Keeping hens and ducks chat.

edwink · 18 September 2018 at 8:19PM

jac99 wrote: »

The hens have their house in an aviary wire run with a roof and are in there most of the day. We have created areas for them to hide and get away from the dominant hen and added in lots of activities which we change around every day to try and keep them amused. I let them out to 'free range' when I am home but the size of the garden obviously restricts the area they could range. Initially they would bolt out of the gate as soon as it was opened but now they meander in and out and will sometimes chose to be in the run even if they can be out.

This is really the reason I delayed getting any chickens over the years because I was worried that we couldn't give them enough room and opportunity to range. However I have a couple of friends with hens who manage similarly and their chickens have always seemed content so thought I would give it a go. This also influenced the breed of chickens we got and I think we made the right choice with the little bantams as we were able to have a little flock of 5 in our more limited space.

However it does play on my mind that they don't have any grass access for much of the day so last weekend my youngest son and I have begun a new project. We have a large trampoline which still gets a fair amount of use so not quite ready to rid of it. We have enclosed the area underneath the trampoline with chicken wire to make it somewhat secure although not fox proof. Next weekend the project is to create a chicken tunnel (chunnel?) from the hen run to this new area. We have been researching online but think there will be a lot of trial and error in this as we need to manage quite a height change from one area to the other. I think this will give them more outside access for longer but will I probably close it off if no one is going to be home for a while, just in case.

We had our first double-yolk egg this week - as I congratulated the hens with extra treats I heard chuckling from over the garden fence. My neighbour tells me he likes to listen in to my afternoon chats with the hens!

Mine sometimes choose to be in their coop/run rather than being out too. I think it is because like yours there is plenty for them to amuse themselves and play with in there.

Well done for "giving it a go". By the sound of it your hens have plenty of room with lots of things to keep them occupied. I suspect they are loving it where they are and are more content than you realise. You really do not need acres of land to keep hens honest. We haven't got acres of land where we are and our girls are fine. Many, many hen keepers have small gardens so please don't worry as I am sure they are fine.

Just a thought if you have any neighbours that have a lawn, why not ask them for some of their cut grass for your girls when they mow it. That way you could throw a handful at a time in their run and that would keep them amused for ages. If you keep the cut grass cool in the shade somewhere it will keep for a while so you could add more when needed. We do have a lawn but still a couple of my neighbours leave their grass cuttings by our front door for my girls which is handy.

Wow another one on here that has got a double yoke egg. Well done those Bantams :T. I've never ever had one from my girls in nearly 10 years. How lovely your neighbour listening to your little afternoon chats and commenting about them. Aww bless!!

Edwink

Cheery_Daff · 18 September 2018 at 8:50PM

Thank you lovely people, it's SO helpful to hear about your different set ups :j

We tried letting our girls out of the stable for the first time today, with both of us on hand in case one of them made a run for it. We needn't have bothered - it's really quite windy up here at the minute and it took an age for them even to stick their beaks out of the door :rotfl: we had to try and coax them out with handfuls of grass :rotfl:

Eventually Hermione, the most bullied but also the most adventurous, ventured out onto the doorstep, and even off onto the grass :j :j the others kind of stepped out, felt their feathers being ruffled, then went straight back in :rotfl: Hermione only stayed out for a few mins theb she went back in too :rotfl:

I sat in the stable for a while with them with the door open but they showed literally no interest in going back out :rotfl: :rotfl:

So i'm feeling marginally less guilty about them being in there for a bit longer

I'm out all day til midnight tomorrow so they'll stay in, but I'll try to encourage them out again on Thursday for a bit - although the current forecast is thunder and lightening so I don't fancy my chances :rotfl: :rotfl:

Bless em

Cheery_Daff · 18 September 2018 at 8:53PM

Sounds like you have a good programme of varied chicken entertainments jac

Do keep posting about them, I love to hear new ideas :j My run once it's built sounds like it'll be rather like your set up - a house inside an aviary - and I don't want them to get bored in there while I'm at work.

jac99 · 19 September 2018 at 5:53PM

Thanks for the grass clippings idea Edwink. We do have some lawn and usually just compost the clippings but will give them to the hens next time!

Does anyone know if Euclayptus leaves are okay to feed? I have been offered some branches from a friend who is about to trim a tree but I can't see anything on the internet about whether they can be fed to hens or not? Thankyou

edwink · 19 September 2018 at 8:55PM

jac99 wrote: »

Thanks for the grass clippings idea Edwink. We do have some lawn and usually just compost the clippings but will give them to the hens next time!

Does anyone know if Euclayptus leaves are okay to feed? I have been offered some branches from a friend who is about to trim a tree but I can't see anything on the internet about whether they can be fed to hens or not? Thank you

From what I have found out online it is toxic to our chooks. Some say toxic and other sites say not sure so with that in mind I wouldn't give it to them. Nice idea I suppose.

Have a quick look at this link which might help

http://www.downthelane.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=15827

Edwink

jac99 · 19 September 2018 at 9:31PM

Thanks Edwink, I think I will give it a miss then just in case.

On a brighter note I was gifted a big pile of Rosemary branches today. I have been hanging Rosemary and Lavender sprigs in the nest boxes to try and create a relaxing atmosphere for egg laying! They also seem to enjoy pecking at them. Rosemary is also supposed to deter bugs and relieve pain.

I am going to try drying these out so I can have a herb supply over the winter. I don't know if they will enjoy dried herbs as much as fresh so I will let you know in a few months.

edwink · 22 September 2018 at 10:02AM

Getting chilly here now so will soon be giving my girls porridge which helps to keep them (warm). You can give it to them loose scattered on the ground which will keep them occupied for quite a while. Or you can mix it will some hot water and give it to them in warm blobs which they love on a really cold day. Please remember NOT to put any salt in it.

One of my really old ex-batts is now an indoor hen, like others before her. She stayed in the nesting box for a couple of days so being the softy that I am I bought her indoors where I can keep an eye on her and keep her cosy and warm by the stove

. Plus I can make sure she eats and drinks which she actually isn't doing much of but at least a little bit. She looks comfortable and spends most of her day sleeping on her comfortable bed of cut up squares of blanket. It is definitely her last few days so wanted to keep her as comfortable as possible. It is definitely not essential to bring them indoors but for me it is something I have always done as I am home to keep an eye on them plus as said I am a softy.

All the others are running around like loonies as per normal except the other hen that is also really slowing down. She has picked up to how she was last week but is having good days and slower days so I am just keeping an eye on her for the time being.

How is everyone else and their girls?

Edwink

jac99 · 22 September 2018 at 1:07PM

Sorry to hear about your hen Edwink. At least she is comfortable and hopefully things will be as peaceful as possible for her.

I have made a temporary chicken tunnel this morning for the hens to make their own way from the coop to the under the trampoline outdoor run. It sort of works but if the dog really wanted to get in there she could so at the moment it will only be used when I am around while I think of how to make a stronger version.

There was much excitement when one of the hens found a slug in the long grass this morning - much clucking, running around in circles and eventual hiding in an upturned bucket to eat it!

Pyxis · 22 September 2018 at 1:52PM

jac99 wrote: »

Sorry to hear about your hen Edwink. At least she is comfortable and hopefully things will be as peaceful as possible for her.

I have made a temporary chicken tunnel this morning for the hens to make their own way from the coop to the under the trampoline outdoor run. It sort of works but if the dog really wanted to get in there she could so at the moment it will only be used when I am around while I think of how to make a stronger version.

There was much excitement when one of the hens found a slug in the long grass this morning - much clucking, running around in circles and eventual hiding in an upturned bucket to eat it!

You could get one of the play tunnels that kids use!

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/childrens-ikea-products/children-3-7/small-furniture/busa-play-tunnel-art-10192013/?cid=gb%7Cps%7Cpla%7C%7C%7C%7C&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInufm8NPO3QIVjZztCh2LBQXzEAQYAyABEgI_S_D_BwE

Cheery_Daff · 22 September 2018 at 4:26PM

Aw, I suspect I"'ll be a similar style of softy when the time comes Edwink!

Well done on your tunnel pyxis! :j :j

Well my girls are all out free ranging for the first time :j It became apparent that we weren't going to get the run done before Mr Cheery went away in these gale force winds, so I've been leaving the stable door open while I'm in there for them to have a bit of a potter outside

However they've mostly been sticking their beaks out, having their feathers ruffled, and coming straight back in :rotfl:

Today I decided the stable needed a good clean out so I've emptied the bedding out of the coop and scrubbed it, and swept all the straw, sawdust and all manner of rubbish off the floor and replaced it with fresh. The girls were most perturbed :rotfl: and finally resorted to going outside while I did it

Now they're getting further away and I'm concerned I might not get them back :eek: :rotfl: at the minute I'm sitting here and supervising but I'm getting a bit cold

:rotfl: Do I let them wander a bit while I go back inside? I can't see them from the house.

Ultimately I want them to be free ranging so I suppose I just have to let them get on with it

they look so cheery rooting round in the grass :j

Incidentally, how often do you do a big clean out? I've had them 3 weeks now, been picking poo out of coop and off stable floor, and adding extra bedding to coop, but it was getting a bit grim in there - it's been raining in through the roof (not into the coop, just the stable) so a bit damp too.

Keeping hens and ducks chat.

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