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Post by carolann on Jan 17, 2011 9:48:32 GMT
I know what you mean about keeping them in BS I have 5 in the back shed and they dont go out very often due to them being the older ones and they are not as quick as they used to be. We have a least 3 wild cats which come into the farmyard and they dont bother with the chickens at all and we have to house cats which dont bother them either. A badger will flatten its kill as it is a member of the pig family if a fox has had them then you would find traces of feathers all over the place but a badger is not quick enough to catch a chicken but it could corner one and then ram it into the corner.
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Post by Babyswan on Jan 19, 2011 17:16:45 GMT
hmmm, found some grisly remains at the end of the garden, bones, either rib bones or wing bones....new one v. soon....
bs
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Post by Babyswan on Jan 21, 2011 17:39:09 GMT
New girl today, and hey, first egg from the Black Orpington, great start to the year.
A bit of a kerfuffle when they were put together, but seem to have settled down.
The new one was the head of her pack of five, so will expect to dominate, I suppose....
Moved the coop to regenerate below where it stood for about 15 months, putting a bit of topsoil down.
Coop seemed to be sinking, every time we cleaned we scraped a bit of soil off the ground!!!
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Post by Chuckles on Jan 22, 2011 11:46:33 GMT
Sorry to read about your chicken problems BS  Lets hope you have better luck with these  I've been looking after my neighbours two, she lets them freerange but they do have a good sized run too. Yesterday I went to put them back in the run around 3.30pm and couldn't find them  Looking around I really started to panic and all I could think was how was I going to tell her. I took the feeder and drinker from the run into the shed as usual and then I heard them chirping away. The shed is alongside the run and part of it is converted for their coop, they had just gone to bed really early. One relieved Chuckles |
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Post by Auricula on Jan 22, 2011 19:13:48 GMT
;D ;D
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Post by Jasmine on Jan 22, 2011 19:35:24 GMT
What a responsibility Chuckles  |
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Post by Geranium on Jan 22, 2011 19:57:12 GMT
Not one I'd want to take on! Near neighbours have had their chooks snatched by a fox in broad daylight!  |
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Post by Jasmine on Jan 22, 2011 20:12:51 GMT
I'd love ducks or chickens but couldn't deal with any fox carnage.
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Post by Geranium on Jan 22, 2011 20:22:09 GMT
No, nor me. At the farm next to us, the badgers got at the duck shed and ripped off the side - then went off with some ducks, after which the foxes had the rest. Nature in the raw?  |
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Post by Jasmine on Jan 22, 2011 21:15:00 GMT
Absolutely. A very good friend of mine keeps chickens and her young son was first down one morning after a fox had got in their run....not nice.
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Post by Geranium on Jan 22, 2011 21:46:34 GMT
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Post by Auricula on Jan 23, 2011 0:03:31 GMT
I couldn't cope either  |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 23, 2011 7:40:19 GMT
I think it's something you have to be prepared for while hoping it never happens. BS glad to hear you've a new addition, hope she settles in well for you. Off to a good start with your 1st egg from the Black Orpington. |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 30, 2011 8:41:31 GMT
Ruth has lost another chicken. Alice RIP drowned in one of her neighbours tanks of something. She got in and could'nt get out poor pet. At least she's got a body this time. |
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Post by carolann on Jan 30, 2011 9:26:39 GMT
Oh poor Alice and Ruth I found one of my little fluff balls drowned in the water bucket a few months ago so I put smaller buckets in just incase one of the others fell in, I was very upset when it happened. The joys of having live stock you take the rough with the smooth.
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Post by Chuckles on Jan 30, 2011 10:23:11 GMT
Very sad LG I've had similar happen with wild birds trying to get a drink from buckets and my water butt. I put an old fridge shelf over the water butt now and make sure all my buckets are tipped over, difficult with it being in the neighbours though. |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 30, 2011 12:10:14 GMT
Thank you ladies for the support. Alice was the 1st of the chickens to start laying and was Ruth's own chicken. Still you have to be strong and deal with it as best you can.
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Post by Jasmine on Jan 30, 2011 12:13:46 GMT
Only just seen this LG - poor Ruth...and poor Alice.  |
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Post by Chuckles on Feb 14, 2011 16:51:30 GMT
Couple of pics of the girls. One of them scratting about on part of the veg garden and the other looking up at me at the back door, they'd be in if I let them ;D   |
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Post by Ladygardener on Feb 14, 2011 17:37:38 GMT
What Chuckles, you mean you don't. ;D They're lovely. Jasmine, only just seen your reply, thanks. Ruth got 2 newbies last week and they're settling in at the moment. |
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Post by Chuckles on Feb 14, 2011 17:40:40 GMT
Oh they do get in sometimes LG ;D So pleased to hear Ruth has got some newbies, best way really I replaced one of mine the same day as I couldn't bear the thought of the other one on her own.
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Post by JennyWrenn on Feb 14, 2011 18:47:59 GMT
I dont think a garden complete really without the sound of clucking hens - grew up around farmland - love all the sounds - moo cows, chucky hens, bow wows |
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Post by Jasmine on Feb 14, 2011 18:52:13 GMT
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Post by Chuckles on Mar 24, 2011 20:12:05 GMT
Couple of pics of the girls. One of them scratting about on part of the veg garden and the other looking up at me at the back door, they'd be in if I let them ;D Do you mean you make them stay outside even when it's freezing cold Chuckles?  Sorry Jasmine didn't mean to ignore you ;D They seem to love hanging around the back door if they can hear me in the kitchen, it doesn't matter if its freezing cold, raining or whatever they think there are snacks about if I'm there ;D I left the back door open today and Joycey was in the kitchen when I came back down the garden, she was pecking about for bits on the floor, could save vacuming I guess ;D How are things with your daughters chickens LG, all good I hope |
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Post by Ladygardener on Mar 25, 2011 5:57:45 GMT
All good thanks Chuckles, they're part of the family now and the new ones are laying. One of them however, is laying her lovely eggs outsde Ruth's fence on the lane. They get a lot of tourists and walkers around her area and if Ruth is'nt quick enough the egg is gone. ;D All her girls lay different coloured eggs and she has a never ending supply, lucky her. ;D I love hearing about what they've been up to. |
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Post by Chuckles on Apr 7, 2011 19:37:54 GMT
Cheeky tourist LG thats just not on. In the early days I worried that mine might lay in the garden but it's never happened. They both use the nest box even if they are out in the garden from first thing till the end of day. I can't remember the set up Ruth has now, but if she has a run attached to the chicken house I'd suggest not letting that particular chicken out until she has laid, after a while it should start using the nesting box, they usualy like it comfy and peaceful when they lay. |
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Post by Ladygardener on Apr 7, 2011 19:46:40 GMT
I must ask her what's happening on the laying front as you mention it Chuckles. I know they're all laying and she has lots of different hues. ;D I was instremental in rescuing a Cockeral the other day. One got dumped in our allotments as the fence is high it could'nt get out. (At least that's what we're thinking) I did'nt want to leave it in there all night as there are crowds of kids around in the evenings and I feared for it's safety. I'd heard tell of a woman a bit aways who keeps chickens so I went to her house. It was'nt too difficult to find as I'd asked some children where the chicken lady lived. ;DShe came along with a net and a holder and rescued it. She breeds chickens and will find a home for it if nobody claims it. She's putting a note in the local shop to say she has it. I just could'nt leave the poor thing in there all night and did'nt really want to let it go either as there are a fair few dogs around that area and not all of them are on leads or have people with them. I wonder what the outcome was.  |
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Post by Auricula on Apr 7, 2011 21:52:31 GMT
What a lovely story LG. Well done to both you and the Chicken Lady, I hope the cockerel is suitably grateful ;D
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Post by carolann on Apr 8, 2011 7:52:32 GMT
Well done there LG saving the cockeral. 2 of the fluff balls have gone broody it was just Edna and I put some eggs under her but when I went in yesterday to feed them Norma was in the same box I will have to try and get her out and into another box with some eggs and seperate them both some how as though I dont have enough to do with the lambing. We lost another of the Wellsummer hens at the weekend it just keeled over and died but another which was looking poorly is starting to pick up now. Right I'm off to make breakfast. |
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Post by Auricula on Apr 8, 2011 7:53:43 GMT
Gosh, it sounds very tricky, this hen business ;D
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Lets hope you have better luck with these 
