My attempt to keep chickens.

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bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all ,well my flock are doing well , I found box (chatter) limping a bit and thought bumble foot . Well picked her and she was pretty strong to say the least . Eventually I got her wings body under my arm and steadied her . When I got her to clasp my finger there was a lump sticking up in her webbing between first outside claw . Oh dear , . I turned her foot up with her one middle claw on my finger . In her webbing was a stone . I pushed it back out and pushed the skin back flat . Though there was a hole it was clean . She seems o k now but watching to make sure it stays clean . So a good ending there for a change.
White ring girls are escaping as much as possible especially when cleaning coop or collecting eggs (6 a day now , with promising hens ) . I now have to lock the bottom door part as soon as I enter . I think they launch them selves from the middle shelving and over the top .
On their own they soon want to go back in.
As against the blue bells and white youngster , they stay out as long as they can get away with it.
Scramble is still molting , litalhen is being peckie maybe going broody , not even laying yet .
One hen as decided to be the boss. She is mounting the bottom hens and ascertaining it like Desmond. Well not doing anything about it as natural with out a boss boy with them . Surprised it has taken this long.
the flock are calling me out of bed in the morning wanting there food . Not loud but I can hear them as at the back of the house .
First it is the slamming of the feeders , bang , bang , bang. Then the soft calling they make when they are after food etc.
they have some fine weather and during the windy bit stayed in the coops out of it .
So hoping that only good health and news gets me through to the end of the holidays .
One more night , one more day shift Friday week and a Sat morning and off till the new year .
Hope all are well and stay that way .
Bob
Flock of Penelope and Red and all the hens gone over the bridge . Still think of them all .
PS I saw a wood carving up lLndon on the South Bank Parade (Near the Tate Modern) . A chicken out of one piece of wood. 2 foot high and long . Price was 250 pounds .The chap see my interest and said he could deliver. I said not spend that much on a bit of wood? He dropped the price to 200 hundred pounds . I said no thanks.
Would look good but having spending on house with the intention of moving sometime in the future ,thought it might be not a good idea.

bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well only a few more hours to go and off till 20th one shift and Xmas hols.
Not bad few months off .
Well flock have been locked up all day as weather to windy and did not want to go over the Thames to get them back.
Spoiled again normal bird food and wild bird seed thrown in to beef up. Cabbage , toms and half (last part ) water melon.
last of all Spagetii and tom sauce , specially cooked by me . A packet cost 25 pence so a whole packet for me and the animals.
three eggs today ,plus a damaged egg part opened and empty . Maybe a rodent......
Hope not no sign of holes have to check the coop . Will not be happy about that for sure .
Spent a bit of time in with the flock .
Saw a identical Scramble on the hens for home in Gloustershire . Cannot get it but looks good . Another 2 as well on same site white and grey.
Turkhen`s seem quite popular .
3 whole bags of saw dust in run and then it rains . At least they had a chance of dust bathing for a while .
Cleaning out coops every 3 days it seems .
So till next post and hoping that all is well then .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well apart from the rain all is good .
Feathered and chasing the collar dove`s out of the garden.
Have a nine year old rabbit I am looking after for a couple of weeks .
Scares the chickens first time they actually see it pop its head out of the medical ward.
They run to the other side of the run .
All healthy and beginning to lay eggs again , red combs .
Red is the boss and lets everyone know it .
White ring hens are eating from my hand .
House is being slowly sorted upstairs door all replaced walls and ceiling plastered and painting . Stopped for Xmas . Floors being laid after Xmas with skirting boards etc.
Being pushed down stairs . Soon be living in the coops with the chickens.
All part of the retirement plan and find a field my flock , so though it seems unrelated to my flock it is connected .
Hoping that there is no upsets in my hens . See Desmond this weekend and wish him a happy Xmas and New Year .
Goodies a plenty for him .
I am so happy to see him .
Last night I locked the hens in Cluckingham Palace and Goldie had a chat , chirp , chirp , such a happy little hen .Stroked the big hens Eagle and the Brentwood girl.
Busy few days with intermittent flock watching.
Out in the garden , When a lorry reverses nearby they , the old members of the flock run for the run for cover . Desmond has left his mark .Those that have not had the pleasure of his company do not understand danger and what to do.
Look forward to summer from to morrow as shortest day longest night .
So here is to all your flocks and wish their keepers a happy Xmas and a healthy New Year .
It has been a strange one this year and probably a even stranger one next year . Could even be my last posting in it which will be even worse.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , sad news since after the last message .
I went home to feed the flock and dog and cats.
I found one of the poor sisters dead in the big coop .
She had a prolapse and I could not do anything for the poor girl .
She has been put in the veg patch at work with her friends.
I wish I had not said all I wrote in my previous message as it put a jink on her .
A sad loss to the end of the year .
Not sure if I could have helped her if not working this morning.
So the sister are now down to 10 out of 12 . Sam being famous for her vet trips.
rest seem fine .
Bob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by Gwenoakes »

Sorry to hear this sad news, Bob. {hug}
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sandy
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by sandy »

Hi Bob, so sorry about your girl but good to hear the rest are fine and your house is coming along nicely, i bet you would spent a night in with them if the opportunity arised.
What do you mean last ever post yike* you need to put an ipad on your christmas list from Santa, your diary cannot stop......
Sorry not been in touch before been busy with staying over at cousins..
Give Desmond a hug from me...
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/
Cheshire Chick
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Sorry to hear of your loss Bob - always so upsetting. Glad everyone else is doing OK. All the best to you and your critters.
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all ,well my flock and me survived Xmas and the New Year fireworks.
Egg count going up , just starting to lay is a worrying time for us here as softies etc can cause them lots of problems.
I am not picking them up so much to make sure no internal injuries happen .
Desmond is looking huge now . M {hog} ust be the darting about he is doing .
Muddy feet . Can not catch him as gone wild like the rest of the flock there.
It is good to see him left a good Xmas feast and chocs for owners .
The wet ground caused muddy feet and feathers on Goldie and had to break lumps of as stopping her walking well . Thought she had Bumble foot at first , but clean pads and nothing to worry about .
Rabbit is out in the run part and not to bothered by the girls eyeing up her food.
2 runs to work with straw etc today and a Dalek composter 3/4 full for another run tomorrow night.
House re build slow over Xmas but now just the landing and one long wall down the stairs to do before plastering entrance hall . loo and front room / ceiling .
New floors being laid and all the upstairs bedroom s are coming down stairs , then all the lot including large sofa and arm chair book cases tables double bed has to go into the kitchen .
So the girls better move over in the Cluckingham palace as other than a TENT I have nowhere else to go.
Painter starts end next week and the floor will be laid before then.
SHMBO did not realise HOW many stamps I have.
Room full.
Hens have been out in garden a lot and getting them back early with meal worms . Kitchen raiders eating anything they can find . Xmas left overs a plenty .
Hope all are well and have a very good 2020 Healthy is the main one to have.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi where did the hedgehog come from ......
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , back at work ,normal life continues (CHAOS ) .
There is a mountain of landfill out there with my name all over it,
Hens well . Locked up today as dark when I leave and dark when I come home .
Plenty of food and the Rabbit is still with me for another week .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all good , hens out in garden for a couple of hours this am. Locked up as dark when I get home again tonight . I done the dog assault course today . Full marks. My fat Staf Polo managed to encourage me on the side .Must have been funny to watch me walking along a large log , jumping over hurdles and climbing the ramp , up and over ….In and out of the poles. She had had enough and went of into the woods.
She is best at bog snorkelling….
8 eggs to day . Healthy looking hens . should not tempt fate but I do think they are well rounded and pretty.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well the flock was out in the garden for a few hours today .
They enjoyed the sun shine .
Rounded them up about 1.30 pm with food.

All god Sat in the house so as the next biggest bed room is empty.
Ready for Monday .
Flock should get half a day in garden at least.
Off work Sunday hoping to get to see Desmond .
Hurray.
Have a good weekend all .
Bob
8 eggs today.
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , happy times again , went to see Desmond Sunday .
Left food 2 sacks of Brussels.
Fed him corn , barley , 2 lettuce and a cabbage .
He is so big and tall . Looks really well.
Made me glad to see him.
Rest of flock well and very noisy .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all well I had to laugh this morning at work , the chap I am looking after his rabbit went round my home yesterday pm to see the carpenter (he needs doors fitted in his house as well ) .Went out in the garden to see his rabbit and the girls.
He said the chickens where trying to eat him (legs) .
Well I guessed what had happened , I have a hen in the last couple of days pecking my boot , legs and generally letting me know she is there for some treats .
My guess she was trying her luck on a new set of legs in the garden. He picked her up and said she was a friendly hen .
If I realised he was going out there in the garden he could have fed them as well. (He might of , have to ask him latter . )
All quite apart from treating scaly mite on some legs . Vasoline does them good . A good smoothing .
Though it is a bit boring writing about very little going on , it is the best way I prefer .
I did not ring the lady with rabbits , chickens and ducks need re homing ,some may say for the better , boys and girls was also on the card.
I did not want to feel guilty not taking them.
Looking to be re homed myself soon . ANY OFFERS (not house trained )
Bob.
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KarenE
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by KarenE »

Well if you're not house trained - NO! :-D
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper

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