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Post by debbiem on May 16, 2008 14:41:15 GMT 1
Superb! A wormery thread - why not indeed?  |
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Post by bogmyrtle on May 16, 2008 15:38:25 GMT 1
Under garden banter or livestock? ;D
Sorry, it's Friday! I'll start one under garden banter.
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Post by debidoos on May 16, 2008 20:23:10 GMT 1
Have you thought of Ex-Battery hens Myrtle? Both Emsey and I have got 4 each, and they are bred for laying! We got them from the Battery Hen Welfare Trust, www.bhwt.org.uk and they do a fantastic job in rescuing hens on slaughtering day  . It's lovely watching their natural instincts kick in! I would'nt be without our hens now. I had 5 eggs today, which is a new record, most days it's 3 per day, but who gets through that many in a day? Just thought it might be worth mentioning. |
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Post by debidoos on May 29, 2008 10:24:01 GMT 1
our hens spent anight in the house last night, they got soaked in all the rain, they hadn't dried off so we put them in the dog cage, and covered it with a blanket, didn't hear a murmer all night!
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Post by emseypop on May 29, 2008 13:41:11 GMT 1
Your too soft Debs  What about the winter! They are like plants you've got to harden them of a bit  |
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Post by bogmyrtle on May 29, 2008 14:13:42 GMT 1
our hens spent anight in the house last night, they got soaked in all the rain, they hadn't dried off so we put them in the dog cage, and covered it with a blanket, didn't hear a murmer all night! I reckon they want to make sure you do that every night so were on their best behaviour ;D |
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Post by debbiem on May 30, 2008 16:30:15 GMT 1
our hens spent anight in the house last night, they got soaked in all the rain, they hadn't dried off so we put them in the dog cage, and covered it with a blanket, didn't hear a murmer all night! Oh bless! ;D Every lot of chickens I have ever had sit out in the rain even though there's shelter and somewhere dry around. : I wouldn't let this lot in for the night, they're already taking liberties. ;D |
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Post by debidoos on May 30, 2008 19:11:34 GMT 1
It was business as usual last night. they were back in the HH apart from Lola who comes in every night she knocks on the back door to come in, she goes straight in the dog cage and settles for the night. the others won't let her in the HH.
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Post by debidoos on Jun 1, 2008 15:24:01 GMT 1
She's no bother ;D. She just walks straight into the cage, we close the door and pull a blanket over her, we don't hear a peep from her til the morning.
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Post by emseypop on Jun 2, 2008 7:30:09 GMT 1
One of the ladies used their perch last night! Or so i'm led to belive by the tell tale poop left behind on it! They aloso decapitated two massive allums  before they got the chance to bust into colour. They left the smaller ones alone. |
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Post by debbiem on Jun 2, 2008 10:49:50 GMT 1
What a shame about the alliums! I'll never get my head around why chickens walk straight over or through a plant with their great clodhopping feet rather than around it! Great news about the perches Emsey. |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 9, 2008 20:58:56 GMT 1
My son and DiL have inherited 2 battered chickens from DiL's mum...one is called Stumpy and only has one foot, she lays the biggest eggs and is madly in love with my son... ;D The other one's called Chicketty Mushroom....don't ask.....and her eggs are teeny.
My son has made a large henhouse and run, all fox poof (I hope) and with a laying box...they're using shredded newspaper as they were told not to use straw as bedding.
They're having 2 more next weekend....all ones that the flock has bullied so they're all a bit battered.
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Post by debbiem on Jun 9, 2008 21:49:38 GMT 1
How lovely for them Cheery, to have a life away from the bullies! How many are there in the main flock? And brilliant too for your son and DiL - bet they're hooked already. |
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Post by emseypop on Jun 10, 2008 12:15:46 GMT 1
 Thats great news, I bet the birds can't believe thier luck ;D
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Post by debbiem on Jun 11, 2008 9:27:54 GMT 1
Pearl's broody. : My daughters have been on at me to get some hatching eggs but as we all know that could mean cockerels and potential TROUBLE. I'd love to as well but we have to be sensible so I'm just about to go and take the eggs from under her. She's not going to like me..........  |
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Post by emseypop on Jun 11, 2008 10:28:49 GMT 1
Pearl's broody. : My daughters have been on at me to get some hatching eggs but as we all know that could mean cockerels and potential TROUBLE. I'd love to as well but we have to be sensible so I'm just about to go and take the eggs from under her. She's not going to like me.......... It would be such a lovely experience for myself and the children to hatch some eggs, I'm tempted myself but like you say Roosters would be trouble. I don't envy you collecting those eggs! My hens keep pecking the freckles on my arms ;D I think they think I have a bug on me ;D Next door came round to visit the hens on Saturday, and wanted to touch one, she said, "will they peck me?" I said, stroke Duckie she's the friendliest, if they do peck, its more of a shock than painful, she bent down and let out an almighty scream! She got pecked ;D |
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Post by debbiem on Jun 11, 2008 13:57:57 GMT 1
Whoops! Poor neighbour. ;D Pearl didn't peck me but she's in a right state - doesn't seem to know if she's coming or going. : I've hoofed her out of the HH twice this morning as she's decided to brood in the very spot where everyone like to lay their eggs so there are loud protests from the rest of them. Hope it doesn't last long! |
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Post by emseypop on Jun 12, 2008 10:45:43 GMT 1
Whoops! Poor neighbour. ;D Pearl didn't peck me but she's in a right state - doesn't seem to know if she's coming or going. : I've hoofed her out of the HH twice this morning as she's decided to brood in the very spot where everyone like to lay their eggs so there are loud protests from the rest of them. Hope it doesn't last long! It sounds like the other ladies will sort her out! |
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Post by debbiem on Jun 13, 2008 18:41:06 GMT 1
Well I really have been and gawn and done it now! After my eldest daughter going on and on for England about having some hatching eggs, and after the millions reasons we told her why we shouldn't, I've just bought six mixed bantam hatching eggs from ebay. The whole thing came to £5. There are so many things that could go wrong before the hatching stage i.e. the eggs losing fertility during transit, Pearl deciding that she's not that broody after all! Even if they get to the hatching stage Pearl might not take to them as they are a different breed, so much could go wrong! And of course there's the cockerel thing. But I will have 3 very excited and interested children and if all else fails at least they will understand why we have to be happy with the chickens we've got. And at the very best we might have one or two small hens to add to the flock. I will make it perfectly clear that we'll try this just this once. : |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 14, 2008 8:05:07 GMT 1
Gosh...I didn't know that you could do that. It's a pity they can't sex the eggs before you buy, save problems later! It will be educational for all concerned I should think...and baby chicks are sooooo lovely ;D
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Post by emseypop on Jun 14, 2008 15:14:00 GMT 1
Well I really have been and gawn and done it now! After my eldest daughter going on and on for England about having some hatching eggs, and after the millions reasons we told her why we shouldn't, I've just bought six mixed bantam hatching eggs from ebay. The whole thing came to £5. There are so many things that could go wrong before the hatching stage i.e. the eggs losing fertility during transit, Pearl deciding that she's not that broody after all! Even if they get to the hatching stage Pearl might not take to them as they are a different breed, so much could go wrong! And of course there's the cockerel thing. But I will have 3 very excited and interested children and if all else fails at least they will understand why we have to be happy with the chickens we've got. And at the very best we might have one or two small hens to add to the flock. I will make it perfectly clear that we'll try this just this once. : You are so naughty!  but I'm sooooo jealous! I want news as it happens ;D Dont leave anything out! I think you need to start a new thread! |
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Post by debbiem on Jun 16, 2008 9:38:49 GMT 1
Brilliant smiley Emsey! Well, Pearl's still broody and the eggs haven't arrived yet. I'm hoping they'll come tomorrow. I'll keep you posted. |
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Post by debbiem on Jun 16, 2008 9:57:08 GMT 1
Gosh...I didn't know that you could do that. It's a pity they can't sex the eggs before you buy, save problems later! It will be educational for all concerned I should think...and baby chicks are sooooo lovely ;D If only it was possible to sex the eggs beforehand! It's all down to pot luck. Let's just hope that if any do hatch they're girls! : |
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Post by emseypop on Jun 16, 2008 10:11:52 GMT 1
Gosh...I didn't know that you could do that. It's a pity they can't sex the eggs before you buy, save problems later! It will be educational for all concerned I should think...and baby chicks are sooooo lovely ;D If only it was possible to sex the eggs beforehand! It's all down to pot luck. Let's just hope that if any do hatch they're girls! : Are they one of those breeds (I forget the name) where you can sex them by the colour of the chick when it hatches? |
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Post by debbiem on Jun 16, 2008 14:43:22 GMT 1
They're either Light Sussex, Rhode Island Red, Silkie or Cuckoo Maran bantam eggs. I've read somewhere too about that breed where you can tell the gender when they're chicks but I don't think it's any of those.
A bantam silkie cockerel - can you just imagine it moving in on my large breed girls! ;D
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. It's lovely watching their natural instincts kick in!
What about the winter! They are like plants you've got to harden them of a bit 
before they got the chance to bust into colour. They left the smaller ones alone.