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

[prof]

hi, ive only had my chickens for just over a week and pumpkin has already layed 3 eggs but bungee hasnt.

has had some strange poo today though. one massive yellow one which had i not have seen her doing it id have thought it was a lump of pumpkin from halloween. i then spotted another yellow softer poo by my backdoor!

any advice?

is it because i let them freerange in my garden?

they both seem well & happy.

thankyou

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Probably just what is known as a curry or korma poo on here......usually produced just as you are about to step into it or behind you so the smell wafts in your direction . they are prodeced about every 10 poos & come from the caecum (sp)........there's a very useful "poo thread" with photos from another site which someone is bound to come along & link to, I'll go & have a hunt in the meantime..................

 

Here we go, as Christian says, everything you every needed to know about poo viewtopic.php?f=41&t=14546&view=unread#unread

 

Enjoy!!

 

Sha x

[prof]

phew! thanks for that. i didnt notice a smell but i had trodden in dog poo at the time which probably masked it!!!!

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Oh yes, it has that effect , my darling children are forever walking in with poo of some description on their shoes as the leaves are now masking it all .....delightful

 

Sha x

[prof]

thank goodness its not just me then! i thought i was a rubbish owner!

we have a lab (hoover) who eats the chickens food, which is quite useful as they do seem to spill loads. i wonder if i have the grub at the wrong height

i also have 3 cats who like to "roost" in the and drink from the chickens water!

i love my pets my 3 kids & hubby of course!

[Chook n Boo Mum]

You can see from my signature that I have 3 such Lab/hoovers, one of them decided to liberate a Celebrations "tin" of corn from a closed bin the other day...no idea how nor who it was either ...the chooks found their poo though & started scratching it over for the corn .......the dogs find the chooks poo is a delicacy though not as sought after as it was when we first got them it has to be said..........disgusting creatures aren't they ! Any pics of the cats "roosting"? Are the chooks happy about it or do they see them off once discovered?

 

Re the grub, is it about level with the chooks backs? They don't seem to be able to fling it around so much if it is, also if the grub is tilted back a little as ours is in the WIR makes a difference too.

 

 

Sha x

[jimnpaula]

there's a very useful "poo thread" with photos from another site which someone is bound to come along & link to

 

Here you are!

 

P

[prof]

Thankkyou jimnpaula for the link. i never would have believed that chicken poo could vary sooo much.

Wildmum can you tell me what WIR stands for sorry if im being dim

Yes the chickens see off my cats when roosting in their . Infact one of my cats tryed to enter the while was laying her 1st egg was running up and down making a massive row, which was when i was alerted to the fact that something was going on . 2 of my cats like to prowl about the garden after , but one is truely scared now after the egg incident. Hoover doesnt bother too much anymore. at first he did a bit of "nodding dog" at them but now, like yours, he just enjoys the treats they leave him to eat .

I will try to get a pic of the moggies at the weekend.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Wildmum can you tell me what WIR stands for sorry if im being dim

 

Walk In Run, sorry there are loads of us with them for the lovely chooks to live in with more space & safe from Mr Fox & us to visit them and clean up after them without breaking our backs.......... there are several threads on the "Eglus, Cubes & Runs" section if you have the time, inclination and supplies to keep you going to investigate them...........they are veeeeeeeeeeeeeery looooooooooooong !

 

I'm a WIR floosy & will whip out a pic at the drop of a hat.........

It's still evolving, so nothing like so roomy & tidy now

 

And no you aren't dim at all

 

Looking forward to the "cat in/without the " photos

 

Sha x

[prof]

wow, your WIR looks excellent

What do you give your chucks to eat from the kitchen? Ive tried apple, carrot peelings, broccoli, cauliflower, various fruit, currants etc etc, but they dont seem to "get it" at all . They do go mad for meal worms though

We tried bread and marmite on toast too. But no interest. Perhaps they are just too interested in the garden at the mo

Ive put the grub to the height of their backs and this seems much better but Hoover prefered it when they spilt loads

layed another today

hasnt layed any yet im sure she is getting the idea as she keeps making "nests" from the leaves that i rake up, when my back is turned

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I find if they've stolen it they enjoy it most of all ....so if they pick it themselves from the veg patch that's wonderful, stolen apples from the box by the back door they're excellent......offer it to them in a bowl............obviously poisoned therefore not to be touched by any beak.......until an unsuspecting youngster happens by, sneaks a nibble & doesn't keel over then it's devoured & the youngster is given his marching orders

 

Mine actually aren't too fussy, though they are contrary minxes & just because they like it today doesn't mean they'll like it tomorrow..........sweetcorn tinned, fresh or on the cob.... grapes.... broccoli cooked or raw..lettuce....sultanas.....cucumber......scrambled egg....mango......pasta....peach....courgette/marrow/pumpkin once it's been defused (cut in half ) as it's obviously an unexploded bomb when whole ...couscous...potatoes......are all almost guaranteed to produce a riot at any point in time..... oh yes and their absolute favourites woodlice, worms, slugs, snails (with their shells cracked of course for ease of removal ) maggots & mealworms The neighbours children collect bugs for them & bring them round in pots bless them

Don't worry if they don't like it now, they probably will soon

 

When there isn't so much "wildlife" to be had in the winter, they will appreciate the extra offerings much more than they do at the mo when there's loads on offer elsewhere

 

Good luck with the menu planning Do you find yourself looking at the veg counter at the shop & picking up "that for the girls"....and yelling at the kids/hubby for eating the grapes......you will !!!

 

Sha x