Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Start your own thread and let us follow you through the year
Post Reply
User avatar
sandy
Legendary Laner
Posts: 9915
Joined: 13 Oct 2008, 21:59
Gender: Female
Location: Bristol

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by sandy »

Love your photos. They always want to help don't they {rofwl} Visitors think I am mad having a framed photo of one of my old girls on the wall in the girls home but you have outdone me, brilliant. I wonder if I ought to get a photo of a boy hen for them +f+ You have a lovely piece of land, I may have a big run but my girls can never free range with all our predators, I hope to grass their garden as I really want the batties to have a bit of experience of the green stuff. Your coop looks sparkling as do your beautiful girlies
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/

User avatar
Bridgets Mum
Longlasting Laner
Posts: 557
Joined: 03 Sep 2011, 22:25
Gender: Female
Location: Wigan

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by Bridgets Mum »

sandy wrote: I wonder if I ought to get a photo of a boy hen for them +f+ You have a lovely piece of land, I may have a big run but my girls can never free range with all our predators


Piccy of a boy hen. Why didn't I think of that? I shall buy them a fancy prancy pin up cockeral calendar next year.
As for predators.... Foxy seems to be less evident but there are new, huge, goofy puppies springing up all around. One's a mastif and will be something to reckon with when he grows up. That's probably why foxy is lying low! I've already been +f+ my husband with a view to fence reinforcement. In the meantime - they are never alone!

The new girls had their first taste of free range today. I waited until nearly bedtime and then let them out for half an hour (with the oldies shreiking insults in the background).

Image

Everyone had a little mooch about and returned back to the hen house as twilight fell. Everyone except Nemo who has evidently no sense of danger and wanted to play in the gloomy woodpile for a bit longer.
Image
User avatar
Linda S
Legendary Laner
Posts: 5977
Joined: 06 Apr 2012, 22:55
Gender: Female
Location: west yorkshire

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by Linda S »

Smashing girls and photos BM :-D Lindaxx
And then there was one, Again!!!!
Jemima
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Little Angels Free For Ever
Honey,Lizzi,Peggy-Mitchel,April,Hope,Faith,Blondie, Sorrel,Scarlet, Penny, Gabby, Rosie, Chick-a-Dee
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Remembering Our Beautiful Foster Boys we are so sorry that we couldn't keep you
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
User avatar
julie62
Legendary Laner
Posts: 2025
Joined: 16 Apr 2011, 00:54
Gender: Female
Location: Salford, Manchester

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by julie62 »

They're lovely and getting a bit more adventurous!
Julie

“cockerels may crow but it's the hen that lays the egg."
User avatar
sandy
Legendary Laner
Posts: 9915
Joined: 13 Oct 2008, 21:59
Gender: Female
Location: Bristol

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by sandy »

It is brilliant watching them explore, bless them they soon learn how to be chickens proper dont they?
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/
User avatar
Bridgets Mum
Longlasting Laner
Posts: 557
Joined: 03 Sep 2011, 22:25
Gender: Female
Location: Wigan

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by Bridgets Mum »

Just a little update on my yet to be fully integrated newbies and oldies. I got 2 more new hens than I had old ones as I had been advised that this would even up the stakes and prevent the oldies from ganging up on the new, weaker, less confident newbies.

Weaker? Less CONFIDENT? They are bursting with confidence and energy and giving my old girls a really hard time. The two flocks are still separate apart from when they are free ranging and I can be with them to break up the fights. The water pistol worked brilliantly the first couple of times but got me nowhere today. Its now down to physical intervention. Still the fights are getting less and no actual blood has been shed for a couple of days. Just as well, I was beginning to think I would have a purple flock for ever.

They were out together for 8 hours today and things did get better as the day wore on. Hopefully I'll be able to give them a long time out tomorrow too (all depends on who is around on fox deterrent duty). Maybe by then they'll be a bit more accepting of each other.

I did have a slight fright today though. Our set up is dogs in the back garden, chickens in the patch behind the garden, horses (and foxes) in the field behind the lot. At various times horses, dogs and foxes have been everywhere and chickens have made it into the garden, but NEVER into foxland field. Today I was happily mulching the veg plot (in chikkie land - I'm an optimist) when I was horrified to see Newbie Nemo waiting on the other side gate to the field to come back in.
I don't know how she got out but am very impressed that she knew she needed to come back in.

On a happy note my 6 newbies are laying an average of 5 eggs a day with really good shells. I'm so used to the fragile shells of my oldies that it takes me several goes to crack them!

The forecast's good for tomorrow so I'm hoping for another 'chicken day'.
User avatar
Linda S
Legendary Laner
Posts: 5977
Joined: 06 Apr 2012, 22:55
Gender: Female
Location: west yorkshire

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by Linda S »

Sounds like Nemo is the girl to keep you on your toes, i didn half have a good giggle at your lovely post :-D Lindaxx
And then there was one, Again!!!!
Jemima
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Little Angels Free For Ever
Honey,Lizzi,Peggy-Mitchel,April,Hope,Faith,Blondie, Sorrel,Scarlet, Penny, Gabby, Rosie, Chick-a-Dee
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Remembering Our Beautiful Foster Boys we are so sorry that we couldn't keep you
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
User avatar
sandy
Legendary Laner
Posts: 9915
Joined: 13 Oct 2008, 21:59
Gender: Female
Location: Bristol

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by sandy »

It seems like yours are like mine, I cannot believe how acrobatic they are )t' Bet Nemo had a brilliant adventure, probably used to sit in hen jail dreaming she was running about free and look where she is now {hug}
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/
User avatar
Bridgets Mum
Longlasting Laner
Posts: 557
Joined: 03 Sep 2011, 22:25
Gender: Female
Location: Wigan

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by Bridgets Mum »

Yeppie, had another good chickie day. Nobody started any major fisticuffs, but nobody is best friends with anyone from the other flock either.
~And happy, happy, happy - I walked across the paddock and 4 of the newbies followed me along with my loyal oldies. It felt GOOD. Just need to charm the other two now.
They're getting more adventurous and some have discovered the delights of the muck heap. At one point today there were 3 oldies, 3 newbies and Duchess, next door's pheasant all scratching there. Evidently pheasants pose no threat, all the chickens ignored her.
Here's a pic of 3 of the newbies pecking every bit of blossom that they could reach off the plum tree. Any ideas on Portia's wing? She lets it droop down a lot of the time but can tuck it up when she wants and can flap with the best of them.

Image
User avatar
Bridgets Mum
Longlasting Laner
Posts: 557
Joined: 03 Sep 2011, 22:25
Gender: Female
Location: Wigan

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by Bridgets Mum »

Rose Planting
You know those lovely pictures the internet is full of? Where roses scramble over the hen house and run and the sun always shines? I have bought a potentially beautiful and fragrant Madame Alfred Carriere climbing rose with visions of breathtaking wonder.

Oh well, here’s my reality…….

Image

Nemo busily digging up the bundle of dried up looking twigs that I had hoped would one day provide a cascading display. At least we found lots of worms.
User avatar
Linda S
Legendary Laner
Posts: 5977
Joined: 06 Apr 2012, 22:55
Gender: Female
Location: west yorkshire

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by Linda S »

Ah they love to help with gardening chores dont they,and how kind of you to dig thenm thier snacks up, theres no wonder they like joining in {rofwl} Lindaxx
And then there was one, Again!!!!
Jemima
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Little Angels Free For Ever
Honey,Lizzi,Peggy-Mitchel,April,Hope,Faith,Blondie, Sorrel,Scarlet, Penny, Gabby, Rosie, Chick-a-Dee
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Remembering Our Beautiful Foster Boys we are so sorry that we couldn't keep you
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
User avatar
aishakali
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3522
Joined: 15 Aug 2011, 11:47
Gender: Female
Location: Nr. Bath, Somerset

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by aishakali »

You sound as optimistic as me :oops: You planting roses, and me putting down turf >dum< >shrug< {rofwl}
LYN
User avatar
sandy
Legendary Laner
Posts: 9915
Joined: 13 Oct 2008, 21:59
Gender: Female
Location: Bristol

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by sandy »

What a heart warming picture of lovely 3 girls )t' Maybe Portia had less room on that side and got used to drooping it? If she can put it back and se is fine, she looks fine, I wouldn't worry
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/
User avatar
Bridgets Mum
Longlasting Laner
Posts: 557
Joined: 03 Sep 2011, 22:25
Gender: Female
Location: Wigan

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by Bridgets Mum »

sandy wrote: Maybe Portia had less room on that side and got used to drooping it? If she can put it back and se is fine, she looks fine, I wouldn't worry


Thanks Sandy - she seems happy and bursting with health but I can't help worrying. You've made me feel better! I'll keep an eye on her - I think she is doing it less.
User avatar
Bridgets Mum
Longlasting Laner
Posts: 557
Joined: 03 Sep 2011, 22:25
Gender: Female
Location: Wigan

Re: Bridget's Mum's Fabulous Flock

Post by Bridgets Mum »

Perching
My oldies have never got the hang of perching overnight. Flora tried it for one night not long after she arrived, but gave it up as a bad job and re-joined the rest of the gang snuggled down in the straw.
Four of my newbies were happy to perch straight away although Torah preferred to sleep on the floor in a corner and boss lady Jenny Jones has always chosen the roof of the coop, and repelled all would be invaders. Now we've had a perch disaster and I've temporarily lodged it between a ladder and a wall, supported on a plant pot, so its lower than the coop roof. All six immediately changed their plans and with Jenny Jones' gracious permission are now sleeping on the coop roof.
Do you think its a height thing? I'm hoping to put the perch back at the original height this weekend but don't want to make it too lofty. They are only a month out of their cages - not that you would know it!
Roosting may be the normal route but I do like to see the oldies nestled down in deep straw, particularly in really cold weather.

Post Reply