Midder's Bok Boks

[sandy]

Oh bless Batchick, any possibilty of a photo in her new clothes? Do you get dried mealworms? You know they are cheap at £stretcher. Lets hope Kev Cakes behaves herself now I don't expect she will like the taste of the saddle

[Midders]

I will try get a pic of Batchick in her finery, I had taken one but the kids must have messed with my phone as I've just gone to upload it and it isnt there. She does look rather splendid.. well a bit better than she did anyway! She still looks rather plucked around the bottom. She used to have such beautiful, lucious chestnut feathers with dark green highlights on her wings. Now she is far from bald but she looks like she has been to a very bad hairdresser. The other chickens seemed to loose interest in her once the saddle went on but yesterday I noticed that Batchick now has bald patches on her neck, which obviously isnt protected by the saddle . So she has now been sprayed ( much to her displeasure) in the anti pecking spray. It arrived yesterday and I did it staright away. I have to say I haven't seen them pecking at her at all today. They have been out of the run all day so that has helped I am sure. The spray has made Batchick look like she is wearing too much cheap hairspray, her feathers look dull and clumped, so she is looking far from her best but if it works then I am happy with that. I wish Batchick understood why I am doing all these things to her...saddles, purple spray...stinky anti peck spray. It is safe to say that she is very suspicious of me now and wont come anywhere near me without a big fight and a fuss. I hope it is all sorted before Xmas as I have to be away for one night which means the girls will spend longer in their run than they would usually. I dont like the thought of her being bullied in my absence. I have somebody coming over at dawn/ dusk but they won't be looking at the situation like I am. If she wasn't so timid I would box her up and take her with me! I've not left the girls at home alone before so it will feel like leaving my babies for the first time!

I have also been reading about beak rings so Kev Cakes may be getting one of these in her Chicky stocking if she doesn't behave herself.

On another note, Today I made the rookie mistake of collecting eggs( sans pot to put them in) putting them in my coat pocket and forgetting I had done so until I felt the cold goo dribbling down my thigh! MESSY!!!!! Won't be doing that again

[Midders]

Just got in from work and have let the girls out if their run. Batchick has a fresh bald patch on her neck which means she has been pecked despite the anti peck spray. Poor Batchick. Will respray her but I wonder if it needs to be beak rings for the others- Kev Cakes at least. :(

[sandy]

ooh Midders wouldn't really recommend a beak thingy, I know you are getting deperate but heard really bad things about them

[Midders]

Having done some research on beak rings I know they are NOT the answer. Sadly things have gotten worse for dear Batchick. The others have completely excluded her from the flock. They chase her away from them and so she is now just hiding in the coop. I ve spoken to the place I got her from and they are helping me to rehome her:( I don't have much space in the garden so separating her and trying a slow re introduction just doesn't seem feasible. I really don't want to see her go but if she can be found a home with some milder mannered hens then she will be much happier and with a bit of luck she will put on a bit of weight and then start laying. I'm very attached to my chooks and I have never had to part with a family pet before so it is with a heavy heart. She is on the Newland Poultry re homing list if anyone here thinks they could home and love her. I'm in Birmingham.
Next step is to explain to my 2yr old why her favourite hen has to go :(

[Midders]

So Batchick was re homed today. She has gone to
live on an allotment where she will
be with some smaller hens. I hope she is happy. I will miss her. Kids were sad. For the best though, dear little Batchick.

[Midders]

So, my mind is now moving towards replacing Batchick with another hen, one that looks like it could stand up to my remaining three girls, who, actually, are rather lovely and friendly despite how they treated Batchick. I have to say they are a lot more relaxed since Batchick's removal. Kev Cakes is no longer feather pulling , she was eating everyone's feathers before but she has been very chilled this week.

So I am wondering if I get 2 chooks at Point-of-Lay and introduce them or whether I should get 2 ex-batts. I love the idea of getting ex-batts, I would have gone for them in the first place but as a new chicken keeper with small children I was too nervous as I did not know what to expect. Now I know that my kiddies re good with the girls I feel they would not stress out any ex batts too much.

I am also wondering if any one out there just puts the new birds in together immediately or is it always best to set up a temporary accomodation for them? I am asking this because I don't have much room in my garden ( this is why poor Batchick had to be removed and not just seperated) So, I either put the girls in together and hope they sort out the pecking order quickly or I borrow a small ark from somewhere and keep it in the already small chicken area.. ..hhhhmmmmmmmm....

Can't stop thinking about how Batchick is getting on. I do hope she is happy. Her new owner seemed very nice and he promised my little boy that he wasn't going to eat her!!!!

[sandy]

New girls would be good, ex bats are quite confused at first but most of them soon pick up, they have had to be quite feisty t survive in their cages bless them. DO NOT put them in together straight away. House them where the others can see them then gradually introduce them, sometimes it takes a few weeks sometimes longer but first intros under supervision. The gentlest hen can turn into a total raptor when meeting newbies, especially the bottom girl who sees the chance to lose her status. I go to Newland Poultry in the warmer months as a bit of a drive for me but I make sure I stock up completely and love looking at all the lovely ladies poultry. Glad Batchick has a new home, I couldve met you at Newlands if you had of been desperate. Good luck in whatever you decide

[Midders]

Well my girls are not too impressed with all these blustery gales! One gust lifted the run off the ground today and separated it from the coop. I am going away for the night next week so will be cable tying things in place like nobody's business tomorrow!

Part of my Christmas present from my husband is to be 2 new chickens so I am very eager to get things rolling with regards to increasing the flock. I now understand that I am going to need a second temporary home for the new girls. It will have to be small to fit next to my existing run and coop. I am wondering if a small ark would do for 2 hybrids? Have been looking on eBay as money is an issue but can't see anything that looks suitable yet. I will just have to be patient and believe that the right thing will crop up when the time is right.

I am also very tempted to call or text one the man who took Batchick just to see how she is getting on, I haven't done so yet as I am not sure if this is the done thing in Chicken circles!!! Really want to know that she is settled in though!

[sandy]

As the two new girls will only be in their new home temporarily, after their' mum' has been through all the arduos intros, I should think an ark would be fine. Of course you can ring and check on Batchick, I expect he would be pleased you are interested

[Midders]

I contacted the nice man who has rehomed Batchick on New Years Eve as I was keen to know how she was. He sent me some pictures if her looking very happy in her new home. Looks like she has made herself new chicken friends so I am very glad. Was nice to be able to show the kids the pics too as they had been asking about her a lot.

I have managed to get hold of a second coop and run ready for 'operation increase flock'. I got a soloway plastic hen coop and run for a bargain on eBay. Great condition and bigger than the ark I was considering. It is a bit of a squeeze getting it in next to my existing coop and run but I guess I can always sell it on if it proves to big once the new girls have been accepted into the flock.

Incredible Red laid her first egg yesterday. My first ever 3 egg day!! She is now so friendly to me after being such a stand of fish kind of girl. Now she wants to be my best buddy. I think she is very pleased with herself for laying. It was rather large for a first attempt and tasted delicious! Thank you Red !

Can't wait to get my new 2 girls. There are no batt rejoins happening locally in the immediate future- not that I can find so it may be a trip to Newland Poultry after all.
The kids have already chosen names for the new girls but I won't tell you until they have arrived. They are names clearly chosen by kiddies shall we say!

[Midders]

I have 2 new chickens ! So exciting. They are happily tucked up in the new hen house. They spent the afternoon in their run in the chicken half of the garden where the other 3 girls could see them. Incredible Red would have pecked them to pieces had there not been chicken fencing between them so I feel it may well be a slow, slow process. The new chicken coop is nice and the run is big enough for the new girls as long as they get to share the chicken garden. The 2 groups will have to have allocated time slots in what we call 'Chicken City'.

My new girls are beautiful. Apparently they are 20 wks old. I have a Speckeldy who has now been named 'New New Batchick' by my 2 yr old ( who adored the original Batchick, so the name was no suprise!) and the other chook is a Road Rock , beautifully black with green sheen. My son has named her Darth Binlorry!!!!!!! Who am I to argue??? Darth BinLorry it is! She feels quite heavy and has a large comb, the man at Newland Poultry said he thought she was already laying. Will get photos of them tomorrow.
Compared to the arrival of our first lot of chooks in August , it has been so easy and calm today. I guess I know more about chickens now so I felt very relaxed about the whole thing and already it feels like there have always been 2 coops out there. I am confident , as long as I take it nice and slowly, the girls can all become one happy flock in time.

Can't wait to spend some time with them tomorrow. My son is off nursery with chicken pox (!) so it's rather nice to have a good excuse to stay in and hang out with the Bok Boks!

My husband even seems rather excited about the new arrivals. They were all tucked up in bed by the time he got home from work so he is yet to meet them. I am glad he is excited , he likes to moan about how much time I spend on chickeny pursuits but I know it's all an act and he is ridiculously fond of them too!

[KarenE]

Hi Midder

It's such good news that Original Batchick is doing well in her new home, that must be a relief for you.

I love your new chicken names! You should hire out your son for chicken naming duties on this forum, he is brilliant at it.

I always find introductions and integrations the most stressful time - I've done it twice now, and i swear it's more stressful for me than it is them. The first few days are the worst with the amount of noise that they make - then they seem to pass into a 'not bovvered' phase which of course is a complete act. My last integration took about 3 weeks before I trusted them to stay together without ganging up on poor gabby (mine were together after about 4 days but they have my garden to free range in so plenty of space). The water pistol or squirty bottle is a very useful tool although the look of surprised innocence the squirtee gives you is hilarious!

Good luck with your new bok boks

[aishakali]

Great names Hope the looming intro's go well! I think it's the worst part of chook keeping, gets you all stressed and worried thinking they will never be together but they do, eventually!. Enjoy!!

[sandy]

Two new girls, its so exciting isn't it Yep getting them together depends entirely on their own personalities dosent it! I don't think there has been or will be any hens with the same names as these two new girls