Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

DON79

nykmedia wrote: »

Well done rehoming the cockeral, Don, he is a very popular breed and he's very handsome! It's great news that you also managed to get a couple of new hens, are they ex-batts?

Hi, no they are not ex-batts but we did get them from the rehoming centre so we have helped them in a way I guess! But they are addictive! If we weren't in a town and had unlimited space, I would happily get more!

Sounds like your hens and duckys are up to all sorts of mischief!

Frugaldom

DON79 wrote: »

If we weren't in a town and had unlimited space, I would happily get more!

Sounds like your hens and duckys are up to all sorts of mischief!

This is always a problem I have had - knowing when enough is [STRIKE]en[/STRIKE]... too many! :rotfl:I vowed I was going to get rid of the mucky duckys but they are just so cute! And cute chicks keep hatching out that I don't want to get rid of, but HAVE to, otherwise I'll never make it anywhere near becoming self-sufficientish, although I will never eat the chickens. Egg money will pay for feeding and chicken from the supermarket one day, it will, I tell you, it will.

We're getting a new poultry house, a proper one, not a homemade conversion from dog kennels or rabbit hutches or tool sheds. :j The laying hens will go in that. It says it's big enough for up to 12 large fowl or 25 small bantams, so there'll be plenty of space for keeping a few of the chicks, as mine are mostly bantam X. That'll free up my runs for the purebred chicks I'm keeping - Silkies, Pekins and Araucanas - who will freerange at different times to avoid any mistakes or fights between cockerals. The Pekin cockeral should, hopefully, be going back to his rightful owner one day soon, but I don't see any signs of a pen being built for him yet. :rolleyes:

My Pekin chicks are changing colour again! Bernard Black is now turning dark blue and Fonzie is turning a colour I have never seen before :rotfl: I thought she was going to be buff but now I'm not so sure! Anyone got any ideas?

DON79

Hi, not sure what colour she is but she is lovely!

Our new hens are brown and white so when they get their adult plumage in full am sure they will be lovely. I will try get some pics and put them on. But they do need feeding up because they look a little skinny just now.

Donna

Gigervamp

No idea, but she's lovely!

Katharine

I don't know maybe you've inverted a new colour, buff-lavender?! What ducks do you have? I've fallen in love with black indian runners, hopeing I can have a trio for my birthday. :smileyhea

Strangely mine usually don't care about the weather but today they were staying at least around 'in'. I don't think they can resist the worms!:p

Funny you should mention converted dog kennels that's where mine live, doesn't seem to bother them living next to the dog. If they were small and furry they would definatly mind!;)

Frugaldom

Hi Katharine, the farm where my hens were rehomed from gave me some duck eggs a few weeks ago and 3 of them hatched. I THINK I have 2 Pekins and an Aylesbury but they could just as easily by crosses between the two, as the farm has over 200 free ranging I'd have loads of hens & ducks etc if I had the space but, sadly, I only have a garden that's surrounded by fields and don't want to risk them disappearing over the hills and far away in case the farm dogs (or anything else) gets them.

egfcomps

Hi,

We got our first 3 chickens (black rocks) two weeks ago, they are not at laying point yet. However we noticed they seem to have runny poo, we have started worming them yesterday. This morning two came out of coop on own but we had to go and encourage the other one to come out. We have been out this morning and when we got back they had all gone back into their coop, OH went to investigate and one of them seems wheezy and sneezing. Has she just got a cold or what else could be wrong, what should we do?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
egf

Frugaldom

Hi egfcomps, birds are really susceptible to upper respiratory disorders, bacterial infections and dust. Are they alongside any other birds that could possibly have infected them with anything? Otherwise dormant problems can surface if the birds become stressed, come into contact with some sort of irritant or have a sudden change of diet. I'd start with the basics and ensure there are no contaminants and that they haven't got access to anything they shouldn't have. My lot managed to get at rhubarb leaves, which left them a bit 'loose' for a couple of days, and they get the occasional sneezes when I'm changing the bedding despite using supposedly dust free chopped straw and shavings.

If in doubt, give local vet a call for advice and have all details handy - like how much are they eating/drinking, what are they eating/drinking etc - vet may suggest an antibiotic just to be on the safe side.

angelavdavis

Bit of a change of subject, but I read a headline in Mid-Sussex warning animal owners about fly-strike, so keep a close eye on your birds now the weather is warming up.

Katharine

Well since Saturday all 4 of mine have been broody, despite the fact that the daughters were broody for a month which ended a month ago! So I think I have found my little mongrel chickens strengths! So now I cannot resist, I'm going to try and track down my local chicken woman and get some fertile eggs from her for them to hatch. If I can't have eggs they are going to make themselves useful and give me some chicks. I think she has Silver Grey Dorkings at the moment which I love the look of.