Keeping hens and ducks chat.

edwink

stepuptothepl8 wrote: »

Our chicken run is half covered with corrugated plastic Edwink so that even if it's pelting down they have somewhere dry, if they're shut in.

Hi stepuptotheplate

Nice to see you on our hen friendly thread again. You are so right that the ex batts are so friendly and full of character. Always my favourite hens to have around if I am honest. Just a shame that their little lives are short But, as friends say to me it may be short for them but look at the lovely retirement you have given them. So now I always try and think of that whenever we loose one.

The corrugated plastic is exactly what we are going to use as hubby thinks it should be fairly easy to fit. He says it is the guttering that will be a bit of a challenge he thinks. Just have to wait and see how it goes once he gets started on the project and that won't be for a while yet because of his arm injury.

Hope everyone else is ok.

Edwink

SisterAnna

Hello

I don't usually post on the mse forum much as I just read really. But, just wanted to say what a lovely thread this is. Been following it for a while now and love the little stories of your hens and ducks that some of you post. Oh and the pics too especially the recent one of those cute little ducks.

Can not have hens myself because of where I live but would love to have some one day.

edwink

SisterAnna wrote: »

Hello

I don't usually post on the mse forum much as I just read really. But, just wanted to say what a lovely thread this is. Been following it for a while now and love the little stories of your hens and ducks that some of you post. Oh and the pics too especially the recent one of those cute little ducks.

Can not have hens myself because of where I live but would love to have some one day.

That's very kind of you to say Sisteranna. Maybe if you keep reading you will gain experience for when you can get some yourself. The main thing is shelter, enough food and somewhere for them to have a dust bath and that's what keeps them happy and in return they reward you with eggs that have yolks as orange as the sun.

If you ever have any questions you might like to ask just fire away with them as there will always be someone on here who will be able to help you.

I think the little duck photo that you liked was posted by Suki if it is the one you are talking about. That is one of my favourites on here.

Thanks for posting.

Edwink

edwink

Lost another rescue girl this morning. She had been quiet for a few days as per normal. I started to sit her on my lap every day for a while when I noticed she was slowing down. She didn't struggle when I picked her up she just snuggled down and closed her eyes whilst I sat there stroking her. If I stopped she would open her eyes and look up at me, bless her. She died sitting on my lap . I obviously picked her up at the right time this morning so at least I know she was comfortable when she went in her sleep.

Now down to 13 (12 ex batts plus a 6 year old)

Edwink

ali-t

Sorry to hear this edwink. We lost another one this morning too. No idea why as she seemed fine so another sad day. This was another one of the girls we bought at the poultry sale and I'm starting to think some sellers are just trying to get rid of their sick birds. Grrr.

edwink

ali-t wrote: »

Sorry to hear this edwink. We lost another one this morning too. No idea why as she seemed fine so another sad day. This was another one of the girls we bought at the poultry sale and I'm starting to think some sellers are just trying to get rid of their sick birds. Grrr.

Aww that is so sad Ali-t . Another of your new ones too!

edwink

StarShapedPeg wrote: »

We grow mainly fruit and salad and tomatoes, my experimental peppers this year are just food for the slugs. We have an apple, cherry and peach tree. We have blueberries and strawberries, raspberries and blackberries which were lovely this year. All very easy. I'm going to plant a plum this year I think as I have some room removing a very old and overgrown bamboo.
Any suggestions for which variety would be gratefully received. My grandparents used to grow plums and we loved climbing the tallest trees and eating them as they ripened. No earthly idea what they where though and my grandfather can't remember

Sorry StarShapedPeg I totally forgot to reply to post about what variety of plum to suggest for you to plant. You may have already purchased one by now but if you haven't I would suggest a Victoria plum. We purchased a dwarf root stock plum and the 2nd year we got 14lb of plums from it. This year hasn't been good at all though . So we wont be making any Plum jam this year . My neighbour has a Victoria and a Stanley plum he ,said he would go for a Victoria plum every time. This year both of his plum trees haven't given him much fruit at all. . We have managed to go out foraging and know where we can get as many Damsons as we like so it will be damson jam on our porridge this winter:).

Glad we have another grower on our thread. Nice for our hens too eh?

Edwink

CAFCGirl

My chooks have gone on strike!

edwink

CAFCGirl wrote: »

My chooks have gone on strike!

OH NO!! Are they moulting? or are they just enjoying themselves and forgetting to reward you for their food, love and looking after them?.

To be honest ours are almost on strike but saying that mine are getting on a bit for rescue girls plus one 6 year old purchased one. Out of the 13 hens we get rewarded with 3 or 4 eggs a day and if they are not eaten we are lucky at the moment. They do say that if a hen eats the eggs she stops laying herself.:eek:

How many eggs compared to the amount of hens are other posters getting? Normal amount of eggs for this time of year or a big drop? Would be interesting to see what is happening with your hens compared to CAFCGirl and mine.

Edwink

ali-t

massive drop for the numbers but we don't know how old some of ours are so some might be too young and some might be too old. 15 hens and usually 3 eggs but yesterday only 1! Lots of feathers lying around the runs in the enclosure so quite a bit of moulting going on.