Many thanks for the replies. One other thing we have done is leave the pop hole open overnight (because it opens onto the secure run) so that they can get up at first light rather than wait for me. I did think they might be bored waiting and start pecking each other as a result. Since we did this th...

I've had our 4 hens since January. The first problem was feather pecking by the Black Rock who picked on the Little Brown Hen. On advice BR was put in solitary confinement and when returned the problem appeared to go away. We also improved the diet with more protein and introduced "entertainmen...

Having done nothing more strenuous than drive a desk while at work the heaviest thing I had to pick up was a biro. Consequently my hands are small, soft and "girlie". Now in my new role I sell gloves and find there are many "girlies" out there with bigger stronger hands than me. ...

Chicken keeping in what we call summer is certainly much easier than in winter. It is so much more relaxed. However I am glad I started in the depths of winter otherwise when winter returns it would be a shock to the system. The Ladies have been allowed to venture out of their pen and explore the &q...

The giant snow drift that looped itself over the chicken coop has now nearly gone, it's in 2 halves one rises up the ladder to the pop hole. The Ladies have effectively adopted this as part of the access arrangements and is no longer the expected white colour. The second part of the drift sits on to...

On Stockholm Tar just put it down to him having Good Product Knowledge, but more worrying is - how does he know what Sh*t tastes like?

It has been a couple of months since my last update from the Chicken Bunker EPU (Egg Production Unit). The Latest Unseasonal Weather to hit the area has produced the deepest snow the Ladies have experienced. So much so the first morning only LBH and Zazu were prepared to venture out, not surprising ...

Sandy - the Gentian stuff was probably used for Nappy Rash. Our eldest would be nearly 3 months old in September 1987. I think we got it because we had hired a caravan in Cirencester from a colleague at work. Our fellow holidaymakers probably wished they hadn't booked the same week as us. I spent ev...

There is no doubt that Zazu prefers to work at finding her food. Sprinkling some pellets had her chasing about feeding and then later kicking the wood chips over the mealworm gave her and others some entertainment. I read somewhere that hanging up some cd's provided a distraction for peckers who wou...

Unfortunately I am now in disgrace having spilt GENTIAN VIOLET SOLN onto the coffee table. I know I had no business fiddling about with it especially on a new table, trouble is some people panic at the sight of purple fluid. I've managed to clean up the table but can do nothing about SWMBO's purple ...

I am still seeing the feather pecking. Zazu the Rhode Rock continues to be the worse culprit and LBH the victim. Two things that I have noticed may be related, Zazu eats the feathers and secondly she does not join in the frantic feeding session first thing in the morning, instead wanders around peck...

Wow Annie!!
How did you know? I really must find out how to turn that web cam off.

The Chicken Bunker EPU (Egg Production Unit) has been stuttering slightly with numbers gradually declining from 3/4 per day to 3 then recently 2 and today shock horror only one. This despite a stern talking to two days ago when by lunchtime the scoreboard that day hadn't been troubled. Finally two e...

The stack of eggs in the cupboard requires attention. Breakfast: Home-made pancakes, we normally buy ready made ones at weekends but its the real deal from now on. Afternoon: Tried the recipe for Egg Custard, worked well. I've always liked Custards. Teatime: Omelette, my first ever! Again another Cl...

A cold and snowy day. Tried some sweetcorn on a thread for a little activity in my new role as Entertainments Manager. When I enter the Bunker everyone now stops what they are doing to see what new game I have devised for their entertainment. Most of the games such as leaning into the coop to pick o...