Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

poohbear59

We had 3 eggs from the new hens yesterday. And we dared to move them into the hen house with the other girls under cover of darkness last night. DH went out this morning expecting carnage. All the new hens look very well but one of our old ones is sitting with her head in her shoulders and not moving. she has been moved into 'intensive care', ie the back porch in a cat box for further investigation.

ionahenor2

Hope she is ok. Could it be a softie egg? That can make them off colour.

Syman

Girls have settled in now, Madras has been renamed McQueen after a number of escape attempts.

One of them laid a corker this morning, 74g, HUUUUGH.

Now, if i may, a question. I woke up at 3AM hearing the girls clucking, didn't seem like they were distressed, and i couldn't see anything. Nothing was untoward when i let them out this morning (other than the mega-egg)

Any ideas?

Just heard one of the girls "purring" whilst sitting in the Sun. very odd noise.

ionahenor2

Syman wrote: »

Girls have settled in now, Madras has been renamed McQueen after a number of escape attempts.

One of them laid a corker this morning, 74g, HUUUUGH.

Now, if i may, a question. I woke up at 3AM hearing the girls clucking, didn't seem like they were distressed, and i couldn't see anything. Nothing was untoward when i let them out this morning (other than the mega-egg)

Any ideas?

Just heard one of the girls "purring" whilst sitting in the Sun. very odd noise.

Could they have been discussing the size of the egg?:rotfl:

My little Lettie makes different purring sounds depending where she is. She makes one when she is dust bathing which I think means bliss and another when she is outside with us. I think this is more of a warning:eek: It's quite high pitched. The other warning noise she makes sounds like she is shouting 'duck, duck'

Syman

Photo of the "Mega-Egg"

ionahenor2

Could be double yolker

caitybabes

Awesome egg Syman! Our rhode rock, Delilah, laid her first egg on Saturday. She was the last one of our three girls to start laying but it was worth waiting for - was much bigger than Ruby or Lola's eggs!

Got home from my team building weekend with work to find that, although hubby had had a great weekend with the chooks and his mates, enjoyed letting them out into the chicken-palace-gazebo again, he hadn't been topping up the food and water so they were both nearly empty :mad: wasn't impressed at all! Anyway, I've been giving them extra treats and attention this afternoon to make up for it.

We've got vines in our garden and the chickens are LOVING the grapes - they stampeded towards me when I approached with a handful of them this afternoon.

Now, I don't know how this happened, but we've run out of layers pellets and won't be able to get any until after work tomorrow. Do you think I could keep them going for tomorrow on a variety of other food (like oats, fruit, sweetcorn, etc.). If so, what would you give them? We've also got cereal like shredded wheat - would that be suitable. I know it's rubbish that we've done this, I would've got some this weekend if I was here I just totally forgot and hubby obviously didn't notice. Feeling like a bad chicken-mummy at the moment but hopefully they'll cope for one day with a selection of different food?

Syman

Ionahenor2, The egg was indeed a double yolker, and very tasty it was too.

Caity, It's not ideal but I don't think one day of "junk" food will effect the girls too much to be honest. as long as they have enough to keep them going for the day i should think they'll be fine.

ionahenor2

Caity you could give them some protein like tuna in spring water. I find if mine have too much junk they don't lay. But I'm sure one day won't matter too much.
Mine love cooked pasta, mashed potato, and porridge. They are going mad on blackberries at present and as soon as the elderberries are ripe they will be off next door to raid their patch. (The birds feed on them and lots fall on the ground......didn't want anyone to think they could climb trees)

tanyalbeck

OK, I know I should read through the lot, but i'm short of time! We had a major family tragedy recently and as a result I am suddenly a single parent of 2 boys and 4 hens! I dont know the first thing about keeping them as my husband did all the work. I can manage cleaning out the poop tray (lined with newspaper) and stuff but.... 1) do they need pellets or are kitchen scraps ok? we are now a no-income household! and 2) I need a list of daily/ weekly/ monthly etc chores to care for them. we have a wood hutch/ run with straw (hay?) in the nesting/ laying box. we have a patio, no grass/ soil so the ground needs hosing down to get rid of poo unless someone had better ideas? all ideas welcome!! Thanks :-)