Keeping my lone hen warm

[scarlettohara]

Yay well done And what lovely girls you have

[beach chick]

here it is!!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/brooksbarn/VariousIncChookPalace?authkey=Gv1sRgCK7Zq9iR8OrcBw&feat=directlink

[jill the potter]

Wow........that can't be your garden, it must be some land you have...it looks like such an ideal set-up. Do you grow your own veg etc? I would love a set-up like that.

[beach chick]

thanks Jill - we call it the field, but it is really part of the garden, although the actual garden is 'proper' if you see what I mean! you can just see part of it and house in some of the pics.

we've got a walled vegetable garden in another area, but I took this year off veg because I broke my ankle in January... a decision I am regretting because it's like a jungle down there now!!

[goodinparts]

Wow. Lovely pictures, splendid set up & I think I'm in love with your bunnies...Looking at them made me realise how much I miss ours. Ho hum. Chooks are the way forward (she says, determinedly) - at least when he's settled post uni middle son has plans for a house rabbit, so I'll have access to one again

[beach chick]

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/brooksbarn/LatestWIR?authkey=Gv1sRgCOeD1cCMjIOrWg&feat=directlink

 

big big day! as of about 5pm today, the girls have moved into the WIR. It took about 45 mins to get the cube out of the leccy fence run and fix it onto the WIR. then it took me about 2 and a half hours to catch all 10 girls and transfer them to their new home!! Ditto the Buff Orp was in first, and Fairy the Light Sussex was the last. I felt rather Chilean Miner Rescue about the whole thing as I transferred them one by one to the their new home. assuming the link works, you can see the girls investigating their new abode!

[Plum]

They look a bit perplexed. Lucky girls.

[goodinparts]

That's brilliant...wish I were one of your chooks or bunnies

[beach chick]

they are still perplexed!!

 

however this morning I have sprayed them all with Johnsons antimite spray, and given nutridrops. I dont think they particularly enjoyed the experience , but there was a lot of happy preening afterwards and I made them a mash of Flub-pellets with warm water and a bit of poultry spice to see them through the change to the new environment.

couldnt see any nasties on them apart from a few black specks on Shirley which could have been anything, but better to be safe than sorry. I am really appreciating how much easier it is to handle them in the WIR, I found it really hard to catch them in the electric fence area, so I never got the opportunity to handle them and get them tame.

 

was a bit worried to find that Ginger was really thin - her breastbone is as sharp as a knife. she has a lower beak longer than the upper one, so I wonder if she finds it hard to eat? having said that, I've never thought she was slow to get to the food. Snowy also sounded really wheezy and rattly, so will have to keep an eye on her. other than that they all seemed to be in pretty good nick, even Fairy who I've thought was developmentally delayed for a long time.

[lovebugette]

also asked Forsham Arks for a price, but despite promises we never got an actual quote from them.

 

I live very close to Forsham Arks and after a murderous fox took one of my new girls, I emailed the company with some requests for a quote. No reply despite reminders, so one Sunday I decided to Sat-Nav my way to see them. They're advertised at a local feed merchant and have an impressive website, with Sunday opening so off we went.

 

After navigating some tight lanes near Ashford in heavy rain, I expected to see a "proper" business, but it was someone's garden - all overgrown trees and wonky signage and a few runs to view. Having pulled up (negotiating dog that nearly jumped onto my car!) I was made to feel most unwelcome, despite their opening times being on display on their website. It looked nothing like the site depicted, so I was very dis-heartened.

 

When I tried to discuss my WIR requirements (wished to attach Cube and other normal (?) requests), owner treated me as though I was rather stupid and waved his arm in the direction of some standard runs in his garden (yet site says they make bespoke runs) . Whilst they were ok, they weren't what I wanted!

 

Most unhelpful and would not recommend. My lovely husband looked at his website, copied some bits and made me one ten times better for a lot less £!

 

Hope this helps!

[beach chick]

you cant be that far from me then lovebugette - I'm about 20 mins from Ashford (south)! Itoo have negotiated some tricky rain-soaked lanes round there...

[lovebugette]

you cant be that far from me then lovebugette - I'm about 20 mins from Ashford (south)! Itoo have negotiated some tricky rain-soaked lanes round there...

 

I'm on Romney Marsh - where are you? Any foxey problems at all? x

[beach chick]

I'm right between the marsh and the big blue sea - dymchurch. where are you?

yes, fox problems - hence the WIR really!

[lovebugette]

I'm right between the marsh and the big blue sea - dymchurch. where are you?

yes, fox problems - hence the WIR really!

 

Greatstone! How funny! Both Marsh-ians.

 

When have you had problems with Mr Fox? I didn't have any for nearly two years and then one of my girls was taken in June when I let them out at 5 am (too early I now think), but now a neighbour confirms seeing a young fox in his garden at almost 9am, so I am worried. Whilst I have WIR, my girls love to peruse the garden and despite a 6 foot fence all around, the fox climbed it fine last time. I always thought daytime was safer!

 

Having tucked in my girls earlier this week, I'd dropped my torch in the garden and when I looked for it the next day, it was chewed to pieces in my garden. It must have been a fox so I am now supervising free ranging! Have three battery hens that I rescued at the end of September and they're doing so well, I'd be so very sad if I lost them.

 

As I sign off, do you ever see the chooks roaming the big field on the approach to Dymchurch from St Mary's Bay? Wonder if their owners ever lose them to foxes?

[beach chick]

to be honest, I think foxy will come at any time of day that suits. we've had chooks for 3 years now, and have lost about 8 girls plus a bunny - gosh that sounds as if we are really irresponsible!

 

the first 3 to go were taken in the daytime, before we had the electric fence - 1 the first time, 2 the second time. then we had the electric fence and all went well for a while. then lost another couple when foxy bit through the fence or maybe burrowed under it because the current was not strong enough - still dont know why. the latest, when we lost 4 girls and the bunny, was this July. it was very hot, I had not shut the cube at night because of the heat - and also because of the heat the ground had dried out and although we didnt know it the current wasnt strong enough - basically the earth had dried and created a gap around the earth spike or whatever its called, so foxy just helped himself.

 

having said all of the above, we've lived here nearly 12 years, and I have actually seen a fox just four times - once on the beach (no he didnt bring a towel!) and once in the garden - both times well before we had chooks, and then subsequently have seen one sitting on the sea wall in the dark - just saw the eyes. so they are cunning little things and know how to keep themselves hidden away.

 

I hate foxes!! bring back hunting as far as I am concerned.