My attempt to keep chickens.

Start your own thread and let us follow you through the year
Post Reply
Cheshire Chick
Longlasting Laner
Posts: 894
Joined: 12 Jan 2017, 11:51

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Sorry to hear that Minnie is not well and that things do not look very good for her. I think that 4 years is a good age. My warrens get problems after 2 years and the eldest I have had was Ruby who nearly made it to 4, but not quite. She would have had a wonderful free life with you, but I know it never gets any easier.

bikesandbirdsbob
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3792
Joined: 11 Jun 2014, 14:34
Gender: Male

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Poor Minnie died yesterday 14/12/2017 pm . Had from 13th March 2015 . Miss her .
Champ is - Champ . Crowing and hopping about in his dog cage .
Hope I am not going to be called wicked for putting him a cage .
Well I am not tempting fate by saying the flock are well , just leave it as that.
Boys in Med ward are not fighting (yet ) so not to concerned. Not as noisy as the long termers .
Bob
User avatar
kitla
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3752
Joined: 30 Oct 2009, 23:25
Gender: Female
Location: Northants

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by kitla »

sorry about Mini Bob, you seem to be having a a run of it lately.
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
bikesandbirdsbob
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3792
Joined: 11 Jun 2014, 14:34
Gender: Male

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Trouble is they are getting at the 4 year old age and is always a bad time for the hens.
Champ is resting his leg and putting more effort into his vocals.
thank you
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3792
Joined: 11 Jun 2014, 14:34
Gender: Male

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , Champ , Champ , Champ....
4.00 - 5.00 and then 5.44 when I got up . Till I left at 6.20am . The boys joining in.
Why does he not wait till day light .
I think the cats coming in through cat flap do not help.
Neighbours lights were on (got visitors this weekend .
Hopefully they will be quite now I have fed them . (Not much chance ) . Cold weather is on us . Maybe clear sky`s are the problem . So rain clouds in the morning may help.
Have a good weekend and appreciate your beds in the morning.
Bob
Clean out the coops and move the boys Med Ward .
User avatar
KarenE
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3460
Joined: 06 Apr 2013, 13:43
Gender: Female
Location: Northamptonshire

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by KarenE »

So sorry to hear about Minnie Bob. As you say, it's getting to that time of life and actually 4 is a pretty good age for a hybrid, especially if she was an ex batt (sorry can't remember if she was).

I hope naughty Champ enjoys his Christmas in the Big Coop and doesn't peck Father Christmas as he comes down the chimney on Christmas Eve :-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
bikesandbirdsbob
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3792
Joined: 11 Jun 2014, 14:34
Gender: Male

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all ,
Interesting couple of days.
First on mind Last night I had a terrible night sleep.
Darcy the cat slept where Polo slept on the bed , no idea why , just stroppy . Polo got short shrift from Darcy , Polo jumped back with a growl , landed on Harley who then jumped up Kicked out and knocked , Champs bed , Who ten decided to make objections , that gave me a start and jumped up and flung Darcy ontop of the dogs who then jumped of the bed out the door followed by Darcy .
Leaving me and champ wondering what was going on as well.
That was the start.
Darcy came back , crept under my arm , Harley got back in the bottom right corner ,Polo laid by her side leaving me a couple of feet for me on the left .
Harley snored , Polo got nightmares and run up and my leg .
This is the interesting bit CHAMP SNORED......
Settled down .
Wet nose on my neck and Polo under the sheets and blanket .
Few trips to loo .
Champ crowed 4.15 am , Covered him in the sheet which seemed to work . %.00 Desmond kicked off with the rest of the boys.
Champ started but had to get up and did not stop .
Felt like I had been rough sleeping on the streets after a good night out.
I possibly have another 5 weeks of this .
Now the weekend I let the new boys out as moved the ward over a bit for fresh ground. The man fights in the flock was the large girls taking on the new boys . Goldie 2 had a few running`s with the black speckled boy . Capt. Chaos had a go but separated . Champ had a crowing fit through the back doors. New girls have ventured to the back of the pond and back again .
Cleaned out the coops .
Van going for repair 2.01.2018 so stocking up with food and straw /saw dust.
Well looking forward to sleep tonight , no wonder I am going to bed at 8.00pm.
Bob
User avatar
kitla
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3752
Joined: 30 Oct 2009, 23:25
Gender: Female
Location: Northants

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by kitla »

Sounds like an episode of The Durrells Bob!
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
bikesandbirdsbob
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3792
Joined: 11 Jun 2014, 14:34
Gender: Male

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi , Not sure about Durrells... Must be fun to watch.
Last night started with full bed but me and champ woke up on our own . Secret of a extra lay in put a sheet over his cat bed with him under it. Must admit cat , started cleaning him self followed by the dogs and then Champ beak , opening and shutting cleaning his feathers.
I think Champ quite enjoys his sleeping arrangements , but does not like being on his own all day.
3 eggs only today and one was part soft shell. plenty of grit and shells in garden and run , but through out another lot. Maybe another girl is beginning to lay again.
Torn between wanting the eggs but not the hens problems that they may get when they start up again .
meaningfully not picking up unless they come and ask for a cuddle , dodgy reared squish and they will pay a price for it.
Hope all well.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3792
Joined: 11 Jun 2014, 14:34
Gender: Male

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well it seems that nights are more entertaining than the days.
Last night I must have slept with my mouth open , as I woke up gagging . I realised a feather from Champ had stuck at the back of my throat ...
Needless to say I moved over from him . Room on my bed is like real estate in central London. Dam hard to get and hold on to.
Chap at work who had the boys has given all his flock to a lady near by (she lost hers to a fox?) . Most annoyed as I could have had some off him.
Hope she has solved the fox problem.
Bob
Cheshire Chick
Longlasting Laner
Posts: 894
Joined: 12 Jan 2017, 11:51

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Oh Bob you should write a book (but I doubt you'd have time). Really made me laugh this morning and that's good as feeling fed up having to work all day today (and tomorrow!!). Hope everyone's doing well.
User avatar
sandy
Legendary Laner
Posts: 9915
Joined: 13 Oct 2008, 21:59
Gender: Female
Location: Bristol

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by sandy »

Bob so sorry you have lost your little Minnie {hug&kiss} I am sure your family will have a splendid christmas of plenty of treats, I hope you and Karen have a really good one too
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/
bikesandbirdsbob
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3792
Joined: 11 Jun 2014, 14:34
Gender: Male

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , Back at work so will be a quick write up.
Frog Died 28.12.2017 6.30 pm un expected.
Champ still in dog cage but getting back into his dance routine.
Has been joined by BOP-BOP AKA NELLY one of the new girls from Colchester . She has been to the vets on 29.12.2017 4.40pm with Champ and Capt. Chaos .
She came back with staples in her claw between her toe.s more later . She is enjoying her rest . Feathers have come back and now looking a real pretty girl after her very heavy moult.
Capt. Chaos was seen by the vet and nurses at the back room and was thoroughly spoilt and photo`d for face book (again)
Champ good and another few weeks of waking me up to come . 2.30 am this morning the moon made it like day time and the whole flock was awake with all the consquencies of the noise .
6 eggs a day so looks like the flock are nearly over moulting and rest period.
Enough for now and a healthy , happy and if you can get it wealthy .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3792
Joined: 11 Jun 2014, 14:34
Gender: Male

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well Champ done it again last night 2.30 am wake up call . Cursing down the stairs a quick as possible . trying to get him before 3 crows. Grab Champ , cat bed , back up stairs sling him and the cat bed next to pillars .Back in bed . He puts his head on my arm and head against my chest . Fast a sleep , quicker than me. As a change the alarm woke us both up . Which he had the check to complain about , even more when I took him back to the dog cage .
Left at 5.00am complaining to the flock . No breakfast for any today , feed the lot when I get back later.
Bop Bop AKA NELLY has regrown her feathers and will look a light brown with white feathers .
Still has her staples in her bottom pads .
Rest of the flock ok not tempting fate . Chicken I will not name is really doing well .
Oldest of the flock .
Bob
Cheshire Chick
Longlasting Laner
Posts: 894
Joined: 12 Jan 2017, 11:51

Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Glad that everyone is doing OK Bob. Can't believe you got woken at 2.30 am - I bet you are exhausted by the time you get to work and the cheeky monkey fell fast asleep on your bed. That sight would make an absolutely fantastic photo!! Try and get an early night and keep smiling.

Post Reply