Keeping hens and ducks chat.

edwink
edwink Posts: 2,955
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edited 27 April 2021 at 10:46PM in Greenfingered MoneySaving
aoztzx0j0jpf.pngqq9x53vaoxxz.png As a hen and cockerel keeper myself I thought it would be interesting to ask what you name your hens and cockerels and also ask how many eggs you get per day. I know the egg laying changes when they moult but just thought it would be interesting to see how many you get. I have hens that are named Bluebell, Muesli, cornflake and scarecrow plus some others. I am getting around 4 to 6 eggs a day at the moment. Had a delicious egg salad for supper last night OMG it was lovely.
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  • Dizzy_Ditzy
    Dizzy_Ditzy Posts: 17,461
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    I have Vera (bovan nera) Mabel (light Sussex) Gloria, (ginger ranger) Hilda (speckeldy) and Elsie (bluebell). I get on average 4 eggs a day. Most days 5, some days 3.

    I can't have my girls at home :( so I've got them on an allotment five mins walk from my house. They are so funny with their little mannerisms :D
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  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741
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    edited 8 July 2015 at 1:11PM
    At the risk of being controversial, I'll say that giving names to creatures one may need to bump off one day, can have a down-side.

    Nevertheless, although hens can be much of a muchness within breeds, a few characters do emerge. They are the ones with names.

    Last month, Tinky Winky was so ill she had to go to the great hen house in the sky, but Doris, who's always late up and not minded to take much notice of lawn mowers, brush cutters etc, probably has a few eggs left in her yet, despite advancing years. Minnie, who's boss hen, will take on cats if they are unwise enough to move near her too quickly and, despite being a prodigious size, she can still fly over a 6' fence when sufficiently motivated.

    There's little to choose between any of the Vorwerks, but if they could, they'd all have clipboards and forms to fill-in, full of awkward questions....(think Angel Merkel crossed with a building inspector.;))
  • stumpycat
    stumpycat Posts: 597 Forumite
    My chooks are very much pets, so they all have names. At the moment I have 2 Bluebells called Kangaroo & Duster (who achieved internet fame with her shoes, much to my horror :eek:)
    Elvis the very dim cream legbar & 7 ex-batts called Velociraptor, Flamingo, Cyclops, Piglet, Banshee, Psycho & Sunshine. The vet surgery is used to our daft-named beasties though they were caught out once when making an appointment - 'Pet's name?' Rover, 'What breed?' Chicken. (sound of crossing out on other end of phone)

    Presently we're getting about 7 eggs a day.
  • edwink
    edwink Posts: 2,955
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    edited 26 August 2019 at 2:50AM
    Thanks for your replies guys. Mine are very much pets too.

    I have one called ASBO because when we went to collect her and picked her up she tried to bite me, she scratched me and flapped her wings at me. So I said "I am going to call her ASBO". She has turned out to be a very tame and friendly hen so her name does not suit her anymore. She is a White Star which are known for being nervous and a bit skittish. She is the only one of our hens that lays white eggs!!

    I have rescue girls too!! I had one which I called scarf because when she came to retire with us she did not have any feathers at all around her neck and down her chest. So she looked as if she needed a scarf!! She had a best buddy hen and they used to walk around together so I called the other one Glove.

    With my last rescue hens I named them all after cereals. The rescue girls before those I named after flowers.

    How do you decide on the names of your hens? Is it just by the names you like or by the hens characteristics?

    What do you all feed your hens on? I feed mine on Heygate pellets and lunchtime they have green bits like lettuce and cabbage. Plus they do love fresh sweet corn and dandelions.

    Glad I have found some hen friendly MSE'ers.

    Edwink x
    **3.36 kWp solar panel system, 10 x Ultima & 4 x Panasonic solar panels, Solaredge Inverter **Biomass boiler stove for cooking, hot water & heating **2000ltr Rainwater harvesting system for loo flushing - **Hybrid Toyota Auris car **1 ex-battery hen - RIP Pingu, Hoppy & Ginger ****Hens & Ducks**** chat thread. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5282209
  • enjoyyourshoes
    enjoyyourshoes Posts: 1,093
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    More traditional the brand the less eggs they lay and in winter very few, also they tend to get broody


    hybrid for laying tend to be more prolific 300+ in first year and tend not to get broody


    In second year less eggs but bigger, still economical on small scale


    third year think about culling them, more difficult if they have names


    Winter, keep production up with a light that gives them 12 hours of light (put on in AM as will impact on roosting if PM) Hens originate from equatorial regions thus are programmed by 12 hours daylight (which is what you get down there 365 days a year, so ignore the bonkers people who say lights in winter is bad for hens !
    Debt is a symptom, solve the problem.
  • Dizzy_Ditzy
    Dizzy_Ditzy Posts: 17,461
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    My speckeldy seems to go broody monthly!

    I feed them layers pellets from a local pet shop. On "non-warm" days they'll get some corn in the afternoon. Most days they get greens in the form of cabbage, whatever I have on the allotment like cabbage leaves or beetroot leaves, gooseberries, grapes etc. I swear that grapes are like their version of crack :eek: :rotfl:

    For their names, we came up with a list of 3 for each one then let his grandkids choose their final names :) The kids love going in the run and feeding them, collecting the eggs or just feeding grass to them through the fence. It's a fab way of keeping them involved :D
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  • sgun
    sgun Posts: 715
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    hmm names, well they start off without names as I don't think you should "name" hens but somehow they end up with names as you do have to differentiate. So we had "Older" and "Younger" ISAs for 3 years, then Rhodie (she's a Rhode Rock) then we got another RR who became Rhodie2. In the mean time we had Speckledy who was a speckledy who never thrived as I don't think the vaccinations took so we had to cull. Although we don't name them they still become names and I don't think it makes culling them any easier, even when they have lived out their healthy natural lives.

    We find the layers from Jolley's to be very good, Garvo excellent but way too expensive.

    My niece calls our hens "Sloonbeer" and "Spring Day". I have no idea where that came from!
  • lostinrates
    lostinrates Posts: 55,283
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    Our boys, apart from roosters chosen to stay, are all called collectively 'The Suppers' , and Girls get named after confirming they are definitely girls and not one of The Suppers.

    Pets or not, named or not, sometimes its necessary to dispatch at home for compassionate purpose.
  • edwink
    edwink Posts: 2,955
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    edited 8 July 2015 at 11:22PM
    Thanks for all the replies again!!


    We have one Cockerel!! He was a rescue boy who was going to be put down!! We were worried about having a Cockerel because of the neighbours and the crowing. But, after asking the neighbours they were fine and said go and get him. So thankfully we did. He is lovely and is very tame!! And he looks after his hens very well!!


    What type of worming do any of you use. We use verm.x because you don't have to withdraw the eggs after using them. They are rather expensive though!! Buying them on-line has turned out to be the cheapest option!!!


    Edwink
    **3.36 kWp solar panel system, 10 x Ultima & 4 x Panasonic solar panels, Solaredge Inverter **Biomass boiler stove for cooking, hot water & heating **2000ltr Rainwater harvesting system for loo flushing - **Hybrid Toyota Auris car **1 ex-battery hen - RIP Pingu, Hoppy & Ginger ****Hens & Ducks**** chat thread. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5282209
  • Dizzy_Ditzy
    Dizzy_Ditzy Posts: 17,461
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    For worming I use marriages layers pellets - they have flubenvet in with them. It hurts me and them for worming week as they aren't allowed any treats but it encourages them to eat nothing but the pellets to ensure that they get the required dose. There is no egg withdrawal either, just grumpy chickens :eek:

    I think I paid about £11 for a weeks supply for the five of them. So not cheap but definitely the most effective.

    We sell the eggs so it covers the cost of their food, corn and worming :cool:
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Health & Beauty, Greenfingered Moneysaving and How Much Have You Saved boards. If you need any help on these boards, please do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing [email protected]

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