Poorly chicken

[Tina C]

What an eventful morning.

 

By 7.30 today we had been rewarded with our first egg - which was gone by 8.00 as Layla insisted on eating it. We had said we would not eat any for the first week but when Layla expressed a desire Mike thought oh well, someone would have eaten it if Petula had stayed where she was so it'll be OK.

 

I was working this morning so I missed it but Layla saw the event through the window. Apparently Petula just stood there and let the egg drop out onto the grass.

 

Cilla has also produced an egg - what a performance that was. She started making a noise and looking into the hen house - but the evil Dusty has taken possession so she was a bit unsure. I got a bowl with some straw in for her but she wasn't interested in that so I left her to it. Cilla then decided to head for the nest boxes but I think there was a bit of s"Ooops, word censored!" as I then saw the egg outside on the grass.

 

When I looked in the hen house the mushroom drinker thingy had been knocked over. I had left it in there as I was worried that Dusty, who doesn't want to come out, would not get any water. There is a glug in the run for the others - I had to teach them what it was by splashing the water around.

 

I have now refilled the other drinker and put it in the run and removed the bowls of food from the house in the hope that Dusty will emerge. At the moment Petula is dozing in the sun but Cilla has been brave and joined Dusty inside (actually she got scared when my next door neighbour who was home for lunch started up his huge skip lorry thing on the other side of the hedge). They keep staring at each other and I dread to think what might be happening while I am typing away.

 

So now I have a dilemma - Petula is obviously the bottom chook - she has a little peck mark by her eye and a few nicks on her comb. I am sure she will be staying in the run all day - she was first out and has shown no signs of wanting to go back in. But I think its because she is scared of Dusty.

 

Should I shove Dusty out so she realises its not HER house. Otherwise there might be carnage at bedtime when Petula wants to go in to roost. Or should I just leave them to it?

 

Sorry to go on. Oh and in answer to Martin's question they are not in an eglu (unfortunately). they have a blue wooden hen house with a green roof, an omlet run and co-orinating blue grub and glugs. It looks quite pretty, but it'll be a nightmare to clean..... Eventually they will be moved to the same area of the garden as my 2 omlet girls and may decide to share the eglu (I hope they don't all decide to share the wooden house).

[Tina C]

Well - she has now emerged - the others are desperate to keep their distance though. A bit difficult in an omlet run.....

[Tina C]

Oh the pecking order thing is horrible. Last night Petula went all submissive for Dusty so she is definitely happy to accept bottom chook status. Today there has been a bit of a truce - I think they are recovering after the upheaval of the past couple of days.

 

Until bedtime, when there was a huge s"Ooops, word censored!" in the run. We think Cilla has decided not to accept Dusty's bid to be boss. Mike went out 'to have a word' but they took no notice of him. Am I right in thinking that we should just leave them to it?

 

Later, I peeped in to see what the sleeping arrangements are and found 2 in next boxes and one on the floor (there are 3 nestboxes so they could have one each).

 

Is there anything we can do to help them learn how to roost. I want to see them snuggled together like my other 2 do.

 

Sorry - still not got the photos sorted out. we are novices at the digital thing.

[Cate in NZ]

Oh Tina, what grief. Why can't these stupid girls realise how lucky they are to escape those horrid cages and all be friends

Personaly I'd suggest pretty much let them get on with it, but monitor to make sure that no-one is being deprived of food and water (several feeding points I'm sure you've got that covered though). If someone really is coming off worse then you may need to seperate, but if there's no blood or serious injury then let them get on with it. Agony to watch, but hopefully it'll all be over soon .

Roosting Not sure. Those hens were in amazingly good condition, very strong and feisty. Whoever that farmer was he must have had some real compassion for his hens............ to be debeaked and in such great condition they couldn't have been too tightly packed into those cages, must have been a good guy in a difficult industry I reckon they could cope with most things. Try a brick in the nesting boxes......... maybe that way they'll all roost on the bars in normal hen fashion Perhaps check them a little after bedtime to be sure they've sorted themselves out, but my guess is that they can cope with bars if put in the position where they need to. Good luck with it. It'll all get much better very soon

[Tina C]

I have now created an album in the gallery but have yet to work out how to do a link here.

[Sheilaz]

Just had a peek, Tina. What great pics of your lovely ex batts, I'm so pleased they have a good home. It'll be interesting watching their development.

[Egluntyne]

They look happy to be in a good home TinaC.

 

Great pics of their release day.

[Tina C]

They have been here a week now!

 

Caught Cilla and Petula having dust baths today. Aaaah. They really are turning into proper chickens.

 

Can't wait to let them free-range. We are going to have to get another roll of omlet netting though as we are too scared to put them with the other two. When I let Chuckles and Cluck (who have about a third of the garden to play in, while the new girls are in their run on a piece of grass at the side of the house) wander over to have a look at the new girls there was a bit of squaring up going on.