Keeping hens and ducks chat.

Dizzy_Ditzy

We completely replaced the roof yesterday. We checked on them late last night and there were one or two which were swiftly dealt with.

This morning there were no signs

But one of my girls seems to be "a bit" broody... The one I thought was going broody at the start of the week. She sits in the nest box as per but as soon as I open the lid, she's out and she stays out. She's not laying either.

She is the most difficult to get anywhere near so it's almost impossible to pick her up and check her over. She's eating, drinking and digging well so there are no concerns there but I'm a bit worried about he nest box habits

edwink

queen_of_cheap wrote: »

But one of my girls seems to be "a bit" broody... The one I thought was going broody at the start of the week. She sits in the nest box as per but as soon as I open the lid, she's out and she stays out. She's not laying either.

She is the most difficult to get anywhere near so it's almost impossible to pick her up and check her over. She's eating, drinking and digging well so there are no concerns there but I'm a bit worried about he nest box habits

Hi Queen of Cheap

I would not be overly concerned about her. She will stop staying in there after a while. My Speckled hen has been broody over the past 4 weeks but yesterday she started coming out with the others again. Hoorah!!! She does this every year without fail. I just have to make sure that she is eating well as she always looses weight when she is broody.

When hens go broody they normally stop laying for the time they are broody. She will start laying again though!!

With regards to the Red Mites just make sure none of your girls are excessively scratching themselves. We had to dust some of our girls when we had the mite problem because they were scratching. In fact if I remember correctly I think we dusted them all just as a precaution. We used the Johnson and Johnson Red Mite powder on them!! Just a quick puff of dust behind their necks and on their backs did the trick.

Our poor girls and boys got soaked today. They have 2 outdoor shelters for when it is raining but only go in them occasionally. Silly furry things they are!!!

Hope everyone has a good weekend. Weather is meant to be fab tomorrow. After a day like today that will be most welcome.

Edwink x

edwink

Hi Queen of Cheap

How is your broody hen?

Mine has stopped being broody now, thank goodness!! I do worry when mine goes broody because she always looses weight. But, now she has stopped she is eating for England and slowly putting the weight back on. She does this every single year. She is 4 now. Bless her!!

Hope she is ok!!

Edwink x

Dizzy_Ditzy

edwink wrote: »

Hi Queen of Cheap

How is your broody hen?

Mine has stopped being broody now, thank goodness!! I do worry when mine goes broody because she always looses weight. But, now she has stopped she is eating for England and slowly putting the weight back on. She does this every single year. She is 4 now. Bless her!!

Hope she is ok!!

Edwink x

Does yours seriously only go broody annually?! My speckeldy has done it monthly so far and is due to go again this week if she's true to form.

I think last week was a bit of a blip - she was fine once we replaced the roof and she started laying again too

edwink

queen_of_cheap wrote: »

Does yours seriously only go broody annually?! My speckeldy has done it monthly so far and is due to go again this week if she's true to form.

I think last week was a bit of a blip - she was fine once we replaced the roof and she started laying again too

Hi Queens of Cheap


Yes near enough she does. Last year she went broody twice through the summer though. But, the year before once. She does go broody for around 6 weeks at a time though!! So maybe she will go broody again this year, who knows? I hope she doesn't!!!!


Edwink

edwink

We lost another one of hens today!! I always feel sad when that happens as my hens are my world. She had been quite for the past couple of days, eating ok but just slowed down. This morning she came out and was really quiet. Bless her!!


Some of my hens are getting on a bit now so I suppose it is to be expected. Doesn't make it any easier though!!


Now down to 8 and our Cockerel!!


How is everyone else doing especially in this really warm weather. Lots of dust bathing going on I hope!!


Edwink

Better_Days

Yes, the dust bathing is always a popular activity on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I refreshed the dust bath box a couple of days ago so there was a queue for a clean bath The two newest ex-bats don't seem to have twigged what it is for and they have been making their own dust baths in the garden.

Mr BD cleaned out the coop yesterday, we seem to have got a routine that keeps the dreaded red mites out. A goodly part of the battle is not having felt on the roof. Once the mites get under that there is not really much you can do.

I've named the two new ex-bats Jemima and Maltida. Jemima is especially friendly and makes a right racket when she lays an egg. A friend who lives a few doors down the road was laughing about it yesterday, she said she always knows when Jemima has laid an egg!

suki1964

Mine still don't have a clue about dust bathing

But then we are having a wet summer and we have mud lol

The roo is getting a right bossy so and so. Looks very viscous when he's putting the girls in their place. We make a point of handling him daily as next doors roo is so vicous they can't go near him

Hubby lets them out at 7 when he takes the dog out and then around 10, if it's dry I open their pen and let them out into the back garden. They are usually standing at the gate ready and they charge across the drive through the back gate lol. So funny to see them run. They love the back garden. Their favourite spot is in the sun by the pond. They peck around all the plants and gravel then jump up onto the summer seat or they perch under the patio table and chairs. The dog wanders around them and they take no notice at all now They are getting so bold now that the other day I was baking in the kitchen and three of them were in with me

Just completed their first worming and glad to see no more runny poo

How much are people paying for wormer?

Also seeing as we have a roo ( possibly two) am I correct in thinking not to put them on layers but to keep them on growers and have oyster shell separate ?

edwink

Better_Days wrote: »

Yes, the dust bathing is always a popular activity on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Mr BD cleaned out the coop yesterday, we seem to have got a routine that keeps the dreaded red mites out. A goodly part of the battle is not having felt on the roof. Once the mites get under that there is not really much you can do.

I've named the two new ex-bats Jemima and Maltida. Jemima is especially friendly and makes a right racket when she lays an egg. A friend who lives a few doors down the road was laughing about it yesterday, she said she always knows when Jemima has laid an egg!

I loved what you wrote about bathing on a sunny Sunday afternoon!! Awwwww!!!!

Yes I agree about the felt on the roof. It can and does cause problems at times. We found that out to our cost when we had our Red Mite problem.

We had a hen called Matilda and also a duck called Jemima. Just love those 2 names for them.

We had a hen that used to make a terrible racket when she was laying. We always had a laugh and giggle when we heard her. To be honest I think she made more noise than our Cockerel. And the noise would go on for quite some time.

You obviously enjoy your hens as much as we do. Great to find someone who cares for them as much as we do too!!

Weather has been really good here this past few days so we have dust bathing holes everywhere. At least we know they have had a jolly good clean. It always pleases me to see these little holes made around the garden and in their proper dust bathing area!!

Thanks for posting I love reading other mse'rs hen stories!!

Edwink x

ali-t

We had some progress yesterday, bluey the bluebell laid her first egg woohoo!