Brooding hen has chicks in nesting box

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Good luck Slim

 

I hope all continues well in your chook house..... 5 eggs........that's the stuff of distant memory in my house, hopefully to be rectified this evening if I make it to collect 6 previously loved hens

 

Sha x

[Rhapsody]

Are there any barn girls left? I have room for 2 more and I'm down the road..

[skye]

Rhapsody, why not contact Gaynor Davies and ask her, she is the lady I was in touch with.

 

I've pm'd you her tel no.

 

skye x

[Rhapsody]

Thanks

[Chick-a-doodle-doo]

Do you mind if I post another piccy!

 

Can't believe how her comb is colouring up so quickly...

 

Doesn't she look happy in her cube...

 

 

 

[Chicken Shirl]

I for one am loving seeing all your photo's. Please, please keep posting them. She does look well. Beautiful picture of her. xx

[skye]

She looks gorgeous and very perky!

 

skye x

[Slim]

Interview went fantastic!!

 

Anyway this weather is not helping with intros as they are all finding there own shelter and staying there! just come home to more eggs!

[Tutti Frutti]

Yay, well done Slim! When will you found out if you've got the job? You're getting an incredible number of eggs and glad they all had a quiet night!

 

Gotmy, what a cutie! I can't believe how her comb is colouring up so quickly! How is the one with the weak leg?

 

Lydia, Sky, Becky, Poached, Scrambled, Rhapsody... any news? Hope all is well with your ladies.

 

As for my girls, I've written a Peace Treaty and expect them to sign it tomorrow Whilst R&S FR this afternoon, I let T&U explore the whole run. Sophia hung around outside and made quiet, curious goosey honks through the mesh to Tallulah, who ignored her so that was it - Roxy was too busy digging in the leaves to even look back! And she gave us her 2nd biggest ever egg this morning Tallulah is still shy, Ursula is still the forward one, nibbling crumbs out of my hand and pecking at my trousers! They both cheeped a lot at dusk and Ursula led Tallulah to bed (with a little guidance from me - the torch trick didn't work). Two in the nest box - and they've gone to bed there again tonight... oh well, at least they're happy Their poo is much less smelly and green - but their feet are slightly blue, as they've been digging away in the blue hardwood chips And their combs are definitely pinker tinged with red.

 

Phew! Peace at last! Wishing us all a quiet night.

[BeckyBoo]

Sadly I don't really get to see mine much in the week Time I get home they're tucked up in bed. I have to say I've been a bit concerned because of the weather which has been VILE, but they seem fine - eating for England (sure my ex-batts didn't eat this much ) And four eggs today. Very impressed with those that have integrated theirs already - my ex barns will stay as a group together about a month before I put them with the big girls. Next weekend I'll let the barn girls free range whilst the big girls are in the walk in run, then weekend after they can free range together - it would be a bit quicker if we had the evenings as well but there you go. Will try for more photos at the weekend - the 4 we got first have already got smaller combs by the look of it and they're all now scratching and pecking and recognising treats (especially pasta )

 

Funniest thing is one of them sticks her head in the Grub and whilst she's munching away on her mash her feet are scratching the ground! Haven't quite got the hang of this step, step, scratch bit yet

 

BeckyBoo

[Tutti Frutti]

Oh Becky, you had me chuckle with your dancing, munching machine! She sounds so happy she can't stop her newly learnt chicken behaviour even when she's eating!

 

I had a breakthrough today As Ursula nibbled crumbs from my hand, I gently stroked her back. Tallulah would leg it, Roxy & Sophia would crouch... but Ursula loved it and the stumps of her tail feathers shot up into the air! So cute (that's when she started eating my trousers )

 

I'm so pleased I have these lovely new ladies!

[skye]

Morning guys

 

All good with the Larkrise girls here (we named them after 'Larkrise to Candleford' ladies) this morning. They seem to have become really calm in the past couple of days. No shouting, no serious pecking (although a little bit of pulling rank occasionally, which I guess is normal). Managing to keep the run dry despite the HORRID weather yuk... must be so boring for them though as I've had the cover completely down and didn't let them out yesterday to FR... scared they'd be blown away! Hopefully give them some FR time today.

 

More worried about my top chicken Yolko. Her moult continues but the main worry is since yesterday she has been walking quite unsteadily, keeps lurching to the left somehow... not sure what to do... apart from her fierce moult she is eating and drinking, her poos are completely normal and she got up and bocked about with the others at the normal time this morning. She is spending most of the time standing still all puffed up against the cold as she's lost all her underneath feathers, I'm wondering whether she's got numb legs or something?

 

Anyway. Glad to hear everybody's chooks are coming along well. Can't wait to hear if Rhapsody gets some ex-barnies too?

 

skye x

[BeckyBoo]

Sorry to hear about Yolko Skye, not sure what to suggest - I've got a staggerer, she just developed it and although he's a bit better she still lurches.

 

On another note, have had to install a second grub for the barn dancers as they are perpetually SO hungry! So they're all tucking in at the same time instead of queueing and huffing and puffing whislt they wait

 

BeckyBoo

[Chook n Boo Mum]

More worried about my top chicken Yolko. Her moult continues but the main worry is since yesterday she has been walking quite unsteadily, keeps lurching to the left somehow... not sure what to do... apart from her fierce moult she is eating and drinking, her poos are completely normal and she got up and bocked about with the others at the normal time this morning. She is spending most of the time standing still all puffed up against the cold as she's lost all her underneath feathers, I'm wondering whether she's got numb legs or something?

 

 

Skye have you given her some extra protein & supplements for her moult? Not sure it would help with the stagger, but may with the re-feathering

 

Have you posted on the Clinic for advice, there are some very knowledgeable bods who won't necessarily be loitering around this happy thread.........

 

I love to see happy battie/barnie stories & photos........keep 'em coming

 

Sha x

[skye]

Thanks Wild Mum really kind of you. Yes I've posted on Chicken Clinic but as Yolko's uppermost in my mind at the mo I couldn't help write about her here too. I've been giving her tuna, ex-batt crumb mixed with mealworms and poultry spice. And just before bed, a big handful of corn to make her a bit warmer. I added some cat food to my weekly shop which arrives tomorrow. If you have any further advice about what might help, I'd be happy to hear it.

 

ex-barnies are constantly, constantly EATING!! had an egg already today

 

skye x

[Chicken Shirl]

I am loving your reports about your ex batts/barn hens. had me in stiches a number of times as well as weeping.

 

Sorry about your poorly hen Skye. Poor little thing must be feeling it without many feathers. The extra protein will help things along.

 

Keep the posts coming. You guys are making my day.

 

Hope they all get some sun on their backs today. xxx

[skye]

Thanks Becky Boo Wild Mum and Chicken Shirl

 

Interesting to hear you've also got a staggering chook! Is she moulting too by any chance? I'm glad to hear she seems to be a bit better than she was at least.

 

More feeders yes!! Great idea! Then perhaps they might be able to eat EVEN MORE

 

Bless em they will be really building their strength up with all this food

 

[Chook n Boo Mum]

They do eventually slow down on food consumption you'll be pleased to know ............at some point the penny will drop that they don't have to eat everything in sight & will begin to enjoy other facets of life outside the cage

 

 

Skye, have you added some cod liver oil and/or limestone flour to her food......she could have a calcium deficiency which may be sorted by these additives The CLO aids the body's absorption of calcium.

 

Sha x

[Slim]

Well not one fight this morning!! The new hens are acting just like the old hens and going in the coop to lay it has gone so well I am having to catch them to put them to bed that is another challange!

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Aaaahhhh you love a challenge Slim!!

 

How did the interview go yesterday

 

Sha x

[Chicken Shirl]

Well not one fight this morning!! The new hens are acting just like the old hens and going in the coop to lay it has gone so well I am having to catch them to put them to bed that is another challange!

 

You have done well Slim.

Better go and rescue a Border Collie to round em up.

[Slim]

Interview went very well waiting to see if i made the 3rd interview!!!!

 

putting away the temp coop today!

[Slim]

A few new pics all

 

 

[Chick-a-doodle-doo]

Update..

 

Wow, my 4 girls can all get them selves down the ramp in the morning now.

 

2 eggs a day. Although dropped at the furthest part of the cube where I can't fit! have to send the kids in to ferret around for them.

 

All of them full of spring now running round the cube very happy, eating and drinking loads.

 

Good to hear how everyone else's are doing..

[scrambledhead]

Really enjoying reading all about your experiences!

Ours FR together yesterday and it went quite well, Slim how did you get them to all sleep together so quickly? Did you have to put the newbies in by hand?

 

Not raining yet