Keeping hens and ducks chat.

Better_Days

Reviews of hens on Omlet - starting off with the ex batts https://www.omlet.co.uk/breeds/chickens/ex-battery_hen/reviews?page=1

edwink

Better_Days wrote: »

Reviews of hens on Omlet - starting off with the ex batts https://www.omlet.co.uk/breeds/chickens/ex-battery_hen/reviews?page=1

Awww Better Days that is very kind of you to post that link. I have had a read through some of the reviews. Some lovely stories on there and a real thumbs up for ex batts :j

Thank you for posting that.:T

Edwink x

Happygreen

Thanks, folks. I am a bit concerned about having a cockerel, how do ex-batts take to that? When we got that poor single girl she was shocked to the core and never took to him having grown up without boys - although he tried his best....I don't want them to die of fear straight away!

smallholding_antics

Our rescue girls are very much out of their shells so to speak they are eating from the kids' hands and not as scared of everything any more. We're only on day 3 too!


I've only been feeding them mash which is what they were on but I am thinking I may feed them something else treat wise soon, maybe pasta or a bit of bread tomorrow. They did warn me no pelletts initially as they aren't used to them, so I will do a small treat in addition to the mash of course.


The ducks didn't lay yesterday but that was day 1 and to be fair, the girl we bought them from didn't know if they were laying or not as hers all free ranged and she just gathered the eggs up. So time will tell. Super excited to see if we get 1 or 2 though.


We haven't put our rescues in with the cockrel as they will just be layers for us.


We only had 6 from 20 on last incubator or eggs so I have been back in touch with the company we bought them off as that is a dreadful amount so maybe there's something wrong their end and they need to know. I await their response eagerly.


Happy days everyone

edwink

Happygreen wrote: »

Thanks, folks. I am a bit concerned about having a cockerel, how do ex-batts take to that? When we got that poor single girl she was shocked to the core and never took to him having grown up without boys - although he tried his best....I don't want them to die of fear straight away!

Hi Happygreen

We have a big Cockerel and I mean big and we introduced him to our rescue girls when he was a little rescued boy. And boy did they give him hell every time they saw him in the garden. He was running for his life all over the place poor little man he was. But, after a while he showed them who was boss so they stopped chasing him. Later we introduced new rescue girls to him and he was really good with them and did not chase them initially. Now it is a different story poor little man has 25 to look after. When I feed him by hand more often than not he drops the treat so one of his girls picks it up it is so sweet to watch. If they are not about when I give him a treat he eats it himself.

Seriously I would not worry too much at all. Cockerels can be a bit rough at times but I am sure they don't do it on purpose.

Hope that is some help Happygreen.

Edwink x

smallholding_antics

How lovely x

skipton

smallholding_antics wrote: »

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

Porridge for 8 hens - I measure a third of a cup of oats then 2 x 1 third cups of milk and 1 third of water. Cook in microwave for 5 mins. let it stand to cool. Sometimes it's very thick so mix in some cold water if it's runny then stand well back when you give it to the hens as mine flick it around and everybody gets some.:rotfl:

I also give them dry oats as a bribe. I sprinkle a few in their respective runs at bed time then i know they are in the right houses otherwise left to themselves they would all pile into one house.

dingdongsaving

Hello everyone!
I've just sat and read pages and pages of your lovely adventures.
I'm just considering getting 3 or so lovely chooks to enjoy as additions to the family.
We live out in the woods and have friends right, left and cent. with chickens, ducks, geese, horses, donkeys, cows...and the list goes on! and we'll be using their expertise as we start our own adventure. I think in realist, we'll get everything ready for the end of May/1st week of June for half term so I can give extra attention for the first 9 days when the little ladies settle in.
I won't post until I have my girls, but I'll be reading your posts with interest!

Thank you!

Better_Days

Welcome dingdongsaving

Have you had any thoughts on which breeds you would like? I'm a massive fan of ex-batts and they are good if you are starting out as they are usually very friendly when they settle in. The link I posted above from the Omlet forum is handy for reviews of the different breeds.

I've also rehomed an Araucana and an Araucana cross. They are much more flightly than the ex batts, but the pure breed does lay lovely blue eggs. Have fancied having a 'rainbow flock' where the hens lay different coloured eggs. Not the space atm but can dream.

I bought a Keter storage thingy last year to use to hang their food feeders in and their drinker sits on a slab on the bottom. Not very MSE but very convenient and means it can be easily shut up at night and keeps the mice out! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Keter-Store-it-Out-Midi/dp/B007Z0LBCY/ref=sr_1_8?s=outdoors&ie=UTF8&qid=1460095488&sr=1-8&keywords=keter+shed

I'll post up a photo later.

We have a wooden coop and we use horse bedding (which smells lovely) over newspaper for the bottom. And use DE monthly to keep the pesky red mites under control.

dingdongsaving

Awww, thank you!

I've not really thought about breeds. One of our close neighbours has a wonderful mix and we currently get our eggs from her. She does boxes of 6 for £1 and they are all different colours and sizes...some white, peach, speckled, blue, some enormous and always double or triple yolkers...really beautiful. I think I'd like ex-batts though, and was thinking it more and more as I read through this thread last night.