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Millie-Annie

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS. INTRODUCE YOURSELF HERE

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Don't overdo the lettuce - it gives them the runs :vom: Try them on cabbage/kale/chard leaves or fresh grass if you can get it. My lot free range and the plant of choice is usually sorrel which is a weed in most people's eyes, but they also like chickweed and many different types of grass seed, and unfortunately fallen fruit, but I have to marshall that or they end up with fermented windfalls which doesn't do them much good!

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I am growing a bit of produce in my small garden, so they get two or three leaves of lettuce in the morning. I indeed read somewhere that you should be careful with lettuce.

 

I'm planning to move the Go to a patch of grass soon, but I just put the grass in and I want to give the grass a chance too! :wink:

Also have loads of Bishops weed in my garden, which can be a real pest. Chickens are said to be really fond of it, so keeping my fingers crossed. If they get rid of it for me, it will safe me from getting on my knees and trying to remove every bit of root...

Will look into sorrel and chickweed!

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New to forum and keeping ducks so hello from John, Gaynor, youngest son Danny and dopey black Labrador Lucy.

 

Currently preparing our back garden for the much anticipated arrival of 2 or 3 ducks, still not 100% decided on which breed but we think we have narrowed it now down to either Cherry Valleys or Khaki Campbells, any advice more than welcome as we are brand new to keeping ducks. They are for pets mainly but also for the yummy eggs. The breeder has advised us to take the Cherrys as they are a little less flighty and noisy for a garden although we have no problem with neighbours.

 

The ducks will have an Eglu classic with 2 metre run (may extend this if we get three) and also about 8m x 8m area to waddle about in which has a bath, small pond and plenty grass/soil and shrubs laden with grubs etc to root about in. The wee pond is currently full of tadpoles, frogs, toads and two goldfish, not sure they will still be there when the ducks move in though.

Will be swatting up on keeping ducks over the next two weeks and will probably have loads of questions in the coming months and looking forward to getting to know everyone on the forum.

 

John and Gaynor

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Hi All,

 

New to keeping chucks. Got 2 Hybrids who were 35 weeks old when we got them. The kids did name them but i can't remember what they called them (I call them Cagney and Lacey). And currenlty they are laying good quality eggs, had a double yoker on saturday. I work away most of the time so my wife and kids look after them. Wifey is also a member.

 

regards

 

Graeme aka Stiggy

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Hi guys. I'm Claire and im a complete newbie to chicken keeping. I've spent the last month or so researching different breeds also reading countless books on chicken keeping and have settled on Silkies (although I will probably be completely addicted and expand my flock) . Im in the process of making a large walk in run for my girls and after reading everyone's experiences I can't build it fast enough. I'll probably be asking a few newbie questions so apologies in advance.

 

Looking forward to getting to know everyone

 

Claire x

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Hi there! I'm Jan and am a newbie chicken keeper with a beautiful purple eglu cube and 4 hens - 2 Miss Pepperpots and 2 Gingernut Rangers. We've had the hens for a month now (1st May) and have had a bit of a worry with one if our Peppepots. She was off colour for a couple of days. She was very lethargic, puffing up her body and didn't want to feed. We don't think she was laying either. We took her to vets and he gave her an antibiotic injection. After a couple I'd days she began eating but still a little lethargic. We don't think she's laying although the others are fine and laying.

After a couple if weeks, she is still a little lethargic and still puffs herself out. Any ideas? Do I need to take her back to the vets?

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Hello all

 

I'm two weeks in to chicken ownership having wanted some since I left home over 15 years ago. I am completely obsessed already!

 

My girls are 2 18 month old silver laced Wyandottes (Amy and Penny), and 2 12 week old Pekins - Shelly (blue / lavender) and Bernadette (mille fleur).

 

At the moment the two pairs are separated with the big girls in the 'Go' and the little girls in the 1m extension in a cosy converted cat box!

 

Loving it already and now house hunting for the people in the family so I have enough space for more chickens!!

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Hi.

I'm new to this forum but have had banties for over 3 years now, and moved onto an Eglu Cube from a wood coop some 2 years ago (Good move!).

I was given 2 hens (Blondie and Joan Jett) and a cock (Prince) originally and we hatched 3 chicks successfully in the first year. Sadly, due to a neighbour who is obviously a townie moved out to a much more rural area, we had to get rid of the cock and two of the chicks as they were also male. The third chick was named Suzi Q. We added to the flock with a blue pekin (Marj Simpson) and then added Avril. My banties free range in the garden (and sometimes next door! but they don't mind) but unfortunately Marj was taken by a buzzard last winter and then a few weeks later Joan Jett mysteriously passed away.

 

My remaining banties are currently sitting on 11 Sebright eggs (for my chook minder whose Sebright hens refuse to go broody) of which 1 has died, 5 are hatched well, 2 are in the process of hatching and the other 3 I'm not sure what's happening yet.

 

I'm hoping to increase my flock as soon as the chicks are way (with a Sebright or two from these hatchings) but I'm also considering another pekin or a frizzle of some kind.

 

I currently live in Scotland having moved from Cheshire 7 years ago and still learning the lingo, and very interested to talk/meet with other bantie owners.

 

Love the Eglu which I got second hand, one issue I have is that I tend to get water running down the walls inside the nest box sometimes and I'm not sure if anyone else has had the problem and if they've cured it.

 

Sheelagh

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Hi my names Neil and my family and me have just taken the plunge into the world of chicken keeping. We have been talking about it for about a year and today have finally done it. Coop is built (dispite terrible weather) and our girls are in. We have a bluebell called.... You guessed it Bluebell, a white Sussex called snowdrop, and I chose a barred cuckoo whome I have yet to name. Well the bluebell and barred cuckoo were easy to handle and pickup, but the sussex was somewhat flighty. Cut forward 15 mins and she is finally back in the coop, she had visit to the neighbours garden which involved we volting off ladder's and finding another 18inches of garden behind the shed. Tomorrow should be interesting, I'm hoping the Sussex was just a bit stressed from the move and will be a little bit More cooperative. Anyway, just here to say hello and tell of my first day with my girls.

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Bad news- raisins aren't really that good for hens. If you really want to give them some treats then mixed corn, straight wheat or mealworms are good, also greens like cabbages and lettuces which you can hang up for them to peck at. All things in moderation though, as they need to eat their layers pellets!

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Hello everyone,

 

I'm a single parent bringing up 5 children and looking after 8 hens (6 Miss Pepperpots & 2 Gingernut Rangers). Having moved from London 8 years ago through a job relocation, I'm very much enjoying the countryside and pace of life in South Wales. I keep the neighbours happy by handing out free eggs and in return I get rhubarb, newspapers and egg boxes! The chickens have had a calming effect on me whilst going through a period of life changing transition. The hens are all approx. 15 months old and I've had them since last summer; they are housed in a pink Eglu Cube (daughter's choice) and I allow them to free range from dusk to dawn.

 

I'm glad to have joined the Forums and look forward to all this community has to offer.

 

John

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Hi all,

I'm new here. New to keeping chickens but learning. Looking after the chickens and others for my employer who keeps buying new chickens and birds. As of now there are

16 x polish chickens, 9 x chickens, 6 x quail, 2 x pheasants and 1 x duck who happily gets along with the polish chickens. The quail and the pheasant have their own enclosure, but I will probably have to move them for the winter in a couple of months. Please feel free to dispense any advice as I have looked after chickens before but not this many.

 

Thank you in advance

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Hello, I'm new - got my Eglu classic and my girls last week! Loving being a Hen Mum!

I live in Wiltshire, any Eglu forum locals?

I am looking for ways to make my girls penned off area of our garden as fun as possible for them - any top tips?

Thanks

Katie

x

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Welcome!

 

What type of chickens did you get?

Chickens love digging and taking dust baths, so a bit of bare earth or a dust bath are great. They also like to perch on stuff, so a few loggs (attracts bugs too) or posts are also favorite.

 

Have fun with your ladies!

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Hello,

I'd like to introduce myself and my two girls Milly and Molly, who I've had for a year now. Unfortunately I lost Mandy last week due to illness, so sadly I'm just left with two.

My parents kept chickens when I was little and I've loved them ever since and thought I should take the plunge and have them running around in my back garden. Not that you can call it a garden anymore !

Well I'm thinking of getting a new playmate for Milly and Molly but my concern is that Molly has become a big bully. Milly was also ill and I kept her in the house for a week until she was better. When I released her back, Molly nearly killed her. They're ok now but Molly often keeps her in check. I'm concerned if I introduce another hen she won't be accepted.

Milly and Molly are ex batteries, I was wanting to add a Silkie to them, is it wise ?

 

Thanks for any help....

Elle...

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Hi everyone, new to keeping chickens and joining forums. I purchased 3 Miss Pepperpots in July with Eglu Classic and more recently an Eglu Up and 3 Polish Chickens. I am loving the experience, they are all very entertaining even if they are digging up my garden :). Any advice on ensuring they all remain healthy and happy very much appreciated

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Had my girls for a week..seems like forever...seems like five minutes!

I've got a Go Up with a WIR (getting the lingo) and two chickens brought by the lovely man from Omlet.

I very much wanted ex batts but being completely new to chicken keeping wanted to start with something that wouldn't be too much of a strain.

Steep learning curve to say the least.

They were on grass...poop City Central. Now on hardwood chips, much easier poo picking but collecting, getting them home and spreading them has touched muscles I certainly wasn't aware of!

They are entertainment, exercise programme and diet aid (Attila the gingernut is a serious toast fan) all in one.

Looking forward to a lot of fun with them.

And possibly an egg...eventually.

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I finally brought my chooks home just over a week ago now. I have 2 bantams and 1 hybrid. They have settled in beautifully and my son and I love spending time out in the garden with them. I was amazed how quickly they became used to the dogs and they now touch nose to beak through the run. I don't let them all loose in the garden at the same time! Looking forward to our first egg!

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Hello

 

I am new to having chickens and this site, I do not have an eglu but a wooden hen house and run. I purchased 6 girls all different varieties and they arrived from Shropshire farm on Monday, not the best time as we had very bad weather with the tail end of hurricane up here in the North.

 

I have no idea what I am doing so I could do with advice and help on what I should be doing, my main worry is how to clean their house and what to use. The girls on soil but wondering if I need to clean it and again how and what to use.

 

I'm very excited and look forward to making new friends.

 

Mark

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Hello Everyone,

 

I have 3 Collumbian blacktails which I house in an Eglu Go and let out to free range most afternoons, even when it is wet.

Such characters, friendly one, S"Ooops, word censored!"by aloof one, and a shy one. Then when you show them a grape they all become very friendly indeed.

 

We get an egg off each day most days.

 

I got the Eglu in early May 2014 and the birds on 16th. I have never kept hens before but have friends who have kept them in the past. Such a rewarding experience looking after these animals. This new hobby has rekindled my interest in the garden. which is very hen pecked at the moment

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