Guest Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 It’s lovely being able to watch them and talk to them from the conservatory. Shalott posed for a close-up, she’s the least featheriest but she’s got the most pluck (pardon the pun) she’s my favourite ;0) At some point, once we’ve chicken proofed the garden, we’ll let them come out for a bit but for now and until they get strong, they’re staying in the run but they seem to love it, suppose they would by comparison! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 lovely pictures... and chooks... and garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 lovely pictures... and chooks... and garden ah, shucks thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovemychooks Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Oooh, they're lovely. I love looking at chicken photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 They look happy and perky already Poet - well done! I'd recomend putting some 2ft high chicken wire round your borders before you let them out. Leave a space for them to dustbathe though. I reclaimed some of my borders this year and they're wonderful - you can let them on when you've cut everyhting down for the winter, but be sure to get the barracades back up before things start to sprout, or they'll all get eaten! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 thanks guys and for the tips too. They're getting along much better now (fingers x'd!) a bit of sweetcorn helps them to forget their differences. There was a slight altercation today but that was because Fatima was having a little trouble laying so was in a tetchy mood for a while but she was back to normal once she'd delivered another 4 eggs today! we got the girls on Sunday and they've laid 4 eggs on monday, 3 on tuesday, 4 yesterday and 4 today! I wasn't expecting this many eggs- haha we've had poached eggs, egg mayo sandwiches, I've used an egg to coat some rosey veal to make schnitzel and used an egg in a sponge pudding, also gave 3 to next door (keep the neighbours sweet ) the girls are no trouble though. They only make a bit of noise when they see a cat (the cat doesn't stick around!) or if they're laying. Apart from that they make lovely contented noises. I can't go out without being followed though as they associate me with sweetcorn now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 to be honest claret, we only grow shrubs, I don't have the patience for flowers so there really isn't anything for them to destroy I don't think?? We have a small allotment sort of arrangement at the far end of the garden which will be fenced off as there are fruit bushes and a raised bed with lots of tasty stuff growing in it but the rest of the garden is just shrubs and bushes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Great pics, I think your chickens are lovely, will be nice to see them when they start to get their feathers back. However I am looking at that immaculate lawn and thinking hmmmmmm when they start freeranging I notice the hose is kept just by the patio which will come in handy when you have to hose it down every night Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Great pics, I think your chickens are lovely, will be nice to see them whenthey start to get their feathers back. However I am looking at that immaculate lawn and thinking hmmmmmm when they start freeranging I notice the hose is kept just by the patio which will come in handy when you have to hose it down every night Tessa we cheat, we have a gardener will 4 chickens destroy the lawn do you think? We were planning on letting them out for maybe a cple of hours perhaps 2-3 times a week- when we can supervise them but it may be longer, I can't help spoiling them. Will they really make a total mess of the lawn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Will they really make a total mess of the lawn? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 we can scoop the poop but I was thinking more in terms of eating the grass and making it bald? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I had grass once, but it was gone with 2 weeks. Now they have their own area of bark to dig up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I had grass once, but it was gone with 2 weeks. Now they have their own area of bark to dig up. ah, erm, oops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 My grass where the chooks are behind the netting has all but gone now... trhe rest of my grass is fine, & I still let them out on it a few times a week ( I just feel sorry for them! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I have only had my three for 7 weeks and between them they have eaten every plant I had, only left the shrubby ones. The grass is pretty much gone too, because it's the end of growing time I am letting them get on with it, but next Spring there are going to be some big changes and a lot more fencing Tessa..feeling sorry for Poet's gardener Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 That's why I have bantams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 hi i have only had my girls since july and they havent dug up the lawn, they do scratch on it now and again but i have just cut it tonight and it looks great. they have dug some holes in the borders though but they are behind the shrubs so i dont mind sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KateP Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 They're lovely! I've had my girls about 8 weeks and they haven't done much damage to the lawn. They scratch about on it a bit and eat the patches of clover (hope this is ok for them). They spend quite a lot of their free time digging in the bark around the eglu and run which surprises me as they do that all day when they're in the run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madchook Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 poet, your girls are lovely I am going to put my name down for some ex batts once my cube comes - that way they can have the eglu and I won't have too much pressure to mix them with the 'healthy' girls. I can't wait Have you noticed the quality of the eggs changing? Just wodering as when you first got them I guess they would have been still battery quality...?? You have some lucky hens there Maddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Have you noticed the quality of the eggs changing? Just wodering as when you first got them I guess they would have been still battery quality...?? You have some lucky hens there Maddy well, they're still eating layers mash (which they've alway eaten), they have had a bit of grass and sweetcorn in the last cple of days- we got them on sunday and they didn't lay til monday- we had poached eggs on toast on monday and they were very nice- I had egg mayo sarnies on tuesday but i overdid it on the mayo! We haven't eaten any eggs over the last cple of days so I'll let you know I did make a sponge pudding on weds and it was much lighter and tastier than normal but that could be my imagination, but I don't think so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madchook Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Have you noticed the quality of the eggs changing? Just wodering as when you first got them I guess they would have been still battery quality...?? You have some lucky hens there Maddy well, they're still eating layers mash (which they've alway eaten), they have had a bit of grass and sweetcorn in the last cple of days- we got them on sunday and they didn't lay til monday- we had poached eggs on toast on monday and they were very nice- I had egg mayo sarnies on tuesday but i overdid it on the mayo! We haven't eaten any eggs over the last cple of days so I'll let you know I did make a sponge pudding on weds and it was much lighter and tastier than normal but that could be my imagination, but I don't think so They'll taste of happiness Bet sunlight helps too.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 hope so, we're having some for tea tonight (eggs that is, not chickens!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
