The residents of Featherend Cottage

[morbidia]

Sounds like they had a proper tantrum throwing their bedding out the coop instead of their toys out the pram..lol...my girls were grounded today because when I let them out yesterday and it came time for them to go back in the run they wouldn't go in,not even for mealworms, it had started to rain quite heavily and there I was running round in the freezing rain and mud trying to catch the little madams

[Annie]

27th March

For the last few days I have been posting on the main forum about my concerns for a couple of my elderly ex batts, they appear to be suffering with the extended period of cold weather we are getting this Spring.
On Monday they spent the day and the night in the bunny hutch in the kitchen, warming their bones and getting special eats like cat food - fish pate and warmed mash with tomato and mealworms, all of which was consumed with relish.
Yesterday morning they were much more alert and were a better colour in their combs so they were put outside into the sheltered silkie run to see how they would fare. Bathsheba was quite perky scratching about and pecking at some corn I threw in after lunchtime, Mary ate the corn too but seemed to be feeling the cold again a bit.
I checked them later in the afternoon and Bathsheba was still doing fine but Mary needed her crop draining as it was full of liquid.
Eck put the hens to bed last night and as the silkie house is too small for 6 hens, the 2 old girls were put back in with their flock ( they had been out in the garden with them for an hour before this). Strangely both Bathsheba and Mary, elected to sleep on the floor of the henhouse which they never do prefering to get into the nest boxes.
This morning I opened the pophole door for them to come out for breakfast and was very surprised to see Mary was about the 5th hen out and she ran straight for the plates of warm mash.
Sadly I opened the big door to do the poop pick and found Bathsheba had died in her sleep. I didn't expect that at all.
Hens are an enigma, all you can do is try to keep them well but their fate is never sure.
This hen I am sorry to lose especially, she was the hen my Mum loved , she chose her name , saying ' that a poor thing that has suffered so at the hands of man at least deserves to start her new life with us with a posh name' and so she got one. Rescued in October 2010 so longer out of the cages than in .
I keep saying it but I have found coming out of winter to be the hardest time and have lost more at this time of year than at any other.
Of the original 6 hens I began with I now only have big boss Maisie the sussex still with me . Personally I think you need to be a bit tough to keep hens , they can certainly put you to the test.

[aishakali]

Aww, so sorry you lost Bathsheba Annie, you would probably have been less surprised if it had been Mary by the sound of it. As you say, she had longer out of the cages than in and that was down to you. I think you are right, we do have to be tough to keep hens but it's easier said than done isn't it

[Linda S]

So sorry Annie she has had a lovely long free life with you and Eck and bless her she has had even more pampering(if thats possible)over these last days. She was obviously so happy and contented right to the end
Thankyou for explaining how she got her name as i have often wandered about it Lindaxx

[Bridgets Mum]

Longer out of the cage than in is my goal for my girls, so well done Bathsheba. to you for your loss. We need more chicken mamas like you.

[Annie]

Thank you for the kind words and I agree , longer out of the cages than in , is what to aim for, sadly out of 7 ex batts I think only 3 have managed that but all apart from one have managed 18 months so a break even is still an achievement.

I must say, that with the exception of Mary, all of my girls seem to be doing ok. Fiddler still has a slight limp, who knows that may stay with her now but she isn't left behind in the race for corn.
They are all laying as if it really is Spring time ,even the ones I hatched last year appear to have mastered it and there eggs are regular and of a uniform size. I just really hope that the weather warms up for them though fairly soon as I am fearful of more succumbing to the longer days with still such cold weather to endure.

I have collected the eggs today and there was 3 spaces empty so as the garage were offering 3 C'bury creme eggs for £1 , I purchased that bargain and put them in the empty spaces. How long before Eck notices do you reckon ?

[sandy]

to Bathsheba, she will be running around free again now bless her over that bridge. Annie you have really put your finger on it, you need to be tough don't you. I was thinking just the same, if my girls don't make it they have not gone from cage to death they have had a proper chickeny experience inbetween how ever long it is. Bet you cant wait for Eck to go egg collecting tomorrow

[aceface]

sleep tight little Bathsheba ,you were a much loved little hen

Annie im sorry you lost your little girl and yes it is a tough game this hen keeping i cant get the hang of toughening up im afraid im just a big gloopy marshmallow but please take a and longer out than in is such a great way of putting it into perspective for me i shall keep that in my mind Annie thank you .

i agree the cold weather is taking its toll on these little brown battered girls im tentative every morning i go in the coop for my old girl Isabella ,i dont know what i will do when anything happens to her she is Jacks hen , and the new girl that is joining us on saturday will be chosen by him . i also wondered how she got such a lovley name .

[jemberelli]

Sorry to hear about your girl Annie, what a fabulous 'life after cage' she has had with you though

[Annie]

The general agreement in this house is I get up and do the hens on a working morning and Eck does the shutting up at night routine ( the cycle lamp atop a woolly hat suits him so much better than me).
Last night as usual, Eck went to shut awy the girls, all were in bed so that was good.
He colected up the drinkers and dirty plates and feeders and popped them outside the run, then opened the big door to count heads and see all was well.

Violet is in the dog bed , her favourite sleeping place, on her back not moving. Not another one today, he thought, what will I say to Annie , this will really get her down.
Hang on a minute.....................first one wing gets stretched, then a leg joins in, then a general squirming and flapping takes place.
Its OK Dad just having a bath before bedtime

[aishakali]

Don't do that Annie!! I was holding my breath then

[aceface]

Annie i thought it was more sad news

[sandy]

So Violet likes a bath before bedtime. You'll be taking her in some cider(acv of course) and a few mealworms to have while she is bathing before long

[Annie]

2 nd April

Eck has been in charge of the girls over the Easter break as I have no energy, floored with a cold/flu yukiness , they have flourished under his ministrations and we are still getting on average 11 eggs each day,such busy little bodies.
Yesterday he said ' just popping up the garden to give the girls a few sultanas and see if there are any more eggs'
He dived back down the garden saying ' You have got to come and see this'




3 ladies doing there best to lay there eggs in the nest boxes and three pampered misses rolling around on the floor dust bathing . Now they can dust bathe outside there are several places set aside, do you think they are being modest or just preferring to do their ablutions in the warm ?

[julie62]

It looks very cosy in there Annie I dont blame them .. snug as bugs in a rug.