My attempt to keep chickens.

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , Weather rubbish. Plastic sheeting has holes in it from the wire . Riped in the wind. Water dripping into thr run making the run wet. dry areas but will have to sort out as trench claw will set in.
Girls are now EXPECTING their food at 5.30am in the morning and the outside girls are standing on the internal coop looking to find a space to drop down onto. They look and walk away ,come back look go back to the branches then look somewhere else. In the dark they are worried of the height / missing out on the food . I pick some up and put them down . Desmond stands aloft over them and crows away. Very loud. Goldie is very quite . Can not get to think he is a cockerel , but all the signs tell me he is. If he/she can live with so can I especially the noise part .
Trouble with lock down , is they do not get the attention they had . I spend lots of time watching them to make sure they are healthy . But they cannot demand attention at the back door , kitchen raid , rummage in the garden and generally lounge around on patio sunbathing , which this time of year is hard anyway.
Going to check how much a hen eats in weight multi ply by flock see if it is my imagination that they are eating a lot more. 20 kilo bag of corn does not last a week , although pellets do last a bit longer as feed in the am .
Bob

[Cheshire Chick]

Hi Bob. Yes I totally agree with you, the weather here is absolutely awful. My run has a cover over, but rain still leaks in and it has turned into a mud bath. Getting really fed up with all the mud now!! Roll on some drier weather. Glad everyone seems to be coping with the lock-down, although obviously it's not ideal for our spoilt girls who like the run of the garden to destroy (I mean to help with!!). Never mind, needs must and hopefully it will not be for too much longer. They do eat a lot more when they are in a more confined space. Not to mention the extra treats to keep them amused (sure mine are having far too much that is not good for them).

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , not too much happening at the moment . Except for the bro/sis of Marley the rabbit is in the Med Ward. Can safely say the inn is full.
Girls escaped (MASS ) got them back in but should have seen the wings flapping all round the garden. I thought I got them all in and went up stairs . Rabbit call . Came down stairs and a girl green light ring standing in the kitchen looking at me . No dog food to be had . Asking to go back in the run .
Well the dog , Harley was barking up stairs so she must have been telling me as well.
First mass escape for a good couple of weeks .
Have an eye on Defra map .Nothing close to me and feeling sorry for Scunthorpe area as they seem to be getting the worst of it all for sure.
The girls are looking good and must take some photos soon of the fabulous 4 or is it 5 boys .
Bob

[kitla]

Bob, about the muddy bits, pallets have been suggested in the past which seems ideal for the chooks to stand on if you have any about

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi I have 2 pallets leaning on the sides for climbing up. Was a second floor on plastic trays for escaping and dodging other bullies etc. .
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , another good week of the girls surviving the lock in .
Have sent many photos of and hope maybe a few will end up on the forum .
Cannot work out what Goldie 2 is. She must be a he but does not act like it in many ways. Stands besides Desmond quite happily , and beats up the boys at any opportunity . Does not do the breeding bit or lay on nests . She /he is a Buff Orpington I am sure . Does not run away and will eat for Britain and take food away from all (Hen fashion ). Never shares like the boys.
had a cuddle with Cuddles today and she loves to sit on my hand and head on my shoulder . Box is still following me around and Penny 2 is pecking away at my leg with her mates joining in . Must be a bad habit picked up South of the Thames .
new rabbits settled in and hand tame. Story behind them is strange as the Hubby had them as pets (in the house ) and the wife now on her own did not feed them /water them at all .
Normally the other way round .
cats have taken over the garden whilst the girls locked up , taking the opportunity to sun bath .
Water freezing up over night . Hot bran on the menu for warming the girls up.
49 still the head count. All really looking healthy .
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , on a good note first , 2 new rabbits siblings to Marley have been rehomed NEXT DOOR . The neighbours wanted to give their two daughters a pet each and with in a hour of seeing the pair Mum asked if she could buy them . Free obviously and with benefits , watch them over the fence.
Started weighing the flock today . Cleaned out the whole coops as well .
Spent all day with the flock . Should have seen Goldie 2 being weighed . In /out the bowl , knocked feed over the table /floor . It sat on my arm for ages just watching me and waiting for the next move . I got a weight of 2.5 kilos . Biggest chicken I have had . Not sure of Desmond as not weighed him yet .
Penny 2 came 2.0 kilos , Cuddles I thought was over weight at 1.975 kilos but previous she has been 2.0kilos. But not really surprised as she is not the best at eating . No losses in weight at all so far . Quaker is doing well. I vasoline feet /claws and combs as much as possible against the cold. 12 eggs today 3 next door 6 to neighbour 3 in fridge .
Old age pensioner and children day as neighbour is 73 and the girls next door spent age s feeding the hens in the run . Sun was shining and not cold at all . Pleasant afternoon tea and biscuit eating . talking over the fence .7 bags of straw and sawdust got rid of . Hirse is still in the fields and large bag of carrots to feed . More chatting of ways of sorting the horse out , she is a girl .
Has feathers on her feet . Does that mean she could join the chicken forum .
I mean cutting up the carrots so it does not chole , Un curling its hair when distracting it .
I look up into her eyes as she is a big horse . If I was minded to she would belong to me in a flash ....
Well another day over and hopefully near the girls getting their freedom back.
Bob

[Grannyof4]

Hope you are cutting the carrots the right way for a horse. Not really necessary as they will bite them.

[kitla]

I can see you are getting rather fond of the horse Bob! If you decide to have her, she will need her own diary I think!

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , girls plan of escape worked today ,though it was not a mass escape , I turned down the boys request to go and get them back . Grapes .tomatoe and cabbage . Mixed corn , meal worms , pellets and warm water (melt the ice.
11 eggs .
Got the phone nr of the horse , suppose I should call her Feathers . SHMBO was not 100 per cent yesterday and today so I fed the horse for her Carrots cut long ways . Goldie is still not helping me decide as no crowing lots of fighting (not Desmond though. ) Not sitting on a nest . I am pretty sure that she is a he ..
Should call her /him Danny Le Rue ..... Pretty what ever she /he maybe.
rabbits be off soon as the hutch arrives .
Cuddles came when called today . Box has a new trick and caught me twice already . She gets up high leaps at my food bowl , lands in it or on the edge . The weight of her on my arm makes me drop the feed on the floor . She then is joined by the mob to eat it as quick as possible. This must by pass the rationing of a bit each.
Pom Pom is moulting , why in the cold I do not know. Feathers are so light and silkie...
VERY HEALTHY FLOCK , hope it stays that way .
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , Well a lovely sunny day , tee shirt weather . drops by late afternoon.
Cuddles had a seat on my leg whilst being feed cat food mealworms and mixed corn . we shut our eyes and dreamed of things past and to come. She had a arm cuddle and she was really pushing into my chest in appreciation . well balanced flock at the moment and they all expect feeding personally . Danny Le Rue is still mystifying me . No crowing , plenty of fighting and eats everything . No sharing like the boys . Only 8 eggs today . Spent most of the day feeding them in seems. Rabbits moved next door . Not happy with the cage /run but they will learn .
Must go to do finish it latter .
Bob

[sandy]

Excellent news, its down to your credit and hard work and brilliant care your girlies and boyz are thriving
Now about your hermaphrodite…we had one at our last rescue, spurs huge comb, enormous 'girl' but no crow…hmmmm
and piccie of 'your horse' please..goodness me we will have to name you Bob Doolittle

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi SHMBO is playing hard to get with the horse . Too much work , other than spending time feeding worrying about it.
Depending on what this she / he is doing at the time -Fighting and or standing around Desmond and stuffing her self with food. I change my mind . Her/he comb is not as large as Desmond although she is the same size.
The flock seem to understand now that the food is in the run and they change their minds when escaped and dive back in the run.
Grass from the fields etc. I suppose should not be collected for them as could be contaminated ?
Shame as they do like a bit of grass .
Trouble now I have lots of characters in the flock and the more locked up the more they come for attention. I will miss them next week . Have been feeding them in a large hopper as well as I do not want them to go hungry....
Cold again tonight so hope their feather duva`s are well. Pom Pom is moulting and plenty of white feathers in her bedroom . Penny 2 still in with her .
Put another load of saw dust in the internal coop run with DE in it . Can always tell the girls/ boys that have been in it as sawdust goes everywhere when the shake .
Give Cuddles a special cover as she does not get much chance to take an active part , apart from hiding under the coop bit .
Sun out and they all go for the best sun trap places . Mostly up to 2.00pm as then it goes over the roofs. Spent ages last night looking for small holdings and bungalow .
Been offered the Redundancy at work again .... To good a job to give up ,like my creatures . I am not just for Xmas but for life (feet first out of the office .) Certainly tempting . Also a promotion possible , would have to work for a living so not sure I want that really. While I have the balance of animals and work - Holidays and money it is hard to change , no reason to.
Managed to download the pictures onto the computer from my big camera . New lens is pretty good and improved the latest pics .
All good
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , latest DEFRA UK 24/01/2017 , Lanc`s . long way in land . My flock all good more cuddling with Cuddles .2 lots of fed in her including cat food . Rest of flock doing very well .
French Maran`s run fast like little road runners . Straight out into the garden then straight back via back door . More scared of missing out on the food. I believe they will not want to go back in to the garden by the time the lock up is over if it ever does....
9 eggs today . Litaln (beardie ) has gone broodie , as when I took the EGGS from under her she reared up wings out squawking at me.... all the time . So funny must take a picture some time .

Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi 9 eggs , Litaln (Beardie ) is sitting on the eggs and tail forward and wings out ,peck ,peck noise . ....Cuddles fed and paid attention to .Lots of food all day long .
All well.
Bob