Warm boot recommendations please

[gooner.girl]

I feel awful I got my eglu starter kit along with 2 hens a maran cross (Daisy)and gingernut ranger cross (Buttercup) only about a month ago.

 

My first intention was to let them out in the garden when we were home and put them in a run when we were out. As it happens i was around a lot in the summer (i'm a teacher) so they were out most of the time. They enjoyed it so much. So i decided i'd rather they live a happy life outside with the risk of fox then a safe but boring life in the run. So have let them out since returning to work.

 

Well i had some books (big parcel) delivered today and the postie didn't shut the back garden gate. They both got out. I came home, caught Daisy but buttercup has been found dead in a neighbours garden. I feel terrible. I must be the worlds worst chicken keeper. I couldn't keep her alive longer then a month. Poor girl. She must have been in so much pain and fear. Her feathers were everywhere.

 

I blame myself as i put on the internet order form that they should leave the books with a neighbour or round the back if i was not in though i also put that they needed to shut the gate. Well that was ignored but even so...

 

Now i have lots of questions? Don't know whether you can help me fellow chicken keepers?

 

Can we bury Buttercup?

 

Should we get a companion chicken for Daisy?

 

Is it likely that whatever killed her - i assume fox though it must have been midmorning, (we do live in a village next to fields) is it more likely to come back looking for daisy?

 

Please help

Helen

[The Dogmother]

Oh Helen, what dreadful news. And how awful to find her like that.

 

You're not supposed to bury them but I did, it helps to have a grave, but dig it deep and put a big stone on top. Save some of her feathers to remember her by.

 

I'd get a friend or two for Daisy asap or she'll pine - chooks are very sociable.

 

I would be aware that a daytime fox may have taken her; you might need to take precautions.

 

Take care, and let us know how you get on.

[Karen & co.]

Oh how sad Helen

 

but don't beat yourself up, Buttercup will have had a lovely life with you before mr fox came along , and I'm sure she would have died of shock almost instantly rather than feel any pain

 

It is possible that now the fox knows that there are chooks he will come back, so better safe than sorry

 

I would bury Buttercup if she were mine, and perhaps put a nice plant over the top, I also think that Daisy will miss her and another chicken will help both of you

 

take care

 

karen x

[gooner.girl]

Thanks girls, for your kindness, thoughts and help. Although i had only had her 6 weeks i was very attached to her and am still upset.

 

It feels awful thinking about a replacement already but can you recomend somewhere to get Daisy a friend? I presume i can't just buy one chicken from Omlet? I live in the South east - sussex, any good breeders around that you know of?

 

Thanks

Helen

Daisy, Milo the dog, Bess and Alfie the cats.

[Cinnamon]

Hi Helen,

 

Just to add my sympathies,it must have been a horrible shock for you.

But,as Karen said,don't beat yourself up......you made a mistake & we all do that.

Get one of those springy auto-shutting thingys for the gate

 

Do whatever you feel is right burial wise. I would do as Clare suggests & maybe plant some flowers or a shrub to remember her by too

 

And then get yourself a new hen or 2.

2 will be an easier introduction to your Daisy (I have a Daisy too!), & there are some lovely breeds to choose from.

Try to find a Medowsweet agent near to you as they do the most super hybrids,including the White Star which lays pure white eggs,& is a funny,nosey little hen!

They also do the Rhode Star which is similar to Omlets Gingernut,a Speckeldy which is gorgeous,& the very pretty Blue Belle.

 

Here is a link - there are several breeders in Sussex

 

http://www.meadowsweetpoultry.co.uk/index3.html

 

Good luck, & let us know how you get on.

[*al]

Hi Helen,

 

We went to a place in Battle for our chickens. They were really helpful and friendly. (They are a Meadowsweet supplier)

 

Jason & Kerry Weller

Mantell Farm

Henley Down

Battle

 

01424 830357

[gooner.girl]

Thanks guys,

 

Will give them a look! How urgent is it? Will she really pine if she is on her own to long?

[Cinnamon]

I am afraid she might pine,as chickens are social animals.

A few extra treats & cuddles will help,though

 

I think most Medowsweet suppliers keep a good turnover of hens,so if you can find one near to you,you may be lucky & find that they have lots in for you to choose from

[Guest]

Now i have lots of questions? Don't know whether you can help me fellow chicken keepers?

 

Can we bury Buttercup?

 

 

Someone asked this last year - and I checked it out. Yes - you can bury household pets in the garden - it is perfectly legal. the general advice for dogs is as follws:

 

The body will have to be buried at least 1.25 m deep and should be well away from ponds, streams, wells, underground pipes and cables. Remember not to bury your pet in a plastic sheet or bag, as this will prevent the natural decaying process. Instead, bury your pet in a towel or his favourite blanket. Home burial is one of the cheapest and most personal ways of disposing of your dog's body, as you have to perform the task yourself. Seeing your dog's grave every day can help you to accept your pet's death more quickly, but may be quite upsetting at first. However, with time, it can be a real comfort to feel that he is close by.

 

if you can bury a dog - then there's no reason why you can't bury a chicken..

 

others have offered good advice about a new hen (or two)

 

you're bound to feel awful - I lost two chickens because I stupidly left the lid egg-port door off overnight - the fox came to visit.. but this wasn't you - but the deliverer - and in his case it was a straightforward accident..

 

unfortunately there's no short cut around grief and feelings of "if only.." - except to try not to beat yourself up - treat yourself well - and get back in the saddle with some more chooks...

 

(the spring on the gate is a good idea - I have one of those now on account of my children's friends - who leave their bikes at our house on the way to school - regularly leaving the gate open...)

 

If you have any photos of Buttercup - why not put them in the Pet Memorials sticky thread - it's a nice place to remember her..

 

Every Blessing,

 

Phil

[gooner.girl]

Thanks Phil. Just one more question for you all.

 

What should i do now with Daisy? Should i keep her in the run all the time or let her roam free?

 

What do other people do?

 

I'm gonna make sure that the gate is padlocked 500 times over so that won't be an issue but it does worry me that the fox was obviously close by. Our fences are about 5/6 ft tall.

 

It seems a shame to keep her in the run but i really couldn't face losing her as well.

 

Any thoughts?

[church chooks]

i'm so sorry about your chicken - you should definitely blame the delivery man not yourself.

 

My choks arrive next week (thanks to everyone who reassured me on the forum this week - i've kept the order), so i can't comment on the chicken aspect.

 

But i do know foxes - we have a very bad problem here The foxes jump our 6 foot fencing without even flinching. They can also get through a gap 4 inches wide Don't trust anything to keep foxes away from your Daisy unless it has a roof and no gaps, especially if the foxes know she's there.

 

I hope you find her some new friends - and don't blame yourself!

[Budgies]

Unfortunately foxes are incredibly persistent, and a fence of 6 feet in height won't be any deterrant at all. I would suggest that you only let Daisy freerange when someone is there at the moment if that's practicable.

 

Hope you find a couple of new friends for her soon.

 

Sue Budgie x

[chocchick]

Don't feel bad, it was just unfortunate there's nothing you could have done really.

Maybe you could get electric fencing, or a foxwatch deterrent (google)?

[gooner.girl]

Hi guys,

 

Well i am going to try and get another chicken or 2 today from a meadowsweet supplier in Sussex. I wouldn't have been in so much of a hurry but Daisy appears to be off her food and won't even take her favourite treats, (most unusual) and i'm a bit worried about her.

 

Will let you know how i get on!

 

P.S the fox watch thing looks great but i have a dog that uses the back garden and i'm not sure that it would be ideal for him?! Anyone know?

[Cinnamon]

Hi,

Just to say good luck at the chicken shop

Do think about getting 2 more - 3 in an Eglu is such a nice number

 

You should have a nice choice at Medowsweet,so do update us with what you have choosen,won't you

[AnnieP]

The foxwatch does not bother my two dogs at all (but one of them is deaf ).

[Guest]

 

P.S the fox watch thing looks great but i have a dog that uses the back garden and i'm not sure that it would be ideal for him?! Anyone know?

 

 

I have a foxwatch and it doesn't bother my dog... or the squirrels!!

 

Phil

[gooner.girl]

I've got them! And i got 2! Dunno what my mother in law will say she thinks the place is a bit like Noahs Ark already, although we do live in Noahs Ark lane so perhaps she should expect it! We only have 2 cats and a dog otherwise!

 

So we went to a place in East Grinstead, Sussex which we eventually found after some rather dodgy map reading by my hubby(!) The lady there was nice and we bought home an amber star (white with brown feathers) and a speckeldy which is grey and white. Both yet unnamed! They are only 16 weeks though - so not POL yet. Are they ok on normal food that young? Anything special we should do? Their combs are very small and pink still unlike Daisys!

 

At the moment we have put them in the run and daisy in the garden but she is already reaching through to try and peck them, and clucking loudlyi hope they will be ok?! Any recomendations on how to introduce them? Will they follow Daisy into the eglu at night?

 

I have a few more questions! (sorry but you have all been so good at answering them so far - much better then any book!)

 

Does the fox watch thing really work?

 

If i get one do you think it would be ok to keep them in the garden free range when we are out?

 

If i don't get one should i keep them in the run?

 

If i keep them in the run is there anyway of entertaining them?

 

What do people recomend as chicken snacks? So far i have tried Daisy on raisins, sweetcorn, grapes and carrot. Any other ideas?

 

I thin thats all!

 

Thanks for your help so far!

[Guest]

So we went to a place in East Grinstead, Sussex which we eventually found after some rather dodgy map reading by my hubby(!)

 

that's where mine came from - not so easy to find!!

 

Phil

[Cinnamon]

Great news!

 

Both Amber Stars & Speckeldys are lovely.

My Speckeldy (Poppy) is the most lovely hen

 

They can go onto Layers pellets,I should think, as they are quite near to point of lay at 16 weeks.

 

Re your other questions - well,I have no experience of Fox Watch,so I can't help there.

But,I would keep the girls in the run for the moment unless you are there to keep a good eye on them. Foxes are detwrmined creatures ,when there is a free meal to be had.

 

They will be fine in the run full time,although Daisy may protest to begin with as she has already had a taste of freedom!

You can buy Peck-a-blocks which not only occupy them,but can help new chickens settle in with exsisting hens as they peck the block rather than each other

 

Snacks - there is an endless list - raisins,corn-on-the-cob,cooked potato peelings,Grapes,any leftover greenery from the house (lettuce,cabbage etc)

Omlet sell mealworms which the hens adore,too

 

There are several stickys on introductions,but with you bringing 2 new girls to 1 established hen,it should be pretty easy.

Tonight,put them all to bed in the Eglu together,with the door shut,then get up in the morning & seperate them again,letting Daisy out into the garden & the new ones into the Eglu run (you will need a seperate food & drink area for Daisy) Shut the Eglu door,but take the Egg Port door off ,so Daisy can pop in there for a quick lay,if she needs to (you may need to keep an eye & help her work this out!)

Then tomorrow night put them in the Eglu again,repeating the process for as long as you want.

I would be tempted to let them all run together on Monday (in the Eglu run),especially if you cannot be around during the day.

 

There probably will be pecking,but it will stop,& having 2 new ones to contend with should mean that Daisy will be a bit more willing to adapt.

 

[Linda]

Good luck with your new girls. It really is good for you, and for Daisy, to have two new chickens to focus on. Do let us know how they are after their first night!

[gooner.girl]

Well they seem ok after their first night. As usual Daisy charged out the eglu and into the garden but the other 2 seem slightly more apprehensive the speckeldy (bluebell) has gone into the run but the amber star (snowdrop) seems to want to stay in the eglu.

 

They both had a run in the garden last night with Daisy who ignored them for a while (to busy following me to see if i had food) but then gave them a few pecks if they came to close. Not really any feathers in the eglu so i guess she was ok with them at night! I'm sure they will all settle down ok eventually.

 

They are terrified of the dog but then Daisy was when we first got her and now she just ignores him. Trying to keep Milo (the dog) and the cats away from them for a bit to give them more time to settle in.

 

Thinking of getting a run extension from Omlet but you have to buy 2 bits to start with don't you? Ouch. Not cheap but probably worth it.

 

Where do you get the peck a blocks from?

 

I read somewhere that chickens like mirrors? Is this true and has anyone ever given there chicks a mirror to look in? Did they like it?

 

Phil - i'll tell my husband that he wasn't the only one that couldn't find the place! That will please him. What hens did you get from there?

[chelsea]

Mirrors - I have hung a CD in the run (one of those free one's from the sunday paper) and they love to look at themselves in the shiney bit....quite often they tap it.

 

Hubby works with chickens in large chicken houses and they have CD'S and leather footballs inside the houses for the chickens to play with

[chelsea]

oh and snacks -

 

mine like - sweetcorn, raisins, grapes, cherry tomatoes, spinach, oats in bio yoghurt (once a week treat), lettuce, any bugs you find - earwigs, snails, spiders.

 

mine are young like yours - 13 weeks, but they will peck down the bigger things (grapes and tomatoes), raisins and sweetcorn swallowed whole!

[Ruth]

Thinking of getting a run extension from Omlet but you have to buy 2 bits to start with don't you? Ouch. Not cheap but probably worth it.

 

 

For 3 chickens you probably just need the run converter, not the converter AND the extension. They are both about the same length, it is just that the converter fits on to the original run. I have a run and a converter, and my 3 are fine in there when I'm not at home. (Hope I've understood your question correctly)

 

Glad to hear that your new ones are settling in. They sound lovely!

 

Best wishes