karen's chicken diary

[sandy]

Karen if you have let Ron down then I must be an awlful chicken mummy! Do not dwell on those kind of thoughts, if Ronnie passes on then she will have had a wonderful time leading upto it, you do know that is true. Fingers,toes everything is crossed for a miracle, if it isn't to be then it will be the best for her bless her. Please look after yourself too

[KarenE]

Hi everyone

I'm afraid Ronnie passed away today Sadly I didn't get to see her before she went as was still away but hubby looked after her and brought her inside for a cuddle today, then put her outside in the afternoon so she could be in the sun and air. He's buried her in the same spot as Nuggsy, Cassie, Gabby and Toffee.

Remie had already gone to bed when i got in - she's going to be such a lonely girl tomorrow. We're going to have to go emergency chicken shopping to get her a friend to live with (not that she'll appreciate that I'm sure, not for a few weeks anyway)

Thanks for all your good wishes for The Ron, and thanks for the kind thoughts and comments for me. I do appreciate having a virtual chicken family to share these things with.

[sandy]

Oh Karen I am so sorry. Thank goodness she had the sun on her for her last day bless her. I cannot believe yet another one of 'our flock' has gone. We had tears for Bumble and now for beautiful Ronnie, The Ron Please remember what I said about you and believe it, because it is true. Ronnie will be snuggling up with all those lovely henpals tonight.
My dad's name was Ronald, he only answered to Ron too

[KarenE]

Thanks everyone for the lovely thoughts and wishes for Ronnie The Ron. I didn't feel like I got a chance to really know her, but at least we had a few snuggles and sunbathes together in the short time she was with us.

Well, after a few days of lonely Remie living on our patio and coming in the back door for treats, she now has a new friend! Plus I've put down for 2 ex batts in the FSFH 14/7 rescue.

Today we went off to the farm where we bought Remie from, and had a good look around. We'd gone set on a Coral (I think Coral Nick is the breed) as the description said they were inquisitive and friendly, much like Remie is. I saw the cream legbars and araucanas and was really tempted, but as my husband shrewdly pointed out, only so I could have my own Wiggy Anyway, there can only be one Wiggy Woo Woo so I resisted temptation (plus prices weren't listed and you know if you have to ask...) and we brought back a little Point-of-Lay Coral. As Yet Unnamed but we're toying with Casper or Snowdrop (she is a white bird, and will lay white/cream eggs apparently)

She's pootling about in the run already, she and Remie have been screeching at each other. Slightly worried that she may be a bit flightier than I thought as she's already been banging her head on the run roof, but possibly something startled her. She didn't seem to warm to Jasper.

Anyway, fingers crossed they get on well-ish and things aren't too bad. They have a bit of time to sort themselves out before the 2 ex batts get here, and then things should really be fun. It'll be interesting to see if Remie can hold her own as top hen.

[KarenE]

I think As-Yet-Unnamed will be Casper and she seems a friendly little soul. She and Remie have been getting acquainted through the wire, all the yelling and honking seems to have stopped and they're quite happily pottering around next to each other with the wire separating them. I'm not naive enough to think all will be sweetness and light so we'll have to see what bedtime brings when they meet face to face but so far it's looking hopeful

I have taken a few pics and vids already. Casper is more like an Amber Star with a few flecks of brown through her feathers (I think it's colouring rather than dirt!) but they did say Coral and they didn't list any amber stars in stock. I can't post the vids up as it's fiddly to get them off my phone but here are a few pics - scuse the mess, hubby's started on the Super Run:

Casper:


Meeting for the first time:


Hunting for mealworms together:


Remsie enjoying some quality 'me' time:

[sandy]

Casper looks lovely, I have never heard of the breed? With her gold/brown flecks she does sound like an Amber Star? It is going to be so interesting to see how Remie (who looks so beautiful) will get on with her and the imminent arrivals.

[HenPen]

She looks lovely. I do hope she and Remie will be firm friends.

I am a little bit jealous. I wanted a Coral, as I was really keen to have white eggs (and they were said to have super temperaments), but there were none left when we went to pick up the girls, and now the farm has stopped doing them.

My Amber is an Amber Star, they lay light brown eggs... and in her case, oddities.

Love your photos of the girls meeting. Remie looks very interested.

[KarenE]

Casper and Remie seem to be settling in fine. Casper is still nervous and very wary of me and of Jasper, but that's not surprising since he's pulling his usual Intimidation Tactics with her. He lives in the vain hope that he may actually be boss of a chicken one day.

Casper's sneezing and spluttering a bit so I've popped tylan in the water, Remie was the same when she came so perhaps it's less of an infection and more environment but I'm not taking chances.

Remie is out all day while Casper gets her bearings and gets more confidence, although Casper does seem to follow Remie around the edges of the run when Remie shows up. I'm not going to let her out until probably Thurs or Fri (am away again till Fri anyway)

We had a little bit of wailing from Remie when I let her in to go to bed on day 1, a little bit last night as well but they were both happily tucked up in bed together when I went out to check on them last night. I got up at 8 to let Remie out this morning and sneaked up so I could see how they were getting on, and it looked like harmony was reigning! They were both digging and scratching away merrily, these may be the easiest intros I have done so far Remie started wailing when she saw me but I think that was to come out rather than because of Casper. I did see her give Casper a little bok on the head so it looks like Remie is taking a leaf out of The Ron's book as far as asserting top hen authority goes.

So far - going well!

[KarenE]

First egg from Casper! A lovely bright white one

No egg from Remie though

The girls continue to bond (ish) through the wire - I've set Remie up with her water and food next to Casper's only outside, and I am poking grass and dandelion leaves etc through the wire for Casper, who follows what remie is doing with great interest. Today the girls chewed on a leftover bit of lettuce which normally I wouldn't give them due to the effect on poos but what the heck, they both loved it!

Casper is as good as gold, trotting off to bed nicely. I suspect when we do let her out she'll follow Remie around the garden as she seems fascinated by everything she does.

Remie is still a bit affronted at the fact that a chicken seems to have moved into her run but to be honest she is such a diva (drama queen as hubby says) who spends all her time muttering and chattering that it's possible she's complaining because she isn't the centre of attention all the time

So no early morning getting up tomorrow, we'll leave them in the run until a more civilized time and see what they're like. Completely not expecting the ex batts intro to go this smoothly in a few weeks!

[sandy]

Oh what a relieve they seem to be getting on I didn't realise 8 was an earling morning start Casper def isn't an Amber then if she has presented you with a white egg, clever girl she knows how to get her feet under the table

[KarenE]

Sandy 8 is the crack of dawn as far as I'm concerned

[KarenE]

Easiest introductions ever.

Casper now completely settled in, although still a bit shy. She and Remie get on well by the looks of things, although Remie does assert her authority occasionally when treats are about. Casper has been out in the garden since last Weds and had a Very Big Adventure on Thurs when she disappeared over the neighbour's fence into their garden and couldn't get back again (there's a 6 ft drop between their garden and ours) so neighbour and hubby tried for an hour to round her up by chasing her all over the garden. Poor thing. She has stayed nicely in the garden ever since.

Hubby has started on the Super Run which is shaping up really nicely! In fact it's almost finished. Pics will follow when I have more time!

Casper doesn't have brown flecks in her feathers - that is dirt Scruffy little thing!

[sandy]

Whoa Casper, I think she may be in some sort of training? Glad to hear she and Remie are getting along, it is such a relief isn't it. Looking forward to seeing the new Palace

[KarenE]

Loads to catch up on, have been very neglectful of the diary!

First - the Super Run is finished! The girls now have palatial exterior accommodations, and it looks fab - hubby has done a brilliant job and it's all made to measure, including the giant roof which was carefully constructed in 2 parts to lie on top of each other so the water will drain properly. The old run was built a bit at a time so had supports and posts all over the place - now that these are out there's even more space than we thought, and it's all on the same footprint so bonus!

Some pics of our new Super Run




Remie and Casper are both doing well. Casper's coming out of her shell a bit more, she has the cutest little 'peep' and is pretty quiet most of the time. And for a white chicken she can't half camouflage well. She's built herself and remie a little nest under one of the ferns and had quite a nice little clutch going on there till we found her and the eggs. She isn't broody though, this was just while they were banned from the coop and run while the new girls settled in - she's back to laying in the nest boxes now.

Casper and Remie dustbathing together:


Did i mention that remie has started hunting and killing mice? We thought the little half eaten corpses round the garden were jasper's work but it looks like they may be working as a deadly double act - possibly not in cahoots though, just the mice's bad luck to have 2 rodent serial killers on the loose in the same garden. Anyway, she has been caught twice now killing and scoffing mice. Disgusting. Anyone want any eggs?

Casper looking gorgeous:


And possibly slightly less gorgeous:


'ere, wossup ere then?


Remsie also doing very well, settling into her top hen role like she was born to it. Remie is queen of all she surveys!


So the other big news of course is the new additions - we picked up 2 ex-batts last Saturday. They are settling in well - we had them isolated for a few days then around Tues or Weds we have been letting them all out in the garden together. I was worried about intros - as you do - but they have gone pretty well really. Remie and our biggest healthiest new girl squared up and had a wire-fight or two. I wasn't sure who'd won but it looks like Remie is secure in her top hen role, she is regularly terrorising the new girls whenever she can, and poor casper as well as the hormones obviously are in full flow when she's tophenning. Casper I was worried about, she's such a quiet little thing and she played nonchalant all day. But don't let that calm exterior fool you - that girl is cunning! She flitted around until about an hour before bed then had right goes at everyone through the wire, stalking them round and allsorts. Few actual fights from Casper, she's used intimidation tactics instead and is now happily ensconced as 002.

Remie's Minions - three girls getting on well


Our new little bottom hen:


And again


Sadly we still haven't named the two new girls - i'm not overly fond of giving them proper names you see (Ronnie and Gabby being exceptions) and I'm also not sure about continuing our tradition of naming them after chicken food and accompaniments (sage, casserole and nugget) so we're waiting for inspiration to strike.

They are both very sweet natured little things. Our little 004 is such a friendly girl, she follows me around the garden and seems desperate for company and protection. Obviously she is terrified of remie and casper but I'm sure that will calm down soon, she seems far too sociable to let that get in the way of a good flock. Our 003 has been doing fine but today she is looking really poorly, I am hoping it's the heat that has got her down but it may be she's finding it all a bit too much. She has been happily running around all week though and seemed our healthiest chicken - she even laid today. Good wishes needed already Typical as well as we are off for a week tomorrow so if she does take a turn for the worse I'm afraid there's not much we can do - I've warned our chicken sitter. If the worst does happen, at least she's had a brilliant week, with lovely grass and mealworms and digging and sunbathing (which she has loved doing) and at the moment she has settled herself into the flower border which is where she has decided she wants to be - and since the wee thing has had pretty much zero choice so far in her life, that's fine with me.

003:


And again:


I'm so glad we've got ex batts again, watching them settle in is so rewarding.

[KarenE]

003 the same again today, she's again taken herself off to sit in the hedge where it's nice and cool and out of the way of remie and casper, who have been horrible today with the mash that I've put out (was hoping to get the new girls onto pellets by today but that hasn't worked at all). I'm afraid they are just going to have to get on with it for the next week as we're off, and they are going to be confined to their run. There are of course plenty of food and water places but they all want mash, and they all want the mash that each other is eating

Bit worried about 003, I really hope she's going to be okay. It seems such a pity to come out of the cages and then get sick, but I know some girls do. She seemed so robust but perhaps not to be. Poor little mite. At least she gets to be ill here, rather than falling ill in the cages. That must be a nightmare.