Used Omlet outdoor rabbit run Width 2.2m Height 2.05m Length 3.1m vgc.

[KarenW]

Firstly, a tentative hello...I've not been on here for ages, but hoping you might share a bit of my excitement about my new girls anyway (hubby thinks I'm mad!)

 

So excited, just been outside waxing my new cube (hope the lady at Omlet wasn't just having a laugh!) wondering what I should call them. So any ideas gratefully received At the moment I have an Amber Star (Daisy) and a Lohmann (Esmerelda). I should be getting an araucana, silver laced wyandotte, white silkie and french blue copper maran (have I remembered that right - can she be copper and blue?!). They're about 12 weeks at the moment.

 

I actually have butterflies thinking about getting them

 

Karen x

[Redwing]

Congratulations - that sounds like a nice little flock of chooks

 

(and yes they can be blue and copper )

[Duncan08]

That does sound exciting, don't you love new chucks

I would be so excited too!

My family now complain that I care more for the girls than them, I think they may be right!

[KarenW]

Thank you Looks like I *might* be getting them tonight, so I'll report back on the blue/copper maran! Soooooo excited. Going to pop to the farm shop on the way home to get some growers pellets just in case - I probably won't need much though will I if they're 12 weeks already? Only ever had POL before.

 

Not sure how I'm meant to get any work done now?!

[dancing cloud]

Ooh! Such excitement! I hardly slept at all the night before I got my first hens and I still get excited about newbies.

 

We will be waiting for photos ...

[KarenW]

Oh my goodness I've got them and they're lovely

 

So I have a blue red araucana, a silver laced wyandotte bantam, a white silkie bantam, a french blue copper maran...and I also accidentally fetched home a chocolate frizzle pekin Told dh they were on a buy 4 get 1 free offer The first 3 are all 12 weeks exactly, the maran is a week or so older and the frizzle is about 8 months. They're all gorgeous, a couple are a bit short on feathers on their backs as they were mixed with cockerals but they'll soon feather up.

 

Will get some piccies soon. They seem really small now they're here, I just hope they manage the steps to the cube!

[LottyJ1]

Exciting! Photos please!!

[Minty_76]

Where are your new girls from?

[dancing cloud]

They sound gorgeous . Amazing the way "spare" hens just fall into the car on the way out, isn't it ?

 

Have you decided on names yet?

[dance in the dark]

I am so jealous! i have araucanas and have some wyandottes chicks atm (fingers crossed for girls) but I really would like a copper blue marans!!! I hope she lays lovely chocolate-esque eggs when she gets going.

 

As for growers pellets I don't know how many you got, but you can keep hens on growers till about 20 weeks if you wish, normally you would put hybrids on a little earlier, but it'll be fine. You can also give your frizzle pekin growers too (also jealous) as if she's missing some feathers she might need a little rest from laying to help her regrowth. Cat food and mealworms, and poultry tonic can also help, and certainly the first two will be a quick and easy way to make them love you!

[KarenW]

Exciting! Photos please!!

 

Definitely..soooon! They were a bit unsure about coming out this morning and by the time they were out (with a bit of encouragement as I was off to work and worrying about them getting food & water!) I had to leave too. Shall attempt photos later

[KarenW]

Where are your new girls from?

 

A chicken-mad friend in the village who breeds and shows them (so hoping they're going to be stunners ) If you want her number pm me.

 

Karen

[KarenW]

They sound gorgeous . Amazing the way "spare" hens just fall into the car on the way out, isn't it ?

 

Have you decided on names yet?

 

It is indeed, my counting skills obviously need brushing up We have got names, but finding hard to remember so many new ones at once! They are Clarabel (araucana), Delilah (silkie), Lottie (wyandotte), Jemima (frizzle) and Layla (maran). Can't wait to get home

[KarenW]

I am so jealous! i have araucanas and have some wyandottes chicks atm (fingers crossed for girls) but I really would like a copper blue marans!!! I hope she lays lovely chocolate-esque eggs when she gets going.

 

As for growers pellets I don't know how many you got, but you can keep hens on growers till about 20 weeks if you wish, normally you would put hybrids on a little earlier, but it'll be fine. You can also give your frizzle pekin growers too (also jealous) as if she's missing some feathers she might need a little rest from laying to help her regrowth. Cat food and mealworms, and poultry tonic can also help, and certainly the first two will be a quick and easy way to make them love you!

 

The araucana is lovely, she has such a good, argh what's the word, crest?! Dunno, anyway her head is lovely The maran is beautiful, also hoping for lovely dark eggs, should have quite a good variation overall I hope I got a huge sack of pellets, only size the farm shop sold! I've put the frizzle in with these girls, like you say I think a rest will do her good. Didn't know you could feed them cat food?! Might treat them then! Literally cannot wait to get home and see them again

[KarenW]

Right, hope I can get pics to post...

 

This is Lottie the silver laced wyandotte on the left and Clarabel the araucana on the right (hiding!)...

 

 

This is Layla the french blue copper maran...

 

 

Delilah, white silkie, seems a bit dippy

 

 

And Jemima the chocolate frizzle pekin. She's looking a bit frazzled bless her, but hopefully she should improve soon

 

 

There's been a bit of pecking going on, hopefully won't get too bad. Eggs due to hatch tomorrow are starting to pip too, it's all go here

[Minty_76]

They are all gorgeous! Love Jemima. She looks like she has been blow dried

[KarenW]

They are all gorgeous! Love Jemima. She looks like she has been blow dried

 

I know, she was the one I wasn't supposed to have, but you can see why I snuck her in now can't you

[mollyripkim]

Yes can definitely see why the frizzle slipped in, she is beautiful as are all the others, you must be so pleased.

[cluckingmad]

Totally, utterly gorgeous.. all of them! We're off to (possibly) get new chooks this weekend too.... can't stop looking the breeds up online for a sneaky read!

[LottyJ1]

Wow they are all fab - i'm very

 

Such a lovely mix of chooks

[Chortle Chook]

What a fabulous mixed flock! All are quite stunning Silkies are often a bit dippy but that is the fun of them. As for your frazzled Frizzle Pekin - well I can see why she ended up in the car.

[KarenW]

Thanks everyone I am so pleased with them! They've been establishing who's boss today and it's not been pretty. My poor little silkie has spent a good part of the day hiding between the cube wheel and the side of the run bless her. I fetched her in tonight for a cuddle - dh thinks I'm bonkers

[Chortle Chook]

Oh dear . .. poor little silkie will probably be bottom of the flock . . . maybe she'll need another silkie friend

[KarenW]

Oh dear . .. poor little silkie will probably be bottom of the flock . . . maybe she'll need another silkie friend

 

Not what I was thinking at all I did have a panic that I should have had 2 silkies, after I read that they should be kept in at least 2's...cue a desperate call to my friend, who reassured me that as she'd been kept with the araucana and wyandotte since hatching, she'd be fine. I was almost disappointed - in my head I'd already made an emergency visit to her house, picked up another silkie and named her Dotty

 

I'll have to revert to my daydream about hatching some eggs under her next year in my spare eglu (of course all my flock will be happily united in the cube by then ) and keeping 2 of the chicks instead

[Duncan08]

Gorgeous Girls, congratulations