My attempt to keep chickens.

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , good so far , 2 little hens sitting on the nest , other hens keep depositing more eggs. I have to be careful not to take the wrong eggs . A chick in a cake mixing bowl would not go down to well.(Lumpy )
The 2 boys had my legs last night . I am seriously thinking of letting them out at night to attack stray people in the garden . They frighten me so goodness knows what the 2 would do to some one else.
Plenty of fruit and few sweet corn cobs , fern from woods , blackberries from the fields cabbage from super market .
Mrs Woo had sweet corn filled with , shell , stone and pellets this morning ,water by the bucket . Last night she had a wander out the front lawn. Came in when she had had enough. Doing well . next week she will be getting my undivided attention.
14/5th Aug . Should be an interesting day . Eggs 4 days old when I got them but start day is when under the hens. They could not have better mothers , Champ is still being very supportive to Litalen .
Desmond not showing any interest as in the coop he does not go in.
Jack very good boy as did not get up till 5.10am this am -hence late for work... I will get over it.
I think I will order a new car today as getting over my mood swing to evil man ....
Bob .
Not sure SHMBO has got over it yet , Isle of Wight for two days -horse show and island visiting. (Osborne House )

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi had to laugh , Goldie went for a stroll and ,Moe the Clacton hen that made e late for a air show , a long time ago , decided to lay her egg on her three eggs . Goldie came back after I gave her some sweet corn and green grapes and stood and waited . When Moe dropped her egg standing up as they do , she stuck her head under her tail pushed and pushed till she shifted , by then I had taken the egg away . She managed to get her breast feathers over her eggs and Moe moved forward and there the stand off started . Eventually after I gave Moe some encouragement she got down and went off for a stroll. I think Goldie and Litalen are perfect for hatching eggs . Not sure how they will keep their offspring in check.
Mrs Woo had 40 frozen sweet corn and lots of water .
Plenty of fruit in box for the flock including tom`s.
Fish are surviving as well as run hose pipe for long periods of time (over flowing into the garden for the flock to scratch about in.
Quite time from now till 5.00pm
Bob

[sandy]

Bob you are going to be kept very busy keeping your eye on your offspring when they come

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , Well 4 days rest was a bit of a joke.
Up early and late at night .
Latest on EGGS.
Well Monday I had a shock as Goldie had only to marked eggs . Sunday I had given SHMBO 12 eggs .... I took another 4 over Monday am and checked her eggs as a OFF egg was in them . No marks on the eggs but after a long time studying them worked out which one was the OFF one . Straight home and marked it up with NN and a D . (Damaged ) As it was a way from Goldie for about 18 hours . Chances are that it will not hatch .
The next day one of Goldies eggs was on the floor Picked up and put back under her . Again it maybe a no hatcher ..
Litalen has still her 3 eggs and is looking after them well on her own.
Trouble with Goldie is that MOE has become co owner of the eggs and between them they share sitting on them and when Goldie goes off for food and water etc . Moe takes over .
One new girl has bubbles and on Tylan .
Mrs Woo is doing ok . Putting on weight with stuffed sweet corn. Still in dog cage . She was out side most of the day on the front lawn with the dogs.
A couple of children rescued her when she wandered off into the road following the cats .
Soon picked her up and brought her in doors as retiring inside after a long day .
Wash and brush up due to her soon.
Problem id weekend I am off to Milton Keynes Sat most of day Sat and Sunday got to be at the Welsh show ground.
Have to make sure she has had a lot of food and water in her before I go . 100 plus sweet corn stuffed with pellets a day she is getting at least .
Meds twice a day as well. Rest of the flock doing ok.
Picked corn sheafs from field after it was cut , blackberries and apples (wind falls from wild trees.
They still get Fern from the wood s as well when I go there.
Melons and cabbage , sweet corn cobs lettuce and fruit in abundance .
So more later but not much change.
Pleased I have kept Mrs Woo alive as she is still enjoying life even if not ideal.
Bob

[Cheshire Chick]

Sounds all good at the house of Bob (touch wood). You have done so well with Mrs Woo and it still does appear that she has quality of life (which I think is the main thing). Sounds like you are having fun with your eggs at the moment. Should be an interesting time when hatching begins. I am waiting for news with baited breath!! Have a great time at the show ground this weekend with SWMBO.

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi no SHMBO . Not silly , Not travelling 4 hours through the night for a 2 hour bike race and another 4 hour ride home , in the heat .
That is Sunday ,
Sat Milton Keynes for another race . 13th in country 11 th start position in Nationals 14 in the race .
All good riders unless a mechanical or accident 14th place for me. As long as safe and drive home good happy.
Like the Welsh Show Ground . I am 1/8 Welsh so feel like going home.....
Bob
Goldie came of the nest for a stretch and had a fight with anyone that came near her.
Moe is her sitting partner . Not sure what is going to happen when/if they all hatch . Goldie will not give them up / share them with her.
2 mums better than one in a flock of 30 plus.

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all ,All good at the Flock of Penelope and Red. Weekend out riding both days ./Left 4.00am Sunday for Wales. Feed / watered the flock including Mrs Woo . Neighbours letting them loose. Well the Lady sorting dogs out , decided to let the flock out . Good , next door neighbour was watching her . She went over to the boys to let them loose , but lucky for her and me she was told don`t do it . She would have been well bashed if she did . The boys take no prisoners as I found out last night . Even Jack had a go when I le t him out. Bubbles seems to have Meraks as sight on food is not good . Tylan squirted down throat and plenty of food . spitting image of Cuddles .... Mrs Woo seems happy enough this morning when fed and watered .
Settling down again .
Bob
Eggs still being sat on by Goldie and Litalen . Moe and Champ in attendance .
Day14th day plus 4 days when they were laid.

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi , Goldie gave way to a rescue girl which promptly laid another egg . I took the egg and put Goldie back on her nest .
Litalen (Beardie ) came off nest and stretched her legs , water and food then straight back , good girl;. Moe is sitting next to Goldie WAITING. Not sure if hens will co feed and care for chicks or if Moe will kidnap one or two.
When Goldie has a break she is a terror in the run , fights all comers.
Week to go give or take a few days ...
New rule of mid husbandry , still not sure to what extent I will separate the mothers from the flock , Do not want any mishaps with them , also the greedy girls will eat their food without a thought.
Bob

[KarenE]

I would love to see Champ's face when the eggs hatch and the chicks are all mini Captain Chaos's Who's the daddy??

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all ,Latest is that Moe took 2 eggs from Goldie into another nest box . I put one back under Goldie so she has 2 , leaving Moe with one . Litalen is still on her 3 and has not been messed about with other than me checking for marks.
Be interesting to see what happens with Goldies clutch as they have been moved dropped to floor , travelled miles , left un attended in egg box .
3 good mothers have got to be better than 2 or 1 . 14/5 days in and 6 to go?
4.30am Jack and me was sitting chatting over a coffee. Mrs Woo had her early breakfast and water (Tylan) . Bubbles brought in and ate a bowl of sweet corn / pellets and Tylan and Bytril . Sharing Mrs Woo`s Metacam / Baytril not her Metrodonazale . Put Bubbles in the outside Med Ward so she can eat and drink without being bullied. Jack never got much of a stretch last night so he will be getting a long stretch tonight. the other two boys was out till 10.30pm , when I got home . Both inside their coop sleeping .
Eggs down top 9 a day , moulting on going . have a water melon to share today .
Blackberries are available as much as they want .
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , Boys up late today , 05.45 am today . Moe and Goldie sharing nest still , litalen had the white star on her nest and she was outside the box waiting . Bubbles had her breakfast in the kitchen , sweet corn and pellets , washed her eye as closed , but was open once wet. Meds and Tylan . left in the garden till later. Mrs Woo had a soaking yesterday and does not seem happy now. Hard work feeding her this morning .. gave her , her med`s and sweet corn stuffed pellets. Give her some more later .Bubbles decided her sweet corn looked better and after I had done 30 ish bits and started feeding Mrs Woo she ate as much as she could when I was busy. She is so much like Cuddles , same markings (white feathering round the neck . Very pretty hen . Hope I can make her better . Not much more I can do for her at the moment . Still got the weight on . Flock a bit skittish as any noise over head and they run back to the run /coop. Molting season in full , eagle has lost a few feathers as well . Boys out for the evening yesterday . Jack for over a hour and the other 2 for the rest of the evening. So comfortable as They can be , rain welcome yesterday cooled them down.
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , sad news , one of the NN eggs under Goldie was broken today so max nr of chicks now 5 . Could be any reason from broken moving one nest to another , one that was not going to hatch or another hen damaged . Shame never know.
Hoping it was not a hen chick ....
(Only HEN )
Bob .

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , last night my 2 boys was making a new noise . I looked out the window and it was not quite bed time and could not see them . Strange I thought .
Went down stairs and out into the garden . Looked around and suddenly a loud flap and huge object shot into the air .
I looked in the coop of the boys and the pair was huddled up together pooing themselves . It was a huge Heron....
It was fishing in my pond....
Well even I would have been scared of that beak. it flew off and did not return last night that I am a where of.locked the boys up and said wimps .
Now the same boys will attack me with the force of a demon but up against this bird no chance. The hens that where roost outside in the run had all gone in the coops . I put the sheets down as rain over night .
This morning I was feeding the flock and the same opportunist flew over the house , with the speed of road runners with Desmond in front the flock fled to the run and coop.It saw me and went over the other houses to another pond...
It came back and about to land when it saw me and changed its mind.
It came back again and land on a shed a couple of gardens away . I slap a news paper pretty loud and it flew away. Had to go to work so no doubt it will be back.
This explains the flocks darting to the runs when air craft fly over .
mentioned many times previously.
Mrs Woo same . Bubbles eating heartily in the kitchen but still in corners avoiding the flock . Med`s to both. Goldie had a egg on the coop floor yesterday , put it back under her . have put a tray so as it will not come out again. I think Moe and Goldie are trying to hatch her eggs causing the problem. Litalen has her 3 eggs and not having a problem so I think 3 eggs will hatch and if the other 2 do I will be surprised. This I put down to nature and free ranging.......
well no doubt the Heron will cause problems and I have a net over the pond but it busts it to get at the fish/frogs . Unfortunately it is to late for frogs as the chickens ate them a long time ago.
Hope my fish have the sense to stay deep (4 foot ) at the bottom or at least under the lily pads covering 3/4 of pond.
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all ,Heron is adding to my troubles. It sits on the roof at the back . Cheeky devil landed on the boys flat coop/run. My he is big . Makes the flock go crazy .
Can only chase away when around . After my fish . Good job the chicks are not around as that devil would carry them off.
Mrs Woo same still being fed sweet corn stuffed with pellets and meds. Bubbles has got the swollen eye right side so same as cuddles got. Eating herself , but stuck some extra sweet corn and water in her for good measure . Litalen is wonderful , Moe and Goldie are happy now one egg each. 21 days Monday /Tues so night shift Monday may have some news . Get some chick crumbs today. Still not sure how this is going to work out . If I should take the chicks and hens away from the flock or just let them get on with it like nature intended . Would not want the cats / other chickens do them harm When the Litalen and Champ sees the size of the offspring in a few months I think Champ will be asking her a few questions .........
Rained hard yesterday and Pom Pom was a mess -dirty and wet and running around like a crazy. Jack let out last evening for a while Put him back as going out. Did not let the 2 wimps out as the Heron would no doubt be back and they would not see it off. Does not look like I have lost aany fish as yet as the net is the same. More luck than skill. Last a heron visited it took my big fish and near emptied the pond of fish. Neighbour saw it flying off with a fish so big it could hardly fly. Not this time . Going to to put spikes and fence around the pond so as restricts its access.
Bob

[sandy]

Bob its obvious name you newbies after your biking heros? See ya soon x