Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[chookmumtobe]

Hi, we picked up 3 sussex bantams this last weekend, a light, a white and a buff. The light and buff sussex bantams we were told were approximately 16 weeks old and the white sussex bantam approximately 19 weeks old. My questions concerns the white bantam as she keeps going into the eglu to sit and occasionally tries to get under the body of one of the other chooks as I would imagine a younger chook would go under its mother's wing. Is she cold? sick? we picked her up yesterday and couldn't find any obvious signs of sickness and is eating and drinking ok. We were told they wouldn't need worming for about 3 months. She seems not as perky as the others and a bit smaller, although told she was older? any advise would be appreciated.

 

Also, (!) I bought some omlet grit, the pieces are quite big and haven't seen the chooks eating any (we've been watching lots!) do I need to crush it up a bit or won't they eat it until they start to lay?

 

Last question for now - promise! the grub and glug seem massive for the amount that they are eating and drinking. The grub particularly, as I feel that I have to put quite alot in so that they can reach it, even having it low on the ground. Do I need to throw away food not eaten or can it be brought inside and put back out again?

 

We are really enjoying having them, they have taken over from the telly, my neighbour thinks we're all mad!!!

 

Look forward to your knowledgable replies so I can stop fretting!!!!

Thank you.

[Christian]

Hello and welcome to the forum Congratulations on your new hens.

 

If she is going into the eglu, it might be that she is gearing up to lay. Is her comb quite red? Does she squat when you approach her - all good signs.

 

If she is unwell, she is more likely to sit hunched up and riffled feathers. Keep an eye on her and if in any doubt contact the breeder or vet.

 

The grit is supposed to be big. Too small and it doesn't do the job properly. Chicken grit is larger than budgie/pigeon grit. They will eat it when they need to. I top up the plastic cup of grit every couple of weeks, but if they are on stony ground, they find lots of bits in the ground.

 

They don't tend to eat very much until they start laying, once they do, their appetites quadruple.

 

I tend to tip all the uneaten food to one side of the grub and then top up. If you bring the food in at night, it helps deter vermin.

[chookmumtobe]

Thank you Christian,

 

What do you mean by riffled feathers? she does seem to keep her feathers quite close to her body rather than puffing them up like the others that make them seem larger? I've just gone to have a closer look at her face and her face is very similar to the others. We have also noticed that she 'talks' a lot! little sounds come from her that make her tail feathers move up and down!!!! she does this more than the others! Could she have hopped into an older pen and actually be younger that the others? Thanks for the advise already given, I'll stop bashing the grit with the rolling pin now !!!! If only I was joking !!

[Christian]

That's what happens when you put your contact lenses in for the first time in ages! RUFFLED feathers I mean

 

She could be younger? When the combs start to grow and become more red and they squat in front of you, that is a sign that they are getting ready to lay. Being vocal is also something that all of mine did once they started laying. Didn't hear a sound out of them before that.

 

Put the rolling pin down.....

[MarkBevBen]

Hiya Chookmumtobe from another fellow newbie

 

I think Christian has given some great advice there - I'm also finding this forum really helpful and friendly

 

We've had our lovely ladies a week today now and so far so good! They're no bother at all and gradually we're seeing more and more of their little personalities come out

 

Also a fabulous bonus, we've had eggs every day, the most we've had in a day is three! I genuinely thought it'd take days/weeks for them to start laying, but the Omlet man said they'd come from a good batch of layers!

 

Like you, we love watching them - they're so fascinating and very funny with it too!!!

 

Here's some little observations that I've noticed.....

 

* they make a lot of noise prior to laying an egg and our girls seem happy to go to their Eglu nesting box to do their business we've only had one egg so far, on the second day, that was laid in the run! You should've seen me trying to get it out in one piece!

 

* when either of us goes out into the garden, they make their cute noise as if to say "hey are you coming over to see us"

 

* we've started letting them out of the run whilst we're at home and they're getting braver each day. They even come up to us now for a pat and a natter!

 

* the Omlet man advised us to give them a stroke whilst they're actually in the Eglu to get them used to human contact, this seems to be working

 

* they enjoy their afternoon tea of treats - picked up the tip not to give them treats in the morning to encourage them to eat their Omlet food/grit.

 

* they've held their own against a pigeon already!!!! I was a bit upset to find a pigeon who'd come off worse, but I guess it's nature and it's good that the girls are marking their territory.

 

* our girls like to just chill out sometimes in the sunshine, whether that's in the garden or in their run. They seem to take little afternoon naps or siestas

 

* our doggy Ben, absolutely adores them. He's ever so gentle with the girls and has already become quite protective of them in his own little way He also sits watching them, with us!

 

Enjoy your ladies and looking forward to chatting more! xxx

[chookmumtobe]

Thanks everyone for your kind words and advise, I have put the rolling pin away now, I feel very silly

 

Another question that I would like to pose is: are there any easy ways to poo pick an eglu run? Yesterday I found myself sniffing lots when I went into the garden to see if it had started to smell. They are on grass at the mo but I have bought some hemcore and plan to make a permanent site for them at the weekend. I tried a rake but that didn't work sadly. With all this rain, can hemcore be put on a wet ground or should I wait until the ground is dry?

 

My chooks don't seem to know what a dust bath is either, I have filled a cat litter tray with soil, playsand and diacom and all they have done so far is peck at it, perch on the edge and sit in it. Will they need a demonstration???

 

I think once I know, and they know what they are doing and we all settle down !!! I will be totally relaxed!?? what do you think?

[chookmumtobe]

Hi me again, I have just been looking at the chooks again and the white sussex bantam (snowy!) stands with her head into her body and her tail feathers are facing the ground, hunched. She is definitely not as active or as lively as the others and will stand hunched or sit hunched for long periods of time.

 

What do you think? thanks.

[MarkBevBen]

Thanks everyone for your kind words and advise, I have put the rolling pin away now, I feel very silly

 

Another question that I would like to pose is: are there any easy ways to poo pick an eglu run? Yesterday I found myself sniffing lots when I went into the garden to see if it had started to smell. They are on grass at the mo but I have bought some hemcore and plan to make a permanent site for them at the weekend. I tried a rake but that didn't work sadly. With all this rain, can hemcore be put on a wet ground or should I wait until the ground is dry?

 

My chooks don't seem to know what a dust bath is either, I have filled a cat litter tray with soil, playsand and diacom and all they have done so far is peck at it, perch on the edge and sit in it. Will they need a demonstration???

 

I think once I know, and they know what they are doing and we all settle down !!! I will be totally relaxed!?? what do you think?

 

 

awww you got me laughing there when you said about them needing a demo for their dustbath! Maybe if you put the soil/sand/diacom straight on the grass in a corner of the run they'd manage to do what they do with it? Our girls have made a nice dustbath for themselves in a disused border area of our garden and I've noticed they do this funny little dance thing!

 

I've been picking up the poo in the run when I've moved it - we're going to keep ours on the grass and move once or twice a week. I change the droppings tray every day and line it with newspaper. As far as I know, chicken dung is good for plants and so grass, so a good water may help the grass grow back?

 

I haven't got hemcore, but I'm sure someone here will be able to assist.

 

I'm sure everything will be absolutely fine, enjoy your chickens!

[MarkBevBen]

Hi me again, I have just been looking at the chooks again and the white sussex bantam (snowy!) stands with her head into her body and her tail feathers are facing the ground, hunched. She is definitely not as active or as lively as the others and will stand hunched or sit hunched for long periods of time.

 

What do you think? thanks.

 

 

Oh I'm not sure 'what' it is, but I've observed ours sitting on the ground, either in their run or in the garden sunning themselves and sometimes having a little nap too!