Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

dora37

Steel wrote: »

Ok chicken wranglers - help is needed over here with thin egg shells from one of my girls.

They get lots of greenery, lots of pellets and oyster grit, but still my smallest girl lays eggs with really thin shells. You can literally put your finger through one when getting them out of the nest box.

Any ideas how to get them thicker and stronger?

A tip we were given was to wash and bake the USED egg shells on a baking tray for about 20 mins - then put in a tea towel and crush with a rolling pin. Put the crushed egg shells in the chickens food (a couple of tsps each time) and this is apparently an excellent source of calcium which is good for strong shells.......worth a try and it won't cost you anything! We do this all the time - great recycling!!

(the shells are baked and crushed so the chickens don't get a taste for their own shells)

Steel_2

Thanks Dora37. I'll give that a go.....

What sort of temperature do you bake them at?

lauren_1

Can some of you lovely people post some pics of your runs, coups and houses?

We have built 2 short term houses and want to get a general idea of what people use, i am reluctant to buy the one at pets at home, it is nice but at £220 it's not in my budget.

We have a converted bunny hutch with a added run and a converted ottomen, we felted the top, added 2 perches and made a sliding door but i dont think they will do for long.

cuffie

Hello!

We have just lost our first chicken, Darcy. A very funny and gorgeous white Leghorn. We have only had the hens since May. She died in her sleep, so Im just glad she didn't get caught by a fox or anything.

So, we were down to 4 hens and have this afternoon just introduced 2 new ones. I knew there would be a lot of pecking going on, but the 2 new ones have jumped up into their bed and I bet they are crapping themselves waiting for the rest of the troop to head off up to bed! Will they hurt them while they are in the bed bit? Im just a bit worried about locking them all in for the night with room for no escape!! One of our original hens, Buttons, has been quite nice to them really. No pecking and has been going over to them making sure they are ok. Buttons was pretty close to Darcy, mind you, and was very forlorn when Darcy died. The thing is, Buttons has had one eye shut for a few days now (even before Darcy died). She seems to sleep a bit more during the day than the others - particularly more now since Darcy has gone. What shall I do? I have also noticed today now that one of our other original hens, Daisy, is having trouble opening one eye. What can it be? Is there anything I can do? Darcy seemed ok before she died. The only thing that was a bit unusual, is when we let them out of the pen to free-range in the afternoon the day before she died, she didn't go over to the trees where they normally go (and the others went) - she got half way and then slowly came wandering back to the house - as if it was too much of an effort. Should I be worried about the eyes shutting? And should I be worried about leaving the new hens with the old flock tonight??
Thanks for any help.x

Magentasue

I don't know!

I'd try a poultry forum about the closed eye (http://forum.rivercottage.net/viewforum.php?f=25 and http://kelseyinfo.co.uk/yabb/YaBB.pl are good, busy boards where you should get answers fast).

As for mixing old and new, I think I'd be inclined to keep checking until you know they're asleep and to get them all out mighty early in the morning. If there is squabbling, can you separate them? Generally they sort themselves out with just a few feathers flying but it can end up nasty and any arguing is best done outside where they can get away from each other.

Magentasue

I just googled 'hen closed eye' and there are quite a few hits worth checking. Good luck!

newleaf

Had a look on the Omlet forum for you. There are loads of threads about introducing new hens to an existing flock. Apparently it's tricky and best done very slowly.
http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=12688

Magentasue

It is best done slowly. We've always kept newbies in a separate coop and run and then let them all out together. We've only put them together at night when they've been out together during the day.

However, I've heard tell on other forums where people just go for it and put them in together. And, not everyone has a spare coop/run. We've never had problems - a bit of pecking and telling off but no more. However, it can be have fatal consequences so best to be vigilant at the beginning - once they're settled, you're OK.

dora37

Steel wrote: »

Thanks Dora37. I'll give that a go.....

What sort of temperature do you bake them at?

Sorry been away for a few days!

I just pop them in when I am cooking something else - just until they looked baked really!!

Badger_Lady

I'm joining you!

Time to get some hens I'm looking to get three - shopping for a second-hand Eglu to get started with (they're still expensive, mind!), and then consider building a larger run for the "free-range feel" without compromising their safety in a garden surrounded by cats.

So that's my first step - buying and setting up the Eglu - then I need to find the hens themselves. I'm very keen on picking up ex-batts but I've had conflicting advice. Should I get all three ex-batts, or a mix of ex-batts and reared hens?