Keeping hens and ducks chat.

Horseygirl123

Thank you all for your replies and advice. Much appreciated.

Well today is the first day I haven't felt my skin crawling so something must be going right. I gave all the coops another good clean today. Weather was lovely so I dismantled as much as I could and left it in the sun to dry. There was no red mite to be seen so fingers crossed.

Queen of Cheap - good idea about the duct tape. I cleaned the ark inside and then got Mr HG to tip it on its side (it's a pig ark type thing) and underneath were loads of red mite so they must have thought they were pretty safe there and crawled through the floorboards at night. After a blast with Jeyes Fluid, Poultry Shield and Total Mite kill underneath and in the soil as well (can't be too careful:)) I think if I duct tape all the gaps in the floorboards they won't be able to get in.

Edwink - I'm hoping I won't have to burn it. I was given a coop when I first thought about keeping hens. It was falling to bits though and filthy. It also had a felt roof. I felt it was beyond saving and burned it. I shudder to think now of the nasties it might have been harbouring.

Better Days - Your other half sounds very helpful. Mine runs a mile when he sees me with my array of potions, sprays and dust:) Interesting about the garlic - I'll have to try some. It must have been absolutely awful having red mite in the house:eek: We had a stray cat bring in fleas once, I was itching for weeks. Horrid.

ali-t

What is the pecking order with your hens?


Until last month we had 4 hens who all lived together in harmony without any apparent pecking order and no bullying or deferring to others. Then.... we bought another 6 hens and chaos kicked in. They were kept apart but could see each other through the chicken wire and the new ones were stretching their heads through to peck the new ones. After a very phased entry they are all now in together with a very clear pecking order.


The 4 original ISA warrens have split themselves over both coops so they get the food and water first thing in both runs every day and they still try to peck the others if they step out of line.


The 2 littlies (hylines that are younger and smaller than the others) always travel together going for the strength in numbers approach. They tend to be left alone and not bullied much.


The bluebell is the largest of the flock but very highly strung and shrieks and flaps if anyone goes near her. She will occasionally try to chase the littlies to assert her authority but they aren't phased by her.


The 2 black tails are quite flighty too and are always running and jumping. They are like stereotypical headless chickens! They neither bully nor are bullied and also tend to travel as a pair.


The final hen is our very noisy blackrock who we thought was going to be queen of the jungle but has turned out to be the lowest in the order. She is bullied and pecked by the original 4 who don't let her look out the gate if there is someone there, don't let her eat if they want to eat etc. I feel really sorry for her but she seems to bring a lot of it on herself by making so much noise and diving into food when it is there.


What about the rest of you - what is the rank in your flock?

edwink

ali-t wrote: »

What is the pecking order with your hens? What about the rest of you - what is the rank in your flock?

Our girls had a pecking order until our Bluebell died. She was a big hen and all of the others took notice of her. Before that it was Matilda a Light Sussex. Now she really did rule them. Now there really is not a pecking order with them. They have so much space they do their own thing. One of our ex batts is a bit bossy but has never become the boss of all of them. At the moment we have harmony in the camp!!! YAY!!!!!! We are going to get some more ex batts then all hell will let loose again.


We love getting the ex batts because it is so nice to see them transform from scruffy tiny things in to fully feathered happy hens. Absolutely the best feeling when they find their new feet and have a new happy life with us. Shame that they do not always last for very long after rescue. But, for some that have little time with us they have plenty of food, treats, fresh water, warmth, somewhere cosy to sleep, somewhere to wash behind their little ears and most of all lots of love!!! Don't think I have forgotten anything!!!!


Hope everyone else's are being good. Ours are sun bathing now as the weather here is good.



Edwink x

Dizzy_Ditzy

I don't think we really have a pecking order as such. We used to... My lovely ginger Gloria (aka glo-bug ) was evidently at the bottom of it, so when giving treats I used to pay her more attention to make sure she got done. But I may have made a rod for my own back there because she still thinks I'm going to do it :rotfl:

I always thought top bird was either Mabel my light Sussex or Vera, my bovan. But then, at night, Elsie my bluebell would throw me a curve ball and she would be the "bedtime boss". :rotfl: being first to check in the house, start herding them all in and checking around when they're all in to check for predators. It was ever so funny to watch :rotfl:

I think if push came to shove, it would be Mabel. She's the gentle giant who is always watching

Dizzy_Ditzy

Has anyone made a hotbed with all the manure?

ali-t

queen_of_cheap wrote: »

Has anyone made a hotbed with all the manure?

What is that? I was originally going to keep it all for fertiliser but it seemed like a long process and a long time to keep a garage filled with !!!!! so we have tried burning it (we use easichick bedding) which was quite slow and I am now bagging it up and putting it out with the bins but any suggestions for getting rid are welcome.

Dizzy_Ditzy

ali-t wrote: »

What is that? I was originally going to keep it all for fertiliser but it seemed like a long process and a long time to keep a garage filled with !!!!! so we have tried burning it (we use easichick bedding) which was quite slow and I am now bagging it up and putting it out with the bins but any suggestions for getting rid are welcome.

All mine goes in the compost bin - I use wood shavings for bedding.

A hotbed is a kind of eco outdoor heated propagator. You dig a trench and fill it with well rotted manure to about 5-6 inches then backfill it with soil and normal compost. Put a cold frame or similar over the top of it and sow your stuff - gives you a bit of a head start ahead of the spring.

You just need a compost bin to keep it all in ahead of time really.

ali-t

Ah, I see. No I don't do anything with it. We don't have any plants in the garden. between chooks and dogs all plants have pretty much died. Its very easy maintenance!

Dizzy_Ditzy

There are people out there who'd bite your hands off for it! Maybe put a note on freecycle or something offering it out?

ali-t

Have any of you bought or made a swing for your chickens? My partner is going to make one after I saw the eglu one and we looked at some footage of chickens using them. He previously made them an activity gym type thing which was a frame with cds hanging from it after we saw that in a hen keeping magazine. It apparently curbs boredom but ours wouldn't play with it or climb on it yet they loving jumping on the logs we have in their area.


https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/the_chicken_swing