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Keeping hens and ducks chat.
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Not unethical at all!
They are paying for their keep, AND getting some good exercise in, to boot!
Not to mention keeping their claws fit for purpose!(I just lurve spiders!)
INFJ(Turbulent).
Her Greenliness Baroness Pyxis of the Alphabetty, Pinnacle of Peadom and Official Brainbox
Founder Member: 'WIMPS ANONYMOUS' and 'VICTIMS of the RANDOM HEDGEHOG'
I'm in a clique! It's a clique of one! It's a unique clique!
I love :eek:0 -
Talking of making hens work for their keep. Every year we open up our veg rows areas and set them to work getting all the weeding done for us. We need to dig a few of the moree persistent thicker weeds out but mostly all the weeding is done for us. We have done do this ever year. As soon as all the veg has finished in any certain row we fence it off by just moving the chicken wire fence along and open the access gate to it that particular row and the hens gets to work. We rotate our veg crops growing between 4 long rows and the only row left now that still has kale growing is getting nicely full of weeds for them to demolish once all the kale has been collected eaten. We just give the rows a light dig over every Spring and dig in some homemade composts and then we are ready to start sowing veg again (mmm!! not sure that makes sense actually) Then that's it, the gates are all shut and they are not allowed back in until the Autumn time. Good system we think and have done that for years years now. Gives them somewhere new to forage through the winter Autumn/Winter months. One bed becomes free for them, then another and so on.
Blimey this is getting harder do this post is. Not going to check this post over for mistakes I'm afraid as I normally do because I type very, very fast and mistakes do happen but almost regret starting this post to be honest because I was coming down our stairs a couple of hours ago and completely and utterly missed the bottom step or maybe two. I landed in a heap on my side on the kitchen floor narrowly missing the thick door frame with my head. I've jolted myself something chronic, I had a sore shoulder this week anyway but now its really, really sore, I have bruised arm, my thigh and calf, my ankle is sore and knee is throbbing. Nothing broken thankfully but I am hobbling and incredibly sore. So have taken strong painkillers which I take daily anyway and am now propped up in bed having a nice milky decaf coffee typing this. Neck is sore also as I already have a chronic problem with that and now hurts more than usual. Don't do stuff by halves me. Phew!! and OUCH!!
Really should have left typing this post for tomorrow maybe..
Getting rather grumpy now Edwink x*3.36 kWp solar panel system,10 x Ultima & 4 x Panasonic solar panels, Solaredge Inverter *Biomass boiler stove for cooking, hot water & heating *2000ltr Rainwater harvesting system for loo flushing *Hybrid Toyota Auris car *RIP Pingu, Hoppy, Ginger & Biscuit *Hens & Ducks* chat thread. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=52822090 -
Oh, poor Edwink! How annoying.
:(
Get some ice packs onto that ankle and knee, and elevate the leg. That'll help minimise any swelling and help reduce the pain.
It's such a coincidence, because 2 or 3 hours ago, I was coming down my stairs and I too missed the last step. Luckily, though, I didn't fall, just jarred my back a bit, and luckily it hasn't seemed to set off my painful leg again, which has only just become almost pain-free.
It must be the season for missing steps.
What a pair, eh?
Edit......you are entitled to be grumpy. Grump away as much as you like.(I just lurve spiders!)
INFJ(Turbulent).
Her Greenliness Baroness Pyxis of the Alphabetty, Pinnacle of Peadom and Official Brainbox
Founder Member: 'WIMPS ANONYMOUS' and 'VICTIMS of the RANDOM HEDGEHOG'
I'm in a clique! It's a clique of one! It's a unique clique!
I love :eek:0 -
Crikey edwink! Do we need to wrap you in bubble wrap?? You look after yourself ok??
You too Pyxis x
<Cheery backs out of the thread before she catches falling-down-stairs-itis>
:kisses3:0 -
Hi there, hadn't seen this forum , eye sight failing quickly!!
I have rescued ex batts ..hens, ducks and turkeys for nearly 10 years
We have just re=located 80 miles to be back home and the trip down with all the rescues not just ex batts was pretty awful, but no casualties thankfully.
I have a few names but there were so many I couldn't remember them all but now the flock has halved over the years some are more noticeable than others
We now have 13 brown khaki Campbells , 6 white, 2 turkeys and 8 hens .
They have had to downsize too but will be opening up more space for them when the weather improves a bit but they are still free ranging but with a barrier from the rest of my crew0 -
Get some ice packs onto that ankle and knee, and elevate the leg. That will help minimise any swelling and help reduce the pain.
It's such a coincidence, because 2 or 3 hours ago, I was coming down my stairs and I too missed the last step. Luckily, though, I didn't fall, just jarred my back a bit, and luckily it hasn't seemed to set off my painful leg again, which has only just become almost pain-free.
It must be the season for missing steps.What a pair, eh?
Edit......you are entitled to be grumpy. Grump away as much as you like.
Thank you Pyxis x
OMG... Not you as well? Hope you are ok! Yes did the ice pack thingy with bag of frozen peas and kept leg elevated last night. I ache like mad today so have just done the basic jobs like hobbling outside and getting the girls out for their breakfast and filling the kitchen stove up with logs. All water etc. for ducks hubby did last night and will re-do later. Mainly just jolted my whole body, with my shoulder, back and knee taking the brunt of the fall so pretty sore now.
How about you? Are you ok? hope you didn't injure yourself too much OUCH!!
Edwink
ETA... Tried to multi quote this morning which I often do but messed it up so there will be another 2 posts to follow this one. Sorry for hogging the whole page everyone.*3.36 kWp solar panel system,10 x Ultima & 4 x Panasonic solar panels, Solaredge Inverter *Biomass boiler stove for cooking, hot water & heating *2000ltr Rainwater harvesting system for loo flushing *Hybrid Toyota Auris car *RIP Pingu, Hoppy, Ginger & Biscuit *Hens & Ducks* chat thread. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=52822090 -
Cheery_Daff wrote: »Crikey edwink! Do we need to wrap you in bubble wrap?? You look after yourself ok??
You too Pyxis x
<Cheery backs out of the thread before she catches falling-down-stairs-itis>
:kisses3:
Had to have a giggle at the "falling-down-the stairs-itis". You be careful too as it could be catching.:o
Edwink*3.36 kWp solar panel system,10 x Ultima & 4 x Panasonic solar panels, Solaredge Inverter *Biomass boiler stove for cooking, hot water & heating *2000ltr Rainwater harvesting system for loo flushing *Hybrid Toyota Auris car *RIP Pingu, Hoppy, Ginger & Biscuit *Hens & Ducks* chat thread. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=52822090 -
babyblade41 wrote: »Hi there, hadn't seen this forum , eye sight failing quickly!!
I have rescued ex batts ..hens, ducks and turkeys for nearly 10 years
We have just re=located 80 miles to be back home and the trip down with all the rescues not just ex batts was pretty awful, but no casualties thankfully.
I have a few names but there were so many I couldn't remember them all but now the flock has halved over the years some are more noticeable than others
We now have 13 brown khaki Campbells , 6 white, 2 turkeys and 8 hens .
They have had to downsize too but will be opening up more space for them when the weather improves a bit but they are still free ranging but with a barrier from the rest of my crew
Welcome to our friendly feathered friends thread :wave:
Wow you certainly have quite a few to look after especially the ducks as they can be rather messy and need a constant supply of fresh water. We had a mix of 21 hens and 9 ducks at one time and there was always cleaning up to do somewhere. I miss not having so many to be honest though and didn't mind the cleaning up after them. Not surprised you can't remember all their names because to be honest when we had a similar amount we struggled to remember all their names too. Especially with the rescue hens because most do look very similar.
We had someone keeping Geese on here quite a while back but have never had Turkeys yet. Hopefully that will be interesting as I don't actually know a lot about them. Are they similar to keeping hens?. Do they need a lot of space?. I would imagine their food being the same except for the quantity eaten of course.
Glad you have posted, thank you.
Edwink*3.36 kWp solar panel system,10 x Ultima & 4 x Panasonic solar panels, Solaredge Inverter *Biomass boiler stove for cooking, hot water & heating *2000ltr Rainwater harvesting system for loo flushing *Hybrid Toyota Auris car *RIP Pingu, Hoppy, Ginger & Biscuit *Hens & Ducks* chat thread. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=52822090 -
When using hens as a weeding machine, do you have to look out for and remove any particular weeds that are poisonous to hens?(I just lurve spiders!)
INFJ(Turbulent).
Her Greenliness Baroness Pyxis of the Alphabetty, Pinnacle of Peadom and Official Brainbox
Founder Member: 'WIMPS ANONYMOUS' and 'VICTIMS of the RANDOM HEDGEHOG'
I'm in a clique! It's a clique of one! It's a unique clique!
I love :eek:0 -
When using hens as a weeding machine, do you have to look out for and remove any particular weeds that are poisonous to hens?
Hope you are feeling better from that awful cough Pyxis. Has it finally gone?. How about the Falling-down-stairs-itis? How is that now?. FDS-itis is still giving me a lot of pain. Knee swelling gone down thankfully, but shoulder so very sore plus lower back and neck really painful where it was obviously jolted. Still hobbling but thankfully hubby home today to see to the girls.
With regards to weeds there are some poisonous ones but in our experience here with Nightshade which is toxic to them, they just ignore it, thankfully. But, we do dig it out if we see any new shoots growing just in case. Also we get the odd Foxglove which pops up which are toxic to them and they ignore those as well. We don't grow rhubarb because their leaves are toxic to hens and I just wouldn't trust them not to eat it as they might think it is Spinach or chard. There are quite a few plants that are a no no for hens but as said in our experience they just ignore them.
Good question thanks
Edwink*3.36 kWp solar panel system,10 x Ultima & 4 x Panasonic solar panels, Solaredge Inverter *Biomass boiler stove for cooking, hot water & heating *2000ltr Rainwater harvesting system for loo flushing *Hybrid Toyota Auris car *RIP Pingu, Hoppy, Ginger & Biscuit *Hens & Ducks* chat thread. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=52822090
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