Warm boot recommendations please

[MichelleP]

Hi everyone

 

Im a new keeper of chickens and been the proud owner of Daisy and Lilly for about a month now. They are great, I could not have imagined what fun personalities and cheeky devils chickens could be. Lilly is the composed, stay out late kind of girl. Daisy is a bit of a whittler and likes her early nights, mind you did peck my elderly dog on the head today when she crept into the kitchen and Bandit tried to herd her out, Bandit is 18 years old, so the herding was a bit on the slow side as you can imagine.

 

We had our first egg from Lilly on the 5th May, nothing as yet from Daisy.

 

Im not sure if Im fussing over my chooks to much but I worry if they stay out in the rain, they dont seem to bother at all with the rain but I worry its not good for them, should I put them back into their run?

 

Slightly boiled potato skins are a firm favourite along with sweetcorn, bit of green veg and pasta goes down well too, Im sure it's cheaper buying organic eggs from the supermarket but wow when we got our first egg it was the highlight of the evening of how we were going to eat it and we still plan how we can use the eggs each day. My husband is cooking tomorrow night, Martins sourced the recipe and guess what 4 eggs are needed. I think you appreciate your food so much more when you've been involved in it. Ive also started growing my own veg, but if my raddish and rocket is anything to go by it didnt even make it indoors, we sat and ate them outside straight from the garden.

 

Any tips you may have to look after Daisy and Lilly and keep them in tip top health would be appreciated. Ive read the posting about the runny poo, which I was concerned about also, so will be getting some of the bran that was suggested.

 

[Hen Watch]

Hi Michelle,

 

I've had mine exactly a month too. Addictive isn't it.

 

I also spend inordinate amounts of time worried about poo. Only today one of my gingernuts has decided to be squitty again. Perhpas this is the initiation or right of passage into chicken ownership, to spend huge amounts of time worrying about them..

[jonesyboy27]

Hi Welcome

 

The chickens a quite tough really the weather today has been awfull we do not cosset the girls too much

but did keep them under cover today.Generally they are very hardy.

 

The runny poo I reckon is sometimes the things they eat (just like us with a curry) .I've noticed that when they have attacked my rhubarb things get a bit runny.

 

My veg patches look like the set of Colditz fenced off regular patrols

 

But we would never hand the girls back.

 

You are hooked for life.

 

Welcome to the world of chickens and the forum

[helenp]

Hi Mprime.

 

I only got my girls yesterday, and had an orange poop this evening, which had me worried. It is normal, so not as worried now. Amazing how poops seem to have us all worrying at times!!

[Rhapsody]

Hi mprime and helenp,

I've only had chooks for a couple of months but I cant Imagine life without them now. I've just come in from the garden where they have helped me de-slug the greenhouse, bless 'em. You will get lots of help and friendly, non-judgemental advice here, everyone is lovely.

Top tip?.........er......Cider Vinegar in the drinking water is a great tonic for your birds, 25ml to 1litre of water.

Rhapsody

[Lynn in Bristol]

Hello new chicken peeps,

 

they're great aren't they?

 

I've often wondered about letting chickens out in the rain - there's nothing quite so pathetic as a wet hen. Mine seem to tolerate only so much, before going back to mope in their run. After all this rain in the last three days our white star is a grey star!

 

Enjoy them!

[Kathy C]

Welcome Michelle.

 

Given the choice between scratching about in the rain and staying dry, our hens choose mud and dirty beaks everytime!

 

However when Mum and Dad are about they sculpt their feathers into pathetic arrangements and crow for grapes by the kitchen door. I believe they must have read "One Hundred Ways for a Chicken to Train its Human"