Louise's Chicken Diary

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Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Rose and Vi have had a nice weekend as the weather has not been too bad so they have been able to run amok around the garden. It did take Vi a couple of days before her limp wore off. Didn't actually see what she did but they were SO excited at being home and were jumping on and off their little tables so I think she badly sprained it. I thought I would give them a treat this weekend as it's Pumpkin season, so bought them a lovely big pumpkin and got husband to chop it in two. They had pumpkins last year and really enjoyed them, but this year they have decided not to touch it and have given it a wide berth - funny girls!! I can practically hear them thinking "doesn't that human of ours know we prefer water melon now!!" Talk about spoilt.

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sandy
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by sandy »

How are Rose and Violet? Mine detest pumpkin bless them
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: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi Sandy - Rose and Vi are fine thank you (long may it last). The weather has been pretty miserable all weekend, but they did get chance to have a play in the garden yesterday. These girls are just so clever as they know when it's Saturday and Sunday. They know they come out into the garden for a good run at the weekends and they shout me and shout me when they see me (cooking) in the kitchen window. Any other day they don't bother - my husband thinks it's amazing and said yesterday "how do they know it's Sunday?" They still notice when I don't put the bottom lock on their run while I am cleaning them out and the pair of them open the door and make a run for freedom into the garden. If I put the lock on they will not even bother trying to open it. Certainly can't call these girls bird brained. They know their routine and they let me know when it's time playing out or treats etc - amazing!! On the subject of chickens being intelligent animals, does anyone think that their chickens know their names? I like to think so, but I am not 100% sure.
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

hi , Mine come when they are called.
(mealworms, mealworms.
Bob
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sandy
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by sandy »

Of course Rose and Violet are intelligent, they are chickens, all chickens are intelligent, infact sometimes they are so intelligent they disguise the fact that they are very cunningly {rofwl}
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/
amber66
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by amber66 »

Never a truer word Sandy!
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sandy
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by sandy »

How are Rose and Violet doing?
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: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi Sandy, Rose and Vi are great - touch wood (thank you for asking). They are getting up a lot later these dark mornings - about 7:40am, so at least I get time to have a relaxed cup of tea before they start creating. They are out in their run in the mornings and I put them in the coop at lunchtime when I go to work. It still feels funny coming home from work and not going out to "do the girls", as they are safely tucked up in bed by the time I get home. They lay religiously every day, bless them, so we are never short of eggs. I have cut down on their greens (as I mentioned to Karen) because Rose has had a bit of a mucky bum recently. I used to give them cabbage, tomato, cucumber and perhaps lettuce in the mornings and afternoons. Too many greens I think so we are concentrating on eating pellets mainly. Of course we have to have the necessary mealworms - how would girls cope with being denied their favourite delicacy??!!
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

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Well yesterday all was well. Rose and Violet were shouting at me while I was in the kitchen making dinner. They know that they come out into the garden to play in the afternoon. They had a great time running around and digging and were really happy. I have gone down to them this morning and they both came down from the nest box just after seven thirty and I could tell instantly that something was wrong with Vi. I opened the nest box up and she had laid a shell-less egg. She has never done this before and usually their shells are still quite hard. I put their food in (with mealworms) and she turned her beak up ... Something was definitely wrong!! She has spent the morning just sitting and nodding off occasionally (we all know, unfortunately, what a poorly chicken looks like). Had to put them in to go to work this afternoon. Just can't wait until the morning to see how she is. I managed to get a dose of Epsom Salts down her (difficult doing this on your own). My girls are nearly two years old and this is always when things start to go wrong with them - always laying issues. I have been here so many times before, but it still doesn't get any easier. So strange to see Vi like this as they are such perky girls normally. They have been left with plenty of food and water and hopefully she will put herself to bed tonight, as usual. I'll be rushing down tomorrow as soon as it's light and I am just keeping everything crossed that this is a blip.
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KarenE
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by KarenE »

She's probably trying to get rid if the shell, or she may even have another egg in the pipes. Poor little chick {hug} probably a sign that she's packing in laying, for the winter & maybe longer. Hope she picks up overnight >fi<
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Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

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Thanks Karen. Couldn't wait to see the girls this morning and check on Vi. I was dreading Rose being down as normal and poor Vi still in the nesting box hunched up. Anyway, she was down as normal with Rose, thank goodness and she has been eating and drinking well this morning. She looks brighter than yesterday, albeit a little slower. Like you say, Karen, perhaps she is going "off lay". I am still keeping everything crossed but am just relieved that she does seem brighter this morning.
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KarenE
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by KarenE »

How is Vi doing now CC?
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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Well Violet is having a break from laying after she laid her shell-less egg. She was a bit off colour on that day, but thank goodness she seems fine now. My little girls have laid every single day since I have had them and they deserve a good break. Rose is still laying every day, bless her. Someone, think it could be Vi, is having a mini moult. Noticed a few feathers over the last couple of days in the run. What a time of year to start a moult!!! Hope she doesn't lose too many feathers. The nest box is full of clean fresh straw (and I mean full) so they have plenty of bedding. I have also been sprinkling some Poultry Spice over their food for some added vitamins. Do other people use Poultry Spice or perhaps another supplement this time of year? I also put some cod liver oil on a piece of bread for them as I believe that just a little bit is good for them.
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kitla
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by kitla »

I used to give them poultry spice, but they didnt seem to like it very much so I usually prefer to add tonic to the water. At the moment I'm trying a pinch of dried seaweed to the morning mash (full of minerals)
"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
Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

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I must try that dried seaweed - anything that is good for the girls and keeps them fit and healthy is a must. Poor little Violet is really having a massive moult. In fact I don't think I have ever had a girl that has moulted as much as Vi. My other girls used to lose a few feathers here and there but poor Vi has no tail, bald on part of her back and bottom - there must be hundreds of feathers in their run. Luckily she is handling it very well and was even having a good dust bath/mud bath yesterday (even with bald bits - bless her). Have to work all day today (and tomorrow) so that means have to go down in dark to make sure the girls have everything they need for the day. Left them with plenty of food, mealworms, cabbage, pellets, corn so although they will be fed up being locked in they will have lots to eat, so that will hopefully keep them amused. They didn't even get up this morning from their bed. I just heard sweet little noises coming out of the nest box where they sleep - as if to say, "what are you doing here this early - it's not breakfast time yet". I hate having to keep them locked up, but when myself or husband are not there I wouldn't risk leaving them out - better to be safe than sorry. I have promised them that I will make it up to them with plenty of playing out time over the Christmas holidays, when I am off. Hope everyone's flocks are well.

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