Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

Frugaldom

ljonski, I hope the run measurement is a typo and should actually read as 6' x 10' :rotfl:My runs are all homemade, too, with 2 of the coops being made from rescued, delapidated kennels. Hens don't seem to mind in the least but I don't know what the neighbours think.

Katharine - I'm getting impatient - my next door neighbour on the other side now has at least 3 chicks hatched that I can see. Mother hen had them outside this afternoon so I was able to sneak a peek. They look really cute.

I need to go and do some wing-clipping tonight. Mrs Black keeps flying over the fence into the field and then coming home via neighbour's garden! :mad:

Katharine

Chick, chick, chicks! :T This morning I checked on her and she was making chucking noises although I heard and saw nothing I was hopeful to come home to little fluffys. Got home and went straight out with a treat to relax Kiera, nothing, husband went back inside and I saw a furry yellow leg or something for a second, watched a bit more and a surpriseingly big chick appeared! Rushed in to get hubby and we saw more and more little heads, 6 at once tho there must be more! Some are particularly big, there are a few stripey yellow/grey, yellow/black, a black and a yellow. None particularly strike me as looking like dorking chicks yet, Marans are big chicks!:beer:

Been fixing my sodding internet for the last hour so I could tell you!:rolleyes:

Frugaldom

Katharine wrote: »

Chick, chick, chicks! :T ...

Congratulations! Can't wait to see piccies

Katharine

After further chick watching, there are at least 8. All 4 dorkings have hatched(!), 2 copper blue marans and 2 copper black marans, can see a couple of eggs still under.

Frugaldom

That's brilliant news! My broody brought her chicks out after a day but it was really difficult trying to fit them all into one picture as they ran all ways or else hid beneath her. We need piccies, pleeeeeeeease

Katharine

Got pics of all of them today, but found out my DH has lost the cable to connect the camera to the puter, grrr. Sadly I was mistaken only 3 dorkings, one girl two boys, so 7 chicks in total, none hatched today and three intact eggs left. I removed one other that had a hole in, definatly dead. Morbid curiosity took hold so I picked it open and found a fully developed copper black maran chick. So close but yet so far. I do have the option of getting more chicks from my chicken woman tho maybe 2 female dorking, 2 blue and 2 black maran see how I feel tomorrow.

Sue-UU

ljonski wrote: »

http://www.photobox.co.uk/my/photo?album_id=54271602&photo_id=2089907394

Here is my completed hen house plus run. It cost £50 to make from recycled materials ( pallets and hardboard) Dimensions = house 3ft square. Run 10"x 6".
I believe chickens dont care for aesthetics but i dont care as it should be warm, dry and dark. Just one thing missing- that's it- need to get some chickens

Hi ljonski. Just a thought, but do you intend to keep that polythene on the roof? If so, it's going to make it so very hot for your chicken in the summer! If there's also wood underneath you run a tremendous risk of getting Red Spider mite in the house, nest boxes AND on the chicken...as they live off of the chicken in the night time! :eek: Whenever you go to get eggs, see the chicken you'll be covered in them and I honestly mean covered!!!

To be on the safe side take off the polythene and dust the inside of the roof, nest boxes too with special powder against red mite or when the heat comes you'll be crawling in them!!

All the very best.

Sue. Hiya Nyk! :wave: I see you all love your chicken too, beautiful creatures.

Frugaldom

Good morning

We've had a couple of problems recently, mainly one of my hens disappearing into the field and, I think, hiding eggs! Spent all day yesterday trying to prevent her leaving - clipped her wing, raised height of the fences, closed her in the hen house, fed her constantly, loads of tit bits - until she eventually laid in the hen house. Hopefully, that's the problem solved now, as she should forget about trying to reach the other eggs. I haven't a clue where they are, as the field is lined with hedgerow, trees and dry stone wall.

One of the others has gone broody but I don't want any more chicks. Yesterday, 4 of the hens laid in quick succession in the same nestbox and broody was straight onto them! Mega-squawking and pecking when retrieving them! Grr...

All the baby cockerals are starting to crow! I have 5 lots of chicks at the moment, all at different stages, but will need to move some soon. I'm hoping next door neighbour will have a few and that I'll be able to find homes for the cockerals. Fingers crossed.

Hope you find the lead for your camera soon, Katharine. Can't wait to see the chicks

Katharine

Chickens are a law unto themselves, hopefully you have persuaded her to behave!

Kiera's left the nest now so I removed the last 3 eggs, and opened them, all infertile which I prefer to finding more failed chicks, so just one sad loss. She seems quite happy for me to have my hand in there with them so occasionally I get to stroke a chick.

DON79

hi everyone, glad to hear about the chicks hatching Katharine, and well done ljonski on building your coop and run.

quick question about the red mite?? How likely is it that chickens will catch red mite? and what increases the risk of their catching it? and how obvious would it be if they had it. would you clearly see it on the chickens?

I don't think our chickens do have mites but I just wondered what I should look for?

Thanks! Donna