Olly Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I've read a couple of posts recently which mentioned going on a poultry-keeping course. I'd love to do something like this, as I had never held a chicken until the day my Eglu arrived, and am still a bit anxious about whether I am looking after them properly (although of course this forum has been a fantastic source of info!) Does anybody know of/has anyone been on a course in the South East (ideally Herts/Essex/Kent area)? Or can anyone recommend where to look for one - I've googled, but only found ones in the Midlands so far. Or failing that, any recommended books? I've already got 'Keeping Pet Chickens' by the Omlet guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Try calling Omlet and asking them. They did ask (a year ago now) whether any of the more experienced owners would be happy to give courses, but we've not heard any more about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I don't think you should have to pay to go on a course. Sometimes they can be well over £50! Is there anyone near you who already keeps chickens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Try emailing barbara@omlet.co.uk, she might know of an Omleteer near to you, who will be able to help. I'd happily help you out,but I'm the other side of the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 29, 2007 Author Share Posted March 29, 2007 I don't think you should have to pay to go on a course. Sometimes they can be well over £50! Well it did occur to me that £50 could be better spent on a run converter (thus providing room for a third chook) I have got better at picking them up, or perhaps they have got more used to it, and they seem healthy, but I am not sure I'd cope with having to administer medicine, check their vent or some of the other things I've read on here. They are free-ranging for an hour or so every evening now it's light, and that gives me a bit more opportunity for chicken-handling and generally getting to know them better. Thanks for all the suggestions anyway, I will try the marvelous Barbara and see if she can suggest anything. I've emailed twice before for advice, and always got a response within 24 hours. If only Omlet ran the country ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Olly Why dont you start by handling your girls more after it's got dark? Bit mean I know to get them out of bed but that's how I got used to handling them and giving them a health check etc. In fact I'd never seen a chicken vent until I did this I got one of those head bands with a small light on - not bright enough to "wake" them up again but enough to be able to see what I was doing They are a doddle to handle then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 29, 2007 Author Share Posted March 29, 2007 My girls seem to be light sleepers, and if they hear me coming up the garden, even at midnight, they stagger sleepily out of the eglu (hoping for mealworms) and cluck rather crossly in the run. I've taken to turning off the torch and tiptoeing, but the cat quite often blows my cover by meowing loudly in greeting! And I'm always worried that said cat might have left something he caught on the path Brilliant idea about the headband torch, though, Laura - I may try this. Glad to know I am not the only one who finds this a bit tricky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 My girls seem to be light sleepers, and if they hear me coming up the garden, even at midnight, they stagger sleepily out of the eglu (hoping for mealworms) and cluck rather crossly in the run. I've taken to turning off the torch and tiptoeing, but the cat quite often blows my cover by meowing loudly in greeting! And I'm always worried that said cat might have left something he caught on the path Brilliant idea about the headband torch, though, Laura - I may try this. Glad to know I am not the only one who finds this a bit tricky. One of mine was a nocturnal wanderer, and i used to fret that I wasn't able to lock the door of the Eglu she was in as whatever time I went out, and even if I walked on my eyelashes, she would catch me. I don't bother to go out now, and neither does she as far as I can tell.! I am happy that they are as secure as they can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Me again! Just googled "Poultry Keeping Courses" and came up with this. It's a bit pricey but seems interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Try emailing barbara@omlet.co.uk, she might know of an Omleteer near to you, who will be able to help. I'd happily help you out,but I'm the other side of the country. I'm sorry Clare but I'm afraid that the only information I have on chicken keeping courses are for ones that you have to pay to go on. I'm afraid that I can't organise meetings between forum members unless it's to see an Eglu before deciding whether to make a purchase or not so the best thing for Olly to do would be to contact someone on here via the forum PM or e-mail system if she wants to meet up with a more experienced chicken keeper for a chat. Sorry I can't be more helpful. Keep handling them Olly and they will get used to you. Night is definitely the best time because they tend to be less flappy once they've been roosting for a while. The other thing you could try is having something nice for them to eat in your hand like some tinned sweetcorn or halved grapes so they associate you with good things to eat then they may be more accepting about being handled. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Sorry Barbara Olly, as she says, keep giving them treats - they are definitely stomach led - mine now come when I whistle and are a breeze to get in the eglu run at night. Just tempt them with treats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 29, 2007 Author Share Posted March 29, 2007 Thank you very much for all the helpful suggestions. Ok, perhaps I should admit it ... I'm a bit scared of my chickens! They rush up and peck my fingers every time I try and open the Eglu run, and I've resorted to blatant bribery with mealworms so I can top up the Glub and Grub - it's the only way to get them to leave me alone. I thought perhaps I'd overdone the treats, because they seem to view me as a sort of mealworm dispenser. I do pick them up, and they are a lot better about this since they started laying, but they don't seem to enjoy being stroked or cuddled much (or maybe it's because I'm not doing it right). I think the chickens are in charge of the household, and they know it! I'm really hoping that with summer coming, I'll be able to spend more time int the garden with them, my fence is waiting to be repaired and so I can't let them outside the Omlet netting yet. Anyway, thanks for the ideas and I will try the after-dark technique, if I can sneak up there before they hear me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 One of mine tries to peck when I open the run door to let them out. I have developed technique of kicking the pin forward with my foot and then very quickly pulling it out. I then use the pin to lever the door open as it sometimes sticks a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 29, 2007 Author Share Posted March 29, 2007 One of mine tries to peck when I open the run door to let them out. Just the one?!! Mine rush up and peck my fingers - ok, it doesn't draw blood but it's not very enjoyable! they peck my shoes, I have to close the Eglu door before opening the eggport otherwise I get pecked when collecting the eggs ... I am beginning to think they are some sort of raptor hybrid! Either that or my fingers are particularly tasty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 It might be an idea not to take treats every day, so that they realise that you are sometimes emptyhanded and therefore not worth mobbing! They'll still run to you on the off chance, but may not attack your hands so much! I remember saying to OH when they ran towards me "Look, they love me!" and he said, "No, they just want to kill you", it did look like it. But, it was cupboard love, they just wanted food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 One of mine tries to peck when I open the run door to let them out. Just the one?!! Mine rush up and peck my fingers - ok, it doesn't draw blood but it's not very enjoyable! they peck my shoes, I have to close the Eglu door before opening the eggport otherwise I get pecked when collecting the eggs ... I am beginning to think they are some sort of raptor hybrid! Either that or my fingers are particularly tasty. Poor you Olly - I sympathise! I dreaded putting my fingers near them at first, they made me jump when they tried to peck my fingers and I hated it! So I gritted my teeth and accepted I was going to get pecked and figured the best thing would be to get used to it. I gave them my fingers to nibble and let them get on with it - it is bearable once you realise it doesn't really hurt ( ) and now they ignore my fingers because they know they're not food. It's still difficult getting the glug and grub though, they barge out as soon as I open the pen. So I let them out while I fill up the food and water then throw in a handful of mealworms and they storm back in again! I know what you mean about raptors - i'm SO glad they are only little! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 I must agree with Sheila and Snowy - if you're taking food out to them in your fingers then they will associate your fingers with food I dont mind sitting on the garden bench with a handful of corn and letting them jump on my lap to eat it - they know as soon as I sit down that I've got something nice for them but if I have anything else to give them I put it in a small stainless steel measuring cup and they eat it out of there - now they will follow that cup to the ends of the earth but if I dont have it with me at least they are not interested in my fingers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 I've trained mine to come when I whistle by whistling when I give them corn or treats. It's really handy when I want to get them in the run quickly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Mine come running if I open the back door and mob me, but... If I let them out of their big pen into the garden they ignore me, refuse to squat and run off I generally have to wave a fistful of corn for them to follow back to the pen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 30, 2007 Author Share Posted March 30, 2007 Thank you so much, fellow Omleteers - I knew there would be some good advice from you all! I am going to be brave and try Snowy's suggestion of letting them peck me and learn that there's nothing there. They do have to spend a lot of time in the run because I'm out at work, but this weekend I can let them out and hopefully they will just get used to me being in the garden, without any treats. I will also try the idea of feeding treats in a dish, and I'm going to attempt the after-dark cuddling, if I can ever get them to stay in the Eglu! Considering I used to have a phobia about birds, I'm not doing too badly - my brother says I am the last person in the world he would have expected to have chickens! I blame it on watching The Good Life too much as a teenager. Thank heavens for the forum, I don't know what I'd do without all this advice. PS have you all seen the new wiki link in the Nesting Box? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Its funny you should mention a phobia about birds....I used to absolutely hate pigeons.....I mean I absolutely freaked out if they came near me, but I rather surprised myself the other day in Endcliffe Park.....there was a pigeon with wire around its foot and I actually felt that I could have picked it to to get the wire off Unthinkable a year ago. (It scarpered before I had the chance). I'm still not keen on them swooping about thought....I have this horror of their feet getting caught in my hair. I was a bit nervous of the hens to start with, but you get used to handling them quite quickly. You'll be fine Olly. I mean if I can do it....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
