Single hen

[chick wiggle]

hi y'all

 

I am very new and only got my chickens yesterday, i dont know if i am being impatient but i am worried.

I picked my chickens up lunch time yesterday and put them straight into my cube. I was told to leave them in there untill today and so i put dishes of food and water in with them but they just climbed all over them and kept tipping the food and water out.

I filled the glug and grubs this morning and opened the door but they havent come out yet and so as far as i can tell they have had no food and water since yesterday morning!

Please someone reassure me they will be ok. Should i just leave them alone and if so for how long?

[Hen Watch]

I wouldn't worry too much just yet.

 

They may take a while to get used to new housing, new run, grass, new feeding bowls and the stress of transport. It's a lot to cope with and they may take a while to settle in. Just keep an eye on them.

[chick wiggle]

thank you,, feel a bit better, but you cant help but worry when the little things rely on you for everything eh?

I just think how starving i would be if i had not eaten since yesterday morning (ooo doesnt bear thinking about hee hee)

I just wait for the day when they feel at home and i can let them out 'proper'

[C&T]

They'll be running around the garden creating havoc before you know it!!

 

Don't worry too much. Lots of strange sights and sounds for them to get used to!

 

Personally we never put any food or water in their coop (an ), as as you say, they just make a mess.

 

You could try making up a little bit of porridge (pellets with warm water) and see if that tempts them if you want to - I know made me feel better to be doing something!!

[chick wiggle]

thats excatly it, i feel i should be doing something for them. So do i just mix the pellets up with some boiled water and let it cool then just put it in the run for them?

[C&T]

Exactly!

 

See if holding the bowl up tempts them at all!!

 

(As they get more brve and adventurous, you can add all sorts of things in, like veg, and cereal, mealworms etc, whatever you have lying around that needs using up!)

[Peachy77]

Have they come out of the cube yet? Maybe they are a little unsure of the ladder. I know ours werent to keen to start with. Maybe you could pick them up from the egg port, and carry them round to the run. Then they may find the food and water. They may need a little guidance to get back up tonight to. A torch in the cube should do the trick to encourage them to the light. Hope that helps.

[chick wiggle]

thanks you all, i think i will try picking them out of the cube and putting them in the run like you said, unless anyone knows not to! Will give them another half hour .

[chick wiggle]

thank you all for your help. i made some mash and they just laid into it, must have been really hungary! Still wernt gonna come out though. Anyway, with a little 'engouragement' from my OH they came - jumped - fell- were pushed out ( you take your pick, any one could be true!) Now they seem to be really enjoying the grass, scratching about and eating out of the grub.

The glug still seems to have them a bit flumuxd, but hopefully they will work it out soon.

I will keep an eye on that.

 

thanks again everyone

 

what a great place to have your worries placated X

[Sky]

Don't worry, we had to help ours to bed on the first night and we were told by our breeder that if they hadn't come out by 11am the following morning we would have to help them out or else they would literally starve!!! We helped them out at 9.30am (because we were waiting to go out) and they have done it all themselves ever since Chickens are a completely new science!!

[Pink Ladies]

Don't worry about your chickens! I hardly ever see my chickens eating their pellets or drinking their water. If you give them some s"Ooops, word censored!"s of meat from your left over roast dinners they will go mad and will be eating again in a couple of minutes!

 

I hope this helps.

 

From the Pink Ladies

[Egluntyne]

They need time to settle that's all. They eat surprisingly little till they come into lay and then their appetites really take off, so don't worry. There is no need for either food or drink in the Eglu itself overnight.

[chick wiggle]

thanks again everyone

 

I did have to help 2 of them back in to cube last night, they did not seem too pleased about it but they just looked so lost when the other 3 had found their own way back in.

 

This morning again they would not come out so eventually we helped them out.

 

They are strange little creatures arnt they, they all look so much happier when theyre out and about scratting on the grass you would think they wouldnt be able to wait to come out in a morning. Ah well i suppose still early days

 

Roll on the 1st egg!