4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Charlottechicken]

Here they are, preening like mad as they seem to be growing ridiculous amounts of feathers! They love their shelf-perch!

 

 

And here's Lola, perching on my thumb! You can see her beard fairly well.

 

 

 

 

They are doing so well, and really enjoy being out in the run. They are fascinated by garden bird noise, and I hear them making sweet little tweeting noises along with the wild birds, until they go to sleep They put themselves to bed at dusk too, so are well trained now. Mornings are difficult, as they all fly out of the hut at once, utter madness

Edited May 20, 2015 by Guest

[Redwing]

They have grown! they look smashing, will you keep them all?

[Egluntyne]

The are gorgeous, Lola especially so.

[Charlottechicken]

They have grown! they look smashing, will you keep them all?

 

Lets just say there's a space in the freezer for three of them

 

It looks like Lola and the dark one on the far right (tentatively christened "Duck" since hatching) are female. I hope so, I love dark hens, and Duck has a massive amount of feathers like an Orpington, and I love Orpingtons

[Chickvic]

They look fab!

[cluckbok]

Oh no not the freezer they too lovely I couldn't do it

[Griffin]

I love Lola!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Aren't they gorgeous . I love the row of massed feathers on the perch and Lola is just so tiny and cute .

[Plum]

'Lola the bearded lady' she is lovely, they all are but they are well covered.

[Eggquisite]

Soo cute.. fill the freezer up with fish fingers instead

[Charlottechicken]

It was all part of the hatch your own plan I'm afraid, any boys to go in the pot, and any girls to join the flock(of two layers). They'll have a much better life and death than supermarket chicken.

[The Dogmother]

Very pretty chicks Claire

[Cooks]

aww cutie pies, especially Lola who is drop dead gorgeous! (am I allowed to think that about a chicken??)

[Boybeck]

ooh no the poor boys. I am slightly curious, do you do the despatching yourself and how?

 

I'm not sure I could do it.

[Charlottechicken]

ooh no the poor boys. I am slightly curious, do you do the despatching yourself and how?

 

I'm not sure I could do it.

 

There's info on meat birds, dispatching etc on the 'Self Sufficient Life' part of the forum if you want to take a look

[Charlottechicken]

Thought I would bump this up as I was trying to figure out when my girls hatched

 

I cannot believe the fluffy little chicks (bought as hatching eggs on ebay) in the photos above are still here with me (well, the two girls ), six years and one house move to the country later! Both are still laying and thoroughly enjoying life in a village!

 

Here they are just a few weeks ago dustbathing in a hole where we had a tree removed from.

 

 

They were joined by mad Maisie in 2010, who has never laid properly apart from a few strange eggs at the beginning of Spring each year, but seems healthy enough.

[Plum]

Awe look at them now, they look to be enjoying life

[Luvachicken]

They are doing very well.

I've read that some can live till around 8 years old

 

They look like they are having a fab time in that tree hole

[Charlottechicken]

I've just come across this thread again so thought I would update. Unfortunately I lost Duck the copper black Marans, on Christmas Eve. She was 6 and three quarters, which I figure is a fairly good age for a chicken. Lola is still going strong and mad Maisie is her only companion at present. I will expand the flock, with hopefully more banties, in April/May time.

[Luvachicken]

Time flies doesn't it ?

Certainly 6 and 3/4 is a fine old age for a chicken

 

Looking forward to seeing what bantams you get later in the Spring

[Plum]

Congratulations they're a good age but sorry about Duck. My bantams are 6 now which is great, the hybrids have only made 4 or 5. Have fun choosing your new ones, will you get eggs?

[Charlottechicken]

Have fun choosing your new ones, will you get eggs?

 

Probably not Still have the incubator and brooder but we are a bit more countryfied now so hoping there is more choice nearby and I can buy somewhere between day old chicks to POL.

[The Dogmother]

Claire, there's a new batch of POL hybrids available locally on Tuesday; let me know if you want to meet me there to get some x

[Charlottechicken]

Don't tempt me, Clare!

 

Got a house to renovate and tenants ready to move in so chickens will have to wait until I have time to spend with them.

[The Dogmother]

Know what you mean my dear... I am restocking after the foxing, and trying to find the time to fit it in!

 

Let me know how it goes, and if you come down here at all.