Smart Feeder - Light sensor values

[Louie63]

Hello out there, I am a new member and live on the Isle of Man where we have no foxes.

A chicken moved herself into the garden about a year ago. She comes and goes sometimes but mainly seems to want to live here which is in a countryside area and we have a woodland as part of the garden.

Next spring we want to buy a reasonable size house to keep 6 or so chickens in the woodland area.I am not planning to pen them in as the woodland is otherwise fenced on the boundry. In the meantime we want to make sure the chicken who has moved in and lives in a tree in the garden is alright over the winter.

Is it going to be ok to buy a house big enough for the intended new arrivals in spring time and in the meantime hope that the one that is already here can use it for the winter on her own? It would have to be moved down to the woodland at that time and I think she will be happy around there also. This is subject to her accepting the new chickens of course. Will she be warm enough in there on her own ? Is she likely to even want to go in there? She seems very independent. I have no experience of keeping chickens so any advice would be gratefully received!

 

Thanks so much.

[Olly]

Gosh, you're so lucky having no foxes!

 

Short answer: one chicken will be ok in a house meant for more, and hens don't generally mind the cold too much - presumably she's roosting in trees at the moment, so a hen-house will be luxury I should think! However, chickens are sociable creatures and they generally prefer to be with other hens. As this chicken is already on her own, perhaps she won't mind so much - I wonder where she's come from? As to whether she will want to live in it, if you're feeding her regularly she will probably want to be around, but if she isn't in an enclosed pen of any sort then she might just take off, she sounds like a fairly independent bird anyway.

[Louie63]

Thank you so much for replying. I really appreciate what you have said. I think she ran away from a small free range chicken keeper about half a mile away. They are still down there so I dont know why she prefers here to her old home ! She has got used to me being near her but I never get really close. She seems to like the bird food and ravaged a fat ball I put down for her to try her on it the other day.She ignored the chicken feed I left for her! I have seen the odd egg around presumably from her , but she has been seen pecking at them and I dont know why. I am worried she is hungry.

It is amazing that we have no foxes , and for that matter quite few other animals that you have like squirrels and badgers!

Louie

[WitchHazel]

Gosh, your set-up sounds idyllic for chickens, no wonder she moved in with you.

 

You may find that if you put a house out for her, she won't know how to use it. However, it sounds like a good idea to me, as at last then she has the choice. I can imagine she might be tempted to use it when it is windy or very wet. If you put a rubber egg in the nestbox, she might realise that that is where she shoudl lay her eggs.

 

She's likely to need more food in the winter, so if you are able to, you could put out chicken feed and water for her. It may take her a while to learn to use it. Your circustances are unusual, so I would suggest maybe putting some (poultry) mixed corn in with the pellets to encourage her to start eating fro your feeders. She will be attracted to the corn, probably more than the pellets. It is possible for chickens to live on corn (it's used by some suppliers to fatten table chooks) but it's not the healthiest of diets for th elong term, affects laying, causes weight gain, ec).

 

You could also try using the corn to get her used to you. Throw a small amount for her. Over time, you can throw it closer to you. Eventually you can use the corn to get her to let you touch her.

 

Regarding adding other chickens. It sounds like you have plenty of space, and they won't need to be artifically confined so it will be easy for her to keep out of the newbies way if thats what she wants.

 

Please let us know how this story continues...

 

Hazel

[The Dogmother]

How lovely

Nothing to add to the excellent advice above.

[Calamity Jane]

Oh what heaven ! The hens round your way must be so contented, No foxes, wow. I have a picture in my mind now of your 'soon to be' ladies living a life of free roaming in beautiful woodlands..

[Louie63]

Thanks so much everyone for the great advice and encouragement! I shall get her a house and will repot back as she progresses.There is quite a bit to learn I realise but I am really looking forward to it .

Kind rgards,

 

Louie

[Alis girls]

I can see a nation of Omleters having a load of foxes shipped over to the I of M as we speak. Either that or we all move and they rename it the Isle of chuck.

[Louie63]

We are very lucky not to have foxes here. I don't think a live one has ever been seen. Sometimes, as a joke , and to cause a local stir, someone will bring a dead one over and leave it on a remote road , waiting to be found and to start a flurry of concern in the newspapers. It has been a while since this has happened, but whenever it has , it has been put down as a hoax . Thank goodness !

Otherwise, we all have a nice time here , chickens included!

I shall let you all know what happens. I am ordering her a house this weekend .I have realised that you all seem to give chickens names. So, I have decided to call her Miss Shepherd., after the Alan Bennett character in the story, "The Lady in the Van." She , Miss Shepherd, moved herself temporarily onto his drive one winter in her camper van . She was very eccentric and stayed for 16 years.

[keyhole kate]

Goosey Lucy is also on the Isle of Man

[Chortle Chook]

Have you thought of putting a meal worm trail into the new hen house when you get it - to tempt her in? Perhaps other critters would eat them, but it might be worth a try.

Are you going to give her a name?

(I've always fancied the idea of living on the Isle of Man as they are very kind to rescue greyhounds there and now I really know I'd like to live there )