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Post by The witch on Mar 9, 2007 9:14:25 GMT 1
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Post by plocket on Mar 9, 2007 9:22:03 GMT 1
Oh they look so lovely The witch, and I'm sure they were only after your slugs! No idea what type they are though - I don't know the first thing about chickens!
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Post by sweetleaf on Mar 9, 2007 10:25:01 GMT 1
They probably did a bit of organic pest control, for free, and fertilised your borders to boot, bonus! ;D I bet 4P will recognise the breed.  |
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Post by debbiem on Mar 9, 2007 10:41:11 GMT 1
Oooooo - get 'em in a taxi and send them to me!!!!!!The beige one is a Buff Orpington I think and the other two are Barred Wyandottes, again I think they are. I'm in love! You've set me off now...maybe we could indeed have a few in the hen house standing empty in our courtyard.... The only reason I would mind other people's chickens in my garden would be that I would have to give them back. |
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Post by 4pygmies on Mar 9, 2007 13:47:37 GMT 1
I'm with you Mrs B - I think they're gorgeous! And I think you've got the breeds right too. I have had two Buffs over the years, Bella and the Duchess, and they are such nice chickens. Very gentle, very tame and brilliant mothers and both lived to a great age. Yummy eggs too! I've been dithering about whether to buy any POL birds because of the rodent menace but, ooh look, I don't think I can resist!
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Post by debbiem on Mar 9, 2007 18:33:53 GMT 1
Same here 4P - all the resistance has just gone out the window.  We've been thinking of 4 Orpingtons or 6 Barnevelders. That was one of the reasons for buying this house - the previous owner had had chickens so all the neighbours were used to them. When we moved from the country to the town we bought a house with a big garden that could accommodate the flock that we had, but along with that came some dreadful neighbours so we moved again to a house (here)where chickens were tolerated. While we were in the house with the dreadful neighbours we tried everything to keep the chickens but these dreadful old miseries were always going to moan about anything they could. And of course chickens were an easy target.  We ended up rehoming three flocks and then gave up. But that henhouse is begging.............  |
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Post by 4pygmies on Mar 9, 2007 18:38:49 GMT 1
I bought a pair of Black Rocks a few years ago for the first time - they're very nice birds too. Beautiful colours like Mallards in the sunshine. Very good eggs too and they seemed to lay for a longer period each year than the others. They did tend to wander off hence they both came to a foxy end (I assume) after 3 years. Keep talking Mrs B - we're convincing each other!
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Post by debbiem on Mar 9, 2007 19:51:52 GMT 1
You know as well as I do that we are going down the slippery slope here 4P  - we inherited some Dutch Bantams, our first chickens, along with the house we bought out in the country(with no neighbours, been regretting moving from there ever since). One particular tough little chicken with all sorts wrong with her feet was called Mrs Beige, The witch found me the avatar We then had, in no particular order, Light Sussex, Buff Sussex, Speckled Sussex, Andalusians, Barnevelders, Marans, Brahmas, our own home breds , Warrens, a couple of amazing RIR crosses who were fantastic mums, some excellent cockerels and a load more I can't think of right now, with the blood rushing to the head on this topic.  We lost loads to not only foxy but, I suspect, to minky and weasely too. One of my young cockerels had been eaten inside the henhouse where there was no way a fox got have got in. We had a couple of beautiful black bantams with the green sheen you mentioned who would not roost in the henhouse at night but in the trees - they managed to get up there even after clipping. Thinking back to those days and hurtling around trying to get chickens into their house, sigh happy days. The most maternal in the pecking order used to help me round up the young whippersnappers and wouldn't go and roost until they were all accounted for, w o n d e r f u l!
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Post by 4pygmies on Mar 9, 2007 21:15:22 GMT 1
They are lovely things aren't they? People have no idea how awful shop eggs until they eat a bright yellow, free range and fresh egg from the garden. I can't wait for the first egg....my two Marans are getting a bit elderly now though....
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Post by The witch on Mar 9, 2007 23:41:35 GMT 1
Has Mrs. B explained why she is called Mrs Beige BTW  |
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Post by 4pygmies on Mar 11, 2007 17:03:56 GMT 1
No. Why is she called Mrs Beige? Does she spend a lot of time under a sun lamp? (Doubt it!) Coincidentally yesterday and today my wonderful old ladies have each laid an egg! Spring is here officially! The eggs are deep brown, speckled and inside a flavoursome deep yellow yolk. Scrummy!
B****r the rats, I think I 'm going to have to get some POL chooks!
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Post by The witch on Mar 11, 2007 22:47:35 GMT 1
No. Why is she called Mrs Beige? Does she spend a lot of time under a sun lamp? (Doubt it!) No silly ;D - she used to have a chicken called Mrs. Beige |
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Post by 4pygmies on Apr 22, 2007 12:42:42 GMT 1
Did you get any new hens, Mrs B? I decided not to as my lovely old ladies are laying an egg each most days now and I don't want to upset them. That's enough for us really - just being greedy - but next year......
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Post by debbiem on Apr 22, 2007 13:02:33 GMT 1
An egg each every day's good going 4P.  I think we'll get some later in the year, maybe after the summer hols would be the best time. We're a bus ride away from my in-laws, neither of them drive and it would mean them having to come twice a day to let them out/in while we were away so I think it's best to leave getting them until after then. Will you definitely be getting some more next year? Also, our neighbours on one side are just about to move out. They have two boys who just wouldn't be able to resist annoying the chickens which would end up causing lots of noise and stress for them and that was always in the back of my mind. But they are GOING.... |
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Post by 4pygmies on Apr 22, 2007 13:10:44 GMT 1
It's several years since I bought any so I had a look on the net for suppliers round me and was a tad shocked at the prices! Over £11 for EACH hen! I know I prefer the older, bigger breeds but that's a bit much I thought........have to save some pennies for next year! I will prolly get some more next year in the Spring, I can't believe my old loves will still be around then......not sure exactly how old they are but they must be over 9 years if not more......shall we have a look later on in the year?? |
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Post by chickadeedeedee on Apr 24, 2007 0:07:28 GMT 1
Oh those are lovely visitors in the garden! When we lived on St. Kitts we had two pure white chickens and NEVER had a problem with insects on our veggie plants or flowers. Plus we got fresh eggs as well.
A friend of mine in Florida has a chicken that her daughter "needed" when it was a wee chick. If I posted her picture could you tell me what breed she might be?
C3D
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Post by debbiem on Apr 24, 2007 6:59:16 GMT 1
I agree 4p with a bit later on in the year - gosh if your hens are nine and still laying, that's good going! They certainly must be getting what they want out of life. I remember reading in the poultry magazine about a White Sussex hen who was 15 and still laying, I think I've got that right, so there's more life in them there girls yet! They'll be very much at the top of the pecking order when you get some more I bet, and will show the younger ones 'how things are done around here'. When I got some new chickens at one time they didn't know how to go in to the henhouse at night and a couple of the older hens kept coming out, way after roosting tiime, to try and coax them in, very maternal, or matriarchal. C3D please post the picture, one of us should know which breed she is. |
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Post by chickadeedeedee on Apr 24, 2007 13:17:19 GMT 1
Oh thanks so much! I'll need to get the picture in Photobucket to post.
C3D
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Post by chickadeedeedee on Apr 24, 2007 17:45:15 GMT 1
Hi all. Here is the only picture I have of Celestia, the young chicken that my Florida friend now has.  If you could please give me / us an idea who she might be and best care directions. Thanks ever so much! C3D ~~No chicken yet |
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Post by debbiem on Apr 24, 2007 18:37:29 GMT 1
What a cutie! I'm delving into my book as we speak, C3D. It's the lack of red around her face which is making it that little bit harder. But we will prevail......... |
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Post by 4pygmies on Apr 24, 2007 19:55:43 GMT 1
I'm only guessing but she looks very much like my Marans when they were little. Mrs B will find out for sure.
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Post by debbiem on Apr 24, 2007 20:03:23 GMT 1
That's exactly the first thing I thought of too, 4P, my Marans looked very much like that too. But it's the lack of red or definition in the cheeks that throws it a bit....most of the grown-ups have one or the other.
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Post by 4pygmies on Apr 24, 2007 20:07:20 GMT 1
Well, let's pretend we know shall we? |
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Post by debbiem on Apr 24, 2007 20:18:44 GMT 1
Accurate suggestion right at this moment! |
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Post by The witch on Apr 24, 2007 20:20:49 GMT 1
My neighbours birds paid me a few visits last summer - which I wasn't too pleased about - I'm not sure what breed they are BTW ![]() i33.photobucket.com/albums/d75/The witch-in-Norfolk/Birds/Chickens.jpg [/IMG] [/quote] It looks like one of the above C3D |
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We ended up rehoming three flocks and then gave up. But that henhouse is begging............. 
