Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

RacyRed

Wow Giger, ducks! :j

What a shame you don't live nearer to me. I just happen to be occupied hauling and old but intact bath tub out of the bottom of my allotment - it would make a great duck pond

Gigervamp

Lol, well, we discovered that the reason there was a boggy bit in the field was because there was a bathrub buried there, so we're planning on digging that out.

RacyRed

Urrrgh! Good luck! I've been on with mine in every rain free hour or so we have had recently (granted that there are not many of them in these parts!). I almost thought of getting ducks so that I could leave it embedded in there as a pond instead of trying to haul it out. But it is right where I want to put a new large shed for my "big" girls so that I can get some more banties and some quail in the smaller runs.

ionahenor2

Gigervamp wrote: »

RacyRed, the eggs have about another 10 days to go.

We're getting ducks! They're a pair of cayugas. I've been thinking about getting some ducks for a while now and someone I know is having to downsize her flock. Really looking forward to getting them.

What great news. my OH would love ducks.

My little hen is still waddling like a duck. She passed something like a pink jelly baby today so I think her problem is to do with her egg duct, but she still seems happy enough so will keep her fed with slugs as she is off the pellets.

happymum2010

Hi RacyRed,

We decided it was not worth the hassle to contact the fella who built the hen house. We are just going to try to fix whatever needs fixed as the hens are coming next weekend. Here is a picture of the house from the fella's ad. I can't find my SD card for my camera at the mo, but will try to hunt it down tomorrow and take some close up pictures.
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It has been raining really heavily last few days and the hen house seems to be watertight so far.

I'm not too worried about the flowerbeds getting destroyed at the mo. I have loads of raspberry canes that have spread and need dug up, maybe the hens will do the job for me.

Oh Gigervamp, ducks sound like great fun. We would have loved some, but I thinks the neighbours would have gone nuts.

Syman

This morning one of my girls, flower i think, laid an egg which had some blood (i think) on the shell. Both of them seem fine, so should i worry?

ljonski

could be red mite. do a search on downthelane forum !

Mojisola

Syman wrote: »

This morning one of my girls, flower i think, laid an egg which had some blood (i think) on the shell. Both of them seem fine, so should i worry?

This can happen as a one-off. The passage of the egg through the tubes can occasionally cause some damage. Keep an eye on her and check the next couple of eggs.

RacyRed

That is an impressive set up happymum your girls should be happy in there And they will soon let you know if they aren't. Have they arrived yet? ETA, they will probably go for your perennials and soft leaved shrubs and leave the rasberry canes alone

Syman, that happens sometimes but do check them for mite/lice.

ionahenor2 is your little hen ok now?

ionahenor2

ionahenor2 is your little hen ok now?[/QUOTE]

No Racey her abdomen is still swollen but she has started eatng a little so I am giving her lots of treats and trying to make her as happy as possible. She was out digging for worms with OH yesterday. He was moving some wood with the JCB and the gang were helping clear the tracks he made in the soil of worms/slugs. They had a great time. I don't think there is anything that can be done for her but if she starts to suffer I will have her put to sleep.

I was looking up plastic hen houses other than Omlets Eglus/cubes (I have an eglu but want more chickens) and came across these site. They have some interesting stuff.

http://www.solwayrecycling.co.uk/recycled-shop/pig-poultry/hen-houses/solway-mini-hen-coop

http://www.regencypoultry.com/chicken_coops/index.htm