First day... and the first egg too!My girls seem to be Ok in storms. Mind you they had a baptism of fire. We got them 31st October. So there were fireworks going off before and after the 5th November.
Then Buncefield blew up, we are about 7 miles from it as a crow flies. So I think peace and quiet is unusual for them Wendy http://www.busheyk9.co.uk
If you can't be a good example........ you will just have to be a horrible warning
thunderMy babies were fine last night in the thunder, it's the lawn mower that causes the most freaking out, they have just got to get used to it though, does any one elses have a total freak out with the lawn mower? I don't want to start moving them to the other side of the house each time I want to cut the grass, but hate them freaking out like that, should I cover their run or let them see it's me? :cry:
Cheers
mel x Hiya Melons
Mine used to be scared of the lawn mower and sprinkler, but after a few times they got used to it and don't even flinch now. At first they used to make that horrible loud sqawking sound (saved for foxeds I can imagine), but they're ok now Fingers crossed for you!! Small steps lead to big changes
First day... and the first egg too!Mine don't appear to mind the weather but wouldn't go out in the snow (I put their food and water in the coop) When they were in the greenhouse we had a tree felled beside it and they didn't like the noise but I stayed in with them. They do get used to noise eventually. They do not like the traction engines that come to the village now and again neither does the cat I assume its the vibrations
I'm not sure if she has scaly leg or not - from what I gather it could be a problem if mites get underneath the lifted scales, which can in worst cases cause lameness and even death. When you put Vaseline on it, it's supposed to smother and then kill the mites, and the scales just fall off when the chicken next moults. But I'm not sure how urgent the problem is - how did you treat your chickens when they got this, Richard? Did you put Vaseline on them or just leave it to sort itself? Still haven't plucked up the courage to go and grab Stella yet, as she's not really used to being handled and I know she'll make a fuss. She'll eat sweetcorn out of my hand but that's as close as she gets, she won't let me stroke her or anything. I guess it's just a matter of time.
Sam We've got a ride-on mower, at first the girls were a bit scared, but each time I go round near the run, I yell out "hi girls" and that gets them running over to me. After a couple of "rounds" of the garden yelling this out - they're all OK. I do the same with my goats, yell out "hi boys" and they settle too.
"Hi girls" or "hi boys" means that something good is on it's way, so I suppose they associate the tone of my voice with something good. Don't know about thunder, haven't had one since I've had the girls- not looking forward to it. The first night we had our goats we had a huge thunder storm, I was in the paddock, soaking wet, at 4am to make sure my boys were OK. I hope our next thunderstorm is not in the middle of the night - because I'll probably end up in the coup!!!! Glad you went ahead and got your chooks, pets are the best therapy when you've gone through a heartbreak.....I know I've spent many an hour sitting under the goat shelter with 2 very hairy boys(goats that is), nuzzling into me, completely takes you to another place! cheers Jodi I was just thinking about the neighbours thing, and how people melt when you tell them they're ex-batts. It's a really good excuse to explain what they are and what the egg boxes say.
It's nice to convert people into buying free range or barn - proof is in the pudding as they say!! I think a lot is to do with ignorance rather than supporting brutality - it's the same with meat - people don't realise until they actually see it! Small steps lead to big changes
It must be great to find your first egg......
The wife proudly announced this morning that one of our girls had layed her first, but she obviously hadn't got it quite right, because although it was the right shape, it was very, very small with more of a crust than a shell and when she gave it a gentle squeeze, it squidged between her fingers and the insides were the same brown colour as the outside!!!!! When I asked if she'd seen any other small, brown, squidgy objects on the hen-house floor that might look similar when forced between finger and thumb, she became quite withdrawn and spent the next twenty minutes in the shower with a bottle of Domestos and a Brillo pad!!!! Strange woman!!!! If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well.
If it's not worth doing, let the Home Secretary do it.
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