Picking my 8 ladies up tomorrow - Update

Gwenoakes · Post by **Gwenoakes** » 25 Aug 2007, 23:03

Like it says, picking them up tomorrow mid morning. Cant wait.

Everything almost ready, just a little bit more to do on the wire, but we will be keeping them in the barn for a few days just so they get accustomed to us and their surroundings first.
Will try to get daughter to take piccies real soon

Post by **Richard** » 25 Aug 2007, 23:06

Look forward to it and have a great day.

Cor, the excitement. Beats Christmas morning!!

b_cos_1_can · Post by **b_cos_1_can** » 26 Aug 2007, 08:26

yay another expectant mom :wink:

let us know how it all goes!!

melons · Post by **melons** » 26 Aug 2007, 08:29

I love that over excited feeling, even I've got it a bit, as I've got another chicken run coming this week, hopefully, well I've ordered one :-D

Well done you.

Mel

Post by **wendy** » 26 Aug 2007, 08:38

Good luck and well done to you both for giving these little hens a lovely life.
I am sure you will be totally smitten now.
Wendy

Gwenoakes · Post by **Gwenoakes** » 26 Aug 2007, 12:44

They are home! :-D

Apparently the chap picked them up from Leicestershire yesterday,brought to Lincolnshire and then we picked them up this a.m. so they have done an awful lot of travelling in 24 hours.

Six are/look absolutely fine, ones already sat on a very low perch, two look very tired and very little colour on their combs and faces, although they are breathing OK as far as I can tell and nothing obvious to see. Am hoping they will perk up a bit after being left alone for a while with food and drink. Have put a tonic in their water, so keep your fingers crossed please. Am sooooo excited and yes it is much better than Xmas morning Richard )t'

.

The chap had geese and ducks and loadsa animals and I really wanted some of each species, but OH wouldnt have liked that I am sure :( , but I will work on that :wink: :wink:

Will take some piccies possibly tomorrow and get daughter to post, as I am a bit of a dumb, dumb where computers are concerned. I hope you are all ready for the onslaught of questions I will have LOL. I feel really safe having chickens and finding this forum with all you lovely people to talk to. Thanks Gwen

b_cos_1_can · Post by **b_cos_1_can** » 26 Aug 2007, 13:27

so glad all is well gwen!

dont be afraid to ask any questions either, even if they sound silly :wink: weve all done it :oops:

take care

kat x

Post by **wendy** » 26 Aug 2007, 13:36

How exciting.
I am sure the poor sous are exhausted, what with all the travelling and the newness of it all.
They will all perk up.
Wendy

AnnaB · Post by **AnnaB** » 26 Aug 2007, 15:43

Hi Gwenoakes
Isn't it exciting? They will be pale at first but after a few months they will get the redness in their combs and their eyes will not be that pasty colour. You did the right thing to leave them alone when you first get them as they will be traumatised after what has happened.
The ones I had came from Leicester - maybe they are related? They are so adorable and each day are learning 'new' tricks which keeps me on my toes.
Watch the sun as they get burned very easily. Some girls have the sense to shelter but when it is all new to them they don't understand.
Happy hen days!
Anna

Gwenoakes · Post by **Gwenoakes** » 26 Aug 2007, 16:07

Thanks everyone, have had a peek at them and they seem to be settled and are scratting about in the straw and have seen two of them eating. The two that are a little bit tired seem to be a bit more alert now.
They wont be out in the sun yet, just in the barn at least for a few days anyway. Their outdoor run has three sides and a roof, so only one side with wire, but will watch for the sun, thanks for that tip.
Will name them eventually, but I want to see what their personalities are like. Must admit they look much the same at the moment to me.

Were yours 18 months old, with quite a lot of feather and their beaks still in tact AnnaB?

AnnaB · Post by **AnnaB** » 26 Aug 2007, 19:12

I have always thought that they were around 12 months when they are rescued - maybe I'm wrong.
Last years girls had very little feathering, totally oven ready on their necks and breasts, there were some there with no tail feathers and being as that was my own first lot of girls I couldn't have coped with bare bottoms then.
My very first 2 were inherited and they had been out for over a year so I do not know what condition they were in initially.
This time the 5 girls were so well feathered, they had little streaks down their backs missing but nothing too bad. Some of them have neck and breast feathers missing but nothing like last year.
Hope you are enjoying today and its early bedtime these days for them.

Post by **wendy** » 26 Aug 2007, 20:56

I think they are usually about 15 months old.
My first four were pretty bad. Brenda was virtually featherless and Priscilla not far behind. Janice and Marion were not good at all, but better than the other two. All had very red, sore bare bottoms. All four had pretty bad beaks.
Of the two I picked up 17 th August. Gladys is pecked, but not as bad as any of my first four. Doris is a beautiful bird no feathers missing that I can see. Neither appears to have has their beaks altered. But they were extremely white faced and beaks. I cannot explain how awful their faces looked. They were like ghosts Gladys worse than Doris. They never look healthy coming from the battery with clouded eyes and very pale combs and wattles. But these two looked anaemic.
As you can see they are all different, and we work with what we are given
Wendy

Post by **Richard** » 26 Aug 2007, 22:37

Great stuff - hope they're not jet lagged!!

I'll let you girls get on with your 'new mum' thingy )de:

Richard

Gwenoakes · Post by **Gwenoakes** » 28 Aug 2007, 13:30

Well all 8 ladies seem to be fine and to present date/time have laid 6 eggs, all nice brown ones. Not bad going eh?
I have been sitting on a bale of straw in the barn with them just watching. They are coming within a few inches of me now and not quite so skittish (sp).
Been and bought some grit and mixed corn and they are drinking the water with the tonic in it :-D

Have let them out into the run and they are loving it. They have met the cats all be it from the other side of the wire, but not met the dog yet.
Cant find the camera, so no piccies yet. Seem to not had a lot of time since they arrived LOL. It is soooo peaceful just sitting there watching them, but I really must get some work done :wink: