Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

Frugaldom

Hi chicken fans

Edmund, I think the hens should be ok after a couple of days, I've let some of mine out after just one night and they were fine, put themselves to bed no bother. It's best to clean any mess out the nest box every day to prevent any eggs getting dirty, even if it means just shaking out the straw to remove the dirt.

Natalie, your hen will soon stop laying double yokers, it's just because she's young and not quite into full swing egg production yet. I didn't get any double yokers from my 3 youngsters that just started laying and was a little bit disappointed. But at least I have another 3 laying, which takes me to 10. The next (and final) lot of 'babies' are all due to start laying within the next month, including the ducks, so that will put us into full production just in time for winter coming, when the egg count will drop. :rolleyes: Can't wait to get them all onto the same feeding and will probably keep everything on mixed corn & veggie scraps for the winter. Starting to watch out for blue eggs soon, too.

xnatalie81x

Blue eggs sounds brill! I went to the pet shop to buy corn and layers pellets for the girls and they had a sussex cockrel in stock - he was lovely, and a few black rocks. Would love to add a black hen to the collection. I like a nice variety as you have probably guessed lol. I also fellin love with one of the ducks they were selling. He was dipping his head in one of the buckets of water and his bill/beak?? was so cute and he waddled lol. May look into getting a couple ducks instead to add to the mix lol.

My neighbours must think me insane as every morning i go out to let the girls out and i chat away to them. I am sure they understand me as they cluck back. I put false toenails on last week and they did not approve and pecked my toes lol. Teach me not to wear my wellies! I treated them to some stolen grass today (collected a bag from an overgrown field) - i truly adore them. I always thought they would just be egg producers and i would eat them when they stopped laying but they truly are members of the family. I shall grow old disgracefully and instead of becoming the bag/cat lady i will be the hen and duck lady lol. Wonder if i can buy a lead to walk them ..........................:rotfl:

BramleyHouse

hello,

i would like to hear to advice on getting chickens!!

thank you!!!!

BitterAndTwisted

Depends where you live, I suppose. Some chums of mine had theirs for about a fortnight before Mr Reynard popped round and killed them all.

These layers you're thinking about or actual pets?

zippychick

Here's a "keeping chickens" thread for you.

BramleyHouse

Hi,

I am considering getting pet chickens, but dont know which breed I want, any ideas?
Thanks

BramleyHouse

Thank you both.

I have followed zippychick's link and it has helped alot.

Thank you!!!!!

Penelope_Penguin

BramleyHouse wrote: »

Thank you both.

I have followed zippychick's link and it has helped alot.

Thank you!!!!!

As this has fallen from the front page of OS, I'll add it to that thread to keep ideas together

Penny. x

katie1270

Ok

Thanks Penny.

Frugaldom

XNatalieX the ducks need a bit more space and make much more mess than the hens, you'll certainly need your wellies for them! :rotfl: I only have 3 (Joey, Monica & Phoebe) and they can make a mud patch where no mud patch has ever previously occured. They can also quack very loudly and eat everything in site. Their bath gets used several times a day and they mucky up every water dish that gets filled for the hens. They can also strip a plant or fruit bush in seconds and dig holes in your lawn that make it look like an infestation of surface dwelling moles! :rotfl:I love having my ducks and can't wait for them to start laying. It should be soon, as that's them 18 weeks old now.