Keeping hens and ducks chat.

Dizzy_Ditzy

Fortunately we aren't in a restriction zone so 16 days and my girlies will be free :j :j

edwink

Dizzy_Ditzy wrote: »

Fortunately we aren't in a restriction zone so 16 days and my girlies will be free :j :j

We have looked on the restriction map but the brown splodges are everywhere and it is a little confusing.

Edited to add this link http://www.gisdiseasemap.defra.gov.uk/intmaps/avian/map.jsp?mapsize=large&zoomOrID=zoom&advancedSearch= Just add your postcode on the left hand side and move the map around with the arrows if needed plus enlarge if you need to.

We are out of the restriction zone too thankfully. So sorry for those that are in the zones but without new breakouts the ban should be lifted soon for you all hopefully.

My girls had hanging broccoli, hanging Yorkshire puddings and hanging sweetcorn today and the whole lot has been eaten. Just been back up to them and hung 2 bunches of greens up for them. Lettuces are really expensive because of the shortage at the moment but we stretched our weekly shop to buy the ducks two and they have eaten one already.

Edwink

edwink

CAFCGirl wrote: »

Dust baths, not sure mine entirely 'get it'. I put a container in with wood ash, DE and some compost, and they would walk through it but noone was bathing in it. Yet they've dug down a space in their run in just the dirt which seems like it might have been their attempt at it?

Maybe you could have a peep at where they have been digging and loosen it up for them a bit taking stones out if there are any there. When I first had my rescue girls they didn't have a clue what to do so I used to sit with them when I noticed a certain area being dug. I would take out any hard bits or stones I saw and encouraged them by putting a bit of the loose soil on them and if they looked at me I looked away and pretended it wasn't me. The interest in the dug out bit as I had mad it deeper gradually became more interesting for them and the soil got looser so I continued to sit with them and continued to throw a the odd handful on them. Once they trusted me more I would throw it on them and then try and rub it in on them a bit. Eventually some would actually sit in the dug out hole and start flicking it about. Hallelujah they started to bathe themselves and then the others copied eventually.

I had one hen that was so skittish and nervous. She used to run around the garden like Roadrunner and it was so hard to catch if we needed to pick her up. But, when she was dust bathing she would actually let me cover her over completely and quite deep in dry soil then she would let me massage her all around her back with my fingers whilst being completely buried except for her head of course. I used to just sit and watch her with her eyes closed and if I stopped massaging her she would open her eyes and just stare at me until I started to massage her again then she would again close them for however long I had my fingers massaging her. I really do miss that little nervous hen with her big floppy comb. When we first got her and I picked her up she appeared so vicious and went to really nip me but luckily I moved my hand out of the way in time. Because she did that I called her Asbo because I thought she actually needed one for her bad behaviour. What a lovely little hen she was. I'll have to dig out a photo of here to put on here.

They will get the idea sooner or later of what they need to do, honest.

Edwink

Dizzy_Imp

Well, we are in the left hand side of a river, which is being used as the boundary for a high risk area. Literally the other side. I'm assuming the wild birds know there's a no-fly zone over my way?

Seriously, how can DEFRA use a river to divide areas? Makes no real sense. Surely the swans, ducks and geese use both sides of the riverbank. Not to mention all the smaller birds that come in from the surrounding farmland and my garden!

StarShapedPeg

Yes us to, we are between two rivers and only twenty yards down the road there are no restrictions. It's so arbitrary. I understand they have to draw a line somewhere but seems silly and nonsensical to declare one area as low to no risk and meters away high risk. Birds fly their own paths, not ours.

ali-t

Scotland seems to be ok, so they are recommending food and water out of the reach of wild birds (we did this anyway) and washing shoes/disinfectant dip to prevent any possible infection spreading. Happy to comply but might just have hen shoes that don't go anywhere else as having disinfectant out will end up with a trip to the vets for the dog who is likely to drink/swim/bathe in it.

Happygreen

Scotland will be free, lol. Defra has already separated us from rUK. I suppose at least the birds might be as there has only been one case just before Christmas. I've moved the hens into the eglu with run so they can scratch around in something else than duck muck and mud....

edwink

Had an idea today for this unused/unloved basket



Removed all of the sides to expose the metal framework & filled it with greens & cucumber for my girls. Now it is hanging in their coop.




I have a love/hate relationship with Photobucket but yay!! managed to get these on here. Tried to resize them but when I had done it for some reason I could not save it so gave up trying for today.

Edwink

rhosynbach

edwink wrote: »

Had an idea today for this unused/unloved basket



Removed all of the sides to expose the metal framework & filled it with greens & cucumber for my girls. Now it is hanging in their coop.




I have a love/hate relationship with Photobucket but yay!! managed to get these on here. Tried to resize them but when I had done it for some reason I could not save it so gave up trying for today.

Edwink

thats such a good idea had to comment as tomorrow i am going to do similar as my hens are very bored so thanks xx , being inside and now we know they will stay inside until end april :eek: need as much to beat the boredom as possible :eek:

edwink

Avian Flu confirmed at a farm near Redgrave in Suffolk.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/controls-for-avian-influenza-introduced-around-site-in-suffolk

My girls are thoroughly bored but I am doing my best to keep them amused. I filled their hanging basket with broccoli today instead of greens to give them a bit of variety. I also sieved the soil mix in the hens dust bath today and they thought that was quite amusing. They kept running under the sieve and picking bits up. They stopped dust bathing in there as the soil was clumping together because of the damp weather. As soon as I left the coop 3 of them jumped in to it so I was pleased about that.

I am more concerned about my ducks than the hens to be honest. Not much I can do to keep them amused. They have a big container in their run full of fresh water which is changed every day but only a couple of them will bother to have a splash about in it. I have to put the others in there and make them stay for a few minutes and keep covering them with the water. At least when I do that they have a good old preen so that keeps them occupied for a bit.

How is everyone else and their feathered friends?

Edwink