... beware the olive oil. We've only ever used it for crop bound hens, to try to make them clear their crops. Light the blue touch paper, and stand well back...

Hi- I thnk I just PMed you... if not, Hinchliffe's farm shop in Netherton, Huddersfield is where we went this week for our two new girls. Warrens at £7.50 and 'coloured birds' (Amber Rangers, Speckled Rocks, Blue Stars etc.) at ten pounds. All happy and healthy (until I got them home, that is, where...

We brought home an Amber Ranger, and a Blue Star to go with our Warren and Black Rock on Wednesday... the hen house is like WW3! Lots of pecking, and shouting. It happened when we've introduced hens before, so as others have said, I'm not going to interfere unless there's bloodshed!

Just a thought... what about the powdered cat deterrents from garden centres? Has anyone (with no cats!) tried these?

Touch wood, we've never lost a hen to a fox, but Mum called this evening to say that while they were having tea, Mr Todd came and killed a Maran hen and a banty cockerel, leaving them just one poor hen and a duck. It can only have taken minutes, and henny Penny's nowhere to be seen. I've seen the hu...

Our black rock is losing the feathers on her underbelly, and now up her neck, towards her wattle. It's happened gradually, and I don't think she's broody, because a) i can't see where she's putting the feathers, and b) she's not 'sitting'... It's not affected our warren. I can't think that they're b...

We made the mistake of eating our tea outside, when the hens were out the other evening. They quite often mooch around to see if there are any decent pickings, but i wasn't quite prepared to find Martha sitting on my plate... needles to say, as she tried to get off, mackerel, potatoes, peas, carrots...

Our ladies are out and about a lot at the moment, and are largely ignoring the pellets... I think they're getting their fill from woodlice in the compost heap!

No free rangers at all in Sainsbury's in Huddersfield yesterday, and only three left with the RSPCA stickers on them... OH had to stop me from confiscating 'box birds' out of peoples trolleys... We will no longer buy anything with an egg in that isn't free range. From henceforth, we'll make our own ...

Did anyone else get the letter and leaflets from Sainsbury's today? Apparently, they want to reassure all shoppers that, contrary to what the media says, all their eggs and chickens come from British farms. One can't help thinking they are missing the point here...

Do you know if it's the same one advertised in the Smallholder? I laughed out loud at that one, because their slogan is 'the biggest thing since flies bred!'... it doesn't take much!

We buy straw by the bale (we've found it so much cheaper that way... ) because we've got a bun and GP too... although they also get wood shavings from time to time... I must admit they make less mess with straw! I do line the nest with straw, but as has been mentioned, they are inclined to go to bed...

Thanks all... it's good to see that others are as chicken crazy as we are here! I only realised yesterday how very attached OH and I are to the hens... we've lost a cat, a hamster and a hen now in the last 8 weeks... things can only get better! We will have another lady, but wait till spring I think...

It was all in vain really... we went down the olive oil route, and she semmed to perk up after she'd been sick again. We brought her in last night, and she slept in a cat basket with some grit and water, but had gone by this morning. I have a pupil who's parents are beef farmers, and I had asked the...

Thank you for that... I will try the olive oil. I called the poultry farmer, who said not to bother with the vet, to try the massage again, and if she didn't perk up, then... well... you know... I'm not sure I can do that, but I do appreciate that he's a farmer, and that that's how it works there. M...