Soggy run

[Slim]

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

 

I wait for the others to go in close the coop the grab the new girls

[scrambledhead]

I think you are braver than me

But will give it a go before the weekend if the FR continues ok!

[skye]

Slim great pics and Gotmy, sounds like yours are doing great! What hen wouldn't in a though!

 

I've been out with the camera again to take a few pics, what do you think... pinker combs maybe?

 

 

certainly still a pink bottom!

 

zilla poking her beak around the corner from the nest to see what's happening outside!

 

in the meantime, Lily has found the mealworms

 

While my poorly moulter Yolko is using sheer Orpington/Bluebelle bulk as a windbreak!

 

Yolko

 

I take them back to the run as it's getting stormy and Yolko suddenly springs into action, gulps down a load of mealworms and then dives into the dust bath!... Looked after by her Ladies in Waiting...

 

skye

x

[Tutti Frutti]

Oh WOW! Loving the photos and updates folks! I'll try to take some piccies when I get home from work. Might let the newbies FR and keep the youngsters in the WIR... but might not! I've found the rake and giant green grabbing hands (for scooping up leaves) to help with the herding at bedtime Will try letting them all FR together at the weekend when OH is home to help referee - giant green hands will help to separate the brawl

 

Oh Skye, those combs are SOOOOO pink! Nearly red in my book. Sorry about Yolko... I don't know what to suggest, you are doing all you can and she seems happy as Larry in the dustbath with her waitresses.

 

Slim, good luck for the 3rd interview

 

Happy days! This morning, I'm sure the girls promised to sign the Peace Treaty soon

 

PS Last night, I dreamt I got a cube for Xmas - OH says dream on

Edited November 24, 2009 by Guest

[Chicken Shirl]

Fantastic pictures Skye. The ex batts combs are much darker. they all look so happy and content. I so love this thread.xx

[Lydia]

I popped home from work yesterday lunchtime to find that hubby had had the same idea and was outside with the camera

 

This is Brinjal overcoming the barrier we put up to stop her getting beaten up by the big girls (she did this from a standing start, no obstacles to launch off):

 

 

 

And here she is discovering the big green lawny thing:

 

 

 

Aloo shows off her good side:

 

 

 

Gobby finds herself outside the run:

 

[skye]

Ha ha haaa! Excellent! Brinjal is such a character isn't she! And a real acrobat.

 

The other two are gorgeous too Lydia. They look like they are loving their new home.

 

skye x

[Chicken Shirl]

What lovely photo's. How those hennies love to fly. Always trying to outwit you.

 

How lovely watching them progress.

[Tutti Frutti]

Fantastic work ladies and gentleman!

 

I got home from work late. Roxy & Sophia were in bed so no FR today but they came diving headfirst out of the door when they saw me with mealworms and corn! All four girls tucked into their treats in their own areas.

 

 

Then Sophia (the loud, angry one) went to bed... so I had a stupid idea - to introduce Roxy to the the new ladies. She just puffed up her chest, hauled herself up to full height and launched herself at Tallulah! Glad I was in the middle to stop any trouble so I put her to bed. And I thought the Peace Treaty would be signed today Maybe she felt threatened on her own?

 

But there is good news! Their pooh is now normal and they're eating non-stop

 

After an age cheeping, Ursula found her own way to bed! And then Tallulah followed her - with no help from me, aside from the torch trick! Tallulah flapped her wings - they've definitely not been clipped (job for the weekend) Oh, you can see Ursula's blue feet

 

 

And a few minutes later, I lifted the lid and...

 

 

They were roosting! Their combs seem pinker now and I think Ursula's (on the left) has shrunk a little??? And we had a from one of the ladies - Tallulah we think. They lay different colours, one brown and one cream.

 

Lydia, Slim, Skye - love your photos! Lydia, you have a funny little Houdini there When did you get sunshine??? It was drizzling when I got home today aaagh!

[Chicken Shirl]

Tutti Frutti, love the piccies, those chooks look so happy Keep them coming. You took a long shot with the intro, so sorry it didn't come off. Plenty of time though. xx

[Tutti Frutti]

You took a long shot with the intro

 

I know! It was raining when I got home (that cold wet stuff, not that you'll remember it ) so my plan to let them FR together was straight out of the window.

 

Annoying, cos this morning, it all looked so promising - they all ignored each other. Plus Roxy only has a 2 track mind (food and digging!), she simply hasn't been bothered by the new ladies so I thought she was the right one to try out. Stupid me But I have to remember the racket Sophia made on Sunday morning - we HAVE made progress so I'm not going to push my luck again (And Ursula is so CUTE and affectionate, makes my heart melt!)

[Lydia]

Lydia, you have a funny little Houdini there When did you get sunshine??? It was drizzling when I got home today aaagh!

 

I think the sun ventured out by mistake, got lost because it wasn't used to it, and ended up in our garden for a nano second. It soon realised its mistake and skulked back behind thick cloud allowing the rain to take centre stage once more.

[4Clucks-minusOne]

Why do exbats have such floppy combs?

[skye]

Ahhh Tutti Frutti... Tallulah and Ursula look SO CUTE sitting nicely on their perch! They've got the idea now haven't they.

 

I bet they were most excited when you came in with unexpected treats! Not to worry about the aborted introduction. Slow and steady does it when you feel the time is right

 

3Clucks-minusOne: Ex-battery and ex-barn hens have floppy combs because the combs act as heat diffusers in hot conditions. Battery cage and the barn are both much hotter than desirable due to overcrowding, so you often see hens from these environments with combs that have grown very large in order to create more surface area to diffuse heat from. The floppiness, I believe, comes just from the sheer size of the comb being too big for the base to support it.

 

skye x

[JS1]

I think I read somewhere that their combs are big and floppy to try to dissipate the heat in the shed.

 

My girls (had them 10 days now) have grown so much in confidence and their combs are much pinker now. No intro attempts yet, but they've been eyeballing each other (with interest, rather than aggression) through the bars of the eglu run.

 

One question - slightly alarmed by the 'stale grain' warning - how long do people leave mash/feed out until they remove and change it if it's uneaten?

 

ETA crossed with Skye!

[Slim]

Knew it was going too good!

Getting loads of eggs from the new girls however they have not learned to use the coop yet! Rubber eggs on standby! i am worried that one of the girls is looking for somewhere and is going to heart herself.

 

I will have to keep a eye on her!

 

Weather is crab but the sun is out!?!?

[skye]

Sun's out here, quite a nice day if cold! But can't have both sets of girls free ranging in it because they have started fighting through the netting! The ex-barnies can certainly hold their corner believe me!

 

I'm going to have to think of a way of creating an 'air-lock' between the two encloures. Creative doubling up with the netting I think!

 

skye x

[Slim]

Mine are not fighting but one is not moving much hope she is ok they have had a hetic few days the rubber eggs worked! I now know why they won't go into the coop! when i collected them at night i put them in via the egg hatch they now think that is the way in!! I cought one trying to get in that way and another on the egg door!

[Slim]

50% SUCCESS!

 

well 2 of the 4 new girls went to bed on their own tonight! Another was thinking about it and needed a push the other I had to grab and put in!

 

Getting There!

[Tutti Frutti]

Ahhh Tutti Frutti... Tallulah and Ursula look SO CUTE sitting nicely on their perch! They've got the idea now haven't they.

 

Ummm nope! Tonight the pair of them are squashed in one nest box

 

Had a funny day today. Sun was out and, when I went to work, just popped in to top up their food and Roxy legged it! It was like Benny Hill in the sunshine, trying to get the minx back in

 

Came back at lunchtime and Roxy & Sophia had half an hour FR in the sun and Tallulah and Ursula had the run of the run.

 

Got home after work in time for R&S to have another half hour FR (is it mean to keep letting them have snippets of time???) with T&U in the run. Then I heard Sophia squawking - Roxy was pecking her aaaagh! Mealworms to the rescue. And I thought it couldn't get any worse.

 

R&S went to bed, T&U carried on eating (will they ever stop?). Whatever is put in front of them is fair game - my trousers, wedding ring, rubber gloved hand... and when I was crouching down, I thought my face might get an investigatory peck!!! I wasn;t too sure about that but I'm sure it's just "if it moves, eat it" rather than Ursula being horrible - she loves to be stroked! Eventually they went to bed but not roosting. I checked on them at 8pm (it was cold and I wanted to reduce the ventilation) and they hadn't moved

 

from roxy this morning and from Tallulah and Ursula this afternoon.

 

Slim, your progress astounds me! You have some clever chookies there! Hope your still one perks up soon. Any news on the job yet? Early days, I guess...

 

Skye, how's Yolko today? Sorry you've got some squabblers too!

 

Right, I'll keep repeating my mantra... "We have made progress! We have made progress!" Can't wait for the weekend, hope the weather is nice - we want to finish the WIR and remove the temporary bits (like the door which came off our shed!!!).

[4Clucks-minusOne]

Thanks for the answer.

 

What a wonderful thread, it's lovely to hear how your girls are getting on.

[Tutti Frutti]

I'm so excited!

 

So OK, Roxy & Sophia are still squabbling, R&S are still eying up Tallulah & Ursula for WW3, Tallulah still legs it when she hears me coming but oh wow...

 

Ursula sat on my lap !!! I was sitting on the bench in the WIR this afternoon with mealworms - and she climbed up the log onto the bench and then hopped on my lap! Oh I love this little hen! Even when I moved one leg, she just settled on the other (handy really, as it meant her poo fell between my legs, rather than land in my lap )

 

As for R being rotten to S, I ended up shutting R in their cottage so I could spoil S a little with mealworms. She put up with me stroking her so I think I'm even making progress with one of the hooligans

 

A photo of Sophia saying hello to the new girls... (sorry it's a bit dark - it was 4pm):

 

[BeckyBoo]

I'm desperate for the weekend to come so I can get my newbies out free ranging - the weather forecast is pants, but I feel really bad that they're shut up in a little run I had 5 eggs from the new girls today, they are eating a MASSIVE amount - they've done a 20kg sack of mash between them - four of them for two weeks and the last two for a week - have to say it's a messy old feed and there's loads in the floor, but couldn't believe how much they eat! I've started introducing pellets in a bid to eliminate the mess as the ground is SO wet, I'll see in the morning wether they ate them or not. Trouble is, I feel like I'm missing out because I don't get in til 5.30 and they're all in bed. Still, they already come running when I bring the food bowls in the morning which is nice, and they've toelrated a couple of strokes when I've been feeding them. Nice to hear everyone elses seem to be doing OK.

 

BeckyBoo

[Space Chick]

BeccyBoo, don't feel bad about the space, it must seem as if they have an incredible amount of space compared to what they are used to

[Tutti Frutti]

I'm desperate for the weekend to come so I can get my newbies out free ranging - the weather forecast is pants, but I feel really bad that they're shut up in a little run I had 5 eggs from the new girls today, they are eating a MASSIVE amount - they've done a 20kg sack of mash between them - four of them for two weeks and the last two for a week - have to say it's a messy old feed and there's loads in the floor, but couldn't believe how much they eat! I've started introducing pellets in a bid to eliminate the mess as the ground is SO wet, I'll see in the morning wether they ate them or not. Trouble is, I feel like I'm missing out because I don't get in til 5.30 and they're all in bed. Still, they already come running when I bring the food bowls in the morning which is nice, and they've toelrated a couple of strokes when I've been feeding them. Nice to hear everyone elses seem to be doing OK.

 

BeckyBoo

 

Aww Becky, please please don't feel bad - they are living in the lap of luxury with you and WAAAY better than they're used to (and way better than the alternative "retirement" )! I too cannot believe what eating machines they are. T&U just don't want to go more than 3 feet from their feeder and they're constantly gobbling away at their crumbs, like they're afraid it's their last meal! Or comfort eating??? But yours are eating 2kg a week each :shock: BLIMEY!!!!

 

I hope yours like the the pellets - Ursula tried one today but spat it out like it was cardboard! Those crumbs are horrible (the post about spilled food going stale is scary, eh?) so I've ended up putting a plant pot saucer underneath to catch the spillage.

 

Chin uo and fingers crossed for a nice weekend