Chortle Chook Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Before I got chickens, my normally quiet husband had a moment of public outrage in a restaurant, when I mentioned that I was thinking of getting 4 chickens instead of 3. Now we have 16, and are both totally engrossed in it. Was he eating chicken? My OH was dead set against me having chickens for years and years and when I got my first girls last summer he went into total panic mode but now he feeds them their corn, cleans them out if I have to be away and, yes, even talks to them - oh and he buys me chook magazines too. However he is still nervous at the thought of the Reading bantam show - rightly so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Little Miss Webmuppet has got Morehens disease too, picture the scene............one 10 year old armed with a tape measure measuring up a vacant flower bed, then checking out the Omlet site to see how much an Eglu was........( and doing complicated maths to see how many months/years pocket money it take to get one!). I though she had been too quiet for too long. She had plans to fill an Eglu with Pekins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneyolktoanother Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Very serious. The onset can be any time from 24 hours after delivery of your first Eglu and hens, but the risk increases with time. Symptoms: searching for local suppliers online looking up different breeds measuring up different reas of the garden Voicing the words 'two (or three/four/five) hens are so easy to look after, a few more won't make any difference' shouting 'Ooh, look - chickens for sale!' when driving locally There is no cure, but symptoms can be alleviated by enquiries about walk-in-runs, and spreadsheet exercises enabling you to calculate how much money you could save up if you stopped feeding the children can bring temporary relief. my oh said that sounds like me ok i confess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Wot are eggs? Oh God that made me laugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously........ The way to reduce eggs per chicken is to get a cockerel...... then it's just Environmental Health you have to deal with. At least you can then throw eggs at your neighbours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Yep guilty of yelling chickens at the TV and pretty much elsewhere. Today I spotted chickens and geese (added bonus) sadly "Ooops, word censored!"ody in the car with me to share the outburst. And now when OH and I go out walking the camera is taken with us and I have a fair few pics of chickens that aren't mine. OK, 3 lots of chooks - and you have to take more than one piccy of the scene in case. I might just hijack the RIR's up the road though. My they are gorgeous. Surely they wouldn't miss one or two? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaloo Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I've found a cure....!! Get a house with a small garden...and an OH that refuses to move just so you can have a larger one, and therefore more hens. *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutti Frutti Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 In extreme cases, I think it can be fatal (as in, OH would probably kill me if I spent any more money on Cubes/Eglus/WIRs/Toys/Chickens!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxigirl Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I'm going to the Paris Agricultural Show at the end of Feb. They have chicken showing there, and chicks to buy. Thank goodness I'm going on the Eurostar and they don't let you carry pets. Will try and get some good pics though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 What's going in WIR2 you ask Chestnutmare, well I am getting some hatching eggs off my friend and I'm gonna hatch me some babies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Morehens Disease is serious but I think in all honesty I could suffer far more serious illnesses. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't take drugs and I have no social life, expensive clothes or other hobbies, Morehens is expensive but it's my only vice. Mr Griffin ought to be grateful I'm lucky in that I have an all singing all dancing fabby incubator, excellent broodies and can hatch whatever the fancy takes me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennydavies Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I'm going to the Paris Agricultural Show at the end of Feb. PARIS - that's only 500 miles from us !! I eye up our neighbours hens and say to Charlie "Ooooh she's a pretty one, I wouldn't mind her in our little gang" we also look at neighbours hens when we walk the dogs and say "Ooooh that's a lovely colour one I wonder if they really want her" Charlie is just as bad as me with the morehens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue-DiamondChick07 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I'm lucky in that I have an all singing all dancing fabby incubator, excellent broodies and can hatch whatever the fancy takes me Yes. This however doesn't help with the illness, just makes it worse, I know this first hand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 Little Miss Webmuppet has got Morehens disease too Ah, that's very sweet. Nice to know you can share the hobby! Excellent SC, post lots of pictures please! Griffin, I'm with you there, you have to have a hobby - all work and no play and all that . However two horses are costly and I'm trying to save to move home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue-DiamondChick07 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Very serious. The onset can be any time from 24 hours after delivery of your first Eglu and hens, but the risk increases with time. Symptoms: searching for local suppliers online looking up different breeds measuring up different reas of the garden Voicing the words 'two (or three/four/five) hens are so easy to look after, a few more won't make any difference' shouting 'Ooh, look - chickens for sale!' when driving locally There is no cure, but symptoms can be alleviated by enquiries about walk-in-runs, and spreadsheet exercises enabling you to calculate how much money you could save up if you stopped feeding the children can bring temporary relief. Brilliant! Me in a nut shell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 This morehen disease is really contagious.... I went on an omlet chicken keeping course last year with SIL, so when they go away i would know how to look after the hens He was thinking of getting. I bought a cube within a month of doing the course and drove way up north for my banties ,much to the shock of DD &SIL...... I had a WIR ordered, the area paved and the wir built as my SIL was buying his hens. I have thought ...only thought of adding to my numbers this spring on the grounds that i will need to stagger my number of chooks to ensure a supply of eggs The family love my cakes made with the most wonderful eggs....No drugs or GM food stuff fed to my chooks , Oh no only the best you understand.....Veg shopping always has to have the chooks needs put in my trolley first, with a detour on the way home for mealworms....got to get the priorities right. I well and truly have caught this disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 Uh-oh, there is no hope! Angie, what veg do you buy for the chickens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Spinach, broccoli, sprouts, carrots anything really ...plus the mashed potato left over, sweetcorn..they are really spoilt.......but they are in a WIR so i like to give them veg to keep them occupied (hung in a ball or on a hook) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 Mine like cabbage but not fussed on sprouts. I've run out of 'greens' but have carrots here. Might try that now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meezers Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Mine like cabbage but not fussed on sprouts. I've run out of 'greens' but have carrots here. Might try that now. Mine like their carrots boiled for a few minutes. Not keen on sprouts either, they leave those until last. You know chooks have taken over your life when you are stood in the supermarket checking through all the cauliflowers for the one with the most leaves - cos the chooks love cauli leaves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jill the potter Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Brilliant thread!!! Took me a while to figure out what 'morehens' meant but realise I may be coming down with it, after all only 3 hens in a 12 x 6 WIR is such a waste of space!!! and I would really love a silver laced wyandotte, a blue egg layer and.....................help I think I'm coming over all morehen!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 It certainly is a worrying disease . I find this is a very good support group for sufferers of it . Therapies that work include: Buying as many chook magazines as possible (it takes the edge off) Meeting up with omleteers at loads of chook shows Talking chickens at people until their eyes glaze over Cuddling the girls you have, as often as you can Making chicken breed wish lists But sometimes, when it really sets it, there is just no alternative.............. you have to "acquire more hens" or "hatch more chicks". At least there will always be support on this forum from fellow sufferers, . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jill the potter Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 But sometimes, when it really sets it, there is just no alternative.............. you have to "acquire more hens" or "hatch more chicks". . Mostin - Is it time consuming to hatch your own eggs, and do you need lots of equipment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 I have never done it with an incubator, so have never had to buy loads of equipment. I always use broody hens. They do it all themselves bless them . All I do is supply a safe clean place and the chick crumbs and water, and lift mum off the nest for a poo once a day while she is sitting on the eggs. Mum does the rest . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 at the Cauliflower comment, that was me in Sanisburys this morning, had to get the one with the most leaves Also bought them some cabbage, lettuce and grapes I'm sure the supermarket staff think I have some very strange tastes as I tend to have several cabbages and lettuces, and then "normal" quantities of other veg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Well I'm trialling an interesting cure for Morehens at the moment. I'm going to be hen sitting for a friend for a few weeks who is going through lots of stress at the moment. But wondering.... maybe if I manage to integrate the two flocks, she might not think it kind to take them back???!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...