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 , I have lost 2 hens today one of which was Madame Woo .Lost her fight this morning 7.00am to 9.30 am .
R/L red ring , ex F.S.F.H. in the main coop run .
Rough day . even expecting to have some of my hens to die through reaching 4 years it does not make it any easier .
Bob

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KarenE
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by KarenE »

Been away most of this week and just got back on what seems like a very tough day {hug}

I know it never gets easier, just got to remember the difference you made to them Bob, and will continue to do for all your current girls & boys, and those yet to come
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
Cheshire Chick
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by Cheshire Chick »

So sorry to hear your news Bob. Even when you are expecting it, it is still a shock and an upset when we lose them. Thank goodness you gave them a taste of a free life and for them to realise that some humans are very kind.
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kitla
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by kitla »

aww sorry to hear that 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
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all , well Chocolate is still with me , been massage crop , meds again and watching tele in my tel room eating my nice biscuits . Had a wander with flock but was over active so brought back inside , she had a wander on the grass out the front . Settled down for a kip when I went to work . Rest of the flock good .... Well got the girls and boys away at 4.30pm . let the new boys out for a stretch . They did not want to go back so a chase around the garden 2 in one out 1 in two out . 3 in and sheets down for the morning lay in pulled down . Then I remembered the next door neighbour s cat and rabbit. Today I let the rabbit in the run first time in a couple of days. Well the cat was ok but the rabbit escaped the run (my fault ) and out in the garden all day . Quick look around the garden not to be seen . Panic . There back tonight ........ s...........ttttttt .
I ran up and down the road looking for it . Knocked on neighbours doors to check there gardens ....
Still no sign . PANIC . Rang work said I would be late (lame excuse used from my book of lame excuses . Very cheap if anyone interested . Then back to panicing .
Well I thought have a wee (excitement is no good at my age for sure .
Deep breath . Do I ring them NO NO No......
Have a nother look in garden . Apart from getting a hammer and breaking up the sheds I looked everywhere . I then thought have a look at the B B Q (had a sheet over it and I had banged it and pushed . I lifted up the sheet and there the little devil was . He then proceed to run around the garden like he was just let out .....
He went in his cage and I shut the door and sat down in relief .
I then had to run up and down the street telling the same people that it was found and they did not need to look anymore.
I then had my dog wanting to relieve her self and more time checking I had locked all the doors again .
I got to work by some miracle only 15 minutes late . I then told my self of and had a coffee and rested .
I did have a relax day as the scaffolding has now gone and cheered my self up with the flock and a couple of hour walk in the woods and round the lakes.
All in all a fun day and no harm done . Have to tell the neighbours tomorrow as they will find out from the street no doubt.
day of Sat so a trip to Brighton is planed depending on the weather. Sunday MTB /XC racing At Stratford E15 after work in the morning . 50 people in the race so will be good if I finish in the low forties .
following going up to Yorkshire , nationals .... .
So catch up with you all Sunday morning .
Hope you all have had a better week than me and are far better one next week for us all.
Bob
New members of the Penelope and Red flock .
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all , well another funny /horrible day Sat .
I done my normal , but thought I would make it easy for my self with the new boys runs and put the door opening in between the runs . BIG MISTAKE . I blame the hen ....
What happen I did not relealise that the run opening was different to the cage run and a 4 inch gap was over hanging the run . Well as there was food in the run cage the little brown hen decided it was fair game to eat . well the 3 boys thought it was Christmas. DESMOND was not letting them have that so in sqeezed him . Fight , Fight , Fight . When I looked at the window I thought the boys where really having a go at each other . throw my boots on and then realised the dark large boy was in fact DESMOND , BLOOD RED ALL OVER .
I managed to grab Desmond , and he was still up for more though calmed down when I took him in the kitchen . I left him on the sink side and rescued the hen how by now had realised she had eaten more than she bargained for . Got her out . Now the boys where after my JACK who was still up for more even though he was blooded . One eye closed like a boxers .
Back to Desmond after separating them .
He was dripping blood from his comb . Cloth and tap , washed him down .
Still dark and washed up ,put him in the garden . Well Captain Chaos had a good crow at him but was not stupid enough to go near him for sure .
Champ watched from afar .
He wandered of to the run to clean himself up.
I could not get the New boy Jack as did not want to know me .

Left them to calm down separated in the metal runs out side the coop.
Went to bright , could not find a cmy van . Got a bus which took me out to the downs .....
Walked many miles back to where we found the van .
When I got home all had gone off to bed except Jack the new boy who was in the run part . As he was near the opening . I caught him , too the kitchen washed him up a bit . His eye still closed no actual damage I could see ,just well bashed up .
Put him back with his mates in the coop .
When I get home I will give them another check over and Declare the winner . Presume Desmond. Hopefully no lasting damage done to Jack except a bit of pride .
I tell you you have to watch out for the flock as they will always get into trouble .
Up date on Monday night .
The boys killing each over is what I have been worrying about for ages and must learn if it ain`t broke do not fix it.
Bob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all , lost my pretty girl MORNING on Sun late afternoon.
Found her against the big coop like she was sun bathing . Total shock . Not been dead long as still moveable . I tried allsorts of things (being a First aider ) Heart rubbers ,blowing down her beak . Checking her eyes . No good she had flown.
The last few days has been a nightmare and I am still hanging on to Chocolate with all my thoughts. She (Chocolate ) is in the Tele room listening to it and in the sun rays through the window /. Out the front garden eating grass with the new girl that is my mate. She still has the tophenanal in her to put her in her place . I even let her in the garden with the flock . She has not got the stenght to fight the real topenanal so she was being beaten up so brought her back in . She was with them for a hour or so .
Reduced her med s now . Her quality of life is what I am aiming for . If she can still wander about and eat and drink . chill with me and Harley the dog then at least her days will end as good as it gets . I do not think she is getting the food into her system as her breast bone is showing . It can be big then small and my imagination will tell me different things all the time.
Jack the beat up boy , is also concerning . Cleaning his eye does not look good , until the swelling goes down not much more I can do . Vets next no doubt. Desmond has been suffering as well . Champ/Capt. Chaos have him on the run and he is keeping well out of the way .Sure he will get back up again soon as hardly hurt . 15-20 eggs a day with huge ones as well from Joan and Eagle and the girl from Brentwood council (Goldie 2 friend ) Big girls they are. Litaln (beardie ) is broodie as is Pom Pom . A few others would like to be but stopping them at the moment.
Sad time on the Forum but chicken life goes on . I was expecting the older girls to start passing away as a matter of course but not all together and totally out of the blue. Harsh winters they survive spring and they start to lay and it gets them.
Bob
Not happy , flock of Penelope and Red
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all , well today I spent most of the day with Chocolate , she is a good girl for sure. Out the front with her mate , she likes her as smaller and can peck her when she wants what she finds . Respect for the old lady for sure . Little one knows her place and happy enough to be on grass out the front . She also gets visitor rights to Chocolate left overs -cat food -ham - meal worms soaking bread and all the other bits .
Boys Dept. Well Desmond is still running away from his own shadow , Champ has claimed his thrown back . Capt. Chaos is egging him on as well.
Jack the bruiser .
He has a cut eye lid and the swelling is going down . I think once the swelling is down a trip to vet for stitches and a talking too or at least a lesson on ducking the beak and the left hook .
I think he has got some street cred with the hens though as the seem to be hanging about by the caging . (Where his food is ) .
Broodies are back in force still getting 15-20 eggs a day . 12 not sold as yet .
Depressing times and with the knowledge of more sad times to come , summer is not good.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all , well the sun is out and the hens are shading and or sun bathing. Builders back and the girls being a nuisance .
washed Jack eye seems healing , water opens his eye as stuck lids. Cut seems better , scar makes him more attractive (maybe ) .
Goldie and Chocolate have been fighting over leg rights . Trouble is I feed the little girl from a bowl on my leg . she jumps up when I sit down . I have taken Chocolate out for the sun and mixing with the girls and have her on my right leg . Goldie is not happy with sharing .
Desmond is mentally damaged and stands on his own . Champ and Capt. Chaos is taking full advantage and making sure he stays there.
girls are now in the compost heap - vag patch memorial garden.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all , well , lovely day for a change .
Apart from the noise all good , Chocolate still with me , looks like she is going to be a kitchen girl for the rest of her naturals. I massage her crop . She goes out the front eats grass , sun baths , shades under the bench and drinks water . dogs for company . A couple of hens with her that are low orders she can peck for good measure . Cannot put her in garden with flock as the topensanal floor her and that would kill her now . She goes out only under my protection.
Some hens like it hot , some like the shade , for sure they hate the wind .
Plenty of water about the garden and the deep holes are appearing for the dust bathing. Apart from Chocolate , Lilly is the next on my watch list . hard to tell if she is just sun bathing and enjoying a calm life or she is still sick.
rest are getting on with life . 18 eggs today .
Bob
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KarenE
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by KarenE »

So sorry to hear about Morning Bob - as you say, it's just that natural time when the world turns again.

Also sad to hear your boys are giving you trouble, and that Desmond now has psychological issues! I thought he was the big bad boy? Hope he and Jack are on the mend soon. Very wise of Capn Chaos and Champ to leave them to it
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
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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They are all up for a bundle , They would be ok if they had plenty of room ,but my garden cannot cope with 6 boys and a he / she . I blame the hens they are always fluffing up their feathers and demanding food from them .
Desmond is walking around the garden again , so I think Champs reign will be short lived. Capt. Chaos is all noise and no neck feathers......
Bob
Chocolate rules the house . Even the dogs suffer her presence .Front garden had the dogs , cats Chocolate and me all enjoying the sun.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all , Chocolate is slowing down , spent lots of time on the grass out the front with the dogs , cats and me .
Lots of eggs still . Chickens happy enough or seem to be . Jack`s eye still closed washed and wetted to keep it from closing for good .
Lively enough .
Champ / Capt. Chaos are the boys now , Desmond moving about but running away pretty quick when they appear.
long may this last .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all , Have just gone home to let the flock out . Chocolate , my longest lasting hen from Penelope days died in her sleep . an expected death and she had a peaceful day yesterday and I new she was soon to pass over the bridge . Will miss her company . Never gave me problems till her passing .
rest of flock out I garden . Champ has been annoying my Woo that is sleeping with him . Not sure why but she does not want anything to do with him this am .
Feed water them later this morning .
Working through the dayshift after a night shift as no one to cover today.
Bit down at the moment but that goes with chicken keeping . Hopefully now the flock will settle down for a while . Next old girl is Rocky , will be studying her now.
Bob
Have a good weekend back Monday morning .
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sandy
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by sandy »

Bob so sorry to hear about Chocolate {hug&kiss} It is hard losing any of them but when they have been with you for ages they are so imprinted it gets worse.
The Ped woo is a right hussy with Rocky Ped!
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/

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