Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[Nicola O]

Collected my ex-bats today.

 

They settled in, had a dust bath and proptly gave me two eggs. The other three were wandering round the garden quietly clucking - they were probably saying "I don't like the look of the scruffy 'erberts that have just moved in next door"

 

 

 

 

Nicola

[chickenlass]

Aww bless them!!!

hope they settle in quickly.. bet they will look tons better i no time at all. Can't wait to get mine onthe 19th

[Jaime]

It's terrible the way they are treated and how they look.

 

Glad you rescued them... I try and educate everyone about battery eggs

[susanbb]

They're absolutely gorgeous

 

Susan

[theherd123]

Oh Nicola arent they just lovely! Do keep us updated with photos and adventures

 

Cant wait to get my new babies in early May

[ali-s]

Well done to you Nicola for given them a lovely home

 

 

 

I try and educate everyone about battery eggs

 

I do that as well. Today I persuaded a teacher at work not to have egg mayo as the filling for her jacket potato (battery eggs at school )

She took cheese instead

[Egluntyne]

You won't recognise them in a months time, after some TLC and fresh air. Congratulations.

[Nicola O]

Do keep us updated with photos and adventures

 

I will Emma, now I've finally mastered the art of adding photo's.

 

I had only just worked out how to tranfer pictures from my camera phone to the computer, then I realised I had to register a Photobucket thing to put them on the internet, then transfer them over to my post. It took about an hour to suss it out and SuperKate had to help me out as well.

 

It makes me feel old to say it, but I do find this interweb thing confusing at times

 

Nicola

[Popcorn]

Nicola - you should be very proud of yourself for mastering the interweb I'm still trying to work out how to spell. There's no hope for me is there

 

Your hens will have such a happy new life with you. Will look forward to hearing all about them.

[The Dogmother]

They look lovely and will soon flourish.

[Nicola O]

I've been watching them out the window since I got in from work and I've noticed that two of the chooks are spending all of their time in the eglu. One pops out occasionally, checks on her friend who is scratching about in the run and then goes back inside again. Mildred it just tucked up in the nest box and will not budge unless I make her.

 

I'm guessing it's because it is very windy here today and they are not used to being buffeted about like this, but could I have aggoraphobic chickens . Perhaps they are so used to their tiny battery cage that the big wide world it too much for them at the moment and they feel more secure in the eglu .

 

Will keep you posted.

 

Nicola.

[Nicola O]

Me again.

 

I think I know why Mildred was so reluctant to leave the nest box. I just checked on them and found a large soft shelled egg in the nest. I've read that a softie can make them feel a bit subdued, so presuming it is hers I hope she feels better now.

 

The egg felt weird - i've not had one before - it feels like a rubber glove filled with water. Would it be a normal egg inside or is a softie different ?

 

Nicola

[The Dogmother]

It'll be normal inside, the shell just failed to form. My guess is that the upheaval of the last few days probably prompted it.

 

Let's hope that it's not long before you get a 'proper egg'.

[bronze]

I'm sure they'll get braver soon

Especially when they realise you come bearing gifts

[AnnieP]

Well done on your new girls! They are so pathetically appealing aren't they? No doubt in a very short while they will be as splendid as the best of them!

 

Hope the soft shelled egg hasn't left Mildred feeling too low. I guess its just a settling in thing: I bet she can't believe how her life has changed!

 

Congratulations!

[phenna_family]

Hi Nicola,

 

Your rescue hen's are beautiful, it brought a tear to my eyes to think how lucky my chucks are and what hell other battery hens must be going through,if I could afford it and had more room in my garden I wouldn't hestitate in giving battery hens a new home.

 

Claire

 

ps hope they settle in ok for you, they are very lucky.

[Nicola O]

Another 'softie' in the eglu this morning, dropped between the roosting bars.

 

Mildred is still not coming out, so now I'm worrying that she is not eating and drinking so I'll put a little pot of water and layers pellets inside with her. I did read on another site last night that they have probably been fed layers mash so would it be an idea to get a bag today to make sure they are all eating ok - the three of them are so underweight already I don't want them starving because the don't 'recognise' their new food .

 

I think I'll also try mildred with some sweetcorn with added poultry spice to give her a boost.

 

Nicola.

[Cate in NZ]

I'd definitely offer layers mash to start with, they'll probably be happier with food that's familiar to them. They've faced a lot of change over the last few days and I think that it must come as a big shock to them. Just goes to show how resilient hens can be to cope with the transition so well

I'd also consider trying to supplement their calcium, all that egg laying and lack of movement in the cages does deplete their calcium stores, and that coupled with the shock may explain the softies.

Have you got some oyster shell that you could add to their feed? Alternatively you could add some lightly baked, ground egg shell to start replenishing calcium stores.

Poultry spice is a great all round tonic, good idea to offer them some of that.

Good luck, I hope that Mildred's OK.

By the way, silly question as I'm sure that you've already checked, but Mildred isn't being bullied by the others and keeping in the eglu to stay away from hen pecking? If so she might be being prevented from getting to the food and water, in which case you might need a few feeding stations dotted about

[Nicola O]

By the way, silly question as I'm sure that you've already checked, but Mildred isn't being bullied by the others and keeping in the eglu to stay away from hen pecking? If so she might be being prevented from getting to the food and water, in which case you might need a few feeding stations dotted about

 

You are spot on Kate - the race for Top Chook has begun.

 

I put the food and water in the eglu and Mildred, and Myrtle who is staying in with her, tucked into the sweetcorn. I kept looking out at them and noticed that they ventured out and were immediatly set upon by evil Mavis . Mildred was getting it worse. I know they have to go through this stage but it's not very nice to watch, is it?

 

Mildred was running up and down the run to avoid being jumped on, ran into the eglu and jumped out the egg port door I had just opened to check how much they had eaten. She took me by surprise and it was only luck that I caught her and not the dog that was sat next to me.

 

I will take you advice and get some mash today. I hope Mildred isn't beaten up too much, I'll be worrying about her all day now whilst I'm at work.

 

Nicola

[Tina C]

Yes do get some mash. I started off putting a mix of mash, pellets and grit/oyster shell for mine - in the hope that they would start to recognise pellets as food. They do eat the pellets but they still prefer the mash.

 

Also I put their food in a bowl (in a litter tray weighed down with bricks - mash is sooooo messy!) as they don't seem to want to use the grub.

 

And the pecking order thing is horrible but they do sort it out. My Dusty spent most of the first day in the house (with food and water) but then emerged with an evil glint in her eye. Petula submitted straight away, but Cilla put up a bit of a fight. Petula is still bottom chook but a few weeks on we think Cilla may now have put herself at the top.

 

Now all I have to do is be brave enough to let my two 'flocks' slug it out.

[The Dogmother]

It's hard to watch them doing that to each other, but in a way it's lovely to see how quickly they have developed normal chicken behaviour. Once the pecking order is established, each will be happy in their place (I'd swear that chickens are German because of their love of order!). Try making some porridge up by dissolving some pellets in warm water and adding other nice tit bits. It wouldn't harm to give them some Avipro in the porridge or water, it will sort out their digestive systems and give them all the necessary vitamins and minerals thay they need. You can get it online (see link above) or you may find that your vet stocks it.

[buffie]

Well done and what lovely girls they are...I'm going to get the Wiki up to date as soon as I can and wondered if you could all post your rescue stories and pics there. It will be great for BHWT

 

Good for you!

 

BBxx

[Nicola O]

Things are starting to settle down, I think.

 

When I got home yesterday Mildred and Myrtle were still in the eglu but kept popping out to see me and I noticed that Evil Mavis didn't pounce on Mildred, just chased her a little bit. After a while Mavis stopped completely and for a while all three were scratching around to their hearts content. Though Mildred does keep going back inside and is probably in more than she is out.

 

The food and water pots in the eglu did't work as they all got tipped over so I put them at the other end of the run - Omlet should really make the run door person not chicken size as it was not easy to shuffle through.

 

Nicola.

[Nicola O]

I spoke too soon...Mavis is back to being Evil Mavis

 

Mildred and Myrtle are still spending a lot of the time in the eglu , but now Evil Mavis is going inside to beat them up and comes out with a beak full of feathers. One of the ladies at work who kept chickens years ago thinks I should her into the other run with the original girls and let Mildred and Myrtle have a bit of space on their own, but is this a good idea ?? If Mavis goes in with the others surely she would then get beaten up (though when I see her being nasty to Mildred I quietly think that she deserves a taste of her own medicine)

 

I know they've only been together since Monday so should I just tough it out a bit longer. I feel so sorry for little Mildred who is getting it worse, when I open the egg port she tries to jump out and when in the run she paces up and down at the door - she seems so desperate to get out.

 

Nicola.