I'm not very good at keeping up to date on diaries but thought I would introduce you to Chicky - who is currently an only chicken. I have my name down for some ex-workers but that will not be for a couple of months and I am going to try to get her a friend to cuddle up to in this cold weather. She gets plenty of visits from the wild birds who eat her layers pellets and whenever the dogs or I go out in the garden she rushes up to oin in.
Chicky with Bo (yes the dreaded staffie x - when the first batch of girls arrived they were confined to the run and he was very protective of them if any of the other dogs got too close, since the chicks have had access to the garden he is more relaxed).
Chicky with Jed
Her run (China in foreground)
The gate is latched to stop the big dogs getting in - only because of dirty paw prints all over the house from the bark chippings.
The little dogs can get in and I found an explanation for egg production dropping - caught the egg thief in the act one day Miss "I never do wrong" Cassie Cavalier had her front paws on the edge of the nest box and was tucking in to a freshly laid egg.
Hi Georgina and welcome. look forward to reading your posts and hope you manage to get her a friend soon! She looks very happy pottering around though. I see you said youve had other chickens so will probably know what youre doing but everyone is so helpful on this site.
Your dogs look lovely to, they seem very laid back around her. I hope you don't mind me saying though that there have been some sad tales about owners who's dogs have suddenly turned on chickens when theyve been totally friendly in the past so please be careful.
thanks Julie, yes we have had chickens here for 4 years now. The first batch were ex-free range farm girls at the end of their working life. They were the ones confined to the run for the best part of a year ......... one day I heard a loud squawking and looked round to see Jed had brought back one who had made a bid for freedom! He was looking very proud of himself with the "my dad is a gundog" expression and she was not harmed at all. After that I let the chickens out under close supervision and Bo was still very protective of them. The dogs were terrified when we were down to just Chummy from the first batch and I brought in the second batch - big chicken fights which the dogs hated! China knows she is not to chase them but every so often would - and would get told off by Bo. When any of the chickens have been a bit poorly and just huddle down in the garden Bo gets very worried and comes to fetch me. When Cassie (cavalier) and Reg (JR x Chi) came the chickens were already established as free range round the garden - and bigger than those 2 dogs, so they just accepted it.
Just have to make sure any chicks are shut away if their friends come round to play!
I have 3 dogs to, all small yorkies. I had my previous chooks and the dogs were around them when I was there. The chooks I have now are confined to the run (a fox got my other girls ) so the dogs never have contact. look forward to seeing more pics of your 'family' as you get new arrivals. I am hoping to get some exbats in the spring, I need to devise some more space in my tiny garden first though!
Hello Georgina What a beautiful girl Chicky is, she seems quite at home with her protectors
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/
what a pretty little hen ,and a lucky girl too to have big brothers to look after her ,i can bet whos boss and i bet it doesnt have four legs and fur
[center]HELPING THE LITTLE BROWN GIRLS OF THIS WORLD FIND FOREVER HOMES Humble chicken maid to a happy little flock Frankii Whippers leading the way with Dorey,Prila(aka Mrs Brown),Ann-a-Lou Greta, Delphine my adorable silkie,my twin girls Lana and Boudica (aka The Jedward Twins ) ,Augustine Eizabeth(aka Pippy), Rheima, Marnie and Fleur aka little miss chatterbox[/center]
Still loving and missing Skinnie Minnie and Queenie xx
Marlene you taught me how to live and laugh again xx
Isabella my darling top hen ,you stole my heart xx
Porscha my sweet little girl ,you left so suddenly xx
Cheeky Chicky dived through the dogflap as one of them came in! Did not see her do it and did wonder if Jed had brought her in (but he is not looking sheepish so no to that) or if she had made her own way in (she spends a lot of time pecking at it .... but have been watching and she has not tried to open it) ............ so the only way left is for her to have dived through when it was open!
The new girls - no names until I get to see their characters. Chicky was just behind me when I took the pictures - she has been pottering around the garden leaving them to the run but it is snowing a fair bit now so she has gone for cover (there is a roof over most of the run)
they are now all shut in the run together as the snow is getting heavier and I do not fancy having to traipse round the garden with a torch later if there is an errant chicken. It is around 9ft by 12 ft with the coop tucked in a corner so still plenty of room to avoid each other but remain undercover.
How lovely Chicky has some friends I am sure they will be ok I put in 3 new to 1 old so fingers crossed. I reckon Chicky did get through the catflap. If she is anything like my old cat, she would never use it when in sight of us just incase we got wise that we knew she could use it
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/
They are all in the coop.... of course when I opened it up to check Chicky decided to have a peck but I had to be sure they were all in there for the night. Closed it down again and it went quiet so hopefully they will at least be nice and warm in there even if the atmosphere is wariness.
) so the dogs never have contact. look forward to seeing more pics of your 'family' as you get new arrivals. I am hoping to get some exbats in the spring, I need to devise some more space in my tiny garden first though!
What a beautiful girl Chicky is, she seems quite at home with her protectors 
