Keeping hens and ducks chat.

smallholding_antics

Hi all


I'm back after the Easter break.


So sorry to hear of your loss Edwink. Very sad.


We actually pick our rescues up tomorrow lunch time and then we can spend the afternoon and evening with them. I have the layers mash which is what we were told to use initially as that's what they have been on, VermX and treats at the ready. We have a separate place for them away from the other hens until they are happy and comfortable. We're supposed to collect 12 but who knows how many we will end up taking.


Our other hens are doing very well and laying nicely. Those that are laying are pretty much at 100% production which is great. We're starting to think about selling the eggs on as we're getting more than we need (which was always the plan).


Also in exciting news, we're due the next set of chicks to hatch from Sunday afternoon. The first lot that we hatched are now coming to 6 weeks old and will be heading outside once the temperature allows and we've aclimatised them. Here in the NE England, the weather is due to stay warmer over night now, looking at the extended forecast so hopefully they will be out overnight shortly too. Couple of weeks maybe.


We need a new coop for them first though.


Finally we have around 13 goose eggs now!!! I am not sure what we will do if they all hatch!!!

smallholding_antics

Oooh also, could you please share your recipe for porridge/weetabix? Milk, water etc? Thank you.

ali-t

I make it with water. The porridge oats go quite milky the longer they are left in the water. Ours like Weetabix and oats in water and I sometimes add chopped up veg to it to add a bit of interest.

smallholding_antics

Thank you. Do you "cook" it?

edwink

With the question regarding porridge we give it to our girls either cooked or dry. For the wet version we just put dry porridge in a bowl and add boiling water and leave it to soak for a while before giving it to them. We have a stoned area in our garden so sometime we throw the odd handful of dry porridge on to the stones which makes the girls forage for the little bits not to mention it helps keep the girls nails down a bit. Remember everyone NO porridge for hens in the warmer months as it makes them overheat and could seriously harm them.

Hubby is out at the moment cutting his mums lawn for her. The girls are going to love him when he gets back cos he brings the grass cuttings back for them. They love them. We have a lawn of our own but the girls ate it all down to the ground over the winter months so we have just had to reseed it ready for them to enjoy next winter when we let them down in to our garden and patio area.

Edwink x

smallholding_antics

No worries Edwink, mentally noted with many thanks. It's frosty on an off here.
We give ours cooked pasta too (plain) which they love. Cold.


Interesting re fresh cuttings, something I have avoided as it's bad for the horses (no logic I know).

Happygreen

edwink wrote: »

They said that most live 18 months to 2 years after rescue. My longest living rescue hen was with us for 2 and a half years so she died at 4 and a half bless her.


Edwink x

Edwink, that's a horrific lifespan! I got my hens from a hobby breeder at pol or older which must have now been 6 years ago! 2 are still alive and kicking...I'm not so sure I now want to go through this when I get new girls but it's not a decision I have to make this minute (breeder pols or rescue girls)....

smallholding_antics

Well our rescue girls are now safe and sound in their new home. We have 12 of them and yesterday we got 11 eggs!! Bless them. Around 4 were no good though as softies but hopefully they will harden up. I have a tonic for them and they are being wormed as we speak.
We also bought 4 ducks and a cockrel so we're well and truly getting up to speed with this smallholding adventure. I can't wait to get home tonight to see if the duck's have laid.
The geese are laying on 14 eggs!!!! Day 4 of her laying on the nest today !


PS our hen pets that came with us are around 8 years old

edwink

Happygreen wrote: »

Edwink, that's a horrific lifespan! I got my hens from a hobby breeder at pol or older which must have now been 6 years ago! 2 are still alive and kicking...I'm not so sure I now want to go through this when I get new girls but it's not a decision I have to make this minute (breeder pols or rescue girls)....

Hi Happygreen

It certainly is a horrific lifespan for them that's why they desperately need kind and loving homes so they can enjoy a well earned retirement. Most of the ex batts are slaughtered for dog food if they are not rehomed. So each and every ex batt hens needs people like us to rehome them and give them the best we are able to give them. Early loss is quite high for them so some like myself have a mixture of both purchased pol and ex batts.

In my experience I have found the ex batts to be more loving and they get attached to us very quickly and also become really very tame with us. It is almost to say "thank you mummy for bringing us to our new home we are now happy and love you so much for it". Whereas the purchased hens for some reason are more "thanks mum". Does that make any sense?

For others on the thread that have a mix of ex batts and purchased hens how have you found them to be towards you? Have you noticed any difference in the way they relate to you in any way? Just interested.

Have a good day all and thank you all for posting on our poultry friendly thread.:j

Edwink x

Better_Days

I've got 5 ex batts and two others (an Araucana and an Araucana x Silkie). The Silkie cockerel had to go back - too noisy unfortunately. He then went to my friend, who also found him too noisy, so he's gone back to his original owner, whose happy to have him back, with a couple of his girls.

The ex-batts are definitely friendlier, although initially they were very nervous. But it doesn't take long for them to settle in.

They always come running over when we go into the garden and follow us around to make sure they don't miss out on anything. They have massive personalities and are endlessly entertaining.

I love the way that when you throw treats such as leaves down in the run they pinch the treats out of each other's beaks. Someone else's is always tastier. I love the outraged clucking if something doesn't go their way or if a particularly tasty treat gets stolen. Although their life span tends to be shorter, they do lay very well for virtually all of the year and I wouldn't be without my ex batt girls.:cool: