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Keeping hens and ducks chat.
Comments
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stepuptothepl8 wrote: »Hi all
I'm picking up 6 (although I might sneak in 2 extras) new girls tomorrow! A poultry farm near us is clearing out, and we're having some for £1 each
I can't wait! It'll take us to 14 (or 16 
) so I've bought a new coop to go in their run too. I do love our rescue girls, they are so friendly and it doesn't take them long to find their feet. I'll post some pictures when they're here.
Re broody hens.. I always lift them out, and put my hands under their wings and lift them up and down a bit to cool off, and then put them out, tempting them with treat food if they won't eat. It does tend to pass after the 21 days that eggs take to hatch but can sometimes go on for a month or so.
How are your new girls settling in? We always like to see photos of any new additions on this threadSaveIt is a good idea to be alone in a garden at dawn or dark so that all its shy presences may haunt you and possess you in a reverie of suspended thought.
James Douglas0 -
Better_Days wrote: »How are your new girls settling in? We always like to see photos of any new additions on this thread
I was about to say that myself Better Days but you beat me to it :rotfl:**3.36 kWp solar panel system, 10 x Ultima & 4 x Panasonic solar panels, Solaredge Inverter **Biomass boiler stove for cooking, hot water & heating **2000ltr Rainwater harvesting system for loo flushing - **Hybrid Toyota Auris car **1 ex-battery hen - RIP Pingu, Hoppy & Ginger ****Hens & Ducks**** chat thread. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=52822090 -
I love to see photos of other people's pets but very rarely take photos myself. I've no excuse now I've been modernised and been given a phone which takes pictures.
How many did you end up with stepuptothepl8:) I'm amazed at how quickly they become friendly. The six I got at the beginning of June follow me everywhere and the 12 I got a week or so ago are getting there. I still haven't put them out as my handyman hasn't had time to relocate my shed but he's promised to this weekend. I've been able to spend lots of time with them though and now when I walk in the stable door I have to be a bit smartish or they'll be out whereas just a few days ago they rushed into a corner whenever they heard a noise. My favourite time is morning coffee with me sat on a bale of straw dispensing a few mealworms - they didn't take long to discover they were very tasty indeed:D0 -
This is when they first arrived:
I went for 6 in the end. And they laid two eggs in the car on the way home (a 5 minute journey!)
Sadly we've lost one of our other hens overnight, so we've got 13 altogether now. 9 eggs today!LBM 1st Feb 2015 £18182 to go
my diary: time to step up to the plate. SPC#0790 -
I've a broody hen :j:j:j
She's been sat two days now and I'm off to get fertilised eggs for her this evening. We encouraged a brooder by building a new nest box, filled it with straw and lavender and stuck in 8 rubber eggs.
We will move the box out of the hen house tonight into the green house ( which isn't a real green house but a brick built lean to the garage and glass windows all round). I'll cover the glass with newspapers , open the windows and leave the door open so she should be ok. Won't be much warmer then the hen house. And if all goes well and we do get chicks, they will be safe
Fingers crossed it all goes well and she sits till they hatch. Luckily the fella up the road has an incubator and his eggs have been in two weeks already so if needs must I'm sure he will give us a loan
So with two moulting, one broody, one always hiding away next door, we are down to 8/12 eggs , 2 of which are usually doubles
Spirit,,if she's broody you need to cool her down. Now the gentile way is to hold here and move her up and down or the short sharp option, is sit her in a cold bowl of water.0 -
I've a broody hen :j:j:j
Me too...although without the jumping smilies. Bloomin' hen won't leave the nest box and even if I lift her out, she sneaks back in when I'm not looking. How long does it go on for? I think I remember it being 21 days, but not sure if I dreamt that...
I'll post again later, as my eyes are seriously trying to close ATM, 'coz I'm so tired
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Me too...although without the jumping smilies. Bloomin' hen won't leave the nest box and even if I lift her out, she sneaks back in when I'm not looking. How long does it go on for? I think I remember it being 21 days, but not sure if I dreamt that...
I'll post again later, as my eyes are seriously trying to close ATM, 'coz I'm so tired
For us it's exciting cos we want a try at rearing them. Well no, scratch that HUBBY wants. So I'm going along with it this one time only, which is why I refused point blank to buy an incubator. He's always wanted to rear chicks, let the dog have a litter, blah blah. He says its nature, I say it's madness. Hen is now in temp accommodation and the eggs are going under her tonight. We have been promised hens so fingers crossed
If you want to break her bloodiness you have got to cool her down as I mentioned.0 -
Our bantams from the past now would sit on duck eggs and very successful they where...I found the hen would not want to leave the eggs so would bring her outside a few times each day and she would do a huge dollop like huge......eat a little drink a little and just dying to get back to 'her eggs'...3 weeks later out of 4 eggs we had a boy and girl duckling....they are still living with our friend at Mantel Farm near Battle along with our other 6 ducks as we moved to France a while back. Have purchased 4 large French hens since...0
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oldandhappy wrote: »Our bantams from the past now would sit on duck eggs and very successful they where...I found the hen would not want to leave the eggs so would bring her outside a few times each day and she would do a huge dollop like huge......eat a little drink a little and just dying to get back to 'her eggs'...3 weeks later out of 4 eggs we had a boy and girl duckling....they are still living with our friend at Mantel Farm near Battle along with our other 6 ducks as we moved to France a while back. Have purchased 4 large French hens since...
Hi oldandhappy
Welcome to our friendly hen, duck and geese thread.
Would love to hear some of your old stories of your hens and ducks if you have any to share with us.
Nice to meet you
Edwink x**3.36 kWp solar panel system, 10 x Ultima & 4 x Panasonic solar panels, Solaredge Inverter **Biomass boiler stove for cooking, hot water & heating **2000ltr Rainwater harvesting system for loo flushing - **Hybrid Toyota Auris car **1 ex-battery hen - RIP Pingu, Hoppy & Ginger ****Hens & Ducks**** chat thread. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=52822090 -
They can get trouble with there legs sitting all that time we found that out... so its good to get them off the nest for short periods and maybe even try and chase them around the garden to get there legs moving again....maybe the circulation is affected by the constant sitting.0
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