daisyisarobot Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Hello, I picked up my first chickens (ever) just 6 hours ago! We are now the proud owners of 6 ex bats. I have a couple of questions & I'm hoping some of you lovely people could help! 1.) They like playing fetch or at least chase. What treats can in throw for them? 2.) I'm considering buying an eglu go as a second coop. Our coop is an OK size for the girls now but in winter I've read they spend more time in the coop. Is that true? And if I did go ahead to get a second coop, how do I go about deciding who sleeps where? Will the decide? 3.) What time do your chooks go to sleep? After a very stressful day for them today, they starting nodding off at 7 so we rounded them up & shut them in at 8pm. Also, one more thing. Today of all days... I looked out the window this morning to see a stoat running across the garden chasing a mouse. Once caught the stoat fled back to the field behind our house. I've lived here 2 years & have NEVER seen a stoat before. Should I be concerned? Can't believe the timing! Anyway, any help would be gratefully received! I'm so happy with my girls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Welcome and congratulations on your new girls . 1.) They like playing fetch or at least chase. What treats can in throw for them? Keep treats for the later part of the day so they fill up on layers pellets, which will encourage egg production. Mixed corn is good, mealworms, any fruit or veg (they'll let you know what they like). Hanging up veg eg spring greens, apples or sweetcorn is good fun - think chicken swingball! - I use a BBQ skewer. Cooked spaghetti is hilarious as they'll all chase each other to grab it. Mine love strawberry tops too. 2.) I'm considering buying an eglu go as a second coop. Our coop is an OK size for the girls now but in winter I've read they spend more time in the coop. Is that true? And if I did go ahead to get a second coop, how do I go about deciding who sleeps where? Will the decide? They only spend more time in there as the days are shorter and they'll be "in bed" for longer. You'll not be able to choose who sleeps where - they're very single-minded and will decide for themselves! 3.) What time do your chooks go to sleep? After a very stressful day for them today, they starting nodding off at 7 so we rounded them up & shut them in at 8pm. Mine head off to bed at different times but at this time of year it's anything from 7 - 9pm. Also, one more thing. Today of all days... I looked out the window this morning to see a stoat running across the garden chasing a mouse. Once caught the stoat fled back to the field behind our house. I've lived here 2 years & have NEVER seen a stoat before. Should I be concerned? Can't believe the timing! I would be a little concerned. I can't remember for sure, but I think someone may have had a stoat attack before . Do you have them in a secure run? Hope you continue to enjoy your girls and enjoy using the forum - it's a wealth of information and support . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Hi welcome to the forum. Well done for giving some ex batts a new life. Mine love dried meal worms, lettuce, cabbage, cooked pasta, cucumber, chopped grapes. They are their main favourites. When I got my ex batts it took them a while to learn that treats were for eating, they were quite scared of them to begin with. I only give as treats they need to eat their pellets or mash as their main food. They wlll be in their coop longer in the winter but they just sleep in there, if you get an extra house you may find they still choose to sleep together, I think some Omleteers find that they sleep in one house and use the other to lay in. My solitary ex batt, my 5 hybrids and my bantams were in bed before 9 tonight but my mini silkies decided they were coming out to play so they stayed up late until it was just getting dark. Enjoy your girls. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Not much to add, but just wanted to say congratulations on rescuing your girls and welcome to the forum. Mine go to bed at the moment anytime between 8.45pm - 9.30pm depending on the weather. In the Winter they go to bed anytime after 3pm. I hate the Winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisyisarobot Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 Thank you all! I have just ordered some mealworms. I barely slept a wink last night. Worried the entire time about my girls! They are in a fox proof coop within a large walk-in-run that my lovely boyfriend built. He created Omlet style skirting to prevent any foxes but I can’t see a way to keep out a stoat. It was so tiny! Hard to imagine it killing a chicken really but I’ve googled it and attacks are sadly not rare. I’m hoping it’s just a one off and he won’t show his (rather cute) face again. We had our first eggs this morning! 2 in fact and another that had a soft shell. Very exciting! I let them out at 7am but they didn’t seem keen to leave the coop, with a bit of bribery with their crumb they all hopped out apart from the baldest of the bunch, aptly named Claire Balding Annoying, the coop has a leak and some rain got into the far corner. It’s a mid range wooden one. I’ve emailed the company, Chicken Coops Direct, and I’m waiting on a reply. At the moment I’d rather just get a refund and invest in a Cube. Keeping eye on ebay for one nearby! Anyway, waffled enough. Thank you for all your kind advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisyisarobot Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Day 3 with the chooks! Their personalities are really starting to show now. We have one that is a bit of a bully but the rest keep her in check. Still have a smaller, balder hen but she's very fast! Runs laps around the coop. 3 eggs yesterday but one was soft. 4 eggs today and again, one soft. So one hen has had 2 eggs in 2 days! Is that normal? Maybe the softies belong to one girl? At the moment they prefer to either be in the coop or in the small run so we're keeping them locked in there whilst we're at work and letting them into the big run when we're around. They grow in confidence when one of us is in there with them. Still checking ebaying ALL THE TIME in the hope a cube will come up locally. And I'm still discussing the leaking coop with the supplier. Quite annoyed with the to-ing and fro-ing of emails. It's faulty - simple as and I want a refund. Grr! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Hens can lay an egg every day, and the hybrids usually chosen for battery farms are good layers, so two eggs in two days is not unusual. The soft eggs are most likely coming from the same one or two hens - this may settle down as they adjust to their new diet, otherwise you could try adding some grit to their feed or just grinding up eggshells and adding it, for more calcium. The 'bully' hen is probably finding her place as top chicken, they need to establish a pecking order and whoever is top hen will eat first and generally chivvy the others around. She's taking the place of a cockerel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisyisarobot Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Hens can lay an egg every day, and the hybrids usually chosen for battery farms are good layers, so two eggs in two days is not unusual. The soft eggs are most likely coming from the same one or two hens - this may settle down as they adjust to their new diet, otherwise you could try adding some grit to their feed or just grinding up eggshells and adding it, for more calcium. The 'bully' hen is probably finding her place as top chicken, they need to establish a pecking order and whoever is top hen will eat first and generally chivvy the others around. She's taking the place of a cockerel. Ah that's great - thank you! I personally love the bully, we've named her Bjork because she's so fiesty! She's sit in the food so the others can't eat but we have 2 biggish feeders so the rest just leave her to it! I bought some mixed grit with oyster shell. Not sure how to 'serve' it though. Should it be in with their food or just scattered around the run? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
good_egg Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Ours have access to grit and oystershell all the time in a galley cup clipped to the run next to the grub/glug. Enjoy the eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisyisarobot Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Ours have access to grit and oystershell all the time in a galley cup clipped to the run next to the grub/glug. Enjoy the eggs. Ah that's a good idea! I don't want it swallowed up by mud in the run although we're probably going to get some wood chip this weekend & smarten it all up a bit before we have guests over to visit. Bjork the Bully is now the bullied. My favourite of the bunch, Henrietta, has practically turned into a cockerel. She keeps attempting to get on the coop but her bald wings won't allow it yet & she is controlling the feeders. Running from one to another. The weakest of the bunch has a scratch on her comb so I'll probably stick Vaseline on that before bed. Poor dear! We call her Gabrielle because her comb is so long & floppy it covers one eye, like the nineties songstress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisyisarobot Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Ooo free p&p AND free bundle of goodies in the shop. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and spend my bonus on a cube afterall... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
good_egg Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Oooooh.... Buy a cube! Go on! What colour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisyisarobot Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Oooooh.... Buy a cube! Go on! What colour? I just ordered it! I went for yellow as my boyfriend couldn't be convinced on the purple & it's limited edition. Arrives next week! I'll keep them both for a couple of days then stick the now repaired wooden coop on eBay. I'm so excited!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisyisarobot Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 Ooh & we also went out and bought woodchip this evening. The chicken area WILL be smart not a mud bath. Horrah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
good_egg Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Woo hoo! You'll love it! Pictures required. I can recommend a glass of wine while assembling - lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisyisarobot Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 Good news! The chooks have stopped fighting and it's lovely & peaceful out there! It's also looking quite smart thanks to all the woodchip we've just laid Bad news...blooming flies! They are everywhere today! One chook pooed & a dozen flies came from nowhere. I'm borderline phobic of flies so it's far from ideal! Once the cube arrives it'll be easier to keep the coop poo free(ish) at least! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisyisarobot Posted August 3, 2013 Author Share Posted August 3, 2013 Urge more green bottle flies today. The chooks aren't bothered but I hate it! Just ordered a red top fly trap on eBay so hopefully they will be gone soon! We're still getting strange eggs. Ones with "Ooops, word censored!"bly bits on. Trying to google why is not easy! Any ideas why this is happening? We also caught one of them eating their egg today & I suspect she ate here yesterday too. Damp patch in the nesting box but no shell. Other than that they seem really happy. They still tend to hang around in the coop a lot & Queenie had the first dust bath yesterday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 We all have a problem with the flies this year so nothing you are doing wrong . When you get your Red top make sure it is a long way from chicken house or your house as although they are good you do catch a lot of flies! You also mentioned the funny shaped eggs ,there is a chart here that mentions a few things you mentioned but it could be she is just practising .If she is young they can take a while .You could add some cod liver oil to their treats but not too much as you don't want fishy eggs .Also lime stone flour works well for thin shelled eggs as it has calcium.That is really cheap to buy and you just sprinkle a spoonful or so in some treat or other .I give it to all mine rather than trying to single one out. http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisyisarobot Posted August 4, 2013 Author Share Posted August 4, 2013 We all have a problem with the flies this year so nothing you are doing wrong . When you get your Red top make sure it is a long way from chicken house or your house as although they are good you do catch a lot of flies! You also mentioned the funny shaped eggs ,there is a chart here that mentions a few things you mentioned but it could be she is just practising .If she is young they can take a while .You could add some cod liver oil to their treats but not too much as you don't want fishy eggs .Also lime stone flour works well for thin shelled eggs as it has calcium.That is really cheap to buy and you just sprinkle a spoonful or so in some treat or other .I give it to all mine rather than trying to single one out. http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx Ahh that's great - thank you! The eggs have been better today but one was a little soft (my boyfriend accidentally put his finger through it!). We're upping the amount of grit we're giving them but they are getting through a lot of it fairly rapidly. I have some cod liver capsules, can I just split one and mix with their food or put into the water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisyisarobot Posted August 9, 2013 Author Share Posted August 9, 2013 Not so patiently waiting for my Cube to arrive. Out for delivery today! Desperate to get it put together & get the girls used to it before bedtime. Hurry Parcelforce! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 How exciting. I hope it arrives soon. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisyisarobot Posted August 10, 2013 Author Share Posted August 10, 2013 It's here (!) and the hens spent their first night tucked up safely last night. Only one can work out the ladder though so we're going to do a wee bit of DIY tomorrow so make it easier on m'old ex bats! They all love the grub & glug BUT blooming Luigi is throwing the food on herself then eating off her chest so we're getting a lot turfed on the floor so I've put their old one back in. 5 eggs today One softie but the rest are great & large. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 It took my ex batt girls ages to master the ladder, to be honest they still are not keen. Have a look at my thread introducing my exbatt girls at long last and you can see what we had to do with the ladder. X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 I loved reading this,your girls sound great and very spoilt I have had 10 ex-batts now and the one thing I would say to you is, be prepared to accept they don't live long. I got so attached to my first three, like you are and was heartbroken when they died. I have toughened up now, helped by the fact the next three we had were horrible bullies to each other and never endeared themselves to me. But this latest 4, of which we have 2 left have been nice girls. Enjoy and I now think however long they have is better than what they had before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 Haha i agree, i am besotted and will be gutted when they go but i also know that i have done my best for them and they deserve to have a dignified and happy retirement. I will continue to lavish them with whatever they want and need and just hope for the best. Thanks so much for your very kind comments too...X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
