Keeping hens and ducks chat.

Dizzy_Ditzy · 16 July 2017 at 2:59PM

I had to have one of my lovely girlies PTS today

we got round there as usual this morning and there was pecking at her bottom so I immediately separated her from the rest and she was evidently very poorly - she was trying to pass a cricket ball...!

We got her to the vet and the lady said that she had a broken egg inside her, a huge prolapse and wouldn't survive it happening again

she was in a lot of pain so we chose the only option we could and came home without her

So now we are three

ali-t · 16 July 2017 at 5:41PM

So sorry to hear about your girl xx

edwink · 16 July 2017 at 8:46PM

Always sad when one of us losses one of our girls.

I always think how nice it is that us on this thread care and think so much of our feathered friends.

I had to have one PTS at the vets and it doesn't make it any easier does it Dizzy?. Mine was a couple of years ago and I still remember it now. Peaceful but still very sad for them.

I hope you are feeling ok Dizzy. Sending you a big (((HUG))).

Edwink x

CAFCGirl · 17 July 2017 at 8:04AM

oh Dizzy, Im so sorry to hear that.

Roost in peace Feathered Friend xx

Dizzy_Ditzy · 17 July 2017 at 6:43PM

Thank you

Today was quite difficult because of going back to see the others and her not being there. The vet was lovely and so kind/compassionate which made it all a big easier to deal with.

We did always say that if we knew one of our girls was in pain, that we'd take that decision but it even knowing that, it's still a very difficult decision to make, even though it was the only choice we had

Still, we gave her a very good life and she was spoilt rotten by us both

she's the one who we had to bring home a couple of times because her bottom had got itself too mucky for her to deal with by herself. I bathed her, I was way more acquainted with her bottom than I'd have liked. I laughed when I picked her up once so the kids could stroke her and she did a big wee all down my top. I laughed when he sat down with her to give her some corn and she bit his lip :rotfl: I loved to watch her running around because her whole back end looked so funny when she ran.

I will always miss her. I know I shouldn't but she was my favourite :A

fuddle · 19 July 2017 at 6:05PM

Could I ask for your feedback re: size of run area needed for chickens?

We are able to put a 12 square foot run on our allotment and I was wondering if 4 chickens on there would be enough to give them a good life. I'm asking because I know that I would like to have the girls when they retire too so new girls will be added to the flock.

If I could start with 4 I will be really pleased but I want to get this right so give to me straight by all means.

CAFCGirl · 20 July 2017 at 7:46AM

fuddle wrote: »

Could I ask for your feedback re: size of run area needed for chickens?

We are able to put a 12 square foot run on our allotment and I was wondering if 4 chickens on there would be enough to give them a good life. I'm asking because I know that I would like to have the girls when they retire too so new girls will be added to the flock.

If I could start with 4 I will be really pleased but I want to get this right so give to me straight by all means.

I believe DEFRA states 2msq per chicken? But I could be completely wrong. Might be worth a google?

edwink · 20 July 2017 at 12:31PM

fuddle wrote: »

Could I ask for your feedback re: size of run area needed for chickens?
We are able to put a 12 square foot run on our allotment and I was wondering if 4 chickens on there would be enough to give them a good life. I'm asking because I know that I would like to have the girls when they retire too so new girls will be added to the flock.
If I could start with 4 I will be really pleased but I want to get this right so give to me straight by all means.

Hi Fuddle

Looking on the Defra site before we we first got our hens I felt was a totally confusing experience tbh. Partly because Defra is largely aimed at "wholesale" producers not back garden hen keepers. So legislation is a bit woolly. Although when it came to the Bird Flu recently everyone had to abide by the restrictions/rules that were in force at the time.

I have always been lead to believe that it is 1sq foot per hen in their house (known as hen hotels;)) and 1sq metre per hen in a run. When you think about it seriously the hens are together all day everyday. So space to scratch the ground (which they love to do), space to make a dust bathing area, space for you to put their food/water during the day that is not going to get covered in soil that is flicked about whilst they are dust bathing. Space enough to give them room so they can happily clean their feathers without getting in another hens way and causing friction between them. So lots of reasons to make sure they have enough space to basically have the freedom too express their normal behaviour and be happy hens.

Hope that is some help.

Edwink

fuddle · 20 July 2017 at 2:11PM

Thank you.

I am settling with 3 chickens because I am concerned that I won't feel like I can expand once the girls are retired. I've seen that our local producers hold chicken keeping courses so I'm eyeing a session up.

Google is fab but experience and discussion is better.

Thanks all.

edwink · 20 July 2017 at 4:08PM

fuddle wrote: »

Thank you. I am settling with 3 chickens because I am concerned that I won't feel like I can expand once the girls are retired. I've seen that our local producers hold chicken keeping courses so I'm eyeing a session up. Google is fab but experience and discussion is better. Thanks all.

Hi Fuddle

Glad you have decided on how many hens to get. Have you decided on which breeds yet?. Or are you getting ex battery hens?. You can always ask on here what certain breeds are like to keep as many of us have or have had a variety of different breeds.

Try to remember never just keep one hen on their own as they will hate it and probably become depressed. And introducing one on their own can cause problems although saying that I had to do that when I took one poor little hen in for rehoming. She lived with 16 other hens originally but a fox got in to their hut and killed the 16 and the one I rehomed was the only one that escaped the fox. Poor little thing flew up to the top of a fence so the fox left her alone. Funny little thing used to perch a lot during the day and look down at my hens. I expect she felt safe doing that. She settled in ok eventually bless her!!

Talking of foxes please make sure that the boundary around their hut and their run is not accessible by digging under it. Best thing to do is to put large rocks or slabs all around the boundary to stop the foxes digging under it. Always check daily to see if there is any evidence of digging around the boundary and if you notice any fill the hole back in and put a slab on top. Then get some male urine and splash it around the outside of their coop and run. That will put the fox off as foxes are very territorial. Also an old tee shirt worn by a male for a few days helps as the scent on that will put a fox off too. Is your run going to have a chicken wire roof on it? Don't mean to scare you but just be aware that foxes can and will get in if you don't take precautions against them.

Ask away with any questions you might have before or after you get them. There will always be someone on here that will be able to help you.
Edwink

Keeping hens and ducks chat.

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