .

 

More photos going on flickr now.

x

[Redwing]

That sounds like a busy day!

 

Glad all went well, your is a stunner

[maryeadrian]

It was wonderful to read! I can just picture your son and husband. How cute! Do you really think you'll sleep tonight? Or your son? I'd be so restless, just waiting for dawn so as to let them out and just watch them. I loved hearing about the water. I wondered if chickens really took to it and it sounds like yours surely did. REally looking forward to more photos. This is so terrific! You've been waiting so long. But I must admit, I'll miss the count down on your posts.

 

mary

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I loved reading your story . Very entertaining .

 

Lovely photos too . That is just gorgeous. Why didn't I get a .

[fluffyknickers]

More photos added.

x

 

[mostin]

Gorgeous new photos, what a lovely clean new cube