Keeping hens and ducks chat.

ali-t

I hadnt heard about it until this morning but there is mesh over the top of our enclosure so only wee birds get in through the fence. Dont really want to move the hens indoors to the garage.

[Deleted User]

ali-t wrote: »

I hadnt heard about it until this morning but there is mesh over the top of our enclosure so only wee birds get in through the fence. Dont really want to move the hens indoors to the garage.

That is not indoors ali, the directive means properly undercover, so no wild bird can poop onto them. Panic mode for lots of backyard henkeepers

Told dd this morning and they are going to utilise the greenhouse as it has side vents. Every poultry keeper has a great resposiblity. You don`t want to be the one letting avian flu go rampant, surely

CAFCGirl

Whats one to do if you don't have a fully indoor space to put them?

They're more at risk in our actual house as the dog would attack them. They're in an enclosed (full wooden roof) run/coop with house, no access for any other bird to get in, and the roof is over hanging so itd take a well directed poop to get onto the wire from a wild bird but I am conscious that should be doing all that I can.

CAFCGirl

edwink wrote: »

With regards to the eggs just keep an eye on them. Often soft shelled eggs happen because they lack some Calcium. What you can do is when you have eaten some of their eggs bake the shells for a little while in your oven. Maybe after you have had supper one night and the oven is still warm pop them in on a tray and leave them there for a bit. When they are cold just crush them up really small and add it to their feed. This will give them some extra calcium.

Do you know how old they are? Do you know what sort of lives they have had prior to coming to live with you?

Treat wise you can give almost anytime really but always best to make sure that they eat their hen food in the morning and again in the evening before going to bed. I normally give my treat food a lunchtime but it is entirely up to you. Maybe some porridge this time of year as it will help to warm them up. Never give porridge in the summer though as they can overheat after eating it. Cooked rice is another nice treat or cooked pasta and of course greens, dandelion leaves, grass and sweetcorn etc. If you have a soft shelled egg that you obviously wouldn't eat yourself you could open it up and if there is an egg inside you could scramble it up for them and give that too them as a treat. No salt in anything though as it is harmful to them. You can give them bread but don't give it too often as it does contain a little salt.

Hope that is of some help to you. Keep us posted on their progress please.

Take care

Edwink

As always Edwink you are incredibly helpful and I thankyou :beer:

They have oyster shell in with them which they have a good at, and they're on layers mash which they seem to enjoy. They've had some greens to investigate and mixed corn which well don well but nothing creates hen havoc like the bag of mealworms coming out.
:rotfl:

Yesterday was only one egg and then I had a very non moving hen for hours (Pie), just on the floor. Was starting to panic somewhat :eek: She drank some water with it placed directly in front of her but not much else. She just sat down. Thank goodness for FB groups is all I can say really as the good folks there helped to calm my nerves.

Anyway about 3pm checked on her again and she was in the nest box on an egg. I think she may be the one who produced the soft shelled one and a subsequent squished one and just had trouble getting a firm one out after that. Shes up and at 'em today with the rest and they are really chowing down on their mash today so perhaps everyone has settled a bit.
Three eggs today.

Does anyone else keep a running log/diary of how many they get per day? :cool:

edwink

Right ours is all done the best we can now. We are quite pleased with ourselves actually as the job has been done really well in such a short space of time. Brand new temporary roof over the top of their large coop and the duck run.

Seems so odd not having them run around the garden like lunatics. Bless them. I am sure they will be fine as the coop is plenty big enough for 21 of them and the cockerel. The ducks have stayed in their run since we have had this horrible fog this last couple of days so they seem to like it in there anyway. All it has done for the coop and the run is make it a big dark in there. We have an outdoor lamp right on the centre boundary fence of the two so if needed will leave it on all day for them. There is not much daylight this time of year anyway so I am sure that will help to keep it a bit lighter for them.

We have given the ducks extra buckets of water and a big shallow dish full of water in their run so they can have a wash and a paddle instead of using their pond outside their run.

How is everyone else managing? The main thing to be doing is try and get a roof on their coop. You could use some tarpaulin and cable tie it down around the sides of their coop. All depends on how big your coop is really in what you use to cover it over with. Those with small coops maybe could use a large garden parasol as long as it covers the whole outside area. Even plastic sheeting tied down would do the job. Remember though cover the areas that flap about in the wind with an odd brick or stones because the flapping always scares hens and they may not come out of their huts if they hear that noise.

Hope everyone is ok.

Edwink

jim-jim

Morning, I'm now letting mine out after 9, when all the eggs are laid.

Then they toddle off into the greenhouse for breakfast, as usual. But now I shut them in there for the day, not happy chucks. They have straw, food and plenty of dry soil for dust baths.

With the coops I just shut the doors in the daytime as the robins are always going in for pellets. Yes the robins do have their own food but they like the pellets:rotfl:

CAFCGirl

We're building a polytunnel for ours today, so they can hang out and play around in there during the day. I'm sure the poor things are utterly bored at the moment in their small coop.

Better_Days

We've put a tarp over the top of the run and coop area with bungies to hold it in place. Smaller than they usually have, about half the space, but hopefully it will keep DEFRA happy. OH did say that whilst out on his rounds (he's a Postie) no-one seems to have taken the measure suggested.

Did buy a big tarp for the rest of the run but OH not able to fix it up.

Hens not happy, and I suspect very bored. Diary marked for when we can let them out again.

Egg production very low, max 2/5 with some days 0/5. But it always drops off this time of year with the short days.

Happygreen

Good morning, everyone. The last week has been a bit of a nightmare as we were never meant to be anything else than free rangers....The hens have now moved into the greenhouse but are not happy and I'm not sure about safety re foxes either. But nothing else I can do for them atm as we still have to finish the structure that is to hold a 4 x 10 tarpaulin for the ducks. What actually annoys me most is that they are so skittish. everything the slightest bit different and they refuse to go to bed - now this will be hugely different!Fingers crossed we will finish the new "outbuilding" tonight....

edwink

Happygreen wrote: »

Fingers crossed we will finish the new "outbuilding" tonight....

Hiya

Did you manage to get it finished tonight? Ours wasn't easy to cover and are now finding that we are getting puddles of rainwater on the top and it starts to dip in places. Hubby is keeping an eye on it and goes in their coop with a broom and pushes to tarp upwards to push all the water off and that is doing the trick. Our coop has a chicken wire roof so that will hold the weight anyway plus the whole coop has a centre support in to the ground so hopefully we wont have any major problems with it. If the situation changes and they need to be kept in longer than a month we will prop it all up from the inside but for now don't want to restrict their space too much. They already have a huge red currant bush in there and an ornamental Red Robin bush plus a bench (for us to sit on of course), logs to climb and perch on and 2 outdoor shelters with perches. So plenty to keep them amused hopefully.

Mine are not at all happy as like yours they are free range and have known nothing else since retiring with us. Miss their little faces through the garden gate waiting for their lunchtime treats.

Edwink

P.S. Anyone hears of any change to the situation regarding our feathered friends please post and let everyone know. Thank you!!