Keeping hens and ducks chat.

edwink · 12 September 2019 at 2:52PM

Hi All

We have made a little progress on the coop roof but not as much as we were hoping to. My back has given up so we can not continue with it for a bit. Disappointing but we should have known that would happen. It's very difficult with Spondylosis and having it in the top and also the bottom of my spine although I am only Mr Edwinks little helper. It's the continually standing up and holding things down that has done my back in. Although exercise is good for my back and neck to stop them getting stiff I do need to limit that movement at times to allow the inflammation and soreness to go down. We have done well so far and in particular it is really good that we have moved Hoppys hotel back a bit and taken it off its wooden feet. We both watched Hoppy walk up her lowered ramp to go to bed last night and she looked so cute and waddled up no problem. Aww bless her, lowering her ramp has made a difference to her already.

How's the naughty Mildred pecking going Cheery ? Sometimes they continue to behave that way for quite some time and normally only back down if and when they are unwell and that's when the pecking order could change again. Mostly hens live in harmony and I do love harmony in the camp but sadly you do get the odd hen who won't leave another alone

which I do always find quite sad.

Oh the subject of erm! "mounting" :eek: (was trying not to mention that subject, honest Cheery

) a more dominate hen will sometimes jump on another hens back and hold her down for a moment. A Cockerel would do that as you know so that's where that has come from with hens behaviour when dominance is being shown. I have had several hens that have shown their dominance towards another hen in this way. In fact we had 2 rescue ducks once that we collected together and one of those would often jump on the other ducks back. Never did it to any of the other ducks that were here before they arrived but only to the one she was brought up with.

Edwink

edwink · 17 September 2019 at 1:44PM

:j HIP HIP HOORAY :j HIP HIP HOORAY :j HIP HIP HOORAY :j

I'm one happy bunny here today everyone. Got email this morning regarding an upcoming rehoming of "ex-caged" hens. I've just reserved 20 to collect on 13th October. Brilliant timing as we should have the alterations to the coop done by then.

So that's:-

Make new door between coop and duck run.... TICK

Move Hoppys hotel back a bit and lower to lessen height of her ramp.... TICK

Re-shape chicken wire frame and roof because of moving hotel back.... TICK

Make bird proof and water proof roof in case of any Bird Flu outbreaks.... STILL TO BE DONE

So that's the 3 easiest jobs done first so they are ticked off and now just the roof to be done and we will be ready. We've got just under a month to get it done but if it isn't it wont be a problem as it will just mean we are erecting the new roof with 20 little hooligans running around our feet looking for MORE TREATS PLEASE MUMMY

:rotfl:

I'm still out of action with my back

but can still sit by hubbys man cave and sort out all the screws, nuts and bolts he will need for the job. His man cave is an absolute nightmare as he never puts anything away properly and currently has about 20 pots/containers of different size screws that not only have usable screws in but also bent and headless ones, oh and the unusable thoroughly rusty ones that need throwing out. I don't mind being his little helper at all but sorting out the things we need is daunting going by the mess of all his stuff in his cave. He says he knows where everything is but I doubt that very much :rotfl:

Please wish me luck everyone. Not with the hens but with the blooming man cave screw, nut and bolt sorting :rotfl:

How exciting

New hens, I can't wait

Edwink x

Cheery_Daff · 17 September 2019 at 2:02PM

Oooh edwink, what lovely news!! :j :j bless all those little hens :j Makes me sad thinking of where they are now but they won't believe their luck when they end up with you :j

Karmacat · 17 September 2019 at 2:25PM

Great news Edwink! Except, take care of your back.

Saw a TV programme I'd taped a while back, on the psychology of chickens, hosted by Jimmy Doherty - he was mostly with Helen somebody, who runs a hen rescue centre? There's some unpleasant historic footage, so I don't necessarily recommend you watch it, but chickens' learning skills, and characters, were definitely proven scientifically as well as anecdotally, they were brilliant.

Cheery_Daff · 17 September 2019 at 3:50PM

Was that the private lives of chickens thing KC? I watched that too

That rescue centre became (I believe) the British Hen Welfare Trust, which is a national thing now, and where I got my hens from (and I think where edwink is getting her new ladies from too) :j I was very impressed that the chickens learned which symbols had treats under them!

Karmacat · 17 September 2019 at 4:55PM

That's right, yes! Woo hoo! I loved the way they found the treats, and the closeups of their faces when they were talking about their descent from the dinosaurs was priceless :rotfl:

edwink · 17 September 2019 at 5:50PM

Yes mine are being rehomed through the BNWT this time Cheery. Thanks for all the info x They are ex-battery hens which I am pleased about because I have a lot of experience of ex-batts already, so I know what I'll be up against and how frail some of them will be. I'll soon turn them in to happy, healthy and fully feathered hens

KC, I didn't see the programme on chickens as we don't have a TV in our house. I bet it was interesting though except for the gruesome bits of course. I wouldn't have liked to see any gruesome bits especially when it comes to chickens. I've had a number of poorly gruesome looking hens here over my time and that's enough for me to cope with. I'm incredibly sensitive when it comes to animals and them suffering. Sounds like a very interesting program though. Please do explain what else was shown especially more on the dinosaur bit, that sounds fascinating. Do you know if there were any short clips of it put on YouTube?

Edwink

MysteryMe · 17 September 2019 at 11:43PM

I'm very pleased to read your wonderful news Edwink. They are very lucky hens to be going to you.

edwink · 18 September 2019 at 9:24PM

MysteryMe wrote: »

I'm very pleased to read your wonderful news Edwink. They are very lucky hens to be going to you.

Aww bless you, thank you, that is so kind of you to say.

It is so lovely and heart warming to receive such support on our hen thread. I know that Cheery feels the same as I do with all the support and like me is very passionate about her hens and what she does for them.

Some really arrive in a terrible state sometimes and it is putting the time and effort in to get these poor rescue girls back on their tiny feet again that makes it all worth while. Both Cheery and I have picked ourselves up and dusted ourselves off after the awful animal attack we have both had over the past and found another lot to rehome because they are just so worth it. It's like giving something back to these wonderful little girls after they have not been cared for properly for the first 18 months to 2 years of their lives by humans. And for all of our time and effort they do reward us with companionship (only if we have treats in our pockets), entertainment (only if they are playing and being nice to each other) and fun, yep they are fun to be around but can be complete and utter pests at times especially when digging holes to plant trees and I know that Cheery will vouch for that won't you Cheery?. :rotfl:

Thanks again :kisses3:

Edwink

MysteryMe · 18 September 2019 at 11:12PM

I did have a pet chicken once, many years ago when I was at school. It was part of a project for biology and the teacher got some fertilized eggs from a chicken producer / battery farm and I was given an incubator and had to turn them, keep the humidity right, candle them to see if they were viable etc. Anyway, luckily one hatched and even more luckily it was a hen so I was able to keep her. I had her about 8/9 years. I taught her how to pick up food and she followed me around everywhere. Then when she was older she laid an egg a day for years. I kept her with my rabbit and they became firm friends, wandering around the garden together. I loved that hen and I am glad she had a good life.

Keeping hens and ducks chat.

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