Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

mardatha

They're either Black Rocks, Bovans Neras, or Maran Cuivrees. Biggish with black and shimmering green feathers, copper necks and heads.

HariboJunkie

mardatha wrote: »

One has a tiny wee red wobbly thingy on her head (forget what that's called ) and the other one has none. Does this mean they are quite young ?

Welcome to the mad world of henkeeping Mardartha. :j:D

The combs are an indicator of age in that the young pullets combs will be underdeveloped. The comb will grow and go very red when they are nearing their first egg.

Ae you going to clip the wings?

mardatha

I have covered the whole roof now, so no point. I was going to ask the seller to do that but when we got there she had the birds all boxed and ready so I couldnt. But I am surprised how big they are - only ever been close to bantams before

Frugaldom

Hope your girls are behaving themselves today, don't forget to copy us lot over in frugaldom in on your photos.

Red_Doe

Why do you cook it if it's just veg?

Agree with you about policing the ban.

Because they don`t eat raw veg peelings, but do eat them cooked.
The ban, as far as I know, applies to everyone keeping hens, not just those selling eggs, or maybe it might be different in Scotland as in England, not sure?
But since it was a guy from DEFRA that told me, can only go on what he said. I was pretty shocked to say the least, being raised on stories of my grandparents keeping hens during the war and how everyone who did was encouraged to feed them household scraps....same with pigs (also illegal to feed those household scraps btw now )
However, I will keep feeding mine from my own kitchen, for a few reasons....I don`t need to compost, having lots of rich soil to grow in, and it makes more sense to feed the hens and get fresh eggs than feed the dog and get a fat dog.
And at least I know what`s going into my daily eggs

mardatha

My hens seem dead boring. They wont look at anything at all that's not a layers pellet ! I have tried them on peelings/broccoli/even the cress that was for my egg salad ! They circle it warily like it's going to jump up and bite them, then have a quick stab at it, then scuttle away !

Red_Doe

I`ve got the breeder of mine to credit with how very tame they are Mardatha They came from a Skye breeder and he obviously handled them well, they are so tame in summer, when I sit outdoors, they`ll come up on my lap and fall asleep! And they are easy to catch and handle, always a bonus. If yours are flighty, when you can get hold of them, handle them often and stroke them lots to soothe them (I know, it`s worse than spoiling toddlers, lol) but it does work, as for the food, try a day when they are let a wee bit hungrier than usual (ease up on the pellets) and see if they`ll eat the scraps.

ALIBOBSY

We saw a tip for chicken handling (can't remember where) when you pick them up tip them on the side. Strangely this seems to calm them and they go still (like a cat when held by the scruff of the neck) you can then give them a stroke. This is good for younger children who want to have a stroke but can get scared if the chicken reacts quickly.

We goit our ladies slightly younger than POL, this meant they had alot longer for us to get used to them, them to settle in and they were smaller when we got them. We keep handling them and them seem fine with it. Just one who isn't keen on being picked up, and she is our escape artist. We have ended up covering the top on the run because of her this week, then caught her trying to dig under the fence!!
They have all had a lovely afternoon sat in the sun, been a gorgeous week and they even found a spot that dried out enough to have their fav dust bath.
ali x

mardatha

These are quite young but they are quite tame, not flighty at all. Come over to me talking and I can stroke them lightly on the back for a few seconds. I will tame them down fine. But they are very unadventurous with food. They like the top bit of the run that's bare earth and are digging an escape tunnel in there. One Question - when you grind up eggshells for them (forgot to get grit) how small ? really tiny bits like dust ?

Red_Doe

What I do is collect a few, dry them in a slow oven after baking, bung them in a plastic bag and whack the heck out of it, usually peedie grit/stone size is fine.