Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Jennyhenny]

Hi,

 

Was just wondering what time your girls are taking themselves off to bed. Only had them since yesterday, they went in the eglu last night with encouragement

 

At the moment 7.50 their still scratching around the pen

 

I know, there are so many questions, but thanks for all your help

 

Jennyhenny

[Aggienator]

Mine have just gone in, but may well come out again for a quick snack before settling as dusk is getting towards dark.

[Patricia W]

Mine have just gone in too.

 

Tricia

[Surrey Hen]

My girls have just taken themselves off to bed too.

[kez]

Mine are still scratting around. It's still quite light here.

 

They'll probably go to bed in the next half an hour.

[Jennyhenny]

Ok, I will give them a little longer Its hard work being a chicken mummy, I've never whittled so much

 

I have noticed they make more of a boking noise as its nearing bed time, are yours the same

 

Jennyhenny

[kez]

Mine go quiet from late afternoon. They are very vocal in the morning.

[davemiracleman]

Hiya Jennyhenny

We also got our 4 hens yesterday.

Last night we had trouble getting them into the cube,in the end i had to pick up Stella and put her in.

Tonight was a very different story.....Stella went in first on her own at about 7pm and the rest followed.

[mags]

just checked mine ,in bed and making little clucking noises

 

 

Mine getting up about 7am out the eglu in a flash heading for the food

 

Mags

[Jennyhenny]

Hows it going with you davemiracleman ? Is it all what you thought ? Ive been quite nervous these last couple of days - don't know why. Which hens have you got?

 

Yes last night we had problems one was popped through the eggport in the end - very undignified I know

 

Wonder if it was the same man that delivered ours that delivered yours Mr Omlet said he'd been to Newton, Nottinghamshire and was on his way to Houghton in the vale (Leicestershire) I think it was. There was another stop as well but can't think what he said.

 

Jennyhenny

[tidygirlsuk]

Mine are going between 7-7.30 but when i first had them mid feb they went a 5.30. its been getting later a later.

[Aggienator]

just checked mine ,in bed and making little clucking noises

 

 

Mine getting up about 7am out the eglu in a flash heading for the food

 

Mags

 

As soon as the door opens Gertie heads to the glug and Flo to the grub. After a few minutes they swap! Same routine every morning (though Flo got out first this morning instead of Gert).

[davemiracleman]

Hi Jennyhenny.

Everything going ok i think.

Just like you its been a bit nervous.

We have two Bluebelles Margary and Violet and two Blackstars Stella and Stevie G.

We had our cube delivered by nightfrieght as we are not in range of Omlet.

Took a while to get that together.....lol

We fetched the hens from a potters of Weybread.

Have yours gone in on thier own tonight?

[Jennyhenny]

Two went in but one was still wandering around so went in through eggport in the end.

 

Mind you the two kids bought their other halfs around so kept them up a bit

 

Told them tomorrow night to keep out the way so they go to bed.

 

Jennyhenny

[davemiracleman]

Our hens have not been able to drink out of the glug as yet so we have had to put another water supply in.....They managed to master the grub ok tho.

[Hen Watch]

Ive been quite nervous these last couple of days - don't know why.

 

Just thought I'd reassure you that it is normal to feel nervous when you first get them. It lasted about a month for me - bit like having a new baby. Also you feel a bit out of your depth as chickens aren't like hamsters or cats and you can't just ask any old person for help...... Don't worry too much - we all learn as we go along (even now after 2 years I'm coping with something new with an egg bound hen, but everyone on here is happy to help).

[Jennyhenny]

Thanks Hen Watch - it is quite daunting, I keep thinking what have I done. I suppose its the unknown

 

I keep worrying the neighbour nearest will hear them (next to fence between us) when boking but I think its just me panicking too much and being paranoid probably cos I'm listening for them, I suppose when carrying on doing normal day to day things you hardly notice it.

 

Hopefully tomorrow night they will tottle off to bed and that will be less to worry about.

 

I know you are all there though which is such a a great help I 've just been and listened outside - can't hear anything, I assume once in bed they should be quiet

 

Jennyhenny

[4Clucks-minusOne]

I've just been to close the door on the eglu, to find two of them had come out again. Fortunately I just happened to have a pot of chopped grapes with me which soon got them back in. Grapes by torchlight!

[Kalu]

Hi Jennyhenny

 

I am completely new to this as well, our three girls arrived on the 1st April and it has all been a bit daunting. We are in a terraced house so I have been a bit worried about the neighbours, neither have said anything so far although this afternoon when I was in the garden I came to the conclusion that the wildbirds, particuarly the pigeons at the moment, are far louder than the chooks.

 

I have been amazed at the amount of poo though!!! The three of them seem to produce a bucket load a day.

 

Mine are currently eating growers mash as I was advised by our local chicken people that they are too young for layers pelletts but I am wondering if that means I won't get any eggs for some time........hmm i can feel another post coming on!

 

Enjoy your chickens!

 

K

[Gallina]

My closing-up time is just after 8pm now.

 

But that doesn't mean they all are going to bed at 8pm: the last one, who stands outside on guard staring into the dusk goes then. My lazy Cochin is in bed by 7pm.

 

The further west you go in the country, the lighter it is at night and the later they go to bed, so there is no set time. They tuck themselves up when they are ready, but all mine are 100% reliable about going to bed before full darkness, which is a mercy.

[Jennyhenny]

Quick update on tonights bed time routine.

 

I stood and watched out the French doors as the darkness fell. Holly went in first, followed by Popcorn and then both came back out the eglu

 

A minute later they both walked back in with Marjo following half in the door way, I opened the patio doors quietly and when she went in I shot out the door and shut the eglu door quick Got them , I'm sure I shouldn't have to hover like this I assume they would have settled down without me having to rush and shut the door. They seem to get a little more vocal at bedtime, hopefully this will settle down.

 

Jennyhenny - Hard work being a mother hen

[drcara]

Hi Jenny Henny

 

I am in the same boat as you, but had my girls a week before you.

My white sussex and bluebelle take themselves to bops at around seven in a very civilised manner. I have two very stubborn and domineering babcocks though that just won't go to bed and are insistant on playing holy hell when it's bed time.

Everytime I go to check them they think more treats are on their way.

 

I'm hoping they'll just go on their own accord soon, so I don't have to keep creeping out like some sort of night burgular.

 

Its well nerve racking this keeping chickens...but I'm loving it!

 

Cara

[Henhathnofury]

I throw a few mealworms into the run to encourage them, but it's generally about 7.30 unless I want them to go to bed earlier.

[Kirstine]

Oh - don't watch them go to bed, it's a nightmare!

 

I don't know whether watching makes it worse, but it is very frustrating! We have 17 chickens and every night the lowest in the pecking order put themselves in first, thinking they will 'bag' a space, and every night they get chucked out and have to re-negotiate themselves in. This happens all the way up the pecking order as far as I can tell, with the result that every night there is about 45 minutes of argy-bargy after which the same chickens end up on the same perches as every other night.

 

No 'bokking', though - some hens seem to mutter a running commentary of events under their breath, but it is mostly quiet.

 

We have learned to leave them to it and then close the door (actually the automatic pop hole does that) when it gets pretty much dark. Today I came home at 8:15pm and everything was calm.