Keeping hens and ducks chat.

edwink

CAFCGirl wrote: »

Another random chicken question, does anyone actively feed their chickens slugs?

My hubby does, that's if the ducks don't get them first. Oh and worms too!!

Super excited for your hens arrival now eh?

Edwink

CAFCGirl

edwink wrote: »

My hubby does, that's if the ducks don't get them first. Oh and worms too!!

Super excited for your hens arrival now eh?

Edwink

Very excited and getting increasingly nervous.
Mainly because as a species, birds are a complete unknown to me as a kept animal/pet.

Surprisingly my husband (who would happily not have any other creature live in his home) has been quite involved in the setting up and building etc so maybe he'll enjoy them too. My son cant wait either :T

Dizzy_Imp

I've been reading all the news, just not had much of my own to report.

Until now...

Had a new, permanent concrete base put down in our paddock, big enough for our super-duper chicken house that is arriving tomorrow. Yesterday our landscaping team built a raised platform for it to lift everything up high enough to be safe from flood water and tomorrow the sectional building team arrive with Cluckingham Palace. Says it can roost 50 birds - yes, it's big...

No doubt on Monday, we will be shopping for more hens!

Just a teensy bit excited!

edwink

CAFCGirl wrote: »

Very excited and getting increasingly nervous.
Mainly because as a species, birds are a complete unknown to me as a kept animal/pet.

Surprisingly my husband (who would happily not have any other creature live in his home) has been quite involved in the setting up and building etc so maybe he'll enjoy them too. My son cant wait either :T

Hiya again

You may or may not believe it but I was absolutely terrified of anything that was feathered that even moved near me. Some years ago when I was working in my office a little bird came flying in through an open window and that was it my phone was put down and I ran out with my high heels on as if I was running a marathon. Also another time I was out in my garden with my dear mother and we saw a bird fly in to my cottage. I was absolutely petrified so my mother had to go in (she was terrified too by the way) and she opened all the windows as wide as they would open and ran out again. I did not go back in until my husband came home from work because I was convinced that it would still be in there and would fly at me if I even dared to sit down anywhere.

So yes I was nervous when getting mine too cos like you I had never kept any before. I remember once when I tried to be brave and go in to my brothers extra large chicken coop I accomplished it by hanging on to my mother for dear life and she bless her was hanging on to my Sister in Law for dear life too. It was a bit like the hokey cokey but in panic style for my mother and I. We could not get out of there fast enough. But, as terrified as we both were we managed to go in and out again in one piece.

I finally decided I wanted to rescue some to keep at home myself along with my husband. My brother asked me if I was going to manage it ok and was concerned about my decision. Anyway we went up to Little Hen Rescue to collect 12 as arranged. They were being kept in a stable and I remember looking over the stable door and thinking if I don't go in there now I will be forever scared and I will not be able to keep them myself at home. So I asked the lady if I could go in and choose the ones I wanted and she said yes of course you can. So I went in with her husband and I remember clearly standing there with around 200 hens and most near to my feet and I was shaking like mad. I remember pointing and saying that one please and that one over there please. I was too scared to even pick any of them up. When all 12 were chosen I was out of there like a shot. But I did what I had set out to do and I was so pleased. When we got home my husband carried the first 1 from our car to our lawn in our back garden and I thought I cant watch him doing that 12 times so picked one up and took her and put her down safely. Then went back to get another one and another one until all 12 were happily standing on our lawn in the sunshine. Yes, I thought I have finally done it and I couldn't believe how soft and warm they were. Now my hens jump up on my lap in the garden and I just sit there stroking them not believing how frightened I once was.

Always pop on here to ask any of us any questions you may have no matter how silly it/they may sound to you. We all had to start somewhere and have had to learn along the way.

I am excited for you now!!

Edwink

edwink

Dizzy_Imp wrote: »

I've been reading all the news, just not had much of my own to report.

Until now...

Had a new, permanent concrete base put down in our paddock, big enough for our super-duper chicken house that is arriving tomorrow. Yesterday our landscaping team built a raised platform for it to lift everything up high enough to be safe from flood water and tomorrow the sectional building team arrive with Cluckingham Palace. Says it can roost 50 birds - yes, it's big...

No doubt on Monday, we will be shopping for more hens!

Just a teensy bit excited!

Good for you another one with more hens and lots of tasty eggs. you can't beat having your own eggs can you? They just taste so much nicer than shop bought ones.

Wow that is a big palace for them. Glad you care enough to take every precaution to make sure they are as safe as possible.

Will you buy some hens or get ex batts? Or maybe a mix of both? and what will you do with your surplus of eggs if you get any?
Looking forward to Monday more than a teensy bit I bet


Edwink

CAFCGirl

Thats a beautiful take Edwink - thankyou for sharing.

Ive been ok petting some when we've visited places, it'll most be the flapping of wings, Im rendered near immobile with moths and until about a year ago the same with slugs - getting an allotment soon took care of the slug phobia!

My dilemma now is I think I might change the names LOL

edwink

CAFCGirl wrote: »

Thats a beautiful take Edwink - thankyou for sharing.

Ive been ok petting some when we've visited places, it'll most be the flapping of wings, Im rendered near immobile with moths and until about a year ago the same with slugs - getting an allotment soon took care of the slug phobia!

My dilemma now is I think I might change the names LOL

Me with a moth is still pretty much the same. I really do not like them one bit for some reason. The bigger they are the worse I am.

For me with birds it was the flapping too. I used to think what if one got caught in my hair and couldn't fly away? OMG I hated even the thought of it.

Hens are cuddly, extremely soft to stroke and they will most definitely love you for cuddling them. Honest!!

Edwink

Happygreen

We sadly buried our cockerel last week. Now the natural order has changed, the bully is back in charge and the other two have no protector. I don't think I can get another cockerel for the time being as we had hand-raised our boy and whenever I tried to replace an animal things did not go well! Quite sad atm.

edwink

Happygreen wrote: »

Quite sad atm.

That is so sad Happygreen. It is so horrible when we loose one of our feathered friends as they become one of the family don't they? Am thinking of you!!

We have a poorly hen at the moment. When we brought her indoors and I honestly did not think she would last the night. Two days later and she is still indoors with us but perched on the wooden bar under our kitchen table right by my feet. She has really picked up, is eating well and looks so much better. Hens hate being on their own so I think she likes to be friends with my feet so she does not feel as if she is on her own. Bless her.

Take care all

Edwink

CAFCGirl

Is there a list anywhere that anyone referred to as a chicken starter kit?
I'm purchasing what I need this week but didnt want to get caught out buying stuff that is really not needed, and also didn't wanna miss anything out.

TIA