Poorly chicken

[SarahGlymond]

Here im all set up

was wondering if you guys could help me pick names I liked Queen Elizabeth for the bluebelle but struggling for my warren I like frances or margagret what do you think ????

my dust bath is a complete disaster one day in and its practically empty the run is on concrete slabs so they are unable to dig a hole any suggestions ?

they slept in the nest box last night and I let them seen as it was there first day and all but not sure why they are not using the perches ??

 

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[Ain't Nobody Here]

Lovely setup . Where did you get that sunshine from ?

 

Don't worry too much about the dustbath, they'll happily wriggle about in anything that's on the ground. You might want to make it deeper if it's quite a shallow layer at the moment.

 

They'll suit themselves where they sleep - seems to be quite common that they don't use the perches. It's nothing to worry about really unless you don't want them in the nestbox in which case you'll have to block off the nestboxes at night and open them up again in the morning!

[redsunset]

Beautifully done! Lucky chooks too. Bluebelles are lovely, I only have the one but she is the largest hen and a stately madam, that she reminds me more of a Queen Victoria?! (mine is just Mrs Bluebelle)

 

Re the dustbath, maybe a bigger box like a raised bed type of thing? They will make a mess either way but to watch two almost doing their 'underground tunnelling' rotations together is quite comical and a huge social thing to a chicken.

 

You will have hours of fun watching them, enjoy...

[SarahGlymond]

I was a little surprised on how large queen liz is they both looked quite small in the field when I bought them but she looks huge ! she is definatly top chook as well !

 

I only have two at the moment as I want two Gold laced Wyandotte but the farm I bought these two from wont have any till spring so im easing my self in gently with these two for now !!!

[Luvachicken]

Oooh that does look lovely, and not only do you have sunshine you have grass too

You have two lovely girls there I'm sure they will be very happy in there.

[Chickabee]

It looks lovely, and the girls are very nice too. Have you considered a waterproof cover for your run. I've found mine excellent. My girls use the runs as dust baths as they're on dirt, but when I put new chopped straw or woodchip in the walk in run (which is on slabs) they can't wait to roll around in that. Fifi, whose a white silkie is always sparkly clean

[SarahGlymond]

Where and what do you guys have in the run for them to perch on liz keeps trying to perch on the run ladder but she cant steady her self ?

 

I wanted like a log or sturdy branch but haven't the foggiest idea where to buy ?

 

two days in and im a little concerned about frances, Elizabeth pecks her a bit im worried that because there are just two frances will be lonely as bottom chook ? Elizabeth lets her eat and drink so im not too worried yet and frances is being more friendly to me she eat some corn out of my hand today yeah !

 

I haven't let them out of the run yet as 1- I havent clipped there wings and frightened they will fly into next doors garden and get eaten by her two American bulldogs

2- as Elizabeth is still skittish how will I get her back in the coop if I cant pick her up

 

how long should I leave it I don't want them getting bored and then ellizabeth taking it out on poor frances x

 

you can tell im a newbee worrying over everything !

[redsunset]

Hello and welcome to your new chooks. Re the log.I have no idea as don't know where you stay. if near a forest then plenty logs, or by a sawmill of any type? (usually near any woods)

 

As for chooks pecking it is quite normal as I have 26 and the pecks go on forever for the youngest ones. One is top chook, and the hierarchy spreads downwards from there where there are 2 chooks or 26. Pecking order reins supreme in chooks world, or well it does in mine anyway!

 

As for flying into next doors garden, it will depend on two things, 1, if fence high enough and 2, if chooks have decided nxt doors dogs are a threat? If the later then they will not even think about it.

[Chickabee]

I use a old broom stick in my walk in run

 

Plus any thing I can find. Upturned plant pots are good. The broom stick is secured with cable ties, or it spins round when they cling to it!

[jacquiefrost]

I am very new to this chook keeping business too. I've only had my 3 girls just over 3 weeks now.

 

My speckled Sussex (skittle) hid in the coop for the best part of the first week and anytime she tried to venture out the goldline (rolo) would chase her back in again with pecks, or sometimes just 'a look' It all settled down after about 9 days and they have sorted out whos who in the pecking order! Thats not to say they don't still squabble though!

 

I Didn't let them out of the run for 5 days, so they would know where 'home' was and go back to roost. then the first time i only let them out about 40 mins before dusk. They stayed very close to coop and pretty much put themselves to bed with hardly any encouragement from me.

 

They free range now whenever i can watch them and i just chuck a handfull of mealworms or grapes in run when i need to get them back in there in a hurry, otherwise they just put themselves to bed when they are ready.

[Plum]

They are lovely, I bought a piece of timber from B&Q 2.5 x 7/8 " and sanded the corners and threaded through the cube run bars for perches. Ikea wooden stool is good and still going strong.

[SarahGlymond]

OH sonyascott look how pretty your coop is !! its beautiful !!!! im gonna have a look at B&Q but I may have a walk in the woods we have near buy the broom handle is a good idea !!

I never need an excuse for ikea either !! im slowly getting there I removed the plant pot today as they need no help up or down the ladder although im sure Elizabeth thinks its a slide she fair lauches off it !! and they both took this an a dash to escape so at 7am I was catching chickens ! frances my warren let me pick her up but Elizabeth didn't but she went back in eventually although im gonna have to watch her as she did it again as I was giving them some corn when I got in from work but she let me pick her up today I think we are all bonding (I hope!)

 

im in south Yorkshire redsunset x

[Chickabee]

Thank you. It's a bit of an obsession for me. First we were getting 2 chickens, that turned into 3. Then I fell in love with a 3 week old silkie. Next I took on a bullied hen, my chickens would not accept her. Now I have 2 Eglus 2 runs and a walk in run. The cream legbar was an accident, I wanted a bantam, but couldn't resist a blue egg layer. The silver laced Poland was something I just had to have. So 2 turned into 7, and now I spend most of the day staring at them and prettyfying their home my husband has been very patient !

[SarahGlymond]

oh its lovely well done, my husband has been very patient as I have been talking about chickens since the start of the year and he kindly gave me a patch of his precious grass for the hutch but now he wont have to mow as much as the chooks will eat it ! I originally wanted four, two that I have and two gold laced Wyandotte but the farm I wanted to buy from wont have the other two till spring. I didn't want to wait and needed something to focus on so went and bought my two and im glad I did just been to B&Q and got a broom so ill try it out tomorrow although I think a walk in the woods will be planned soon with B&Q prices !!!

still on the look out for a larger dustbath they will have to make do till I find a suitable one !

[Tigiga]

They look lovely, I put a tree branch in my run and my five love going up and down it they also seem to enjoy spreading there wings while sitting high up on it!

[Chortle Chook]

Sarah G your set up is lovely! and I really like your chickens. I've always rather hankered after a bluebell

 

For the perches, I just use bits of branch and small logs as they really like anything which makes them that little bit higher than the others. Here is one of my Polands and a Silkie in amongst the logs and branches

 

 

 

For a dust bath, the cat litter tray type thing that Omlet sells as a dust bath is really too shallow. I've found that the best thing is a lowish tub trug about half full of old pot plant soil. Mine just love this and all crowd in at once You could get one the same colour as your cube and grub/glug

[Chickabee]

Wow! Shabbyshic. I love your style. Would love a swing, haven't worked out how to make one. Is all that greenery in your WIR? (Feel the need coming on)

[Mrs_B]

Love your set up! I think the purple cube looks fab. Your girls are so sweet

 

Pecking generally is normal, as long as loads of feathers don't get pulled out and no wounds are caused. My family still get upset when my top chook from the hybrid hens gives the bottom girl a nasty stab to the head when they are eating - I constantly repeat myself that's it's OK but it can look horrible.

 

Oh and I have had my hybrid girls for over a year now and they STILL take turns (usually in pairs) to sleep in the nest box each night I've tried everything but it's a habit I couldn't break - but they've never had mites or problems as I poop pick the bedding every day.

 

For a dust bath, the cat litter tray type thing that Omlet sells as a dust bath is really too shallow.

 

I agree with Shabby Chic - I ended up buying one of these (in purple!) and now its only use is to fill it with water on hot days as an addition to the girls' drinker (and the Orpingtons like standing in the water!) I have a dust bath from Flyte So Fancy, the wooden one with a roof which the chooks love bathing in and also standing on the roof - but it's pretty chunky and can take up a lot of room.

 

I hope you enjoy chicken keeping If you have any questions the members of this forum are incredible and have been amazing for me when I had a few issues and worries!

 

x

[Chickabee]

You're so right about family getting upset. I asked my mother in law (insisted), that she didn't get upset if she saw the girls picking on a newbie when I was on holiday. To my horror, she decided to give them a hose down when they did. Good job we had a heat wave

[SarahGlymond]

Looks me and hubby are off to the woods this weekend looking for logs !!! shabby chic thanks you have been a great help on my posts and im glad I finally got there. You are right Mrs_B I have found the forum very useful even if I haven't asked my problem or question usually someone else has , its the best chicken guide you can have. I have ordered a small flexi trug for the dust bath today (purple of course!) as the tray got up turned again just as I had refilled it ! think they are trying to tell me something . Just waiting now for my first egg which when it happens ill add on to the post my bacon sandwich is on stanby for it !!!

 

How many people actually clip there chooks wings I don't want em flying into the jaws of death next door(bulldogs) the fence on the pictures does get lower as the garden is sloped , I don't want them flying to there deaths would you advise me to do it

[Chortle Chook]

My Slikes and my Frizzles can't fly so keep their wings in tact. My Polands, however were great flyers when they first arrived and after the umpteenth request to OH to get out the very big ladder, climb up and stretch as far as he could to get my Polands out of our huge neighbouring sycamore tree, I decided wing clipping would be a must for them. It really did not hurt them one bit. Since then they have moulted and regrown full wing feathers but have forgotten all about the joys of the sycomore tree

 

About the swing, before you get out the DIY equipment, I should come clean. A fellow Omleteer made it for me out of the kindness of his heart, but only the one little Poland ever uses it. All my other chooks think the fact that it moves is truely TERRIFYING The logs are much more popular. Also a bit later in the year, when all the leaves come down, these can make a great addition to the WIR. Chooks just love a grub around in them.

[Chickabee]

Excellent idea. I remember someone posting about the leaves last year. Think I might clip my newbies wings after all. The Poland hasn't been out yet, I'll be happier if they can't get up into the trees. Job for tomorrow, then they can all free range

[SarahGlymond]

Yes I think I will have to clip their wings just see how it goes for my piece of mind if nothing else !

they free ranged for first time tonight for about half an hour before bed it went well they loved the grass !!

Now im worried as queen Elizabeth has decided the nest box is hers and frances just perches as looks through I have to stop worrying and let them sort it out im just a too big of a softie !!!!!!

[Sandychick]

For a dust bath I use a cat litter tray with a hood like this one http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=776&pf_id=60694&utm_source=ShoppingFeed&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CLHwsNKw8bkCFQ_LtAodLCgA3w

 

It works really well (I took the flap of the front). It keeps the dust bath dry, and all the stuff stays where it should. Two chickens happily fit in there together

[Chortle Chook]

What an excellent idea. Just thought that come next summer something like that might be a good way of giving my girls a bit of extra nest box space when the silkies won't get off the nest.