My attempt to keep chickens.

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sandy
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by sandy »

So sorry about Bubbles Bob {hug&kiss}
The Pink Ladies..Audrey,Ingrid-Bergman,Madeleline,Norma-Jean,Dora,Janice,Jo,Robyn,Chrissy and Joyce
The Peds…Mork,Mindy,Bell,Saphire &
Vorky ,Blueped,Ginger,Ninger &Linky

Sunny Clucker was ere July 12-21 2012
Sunny Clucker was ere July 6 2016 to Sept 9th 2017
Sunny Clucker is here , rehomed Aug 18th 2018/

bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi I really should not have any more boys , the ones I have are problematic.
I survived , as she was off on her trip .
Evil is OK just blind . I make sure she is getting food and not bullied . She wants to come in the kitchen all the time . I am trying to let her spend some time with the flock .
I brought her in this am so a s she can feed on her own . Put her out later .
Boys awake just after 5.00 am this am .
Scramble still with Goldie and Moe . Still go off to their own coop every night and spend the day in the big run and garden .
As for Scramble junior , I am waiting to see what it becomes . Maybe I will get a mate and breed some as pretty rare birds to find .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all ,well my b........ for having a chick hatch is pretty much over , It being Scramble Junior is now as tall as Goldie . Jet black . Little comb and wandering around on his own ,coming back when worried to its mums .They are going about their normal chicken things and not so much watching it .
Moult`s are in full swing . Jack left a lot of feathers on the floor of the kitchen when I brought him in to keep quite the other day .
Evil has settled in the kitchen and moulting as well . She goes out with flock and either gets pecked for her troubles or starts a handbag fight with the hybrid new girls.
She gets the front lawn with a few friends and watches out the back door . Does not want to go out and hangs about the back door when she has had enough . Gets plenty of food in the dog cage so she is looking good .
She spent time watching tv with me the other night . not used to it but soon settled down.
7 eggs a day at the most . Not enough now to met demand .
have to wait till they start up again .
Main thing now is Scramble Junior . I hope to get some photos up soon and you can try and guess what it will become .
really either a beautiful looking hen or a handsome boy .
Hope all the flocks are well . Winter lock ups soon , what with Newcastle disease as well this year cannot see it being any different this winter ,
New York was good so I am told and recommended if one has some spare time and cash.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi today I have had more hens fighting in the garden . Moults and touchy moods.
Rocky has fluid in crop and hanging low . I also when picking her up for a rum of crop found she had bugs . I put her in a dustbin full of D E and powdered her . Also sprayed her with flea spray for cats .
She will feel better in a couple of days . Scaly mite is also around and sudocream on legs to make them feel a bit better.
Scramble is getting bigger by the day and COMB is standing out more . Chirping all the time . Goldie and Moe are letting Scramble be more independent . Only comes after Goldie when worried.
Scramble has learnt the dash and grab and legit away quick . Pom Pom noise when she has something which gives the game away .
Feed the flock before 5.00 am this morning and opened sliding doors for the morning .
They did not crow once which I thank them for. What happened after 5.00am do not know but they have seemed to wake up 6.00am ish.
Evil is still moulting and will not share the front lawn with the hybrids . She maybe poorly sighted but her beak was working well . Only the older hens stood their ground and pulled feathers back . Not sure now which I am protecting Evil from the flock or the other way round .
She is left sitting on the top of the dog cage on news paper sun bathing with food and water . Does not seem bothered about going in the garden. What with food and water and personal service provided , cats and the dogs for company .
Safe as well .
Champ is doing well , he must be 4-5 years old and the oldest boy I have .Suppose as he does not have egg problems the chances of survival have increased. Normally though he would be diner long time ago .
SHMBO recons that all my boys now would be to tough to eat . She being a Veggie would say that .
Not seen any properties I like yet . Have to go to Norfolk for a good deal , too far at moment but good to see what is on offer .
Motor industry is in for a tough few months so watch out all you car buyers there will be some good deals around for sure .
My firm is still going gong ho with vehicles . Though they will no doubt join the pack in saving wages etc . and shut a plant or two for a few weeks if not for ever .
So I am bidding my time which as a 64 this year will not be long in coming (oldest Supervisor at Dagenham now so must be in some ones sights )
Funniest thing today was The night shift took my keys home , he rang from the coast to tell me to come and get them.......
Got a lift home to sort the flock out and let the dogs do what they had to do . Cycled back in a lovely sunny afternoon .
Not funny bit have to stay to get me keys back (longer than I would normally be . )
If you read this Sandy , I may come visiting in November / December as taking every working day off in those to months and only covering the O/T shifts and weekends should there be any.
Chat on the phone nearer the time .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , I LOVE this time of year .
I am getting my own back on all those 3.30 am wake up calls .
I am waking them up at 5.00 am when I feed them before work . Champ is in the big coop and wakes up.
All good .
Bob
Lots of free rolls for them today .
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , always something to spoil a good time.
Working 16-17 hour day .
Fit the flock and animals in when I can . Worried when 10.00pm as dark and late and the doors wide open.
So far all good Rocky has bug trouble and DE well today .
Clean out and a good de in the coops the weekend .
SHMBO away again this weekend to Norfolk so no reason not to spoil the flock.
Following on a cruise .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all , all good and flock put themselves to bed , No foxes . 5.30 am a few wake up crows and then quite . Fed before work still locked up. May let them out a bit later have to see.
Nice long weekend , back to work Mon night shift .
I can say safely getting old as 3 16 hours shifts have done me good and proper . Still the money will give the flock some more mealworms probably.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

All good at the Flock of Penelope and Red.
Hunstanton Norfolk Sunday .
bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , Well Scramble Junior has found something to chase and bully . Plenty of them to keep it busy.
SPARROWS .
Not quite up for collar doves .
Scramble Junior runs at them and they fly off , has a big problem with them eating in His /Hers garden . He/Her is as big as Goldie but still looks for Moe and Goldie`s protection .
A lot of the flock got put in the DE bin and dusted .
7 eggs today and still molting .
Boys quiet till well after 6.00 am .
Feathers are covering most parts of the newest hens .
Basic treats as meal worms are pretty low and saving for getting to the run in the evening .
Terrors behaving well as let them out from about 4.30 pm till 5.00 pm tonight . Have not attacked me and being fed by hand when they feel like it .
Evil in kitchen and happy . Rocky is molting and feeling like most of the other s fed up.
hope all are well .
Bob
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sandy
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by sandy »

Bob do you know what a dull moment is with your girls and boys {rofwl}
The Pink Ladies..Audrey,Ingrid-Bergman,Madeleline,Norma-Jean,Dora,Janice,Jo,Robyn,Chrissy and Joyce
The Peds…Mork,Mindy,Bell,Saphire &
Vorky ,Blueped,Ginger,Ninger &Linky

Sunny Clucker was ere July 12-21 2012
Sunny Clucker was ere July 6 2016 to Sept 9th 2017
Sunny Clucker is here , rehomed Aug 18th 2018/
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Dull is when I sleep till 8.00 am .
I am thinking of getting Goldie and Moe , Scramble Junior to go in the main run and shut their coop down . Save on extra feeding etc.Bob
Glad your ok Sandy . Be seeing you before Xmas.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well Scramble is now taller than Goldie , not as rounded but can look over her . All good , Molts are quite bad and the flock getting plenty of fed and grit .
Terrors are out in Jacks old run and coop , enjoying a bit of sun and company (middle of the garden.
Continuing program of dusting in the bin . Feeding those that are under the weather .
The boys are behaving and letting me grab a hour or 2 sleep in the morning .
Still not sure of Scramble Junior hen or cockerel .
Evil spent the day on the back of the bench watching the kitchen .
Prefers to be in the kitchen on her own . Eating and being spoiled so not surprised . Getting old and likes the comfort .
Sheeting keeps out the damp a bit .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all good , Not much to say . Evil is going handbags with any hen that wants a fight . Wins some looses some .
6 hens and Champ on the front lawn today .
Terror twins in the garden run .
Desmond sits on bench watching his flock and for danger as he does . He is a big boy and stands tall . Well over the fight with Jack . does not seem interested in standing off with the boys at all . Suppose he does not need to and saves his strength for dancing . Champ does head bop with the Terrors and has to jump pretty high to look them in the beak.
Hens taking their time growing feathers back .
Rocky is happy to be picked up and crop rubbed . Just a long standing problem she deals with.
Back Monday day shift . Getting used to have weekends off and a lay in bed .
two weeks and a very short weeks till Xmas .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well I have another hen in with Evil in the dog cage .
2 ring RED from the returned flock (Desmond`s ) She has a very bad moult and is under the weather . Wings down and lost weight . Bald back new feathers grown and growing .
Head tuck back into her body and sleeping . Losing her balance . Have had her Baytril and Metcam for the last few days (Sunday started ) .
She is eating (sweet corn grass and feed in general . Her crop is solid and I massage it as much as I can including squirting water / fluids down her throat to liquidise it. Evil is perched on the back of the bench in the garden and Desmond joins her for company . terror`s are behaving and I pick the pair up and put them in Jacks run/coop during the day so as they get company from hens and boys . Scramble Junior is now bigger than Goldie . Spends a lot of its time away from his mums now and expert at food grabbing from the bigger hens . 6/7 eggs every other day and a couple in between .
dark mornings give the neighbours a rest , only I wake them up before work but the boys soon settle down again.
May upset some but thinking of getting a air gun and blasting the rats etc. as now got a labyrinth of runs under the wire and run.
Do not go anywhere near the traps and the cats are catching them so that cannot be good for them .
So except for the poorly hen all good .
Not sure what the hour the weekend will do . presume dark both end s of the day , with work in the middle
Hope all is good as not much being written , time of year .
Hope the spook night is still a hen favourite .
Bob.
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Glad that all is well with you Bob and your flock (apart from the poorly one). It was June on this forum that kindly gave good advice regarding rodent problems and that was to use Jeys Cleaning Fluid. I had quite a bad mouse problem and I used it to pour down the mouse holes in the run. I think I will always have mice there, but I have not actually seen any for a while so hopefully their numbers have depleted. Give it a try and hopefully it will help your rodent problem.

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