2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[beach chick]

like the title says really! Cheryl (over the top head feathering), Beyonce (fully feathered and therefore biggest bottom), Gaga (lump on her face, apparently Lady G has facial implants ) and Britney (looks like she's seen the world) - blame the 12 year old for the names - are doing well, and enjoying their 3rd day of freedom...

 

1. I dont fancy their eggs for a couple of weeks - can I scramble them and feed them back as a high protein treat, or does that continue the flow of less-good nutrition into their scrawny bodies?

 

2. do their combs actually shrink as they get healthier?

 

3. once they are integrated with the 8 current girls (long way ahead I know), can they all eat layers pellets? cant see how I can feed a different diet to one flock...

 

thank you!

Edited June 24, 2011 by Guest

[majuka]

Congratulations on the new arrivals!

 

1. I've given our girls their eggs as an extra if they need a bit of TLC. I've never thought about it from that angle but wouldn't have thought it would cause them any harm?

 

2. Our girls combs haven't shrunk as such, they have just become less flaccid (hate that word!) and filled out a bit.

 

3. Our girls have always switched over to layers pellets, some within just a few days. As you already have some pellets you could always put a few in with their mash now and see what they do with them?

 

Good luck with your new girls!

[percy049]

In case you didn't know, you can eat their first eggs, unless you have another reason for not eating them.

 

I don't think the combs shrink, they just stand up more and aren't floppy. They also should be getting a brighter red

 

If you gradually increase the amount of pellets in their current feed (very slowly though), you can gradually get them to eat all layers pellets, then they should be OK for when they go in with your other girls.

[Lavenders_Blue]

I know what you mean about the eggs... although we did eat our girls eggs as soon as we got them as we felt if they'd gone to the effort to lay them, we should eat them. Could you give them away instead, or bake them into cakes etc so they don't taste so ex-batt-eggy? They do taste fine after just a few days, by the way!

 

Of my 4 girls, only Bella's comb has shrunk right back. The other 3 girls' combs have only shrunk back a little but stopped being floppy and are now nice and upright.

 

Yes, they can move on to regular layers pellets when you are ready to mix them with your old girls, or if you prefer you could feed all your girls the ex batt food (expensive though). The ex batt food is great for building them up, but once they are fully fit, bog standard layers pellets are just fine for them.

[beach chick]

thank you everyone, that's very helpful! combs are getting pinker already after just 3 days freedom.

 

I just dont fancy the eggs somehow, although I do appreciate the effort. we're getting loads from the others, so the dog had a couple the first day and I scrambled some for the chooks today. VERY different - proper eggs are so yellow, and even when scrambled in the microwave they retain some texture. the ex-batt eggs just came out practically grey, and sort of woolly-looking. anyway, I chucked in some poultry spice and gave half to the old girls and half to the new girls. the new girls were highly suspicious, but the oldies hoovered up their share

[migsy]

My ex batt's combs appear to have shrunk and gone pinker. They ate layers pellets from day 1 as I couldn't get hold of exbatt crumb and they were integrated with the other girls within a week. Much easier than I had anticipated! Their claws have worn down too now.

[beach chick]

My ex batt's combs appear to have shrunk and gone pinker. They ate layers pellets from day 1 as I couldn't get hold of exbatt crumb and they were integrated with the other girls within a week. Much easier than I had anticipated! Their claws have worn down too now.

 

ah glad to hear that about layers because I dont have a local stockist for Marriages and money a bit tight to pay for delivery on top. also good to hear about the claws, I've been wondering about them too.

[beach chick]

we appear to be having integration by stealth here - found Ginger in with the ex-batts this morning, not a cross word between them

 

I did turf her out though, and wont risk mingling them til the new girls can at least have a good wing flap without falling over... cant see them being up to the ladder into the WIR and then the cube ladder for a good few days yet anyway.

[beach chick]

well, further to last post - we are now integrated! I spent all day turfing the 'old' girls out of the newbies run, so eventually gave up and just took it down. they are all pottering about with no real aggression - the odd squawk and quick peck so the newbies dont get above themselves, but really nothing serious.

 

I would like the ex-batts to carry on sleeping in their current house for a while though, so that will stay. and they seem to be going to bed later than the oldies - like teenagers, just coz they can