Keeping hens and ducks chat.

Pyxis

How many did you get, Cheery?

You'll have to let us know when you choose names, if you do!

Exciting stuff!





Regarding CAFCgirl's egg-eating problem...... I seem to remember a post Edwink mad about this earlier in the thread, but can''t find it.

Could it be a lack of something in the diet?

Cheery_Daff

We got four Pyxis, quite enough for me as a xonplete chicken novice who's never had any pets at all as an adult :rotfl:

Named them after witches in kids' books - Hermione, Luna, Mildred and Maud

So tired yesterday I went to bed really early, and am now up much earlier than usual - shall I let the ladies out, or will they then want to come out before 7am every day?!

Pyxis

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

We got four Pyxis, quite enough for me as a xonplete chicken novice who's never had any pets at all as an adult :rotfl:

Named them after witches in kids' books - Hermione, Luna, Mildred and Maud

So tired yesterday I went to bed really early, and am now up much earlier than usual - shall I let the ladies out, or will they then want to come out before 7am every day?!

I t is like kids, isn't it?

I love the names! Perhaps their drinking bowl will be like their cauldron?
If they start clucking in unison, they might be reciting incantations! Or maybe inhentations? :rotfl:


Talking of being under the spell of a hen, is that thing about keeping their beak on the ground when you draw a chalk line away from them, true?



Edit..... just googled that last thing......... saw this......

"It doesn't hypnotize them but paralyze them with fear. It's called Tonic Immobility, and is basically the hen playing dead so you'll leave her alone:"

A bit cruel, then, really.

Cheery_Daff

I've never heard of that, and don't think I'll be trying it! :eek:

Let them out about 7.30 in the end, they weren't making a noise or anythng before I went in, and came out quite reluctantly :rotfl: hopefully I have lazy hens who like a lie in Sat in there for half an hour and one of them was still in the house - peeked through the lid and she was sitting quite contentedly on the nest box...

jac99

Congratulations on the arrival of your hens Cheery Daff!

I had the same thoughts about making a rod for my own back if I let the chickens out early in the morning but they seem to be fine with coming out between 0700-0800. I also have one who seems to take a little longer to get going in the morning while the others rush out with good morning cluck.

Mine also just take themselves off to roost now about 1930 and I seem to get a little cluck goodnight as I lock them away - or maybe that is just me being a little fanciful...

I'm impressed that you have named them so quickly, we are still in discussion about the names for ours and can't seem to agree! so they are pretty much named after their colouring at the moment...

edwink

jac99 wrote: »

As I mentioned before I seem to have one hen who wants to be in charge! The last few days this seems to have gone to her head and she has been pecking at the others and pulling their feathers out. I can't see that she has broken the skin on anyone but she seems quite aggressive. Or am I just over-reacting? I bought some anti-peck spray yesterday so will persevere with that today.
On a more positive note we received our second egg yesterday although I still don't know who they are coming from!

You will always have one hen that wants to be in charge I'm afraid. She will do a bit of bullying just to show her dominance over the others until they recognise her as Top Hen. This always happens until the *pecking order* has been established. Sometimes it can look pretty nasty as some really do fight it out but it should settle pretty quickly. There is normally only the odd occasion when it doesn't and goes on for a while more unfortunately but normally will settle down after a while.

Just remember that hens will almost certainly peck anything that is RED or SHINY for that matter. If you have a sore on your hand that is red they will try to peck it so always make sure you have a plaster on any sores you might have. I know from experience it blooming hurts like mad when they peck at a sore. Also gold jewellery like rings will be pecked if they get half the chance. The spray I use when any of my girls has a sore or is being picked on and has a few blood spots on her body is *Poultry Septi-Clense* spray with Violet. It is an instant wound management spray for use on flesh wounds. Because it is Violet the other girls will not peck at it as it will dye their sore skin and surrounding area purple. I should imagine Jac that this is similar to the one you are currently using. Mine is by Nettex- Total poultry solutions and comes in a 200ml can. It is an excellent product in my opinion.

Edwink

edwink

Pyxis wrote: »

It's over for this year, but on the first Saturday of August every year, there are the World Championship Hen Racing competitions in Bonsall, Derbyshire.
http://www.barleymowbonsall.co.uk/world-championship-hen-racing/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qYs63X5W3I

Marginally more exciting to watch than slug racing!

I would be interested to know what hen-keepers think of this sort of thing? I'm assuming that there is no harm in it, given the emphasis on animal welfare these days, in public at least, but it would be good to get your views.

Mmmm!! I sort of normally sit on the fence with things like this as I know others enjoy it. But, saying that would I personally take my hens out somewhere for fun in a cat carrying box ? The answer is NO I definitely would not except to the vets. Actually if any of my girls need to be seen by our vet I carry them in a basket with an open top. You know the sort with just a wicker base and a large handle. I place a small blanket over their wings and body so they can't fly off when I get out of the car at the vets. I always make sure their neck and head is totally free of the blanket so I can talk to them and reassure them on the journey. We take our large ducks to the vets by this method too and often are surrounded by any children at the vets wanting to stroke them.

Edwink

edwink

Sorry for the rather slow responses from me at the moment everyone. I have a funeral to attend so doing my best at playing catch up on here.

Hope all ok with everyone.

Edwink

Cheery_Daff

Sorry to hear about the funeral edwink Hope it went as well as can be expected in the circumstances xx

Jac - there's only me who has any say in the naming of our hens so there was no disagreement Mr Cheery kept well out of it

I didn't check the nest box first thing as Luna was still sitting in it. However, I went back in about 11.15 and we had FOUR eggs! :j All four ladies laid this morning! Wasn't expecting that. Now planning a nice egg-related tea

Luna was out of the house but sat quietly behind it on the floor in the semi darkness when I went in at 11.15, and again about half an hour ago. Sprinkled some food in front of her, which she ate, and then came out and started pottering around a bit more. Seems a bit more shy than the rest, who seem to be establishing their pecking order like yours Jac - to my surprise Mildred (the smallest and most scruffy) seems to be the one doing the most pecking, and Hermione (the bravest one who is first to explore but who wouldn't let me lift her out of the box yesterday without pecking) is getting a bit pecked.

My sister gave me a hen ball thing to put food in which Maud has figured out how to use and is refusing to let anyone else have a go :rotfl:

Honestly, I'm meant to be back at work today after a fortnight off but I swear I've spent more time in with the chickens than at my desk... :rotfl:

Cheery_Daff

Morning chicken chums :hello:

I'm into my fourth day of chicken ownership and I LOVE it :j :j starting every day eating my breakfast in the stable with them and just watching them as they potter about. Just one egg so far today (and not in the actual nest box...) But Maud went back into the house after I gave it a bit of a spruce up and is still in there so hopeful for another one at least :j

Ladies are establishing their pecking order and I'm trying not to interfere although it's tempting - Mildred is going out of her way to find poor Hermione and chase her away from whatever she was quietly doing.

I actually managed to get them eating out of my hand yesterday Although now a couple of them seem to expect it and stand in front of me eyeing up my fingers when I'm drinking my tea... :rotfl: Not sure whether to encourage hand feeding or not, but I do want them to associate me with food and being cheerful so maybe for now...

Two of them found their own way into the hen house last night :j :j The other two were huddled in a corner on the floor together but I suppose it"s early days yet... And they're still in the stable, so I suppose it"s warm and inside anyway. Once they get into the outside run they might find the gen house more appealing and they'll be used to being in it overnight by then anyway.

We've been popping in to see them a few times a day so far, but we're out 9am til midnight today. Hope they don't get bored :eek: :rotfl: they've got shiny things hanging from the ceiling, plenty of food and water, a feeding ball thing to kick around, plenty of hay, sawdust and assorted other bits to scratch around in, and I've brought in a big pile of grass etc for them to sort through too.

Also brought them one of my home grown cucumbers which they seem extremely suspicious of :rotfl: :rotfl:

They're already showing their own little personalities Hermione is quiet and unassuming, often off in a corner on her own. Two of the others seem to find and chase her though which is a bit distressing. Mildred is a bossy boots. Luna I think will be second in the pecking order, getting pecked by Mildred but occasionally delivering a swift peck to Hermione for no reason. Maud does her own thing - not seen her pecking or being pecked at all yet.

Luna has discovered the pile of grass and is merrily scratching and chomping. She's also been pecking my knee as I'm sitting here, and yesterday I filmed them eating out of my hand and she was VERY interested in watching the video :rotfl:

Hermione seems to be making contented little noises despite her low ranking and has been just standing with both feet in the water bowl this morning.

Overall they seem happy and I am very happy Not sure about Mr Cheery - I disappear into the chicken house several times a day and he's been lumbered with building this enormous elaborate run for them to live in but I'm sure he'll come round :rotfl: Seems to be very fond of Hermione and is attempting to make himsepf above Mildred in the pecking order :rotfl:

Right, suppose I'd best go to work or something, can't stay in with the chickens all day (sadly)...