Single hen

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Following my nightmare first attempt at introducing my chooks & the Orpies, we bit the bullet today after the chook girls had given the Orpies a lesson on how to dustbath.

 

How do we do it...

 

Got it!!!

 

 

There were a few odd nips & flurries of feathers, but seemed to settle quite quickly & even decided to share their tea before bed.....

 

 

Long may it continue, and hopefully the Orpies neck feathers will stop being plucked as they have more room to roam .

 

Sha x

 

Edited to say - Oooops I shouldn't tidy up Photobucket after posting photos should I?! Pics are further down now.......! Have removed the dodgy links on here to tidy up a bit....!!

Edited February 22, 2009 by Guest

[Electricbarbarella]

they look like old pals, hope it is still ging well.

Also gorgeous girls.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Thanks EB, they will stay in their runs until they've eaten their breakfast - I am a mean mum ! - then we'll free them & see how we go! I didn't get any photos of the dogs in the mix too, it does look rather amusing, they seem to think they are chooks too now

 

Next step is add the batties in..... I'm not brave enough for that yet !

 

Sha x

[Electricbarbarella]

minehave been freeranging together, I am struggling a bit with splitting them up to put them back in the right place then because the batties are not so easy to catch and I cant get into the eglu run to remove the big girls, It gets quite funny doesnt it? My dh thinks I am mad, the kids think I am very very funny.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Mine all split off at their appointed bedtimes & went to bed in their own houses, would yours not do that then if left to themselves? It may help a bit that the chooks run has a very small door on it (intended to stop the dogs going in & snaffling all the food...yes well that worked !!!) & the Orpies can't go in there.

 

Once we've finished the big run, we'll have the 2 cubes attached & could well end up with all 7 of them in one, as long as they are happy & don't squabble I won't worry! When we add the batties into the equation, we'll start off with the eglu in the run until they all sleep in the cubes, this of course may never happen as they have a tendency to be "contrary marys" & do their own thing, rather than follow our plans

 

Sha x

[Seagazer]

They look lovely all together, what gorgeous colours

[Chickvic]

What lovely pics Glad it's going well.

[Groovychook]

They all look so lovely together!

[Falkor]

Glad is is going well but I can`t see the pics

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Can't you, I can, is anyone else having probs?

 

These are they.......

 

 

I've been playing with photobucket so that may have thrown a spanner in the works

 

Sha x

[Cooks]

ahhh look at those large fluffy bottoms!

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Quick update:

 

As always my feathered babies are ruling the roost & calling the shots!

 

I had decided that the Batties should stay in their own run until they were stronger....this was until Friday when one of the Orpies leapt up onto the windbreak near the eglu, teetered there for a very long moment, then launched herself into the Batties' run

 

I don't know who moved the fastest; me, the Batty who was just coming out of the eglu run or the Orpy as she landed An executive decision was made on the spot, they'll have to be let out so the Orpy didn't attack any of them & cause mayhem in an enclosed space.

 

They have free ranged happily together (with just a few spats, instigated by any one of them..!) and the Batties are getting quite adventurous, one even went into the new walkin run - have I mentioned I have one now ! - and had a wander around the run, poked her beak in Jasper the , had a peck of the food in there & toddled off out, the other 3 just stood & stared at her!

 

They couldn't find their Smurf this evening, although they'd been in & out of it all day, probably just as well though as Buttercup, Snowdrop & Bluebell were all snoozing happily in there when I checked - they got relocated into the WIR & snuggled up in Jasper, and the Batties settled in the Smurf

 

Last night my Mum & Dad were on menagerie duties & closed all the doors without checking who was where. This morning I opened up & found Snowdrop on her own in Jasper & the other two little chook minxes Buttercup & Bluebell had a "sleepover" with the Orpies! I only noticed when Buttercup stuck her little beak out this morning after the flurry of blue feathers had shot out for breakfast, then a quick headcount showed that Bluebell had shot out with 3 of the feather balls and the 4th one was standing in Liberace , looking very bemused & miffed that there was poo in her nest box (B&B always sleep in theirs !)

 

Wonder where I'll find them all tomorrow..... Oh and just because I thought the Orpies were too big to get in the eglu run, they aren't, they just shimmy under on their bellies & cause havoc !

 

Sha x

[Electricbarbarella]

wow I didnt follow that at all but sounds good (I think)

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Love hearing about all their antics . I can't over how fluffy your girls are .

 

Lovely pics, btw .

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Short & simple version then, sorry that was a bit waffly wasn't it !!

 

Everyone is freeranging in the garden at the same time which was not my plan but it seems to be working!

 

The various groups are sleeping wherever they see fit, although I draw the line at the original three sleeping in the Batties eglu. I feel they still need their space at night. Also they are quite feisty as are the Orpies, which may cause a problem or two in an enclosed space.

 

I'll let them take the lead with regards going into the big run & cubes at night, once they are comfortable with it, they can go in there & stay, until then they can have their own little home & run.

 

Oh yes, and I agree EB, it is quite a challenge to split the groups back to their respective homes when necessary, no problem when it's bedtime, but if I have to go out I may have a problem or two - easy answer is to stay in & chook watch all day every day !!!

 

Sha x