Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Groovychook]

We've got some new chooks!!

 

After losing Elsie a couple of weeks ago, it was time to get some new friends for Phyllis & Hilda.

We spent the weekend making a temporary coop and fitting another entrance into the WIR. So, with barricade in place dividing the run in half, we set off to get some..... Gold Bearded Silkies!

They'd never been on my chooky wish list before, but we fell in love with them! They were settled together as an unrelated trio, so there's no way we could split them up!

 

Norris is a sweetheart, very placid and doesn't mind being handled. The two girls are lovely too- Mrs. Bishop and Rita! Mrs. Bishop has already laid us a couple of eggs We live in a very rural spot with only a couple of farms for neighbours, so the crowing shouldn't be an issue.

 

After a shouty afternoon on Tuesday when they first arrived, the original girls have settled down and everything seems quite peaceful. I'm going to keep them segregated for a week whilst I worm the silkies and then attempt a bit of mingling... hopefully Norris will keep them in check!

 

Mr. Groovychook has become bewitched by chooks since the arrival of Norris and after lecturing me on the way to collect them about how we only needed to get 2 or 3 new chickens, has now put himself on the waiting list for some sablepoots

 

He spent last night pondering how many more we could fit in the cube and run... he's been struck down by a severe and sudden attack of Morehens Disease. No complaints from me though!

 

[cheekymonkey200]

 

These are AMAZING! I'm still a big old newbie to this lark and I have never seen chickens like these! They're beautiful! I'm going to have to give my little ginger girls a bath and a make over I think...bit of nail varnish and some back combing ought to do it...

 

Congrats on your stunning new chooks!

[Reikiranf]

Wow! They are really cute, they remind me of Beaker from the Muppets

 

I'm glad that they're settling in well

[scarlettohara]

They are lovely I have a little sabelpoot cockerel - they are so pretty.

[beach chick]

lovely, and how lucky you are to be able to keep a cockerel.

[Chortle Chook]

I have a partridge bearded Silkie called Dixie. Aren't they the most adorable beings? I can't help but have mine as my favourite chook. She is so gentle and so funny as she waddles around all fluffy like.

[Snoxy]

Gorgeous

 

Mr Snox suffers from Morehens disease more than I...honestly

[sparkysmum]

They are beautiful. I totally love silkies but sadly our awful winters are just too bad for them.

[zakjon-98]

cool!! i love silkies!

[mollyripkim]

Congratulations they are beautiful, I just love silkies.

[surfer_chicken]

They're gorgeous, and I love the choice of names

[Groovychook]

Thanks everyone!

 

I'm totally smitten with our new arrivals! I've spent so much time observing them though, that I've done very little work this week- tsk tsk

It's all valuable research- so I keep telling myself- familiarising myself with the breed!

 

They are the most lovely, gentle birds. Norris will happily let me handle the girls & I've managed to have a brief cuddle with him too! Mrs Bishop is still a bit wary of me though but it's early days I suppose... We've had four eggs from them up to now and I love the way Norris ushers them in to the nest box when it's time to lay and stands guard on the outside until they've finished. I just wish I could get them to sleep in the house too. They seem to prefer huddling together in the run. They're nice & dry there and it's been quite mild during the night but I'm sure they'd be more comfortable inside.

 

The original girls seem to be quite accepting of them- I think Phyllis has got a bit of a crush on Norris actually! I'm going to try a bit of integrated free ranging next weekend. The silkies are being wormed at the moment so I don't want to rush things.

 

I have a partridge bearded Silkie called Dixie. Aren't they the most adorable beings?

Mr. Groovychook had me googling those last night... they're very pretty! They're now on the list

[Chortle Chook]

I love the way Norris ushers them in to the nest box when it's time to lay and stands guard on the outside until they've finished.

That's exactly what my Silkie cockerel, Dill, does. Oddly, however, he leaves them to do what they have to do if they are broody and seems to go quite off them the wicked chap I think he finds matronly ladies boring

[Groovychook]

That's exactly what my Silkie cockerel, Dill, does. Oddly, however, he leaves them to do what they have to do if they are broody and seems to go quite off them the wicked chap I think he finds matronly ladies boring

That's going to be a whole new learning curve for me- I've never had to deal with a broody before and I know Silkies are prone to it! I may be needing some advice in the near future!

[suzannejoy]

ahhh they are soooo sweet