Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

OK_Sauce

Don't be giving Mrs Sauce any fancy ideas!

BitterAndTwisted

Very jaunty! I like how they have different coloured outfits. I wonder which barmpot knitted them? And how do you measure up a chook for one?

spirit

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Very jaunty! I like how they have different coloured outfits. I wonder which barmpot knitted them? And how do you measure up a chook for one?

The pattern is on one of the battery hen rescue sites, think it might be little hen rescue.

Some other folk in the chicken world don't rate the jumpers and also reckon that hens don't need them.

Mind you some of the poor wee nennies come out of the cages with few feathers and it is mighty cold right now.

Gigervamp

Mumof2, sorry to hear that Betsy didn't make it.

Re integrating a new chicken, would you be able to fit another 2 rather than 1 in the cube? That would be better. I've heard you can put the new ones in at night so they all wake up together. We have a couple of spare coops and a separate area for introducing new chickens, so we've not tried it the above way.

Mumof2_2

Thanks Gigervamp. We've talked about it and I think we're going to wait until the spring and get another 2 - maybe more little red hens like Betsy was. In the meantime I think I'll look out for a rabbit hutch or something like that to use as a temporary measure whilst settling the new girls in and introducing them to the others.

DS has been OK, he misses Betsy as do we all - I miss her clucking around by me when we're outside. At least she wasn't ill for ages and the others all seem as bright as buttons.

Roll on the spring .....!

cheeswright

Hi
how are everybodys doing now the freeze has set in?
I have been defrosing the drinker 3 times a day as it keeps freezing up

I had the idea that I might stick one of those handwarmers with the clicky plate in it - inside the 2.5litre drink bottle to keep it defrosted for a few more hours

anybody tried this ????

otherwise Im considering the steel aquarium heaters in a bucket drinker
but this is going to involve some wiring ( therefore considerable expense) and so I'm more resistant to this - I'd be really grateful if anybody has a good solution to frozen drinkers if they would post their genius - because I always find someone on here has a solution I hadnt thought of....

love this forum:D

spirit

I bought a pack of 3 pairs of tights yesterday as i want to use the leg bits to tie my newly planted fruit trees to their stakes.

Once I'd cut the legs off for this, I had a lightbulb moment. the remaiing 'pant' bit would do nicely to cover the drinkers. I got some bubblewrap I had in the shed, wrapped it 3 times round the drinker and on with the tights.

Job's a goodun, nice warm drinker and the chooks can't peck at the bubblewrap.

spirit

pattern for jumpers

http://littlehenrescue.co.uk/jumpers.aspx

Beccatje

I keep finding the water frozen in the coop as well..

On top of that, the chooks keep knocking the drinker over.... which is not good ofcourse.. So I'm wondering if I could hang it up?.. Would that work? Or would they make it swing too much and splatter water everywhere? (which will turn into ice..)

They knock it over now because it sits on the thick layer of straw I put in there.. I've tried putting it up higher by placing it on top of a turned upside down pot, but they knock it off there and all...

Sooo.. the last two days I've just gone and taken a bowl of water.. and sat there watching them drink.. then taking it away when they were finished... Not very handy when I have to go back to work on monday.

I do love the snow and the freeze, but it's not good for the chooks.. ;-)

spirit

Beccatje wrote: »

I keep finding the water frozen in the coop as well..

On top of that, the chooks keep knocking the drinker over.... which is not good ofcourse.. So I'm wondering if I could hang it up?.. Would that work? Or would they make it swing too much and splatter water everywhere? (which will turn into ice..)

They knock it over now because it sits on the thick layer of straw I put in there.. I've tried putting it up higher by placing it on top of a turned upside down pot, but they knock it off there and all...

Sooo.. the last two days I've just gone and taken a bowl of water.. and sat there watching them drink.. then taking it away when they were finished... Not very handy when I have to go back to work on monday.

I do love the snow and the freeze, but it's not good for the chooks.. ;-)

water should be available to them the whole time they are awake. I gave up with the drinkers that you sit on the ground. they still managed to knock them over when put up on a couple of bricks. Now i have hanging drinkers and feeders = problem solved

i have this one http://countryfayre-countrystore.co.uk/drinkers/plastic-chicken-drinkers/cat_103.html