Smart Feeder - Light sensor values

[Griffin]

Last summer, after deciding I was fed up with the lack of eggs from my ancient ex-batts, retired hybrids and the eternally broody, I hatched out some Leghorns. They're supposed to be prolific layers of large white eggs. Using my broodies, I ended up with two blue chicks and a white. One of the blues was four weeks older than the other two and for a long while I was convinced it was probably a boy. One of my daughter Mollys friends decided to call him Graham, because he's grey I have a chicken keeping friend called Graham so it was a fun name. Graham the chicken then turned into a girl, thankfully, but the name had stuck by then so I now have a POL pullet by the name of Graham

 

As they were growing up, the younger ones caught up in size and there was a time where I couldn't tell one blue from the other, so they became known as Graham and Clone of Graham. I was going to sell one of them, so choosing a good name wasn't important for Clone of Graham. Same goes for the white one, she wasn't supposed to stay. Of course she had other plans

 

The top third of my garden is fenced off behind a six and a half foot fence, my chickens free range on the other side of it. I have two large coops and everyone gets along very well up there, mostly. Tiger, my best broody Silkie doesn't fit in up there, when she's not rearing chicks she's a bit mental, paces up and down a lot and so the gang pick on her. I'd got a poorly young blue partridge Brahma pullet, Elizabeth Woodville, and when she wasn't strong enough to re-join the gang I decided to let her have the run of the rest of my garden with Tiger.

 

Elizabeth and Tiger became good friends. But on an almost daily basis they were joined by the white Leghorn pullet! I assumed she had found a way to circumnavigate the tried and tested method of 'climb onto a coop roof and flap for all you're worth' which had worked well for a few intrepid others until Mr Griffin banged in a line of nails along the roof! She was so clever she also knew the way back to re-join her flock! I admired her boldness, she amused me greatly so I decided she'd have to stay She's now known as Lettice Knollys. She sleeps 99% of the time with Elizabeth Woodville (Tiger is rearing chicks so she isn't with them) and divides her time between both sides of my garden, depending on where she thinks there is better food.

 

Whatever cunning tricks Lettice Knollys knows, she's shared with Graham, who has now started to copy her. I know it's Graham and not Clone of Graham because Graham is now the most well developed in the head gear department, those extra four weeks now show. Graham is naughty though and tries to be the boss of Elizabeth & Lettice. Elizabeth has regained her strength and gives Graham both barrels but Lettice just gets chased. So yesterday I managed to catch Graham, a feat in itself, and clipped a wing before returning her to the main flock. To no avail, she's back She'd better learn a few manners!

 

I'm getting only a couple of eggs a day, so I really do need to keep Clone of Graham, she's the only one of the three to behave herself but I think it's about time she had a nice name of her own!

 

I thought Polands were the funniest chickens but these Leghorns take the prize. Is anybody else driven to drink by their Leghorns?

Edited February 10, 2012 by Guest

[Duncan08]

I dont have any but loved to hear about your flock!

Glad Tiger found a friend and that Elizabeth is on the mend. I agree, you should keep Clone of Graham, but perhaps a more fitting name would be better,

 

Thanks for the stories

[alet_chicken]

Your leghorns sound like real characters! This really made me laugh.

 

I have two white leghorns (pretty much identical) and wouldn't trade them for the world. They are very prim and proper these days (as far as those fantastic combs allow) as they are top chickens in my flock. In their youth, Ethel taught my young impressionable copper black marans to jump on the Cube run and take running leaps, and more recently Annie took to her bed for a week in protest against being moved to my brand-new WIR.

 

It is pretty much impossible for me to catch them, but I've found if I herd Annie into a corner and stand still she will invariably run into me and instantly squat, which gives me a chance to simply pick her up. (Not a great instinct for survival, this one.)

 

If mine are anything to go by, you should get plenty of eggs. Mine are three-and-a-half now, and this winter is the first one in which they took a proper break from laying (rather than just slowing down a bit), but normal service is 6-7 eggs a week. Mind you, there was that summer two years ago when they both took turns to go broody...

 

Do you think yours can clear a six-and-a-half foot fence then? I knew leghorns were good fliers, but that is really impressive.

[Griffin]

They must be using launch pads, I just haven't found out what yet

[Redwing]

I have had whote stars here and they have reached the top of their walk in run no problems

 

Brilliant story, I love how your chooks get their names, there is always a story

[WitchHazel]

We have a (female) called Norman (she was abandoned by her mum, so it's Norman as in "Norman No Mates"). We have a similar girl, one of the ones Norman was raised with, and her name is "Not Norman". This is because when we would talk about them, we talked about the one that was not Norman.

 

I often think she should have a name of her own, but she's been Not Norman for years.

[Daphne]

That last bit reminds me of 4 chicks we had last year named One Spot (on its head); Two Spot (ditto), The Other One (no spots) and Boychick (because he was!) Unfortuately as they grew up they lost the spots but not their names

 

Obviously I am not in the same league at naming chooks, I am particularly impressed with Elizabeth Woodville And I always like hearing about Tiger Lily, she is a real character.

[Griffin]

I'm going through a royal and regal phase with naming

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Woodville

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lettice_Knollys

[mollyripkim]

Love hearing about your girls, they sound a right interesting bunch of girls.

[Lewis]

I always love your names too

 

I had 2 White Stars, Alvin & Simon, who'd jump onto the top of the old WIR which was a good 6/7 foot.

 

Loads of the White Stars at work perch on the beams along the top of the stables, and get up there from a standing start - I can't reach it so thats how tall it is! We always tell people we'll clip their wings and box them last so can't escape putting others in

[Cheeky Chooky]

Really enjoyed reading that Thank you

[Griffin]

Whilst re-reading about Lettice Knollys on Wikipedia I noticed her daughter was called Penelope Devereux and that sounds like a good name for Clone of Graham http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penelope_Devereux,_Lady_Rich

 

Lettice & Elizabeth have been good girls today and kept Maude ex-batt company. Maude will have been free from her cage this May for three years, sadly I don't think she'll make it because she's slowed down a lot these past few days. I gave her the run of the garden to perk her up today and she loved it. I do love my Maude, she's one of my favourite. She knows her name and comes when I call her. I hope her day at grass with Lettice & Elizabeth has helped her.

[Griffin]

I took some photos of the girls in the snow this morning. Lettice doesn't care about snow, Elizabeth Woodville is HORRIFIED and has so far refused to leave her house I've taken her some food and water because I'm such a soft touch

 

Penelope Devereux:

 

With her sister Lettice Knollys:

 

Lettice:

 

Graham, trying hard not to touch the nasty stuff:

 

Elizabeth Woodville who says this is the worst day of her entire life:

 

Graham has started to lay over the past few days Lovely little white eggs

[Cheeky Chooky]

Oh thank you so much for posting pics of your beautiful chooks Your captions to go with the pics really made me I just love their names too

[Luvachicken]

Your pics brought a smile to my face, especially the one of Graham trying to avoid the snow

[Henslaved]

Big smiles here too , your captions are soooooo .