Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

Gigervamp

Hey, the other day I said that the silkies hadn't laid one egg since we got them. I think Fenella must have been reading because she has now laid an egg a day for 3 days! Dinky little white bantam eggs.

Kimitatsu

soupdragon10 wrote: »

I've looked at the plastic houses, but I'm not convinced that they would withstand the attack of a determined rat. I want to get back into keeping chickens again, was put off when I lost my entire flock of 15 buff orpingtons to a fox or foxes a few years ago.

Will probably buy a small shed and adapt this, especially if I go for Buff's again, as they are a tall heavy breed and wouldn't fit easily into many of the standard hen houses.

We have an orpington flock and they were described to me as big daft birds - yup but I like them :rotfl:I agree with you that the plastic will not stop a determined rat. This year for the first time we had rats eat through the bottom of the hen house, piece of metal soon stopped them but it was a nightmare until 2ft of snow stopped them!!

Mr K found this though yesterday:

http://www.homefarmfowls.co.uk/epages/BT2808.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT2808/Products/%22Eradibait%20-%20Rat%20Bait%22/SubProducts/%22Eradibait%20-%20Rat%20Bait%20-%20500g%22

Apparently its food chain friendly so although it kills the rats it wont pass on poison up the food chain to the cats or the large owl population we are fortunate enough to have. Anyone else heard of it or tried it?

wammy77

angelsmomma wrote: »

Hi, just my twopennoth worth. I have excitedly been waiting in for my eglu delivery. It was supposed to come yesterday and didn't

I just phoned to see where it is since I have now taken two days off work only to be told sorry they have lost one of the boxes, don't know which though so when (if) it arrives can I phone and tell them which one is missing so they can despatch whichever it is. This means 3 days waiting in for delivery.

I am just deciding whether to cancel it or not as I am so mad about it. This is really poor customer service for something that costs over £400 to buy.

I bought a copy of practical poultry (sainsburys stock it) and in it there are lots of people selling second hand coops and runs - there's an Eglu in there for £150 (prefer the wooden houses myself!).

Mojisola wrote: »

What breeds are your chickens? Knowing that will help to tell which one is laying which egg.

You can tell which hens are laying and which aren't by checking their pelvic bones. If a hen is in lay there will be a big space between her pelvic bones - about three fingers wide. If she isn't laying the bones will feel quite stiff and close together. Of course, it depends on the size of your hens and your fingers but compare your birds and you'll soon learn the difference.

Many thanks for the info - I'll check them tomorrow morning

The birds are hybrids.... woman who sold them said that her birds have different names to other sellers but are the same type... :think: confussed!

angelsmomma

I have decided not to buy an eglu now after all. It is a lot of money for what it is.

I have just ordered a coop in the wilkinsons sale for £135 & £4 95 delivery. Went through quidco so with cashback it cost around £130. Even if it only lasts a few years it is good value. The eglu is £425 so am happy to make do with this wood one.

I had already promised my other wood one to a friend so can't keep it. Not mse I know but she is going to get 3 ex batts so its in a good cause.

Mumof2_2

Can I ask your advice please? We've got 4 hybrid chickens, about a year old. 3 of them have got feathers missing (from necks/undercarriage) and 1 has all her feathers. I've now found the reason why - Tikka, the 1 who has all her feathers, has been pecking out the feathers and I think she ate them too. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do?

Many thanks.

LolaLemon

has anyone had any dealings with these types of coops? similar to the eglu, but not as pleasing on the eye.
http://www.greenfrogdesigns.co.uk/chicken-house-medium-1592-0.html#comments

LolaLemon

sorry for 2 posts, but HAD to post this!

http://www.chicubes.co.uk/Chicken-Houses/The-Egg/The-Egg-Large-/prod_32.html

Kimitatsu

Mumof2 wrote: »

Can I ask your advice please? We've got 4 hybrid chickens, about a year old. 3 of them have got feathers missing (from necks/undercarriage) and 1 has all her feathers. I've now found the reason why - Tikka, the 1 who has all her feathers, has been pecking out the feathers and I think she ate them too. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do?

Many thanks.

Are they all girls? If so the easiest solution is to get a male - girls tend to bicker and bully each other if they are left together. Yes it is very normal but their feathers will grow back at the next moult.

Minette23

Has anyone had any problems with a horrid scaley leg problem with their chickens? Aparently it's a parasite that buries underneath the scales in their legs and makes them stand up. There is also a whitish calcium 'scab' (for want of a better word) that forms over their legs/feet, this is produced by the mites aparently.

We have silkies and another hen with feathers on her feet, they seem the worst affected. I tried vaseline and special parasite powder, but then the old lady next door recommended using parafin oil on their legs, this suffocates the parasites on contact, and it's been amazing! It's really cleared up. It made the silkies abit dirty for a few days though, what's more, the oil is really cheap from a pharmacy. Just thought i'd share this advice, i scoured the internet for solutions and couldn't find anything useful, except plonking their feet in motor oil which seemed abit cruel to me! Voila!

Minette

princess_skint_a_lot_2

hi all

i know a lot of you keep chickens and i am in desperate need for advice. I keep four chickens for eggs. I love my girls, they get fed on layers pellets, and scraps from the kitchen e.g potato bits carrots any type of veg, and fruit, they are especially fond of grapes but they dont have these all the time as i cant afford it. We clean them out once a week and they free range daily and always come and have a chat to me when im in the kitchen (they know they might get something extra tasty if they hang around long enough). Very sad i know, but i love my chickens as much as any dog or cat. My trouble is that a couple of weeks ago my first hen died, she was just lying there, no signs of outward attack, a bit of blood on her where the others had been pecking at her but that was it, we put it down to the extreme weather we had had (we live in scotland and it had risen above minus 14 for over a week). Then about 2 weeks later another one died, this time there was no blood anywhere in side but there was a great big hole in the back of her neck, straight through the bone, we guessed that she had already died as there was no blood when this happened and the size of the injury she would have covered the inside of the house. When we cleaned out the house there was no holes big enough just small holes we left for ventilation but a mouse couldnt get through them, and now this morning i have one single solitary hen left, ailsa was right packed up in the corner and exactly the same thing has happened no blood but a great big hole in the back of her neck, my husband has again emptied the hen house and cant see anywhere it could have got in, and amy our last remaining chicken is shaking. What could it be. Please im desperate for help.

Kind regards

Princess:(