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

[IanT]

Hi all,

I had posted in the walk in run thread as I was building it, but yesterday we got the chickens moved it.

 

They are all about 11 weeks old so only young. We have a Columbian Blacktail (Clarabell) , a Bluebelle (Megan), a Speckaldy (Jessie C), a Blackrock (Darth Vader) and a Leghorn (Imperial Storm Trooper). We thought they would take a little while to settle in but last night took themselves off to bed at 8.30, managed to navigate the ladder no problems! We were so proud. They were scratching to get out at 7.30 this morning. I go off to work at 6.30 normally so wont be keeping them hemmed in/forcing them to have a lie in in the future!

Anyway, if anyone is interested, pics are here... Click on this pic and select older/newer to see the others.

Uploading is taking ages only Jessie C showing so far!

 

_MG_9859.jpg by IanT530, on Flickr

[thenewchick]

Awww they look very nice and so does your WIR (love the colour scheme)

[jackian]

They look just lovely ..Welcome to chicken watching and becoming parents ..Honest it seems like it

You have made a great job of your WIR ,I love the colour sceme and the tiny door .

[Chortle Chook]

They look beautiful and so shiny feathered. That black rock is particularly stunning and the run looks super . . . very well made and such a pretty colour I love the little door down the bottom for their journeys out into the main garden.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

What a great selection of very pretty girls . They are all ones I have or have had .

 

Please tell me your kids named the Black Rock and Leghorn . Darth and Impy for short ?

[Luvachicken]

What lovely photos and I love your run, it looks very sturdy.

Was it very expensive to make ?

[IanT]

Thanks All!

 

The birds are a daft lot!

The Speckaldy was the only one left outside at one stage, wanted to get back to be with her friends in the run, but couldnt work out that it had to go round the door. I had to get to it's side of the door and wave my arms to make it run around the door and back in!

 

My stepson named the Blackrock Darth Vader so I decided to join him naming my hen Stormtrooper. Douglas had just turned 6 and is having to wear an eyepatch to treat a lazy eye, we've noticed it's knocked his confidence a bit. So I figure joining him in fun names for the hens would be a good idea. He's a great kid. The girls Emmie (also 6) and Emilia 7 think our names are daft/embarrasing though!

 

Luvachicken, for what it is I dont think it was that expensive. Breaking it down.

Timber was £200 - For those in Scotland, I use IBT in Grangemouth, they are very competitive and delivered free.

I got the mesh from Hills of Devon, £40 delivered - another great bargain! I got all the fixings brackets, bolts, etc from Ebay, probably about £40 altogether. I got the roofing panels, edge trim and fixings from Omegabuild.com £120 including delivery. Slabs I had lying around.

[LottyJ1]

They look fab and very settled already. Lovely looking hens very shiny as already said.

 

The run looks great too. They will be very spoilt!

[gongladosh]

they're cute!

 

love the name 'imperial storm trooper'!

[Cheeky Chooky]

Lovely girls

[LolaLayla]

Fantastic girls. I love the WIR too

[IanT]

Hi again,

 

We have now had our hens a week and are finding this a real pleasure!

Having given the girls time to settle in without pestering them, last night we offered them some meal worms. We had the more adventurous hens eating out of our hands!

I still have not picked one up, but have now managed to stroke one a couple of times. One step at a time I suppose.

I have found that since eating out of our hands, the hens don't run away from us any more, which has made it a little more difficult to direct them back into their run - a good laugh though!

 

Gave the Eglu a proper clean out today - that was easy. I have dusted it with a handful of DE after the bedding was in. Is one handful enough or should I throw more inside?

Also, these are 11 weeks old, so not yet laying. We were told to keep the hens out of the nest area by putting a football in there. I looked in when they had put themselves to bed and found one hen perched on the football, and all others squeezed around it, only using half the Eglu (Classic). Im now removing the football as it has plastic panels and they have started to peck it to little bits. Might sacrifice a different ball unless anyone else has any suggestions? The nest are is currently empty (no bedding).

Thanks for any suggestions!

Cheers

Ian

[jackian]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new girls.

I have never tried the football but I know others that have . As you have found not often successful. They will do what they want to do

3 out of 4 of my girls sleep in the nest box It does not seem to be a problem at all, you should have bedding in the nest box as it is their nest if you see what I mean . Don't use straw as it goes soggy.I use horse bedding...Easibed, or Aubiose you get poo in it but if you have bedding it drys it out and I poop scoop every morning when they come out.

I do hope this is helpful and your are enjoying your new girls..Careful it gets addictive.

[IanT]

Thanks Jackian

I have put some wood chips in the nest box and a liberal further amount of DE.

 

Here are some portraits of the girls in the sun today (click and scroll through)...

 

Imperial Storm Trooper by IanT530, on Flickr

[Chortle Chook]

They are all beautiful but ClaraBell is real stunner. She is sooo shiny, you must be stroking her down with silk

[karlotta]

Imperial Stormtrooper. Genius.

[WitchHazel]

Gorgeous collection of girlies, and lovely run.

Thanks for sharing pics

[eve]

your girls look lovely and your wir is great.

[IanT]

Thankyou everyone.

I tried to pick one of them up tonight. I scattered some mixed seed on the grass whilst they were out having a roam, then managed to be quick enough to get my hands round each side of Darth Vader although I was a bit far forward so let go again. Made a fair bit of clucking whilst I did this and ran off as soon as I took my hands away! One step at time, try again tomorrow!

[WitchHazel]

You might find it easier (at first) to wait until they have put themseleves away for the night, and then pick them up then. They are usually much more docile at this point.

 

During the day, try feeding them corn from your hand. As they are eating, just touch their back gently with the other hand. At firt they will ove away, but their greed will get the better of them. Eventually, they will put up with you touching them while they are scoffing. You can then move on to stroking, and moving your hand about, and eventually they won't stop eating even when you touch them firmly. You can move on from there,

 

Once they start to lay they will calm down and be easier to handle as well... although that is a generalisation as I've known a number of Girls who absolutely hate to be picked up.

 

Hope that helps

[IanT]

Thanks Witchhazel, I will definitely give your ideas try!

[IanT]

Read a bit more about things on this forum and now a bit worried we might have been mistreating our hens (10 wks old when we bought them, 12 wks old now).

When we bought them I asked about food, saying we would need that too. I was told that they had two types of food, but that they would recommend the cheaper pellets that they sold. These turned out to be layer pellets which I have fed to them from the moment we got them home a fortnight ago tomorrow, but our chickens are only young. I now realise from reading other forum posts that layer pellets can be potentially harmful for younger birds. I have therefore ordered a sack of grower pellet food for them. Should I cut out other treats too?

I have been giving them a variety of things as treats including meal worms, meal worm suet pellets, mixed seed and of course veg (but they didnt know what to do with a big cabbage I hung in their run - the poor things were scared of it and gave it a wide berth!)

Also I read that it is difficult to sex younger birds, might it be that we could potentially have a cockerell in our gang?

Hope not!

 

Any advice much appreciated!

Regards

Ian

[karlotta]

While you are right to pop them on growers now, I'm sure you haven't done them any harm. I do tend to keep treats to a minimum while they are young to encourage them to eat their dinner, don't underestimate the value of training them to recognise treats - it makes herding them back into their run after free-ranging a whole lot easier! It also keeps them occupied if they are confined for a period.

 

From looking at your pics on flickr I'd say your lot are all girls... no hint of cockerel among them. They look the picture of health so I'd say you are doing a great job!

[WitchHazel]

HI Ian

Growers pellets are the best thing for your Girls for the moment.

 

Treats are fine, but chooks are like children. They'll stuff themselves with treats and not eat their dinners. Treats are probably best in the afternoon. Veg are fine, part of a necessary staple diet (less necessary if your girls have access to grass, essential if they don't).

 

Hanging things are excellent boredom busters. If the hanging things scare them at first, try quartering it and put it on the floor. Once they learn what it is, they'll attack it when it's hanging.

 

No point in worrying about potential cockerels for the moment, cross that bridge if and when you come to it.

[Clucking_Mad]

Thank you for posting your pictures your girls look lovely and the WIR is a lovely set up i'm sure you and your family will love having them. I know that when I got my girls I was addicted straight away.