Keeping hens and ducks chat.

Better_Days

Thank you for your kind words edwink. Until they are gone you don't realise how many interactions there are every day, and how often you check where they are and if they are OK. It's those little day to day things I notice most, like not having a dog to share my brunch toast and poached egg. As you know when you lost your doggy friend it is such a big adjustment.

Tummy is improved today, unlike the bloomin' weather! Poor hens got soaked yesterday, although they spent much of the time sheltering under the tarp my husband has rigged up for them. My kind neighbour bought them round some chard again which they love.

skipton

Thank you all for your kind words.
I really miss my little sweetie when I go up into their pen so I'm sure you'll be missing your dog far more Better Days. Glad to hear your feeling a little better too.

I think my hens are turning into ducks!! They were paddling yesterday while out which made me smile as they all came out with nice clean anles and feet.

Horseygirl123

Sorry to hear about your hen Skipton. They are all such characters and we miss them so much. My absolute favourite is my speckledy. My brute of a horse trod on her and I was convinced he'd crushed her foot. The vet said it was very likely she had a broken toe and he made a splint for it. She had lots of care and attention for a week while on 'box rest' and now she's very attached to me:)

It hasnt stopped raining here either and I almost feel sorry for the newbies, having been sent out into the world of mud and rain but they seem happy enough.

Edwink - I still haven't seen the mallard. The drake was here again but I haven't been able to follow him. Fingers crossed she turns up.

I had 10 eggs today from 15 hens. My neighbour is always pleased to have some and it's a good excuse to pop in to see her. She is 70 and lost her husband a year ago. Her family bought her a labradoodle puppy for her 70th birthday (with her approval of course) and I just love a puppy - who doesnt:)

Better_Days

For the first time ever I had 7/7 eggs. :j:j
Well done girls. I gave a dozen to my neighbour to sell on her charity trolley on her drive. She texted me later to tell me that one box had sold but someone had pinched the other one :mad::mad::mad:

A couple of weeks ago someone pinched 6 dahlia's that she was selling. She has been selling plants for years for charities, must have sent thousands off, but now she has said she has had enough of people stealing plants and now eggs and isn't going to do it next year.

Such a shame. How can people steal from charities? We live in a small rural village, and I'm sure its not locals, but people driving through. My neighbour was talking to someone in a nearby village who is having a similar problem.

On the plus side most weeks atm three or four boxes of eggs a week are sold for charity. Well done hennys. :D:D

These are the labels on the boxes that I had printed up

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Horseygirl123

What lovely labels - I must get round to having some printed.

Nothing surprises me about people sadly. It's pot luck whether my hanging baskets get pinched and I've even had shrubs pinched out the front garden.

It's a shame your neighbour has given up. I'd love to have cctv and then shame the culprits on YouTube.

edwink

Better_Days wrote: »

These are the labels on the boxes that I had printed up

Save

It is so lovely I thought I would quote the box and label again so everyone could take another look at it. Wow!! Love the label on your boxes, they are soooooo pretty. Well done on those. Think I should do ours now. How did you make those if you don't mind me asking? I think they are great.

Hope everyone is ok. Bet you are mostly like me and sitting there wishing the rain would go away!

Edwink x

Horseygirl123

We've had no rain today thank goodness. It hasn't stopped for a week so it is nice to have a dry day. We almost saw a glimmer of sunshine this afternoon but I think I must have been imagining things. Its just so grey.

I'm afraid I've beaten your record Edwink. I now have 29 chickens:eek: I went to collect the six I'd reserved and was warned that they had had some last minute cancellations and I might be asked if I wanted some more so I ended up having 12. My husband almost laid an egg when I asked him to put the back of the car down to accommodate more boxes.

They are ex-caged hens and are in much worse condition than the others. I've put them in a quiet stable overnight and I'll make my mind up how I'm going to re-arrange the separation quarters tomorrow.

edwink

Horseygirl123 wrote: »

I'm afraid I've beaten your record Edwink. I now have 29 chickens:eek: I went to collect the six I'd reserved and was warned that they had had some last minute cancellations and I might be asked if I wanted some more so I ended up having 12. My husband almost laid an egg when I asked him to put the back of the car down to accommodate more boxes.

Excellent and very well done to you. My husband can not stop laughing about your husband almost laying an egg and has just said you sound just like me :rotfl: . Two of me OMG.

It is so addictive isn't it. :j Yay!! and why not.:cool:

Edwink x

Better_Days

edwink wrote: »

It is so lovely I thought I would quote the box and label again so everyone could take another look at it. Wow!! Love the label on your boxes, they are soooooo pretty. Well done on those. Think I should do ours now. How did you make those if you don't mind me asking? I think they are great.

Hope everyone is ok. Bet you are mostly like me and sitting there wishing the rain would go away!

Edwink x

Edwink, I bought the labels from ebay. I just checked and the seller that sold mine isn't registered anymore. But if you search for personalised chicken labels you will see what is available. I bought the small ones along with the green egg boxes. I do find ebay a bit of a rabbit hole though, and before I know it I am searching for all sorts of things.

Very dull here yesterday, but some hazy sunshine here atm which is welcome. My husband is back from his cycling holiday today, so the house wont be so quiet as it has been for the past week although the cats, hens and I have all had some good conversations. My neighbour bought the hens round some grapes as compensation as the chard had finished. They didn't complain!!

Horseygirl123 the ex-caged hens seem to vary a great deal as to the condition they are in. Some are in a very sorry state. My kindly neighbour was nearly in tears when she saw the ones we re-homed in January. It's a bit of a shock for people who haven't seen them before. They can be nearly bald and frankly terrified. Doris squawked dreadfully as if she was being murdered whenever we went near her, but 6 months on she is a happy, placid hen that we hardly hear anything from. Amazing how much difference the right environment and husbandry makes. And the change comes very quickly, I think when they realise the bad days are over.

Dizzy_Ditzy

Hi everyone :hello:

Sorry for my prolonged absence - I went on holiday, it was mad busy before my holiday and I've been catching up with life ever since and I've been back 3 weeks!

My girls are all doing well - Mrs Broody did her broody thing while we were away but thankfully my parents who were looking after them were prepared and knew what needed to be done

We had a 97g egg last week! It was a double yoker too :j

The girls had some little people visitors over the weekend. The kids started off being really scared and within half an hour were letting the hens eat out of their hands and smoothing my smoothiest girl :j

Shame said hen decided she was going to wee on me when I was holding her :eek: :rotfl: :eek: all over a new white top too :mad: