Installing Indoor Cat Tree

[CatsCube]

Got my chooks yesterday, slight change in plan with what I came home with, but they are as follows:

 

1 Black Pekin Bantam

1 Gold Brahma

1 Buff Miniture Orpington

1 Lacewing Wyndote

1 Bluebelle Hybrid

1 Columbine Hybrid

 

First day went pretty well, I started off by putting them all in their closed house, so they got used to it, then after about 3/4 hour I opened the door so they could come out into the run and their awaiting food and water . . . .

 

and they didnt move, after a couple of hours if not daring to so much as move towards the door, I was a bit concerned at them not having anything to eat all afternoon, and got one of the girls out via the egg port and placed her in the run hoping that the others would he she is happy and eating and come and join her. . . .

 

still no one moved. and the the poor orpington in the run sat motionless. Eventually the Wydnadote ventured out and had a peck around which relaxed the orpington a little, but no others came out, so in the end I gave them a bit of a coaxing out, although the columbine, the pekin and the brahma decided to go back in almost straight away. When it got dark they all put themselves to bed. So a good start. Although they all seem to want to sleep in the nest bit, will they stop doing that or do I need to block it off for now to stop them, as if they start laying, the eggs will all be quikly squashed underfoot!

 

Also today I opened the door for them at 7am but all morning the pekin and clumbine refused to come out, if I shoed them out they would just go back in after a few minutes, so I have shut the cube door so they cant, but still they keep randomly climbing the lader trying to get back in. But I guesed if they stay in their all day they wont eat, where as at least in the run they are eating. What do you think?

 

Anyway here are some pics, I am still in the process of thinking up names

[WitchHazel]

Oh they're SO beautiful!!

 

I imagine they are a bit overwhelmed with the exctiement of it all and I bet that in a couple of days they'll be sortingout the pecking order and will have settled down. I'm really looking forward to reading your updates.

 

I'm only "allowed" to get 3 (DH initially not at all keen on any, flipped out when I mentioned 4) and I've been struggling to decide what to get. Was thinking of a Bluebelle, so will be interested to hear what she's like for you.

 

Thanks for posting

[Christian]

Congratulations!

 

They are stunning.

 

Give them a couple of days to settle down and then they will be fine. Start slowly by taking them out of the cube at night when they are dopey and they will become tame really quickly.

 

Thanks for posting such lovely pictures!

[Carol U]

Congratulations, they're absolutely beautiful! Great pictures too. I would just leave them to find their feet in their own time. Honestly, in a few days, once they feel safe, they will be exploring everything in sight.

[theherd123]

Many congratulations, they look so beautiful!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

What beautiful girls you have there!

[Egluntyne]

They are stunning!

 

You are going to have fun choosing the names. Do you want us to help!

[xScrunchee]

Aaaah, look at the tiny combs

 

When I first got my girls I liked the fact that they had small combs and thought that when their combs grew I would find it funny-but now my girls have big combs the little ones look funny!!

 

Gorgeous girls though-proper beauties

[chickenlass]

Ahh .they're gorgeous!

[superjules]

Ooh, aren't they beautiful. I love those feathery feet!

[chelsea]

lovely flock, really nice mixture. Your buff orpington is the spitting image of my Ella ( I had to do a double take!! ).

 

Love your wyandotte - they are so pretty.

[Rona]

What a beautiful collection.

 

Can't offer any advice as I have same problem but in reverse - I'm trying to get mine to go into the eglu at night.

 

It's a worrying time being a new chicken mum but I guess in a week or so we will wonder how we managed without them.

[xChicken04x]

They're gorgeous!!!!!!

Congratulations!!!!

 

How did you go about mixing bantams with the bigger ones?

xx

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Alliterative names sprung to my mind:

 

betty - Brahma

colleen - Columbine

petunia - Pekin Bantam

belle - Bluebelle

winnie - Wyanadotte

buffie - Miniture Buff Orpington

 

Just an idea .

[Rabbieboy]

Gold Brahma's I want atleast one of those. I wonder if I could hatch some next year and convince the OH that the eggs were mixed up and were supposed to be quails. She wouldn't notice at first, maybe

[CatsCube]

Well names have been choosen and pecking order has already been established, with no major casualties, a couple had the odd feather pulled but thats it, its all gone really well so far. Something that has probably been helped by them all arriving together and several of them all being enclosed at the breeders together.

 

So top of the tree is Missy the bluebelle, she rules the roost, second is Iggle Piggle the pekin (this is the kids chicken hense the name) Followed by Plucky the Wyandotte, (named on account of beiong the first one to venture out of the house each day, and being pretty outspoken, Then its Buffy the 'buff' orpington who has begun to assart herself a bit more. Then Bumble the brahma as she is so fluffy and coloured like a bumble bee, that and the fact she is so indignified and clumsy on the ladder and bumbles about. Then at the very bottom we have Dot the columbine named thus as she has feathers that sit on the top of her head in a funny way that makes her look like Dot Cotton from eastenders, she is pretty jumpy at the moment, so I will have to be make a point of spending a lot of time with her.

 

Missy has become hand tame straight away and will happily come over to me and eat worms or tuna from my hand.

[nicki9]

They're gorgeous, congratulations

 

Enjoy your chickens!

[Rhapsody]

Cool chooks!

[Beauty-Box]

Congratulations on getting your chooks. They are beautiful girls!