Keeping hens and ducks chat.

SisterAnna

sammyjammy said:

Lovely pics Edwink, her neck looks like a Tudor Frill!  She is looking very healthy x

I agree with sammyjammy she looks so healthy edwink and her neck collar looks wonderful. She looks very comfortable bedded down in that shrub. 

starnac

Morning all. My girls gave me a scare this morning. We have an automatic door opener to their coop so normally before I even step out of my back door they all come running to see me. 

This morning, nothing! Not one hen. In fact I couldn't even see any of them. Obviously thinking the worst, because of how the weather was yesterday, I ran over to their run (in my very fetching attire of pyjamas, raincoat and wellies) and they were nowhere to be seen. Panicking, I lifted up the lid of one of the nesting boxes to peek inside and they were all standing near the door, waiting for it to open! 

Breathing a sigh of relief, I walked around to the door and used the manual override to open it. There was a branch from a nearby bush overhanging in front of the sensor that blocked any light from getting in and triggering the opening mechanism! 

It has now been cut back so that it doesn't happen again! What a morning!

Cheery_Daff

Oh, what a worry for you starnac!! And your poor girls, waiting for their breakfast. I always worried about automatic openers for this reason (not that one would have been possible with our botched homemade coop anyway). Glad it's all sorted, and hope they got extra treats, and you got an extra cup of tea!!

starnac

DH bought the automatic door after I complained a few times in the summer about having to stay up late to wait for them to take themselves to bed in the long evenings. After he installed it I still stayed up to check that everyone was in bed and hadn't been locked out, which was my primary concern. It's all worked well til this morning. I have chopped down the offending branch and some others that may think of doing the same thing! So hopefully it won't happen again!

Cheery_Daff

😂 Ours were always an early to bed lot - our run faces east, so gets the morning sun but goes dingy about 7 even in the height of summer. Not by design, just happy coincidence. They were always in bed by 8! 😂 Or else yes, I may have considered the same thing! Definitely considered it in relation to not having to get up so early 🙄 Although with no chickens i didn't actually get out of bed until 9.30am today so it's probably a good thing i didn't have one 🙄

edwink

Glad everything is ok now, Starnac.  

We've not got an automatic door opener but there have been times when we were a little later than unusual so I've been known to dash out there with Jim jams on, a dressing gown, and welly boots so I know how you must have felt. Can't run very fast in that setup uphill here anyway.

No harm done to your hens thankfully, bless them. I agree with Cheery, extra treats 🤣🤣🤣

Edwink x

sammyjammy

Just been catching up, Starnac, love the thought of the girls sitting by the closed door ready to go, like old ladies at the bus stop  and Edwink you had me worried there for a bit, would be awful for you to lose your last hen so quickly, hope she stays healthy and happy xxx

edwink

sammyjammy said:

Just been catching up, Starnac, love the thought of the girls sitting by the closed door ready to go, like old ladies at the bus stop  and Edwink you had me worried there for a bit, would be awful for you to lose your last hen so quickly, hope she stays healthy and happy xxx

I was worried too Sammyjammy because she had been doing so well then all of a sudden she wasn't herself. She is very healthy and is a good weight for her age which I always feel is reassuring for an older hen. Often they start to not eat their usual amount of food and their weight starts to drop but thankfully we know her weight is good as I do pick her up for cuddles from time to time. That way we can keep an eye on her weight. I always think it is good if a hen has a little extra weight as long as they are not fat as that would be unhealthy for them.

She has been out the front with us again today and has gone back to the run tired and this is how she shows her age but besides that, she is all good, thankfully. I Have just chopped up some blueberries for her which she has gobbled up. She doesn't drink much we have noticed so fruit with a high water content seems to do the trick with her. 

I'll keep the thread updated when I can.

Edwink x

edwink

A very sleepless night here as Mr. Edwink has heard and seen a young fox outside. Mr. Edwink heard a clambering noise over one of the fences 2 evenings ago. He went outside but couldn't see anything although he had a good walk about. In the morning he saw the fox around our wheelie bins although we don't put out a food waste bin so there is no food waste there. We know Biscuit is safe in her coop and run but we like to let her out every day but having seen the young fox outside the front in the morning is very worrying especially if it was that fox that jumped one of our fences.

I've not slept a wink tonight as am constantly listening out for any unusual noises. As most of you know I am hard of hearing as I have Menieries Disease which has caused hearing loss. So really it is pretty useless for me to try to listen out for that fox but Mr. Edwink is fast asleep and I want to keep Biscuit safe obviously. She is safe in her coop at night I keep telling myself but I still can't sleep worrying about her. Oh, dear!!  I just don't want it prowling about around her coop and frightening her as she is on her own. 

Poor Biscuit, I can't help worrying about her. I know Mr. Edwink will think I'm being silly because the coop and run are safe but although everything is cemented in around all the sides of the run you can't cement the entrance door and this is what worries me. It has 2 locks, one at the bottom and one halfway up the door, plus the door is covered in chicken wire so maybe I am being silly. But, all that security still doesn't help when she is outside the run and enjoying herself foraging. We are going to have to keep her in the run for the time being I guess for her safety unless we are outside with her 😢😢😢

Edwink x

Cheery_Daff

Aw edwink,  I don't blame you,  I'd be worrying too. At least you have a good solid run so you know she's safe in there,  and she can potter about while you're with her xx