Louise's Chicken Diary

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KarenE
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by KarenE »

Good to hear Mary is picking up )t' Long may it continue!
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: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Thanks very much Karen. Mary had a lovely weekend last weekend. She was eating well and even dust bathing. I don't know what caused her 'blip' but I am keeping everything crossed that she remains well. I do tend to get paranoid when they get older (Mary is just over 2 years) and although that is not old, it seems, in my experience, that is when the problems with these poor working girls start occurring. I have also just realised that Violet and Rose are one year old this month. Both little girls, since they started laying, have laid an egg every single day. The three of them have really lovely personalities (that is why I love these Warren hens so much).

Well it's another pretty miserable day here in Stockport. More rain and more mud. The girls have been out in their run all morning and really enjoying themselves messing around. My morning routine when I get up is to feed the cats first (before anyone else or there would be mayhem). At this time of the year I have a little time to relax and have a cuppa before the light comes in and I open the coop up for the girls (I am always up before them). I prepare their vegetables - they have cabbage, tomato, cucumber chopped up. When the girls get up I clean out their coop and bedroom and replace with fresh straw/sawdust and fill feed bowls with pellets and fresh water inside their coop and in their run. I work in the afternoons so they are usually back in the coop about 12:00 before I leave for work. They will all be in bed when I return home. Looking forward to lighter nights and being able to let them out again when I come home from work.

Hope everyone's flocks are doing well - roll on some nicer weather and also hoping that the restrictions can be lifted at the end of this month and we can all, once again, freerange.
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KarenE
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by KarenE »

I can't see them lifting it myself. 3 outbraks in Lincs and numerous in Lancs. I think we'll be waiting now til the spring migrations are done, unless the free range egg industry has a heck of a lot of clout. )gr:
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: Louise's Chicken Diary

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Hi All. Am looking forward to the weekend and spending some time with the girls (especially as I work all day Friday and don't see them). Just hoping that this wild weather that they have forecast does not amount to much so I can get out in the garden a while. I keep threatening to have a go at Photobucket (have not had time yet) so hopefully will be able to take some photo's this weekend. Hope everyone's flocks are OK - enjoy the weekend.
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi all. Nice weekend with the girls. They didn't complain too much this weekend - think they are getting used to staying in their run now. Plenty of dust baths and the eating of treats. Mary started moulting on Saturday - feathers everywhere, but she doesn't seem to mind. Looking forward to letting them out in the garden though.
Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

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Hi All. Looking forward to spending some time with Mary, Rose and Violet over the weekend. Working all day today and I miss seeing them. They will be in bed by the time I get home. Mary seems to have finished her moult. Although there were a lot of feathers, she still looks well feathered (and beautiful - but I'm biased as I'm her mother!!). Planning on giving the run a good clean out over the weekend. It is all enclosed but it's soil on the ground so a good rake and shovel should do the trick, plus washing down their little tables where they like to sit and look out at the garden. With being enclosed today they will be ready for a good dust bath tomorrow. Hope everyone has a good weekend. :-D
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Had a good weekend but weather here has been awful (cold and wet and windy). Still managed to give the run a bit of a clean up and the girls were quite happy as they do like helping with these jobs. The wind has damaged some of the roof over the run so some repairs are in order shortly. I am intending on a bit of a re-vamp when we are on holiday in May. I would like a new coop (to go in the walk in run) so am looking at them presently to decide which one I would like.
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KarenE
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by KarenE »

How are the girls doing Louise? Hope all's well
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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Minxy
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Minxy »

Hi Louise,

Mary, Rose and Violet sound adorable. :) Any chance of seeing some photographs?
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi Karen and Minx and everyone. The girls are doing fine, thank you. Mary has had a bit of a moult but this seems to have stopped now. She has not laid for about 2 months now, but is fine in herself, since her little blip (touch wood). They have all been in their enclosure dust bathing and eating treats and generally having a happy time. I am not in a high risk area with regard to the Avian Flu so I am looking forward to letting them out in the garden soon. I must admit they have been very good and seem to have got used to staying in their run. They will, however, LOVE it when they can ransack the garden again and chase the birds and cats! I have not forgotten about photo's - I am needing a bit of help with this from my son so will have to wait for him to visit. We are meant to be in for a storm tomorrow so I am hoping we don't sustain any damage (usually roof on the run is the first to go). Hope everyone is well and enjoying your flocks.
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

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Hi everyone. Well looks like we all experienced a wild day yesterday with Doris. Luckily only a bit of the chicken run roof blew off so I am very grateful that there was not more damage. We are hoping to have a bit of a revamp in May, so will probably re-roof the run. It's been done a few times with tarpaulin but this tends to rip after a while. We bought some sheets a while ago from Wicks that, I think, are designed to go under flooring and I must say they have been much better than the tarpaulin. They have lasted much longer so we are going for the same again.

Mary, Rose and Violet didn't venture out much yesterday in the wild weather. They tended to stay in their coop in a more sheltered corner (don't blame them). Today when I am at work all day and they have to be in (for their own safety) the weather is much improved, in fact it is quite spring like - sods law. I hate having to keep them in all day, but I don't feel as bad if the weather is bad. Never mind weekend is nearly here and they can have more freedom tomorrow.

With Mary having a bit of a moult recently and the weather being so cold I have been giving them some poultry spice sprinkled on their food. Does anyone else use this on a regular basis? I also do like to put Apple Cider Vinegar in their water for 3 consecutive days once a month. The only other thing I tend to give them, vitamin wise, is a little bit of cod liver oil on some bread. Although too much is not good for them, I feel that in moderation, it does them some good.

It's Rose and Violets first birthday this month (so officially they are not pullets any more). We always refer to them as 'the babies' so it's time that was changed to 'the young ladies'. I can't believe we have had them 9 months now. They were both really nervous at first, especially Rose, but they have really come out of their shells and are an absolute joy to have (and so is their big Sister Mary).

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend and in spite of the weather is able to spend some quality time with their flocks.
stripeddonkey
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by stripeddonkey »

Hi Louise,

Glad you weathered Doris with minimal impact. Up here in Elderslie (near Glasgow) we had a worse night the night before you got Doris but it wasn't half as windy as you experienced. Friday and today (Sun) it has been very blustery and wet. I'm looking forward to letting the girls back into the garden this week. I find it very therapeutic having the girls and the boys (my two cats Colin and Henry) moseying around as I work in the garden. All my passions in one place so to speak (not excluding him indoors too).
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi Stripeddonkey - I know exactly what you mean about all your passions being in one place. I love pottering in my garden with the 'garden helpers' and my cats. I am just looking forward to some decent weather to be able to get out there. Bought some compost and pea seeds this weekend - just need the garden to dry out a bit - so muddy (as my girls will verify).
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Minxy
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Minxy »

Hello you two!

Yup, sick of the rain and mud too! I put some wood chippings down in the main footfall areas on Friday. So much better than it was!

Looking forward to a spot of pottering too. Come on Spring, get a move on!

:)
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
stripeddonkey
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by stripeddonkey »

Hi all. I bought a bulk bag of 'gravel' recently to put down in a muddy area. Turns out the gravel is more the size of pebbles although not quite as smooth. If the girls start scraping at this with their feet do you think they damage themselves?

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