Benny-Bev's chooky adventures!

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Benny&Co
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Benny-Bev's chooky adventures!

Post by Benny&Co »

We started our chicken keeping journey on September the 1st, 2010, when we took delivery of our three little ladies and omletttee set up.

I'd been thinking about chickens for a long time and thought I'd done lots of research.

I managed to persuade my lovely Hubbly and I had him captive during a 24 hour flight to NZ and Fiji )t' Here he is on the plane, reading all the information I'd gathered!
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So our girls were our 2nd Wedding Anniversary present and cotton being traditional, we chose the names Cottie, Dottie and Lottie.

Here the little ladies are in their pink hen-partment
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Just looking back at this picture now, I don't think that Lottie looks right at all there - this was on September 2nd. Sadly she passed away on the 18th after nursing her for a week with Baytril/etc.

They enjoyed times playing (demolishing) the garden
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Love this one of Dottie and Cottie dustbathing in the sunshine
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Then very sadly, we lost our little Cottie suddenly. She'd passed away in her sleep overnight on the 10th October - what a very sad start to chicken keeping we had.

We were devastated as you'd imagine. We took Cottie to our vet and also Dottie and Benny for a checkover as well - we had no idea what had happened as she was totally fine the day previous.

Our vet said that Dottie (and Benny) was fine and to get some new friends for Dottie as soon as possible.

We didn't go back to the same place and tried another supplier for our new ladies.

Home we came with Hilda and Elsie - we decided names on the journey, after Hilda and Elsie from Coronation Street.

Here they are, enjoying their dust bath

Hilda
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Elsie
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All seemed fine, the introductions weren't too bad at all really. That was the winter we had the very heavy snow but still both Hilda and Elsie made their first eggs!

So we managed with the extended run, moving it around the garden (not so easy!) but like many others, we found the omletttteee run to be woefully inadequate! Honestly I believed all those lovely images of the set up on lovely green grass!!!!

With our garden looking like a site of devastation, we decided to have a big walk in run made, so the girls could have their own little section of the garden. This was my birthday pressy last year from my lovely kind and generous Hubbly :-D

Work commenced in March 2012
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And the girls moved into their new Mansion!
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I got their Mansion looking quite nice over the summer, grew sweet peas all up the sides of the run. Oh and our grass came back too! >mmm<
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They settled in just fine and here they are devouring a sunflower
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Then one Sunday morning in September we were getting ready to take Benny out, when I noticed Elsie all curled up in the egloooo. Oh no, here we go again {cry} I nursed her, with Hubbly and Benny also on Elsie watch for hours until she slipped away.
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As we were about to go on holiday, I held off getting some new friends for Dottie and Hilda.

November 2012, Benny and I took the trip to the poultry place and home we came with Nita (white) and Betty (Bluebelle)
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During the introductions, our little Hilda earn't the new name of Hilda-Scrum-Half-Rugby-Tackling-Hen!!! I'd never seen anything like the way she puffed up and took a swipe at the newbies with her wing!!!! Think it took about two weeks and they were all quite calm in together
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Then on Christmas day, I noticed our little Dottie wasn't looking good at all. Initially she looked quite comfortable and peaceful, laying on the floor of the run in the straw, but when the others were getting a little too close, I decided to bring her in.

She remained in the warm kitchen, with a special concoction I made for her and she seemed to perk up a little bit, but on the morning of 27th she deteriorated and went very very weak and pale so we took her to the vet sadly {cry}
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So now we're back to three little ladies once again. At the moment we are getting two eggs a day from Nita and Betty. Hilda hasn't laid an egg since early October, just after Elsie died.

In terms of personalities, they're all very very different. Hilda is probably top hen still, I did wonder if Nita would've taken that spot, as she's very forward and vocal. Little Betty is so very sweet and good natured, indeed she and Nita are extremely friendly little ones.

I do hope to get some more little ladies and some ex-batty ladies at some point. But we'll let things settle for a while first.
Bev x
Our family: my-Lovely-Hubbly and I, Benny and our two little Ladies - Betty and Gloria.

RIP dear little Ladies - Lottie, Cottie, Elsie, Dottie, Hilda and Margie. You may have gone, but are never ever forgotten.

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MissEllie
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Re: Benny-Bev's chooky adventures!

Post by MissEllie »

Great history of your chooks Bev and lovely photos. Chicken keeping is such an emotional rollercoaster isn't it? {hug} {hug}
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Re: Benny-Bev's chooky adventures!

Post by Mrs B »

Wonderful pics Bev
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Linda S
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Post by Linda S »

Smashing pics and lovely stort Bev. Love the pic of hubbly looking so serious and concentrating on reading your orders :-D Lindaxx
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jackian
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Re: Benny-Bev's chooky adventures!

Post by jackian »

I really liked the way you introduced your girls and the photos.
I have had my girls 2 years now and their different personalities never cease to amaze me!
I lost one of ours after 2 months of being with us and the 2nd one we lost was only with us 3 months.I never realised how much it would mean .
Looking forward to reading more . )t'
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Annie
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Re: Benny-Bev's chooky adventures!

Post by Annie »

Bev I think the introductions to this thread are really interesting, gives an insight to the struggles as well as the joys of being a hen keeper. Your run did look pretty this summer.
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Spreckly
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Re: Benny-Bev's chooky adventures!

Post by Spreckly »

What an interesting pictorial account Bev. I love your run with the sweet peas, other plants and bunting round. Your girls are so pretty as well.
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Re: Benny-Bev's chooky adventures!

Post by s33xpt »

what a great introduction , love your run and your pics )t'
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aishakali
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Re: Benny-Bev's chooky adventures!

Post by aishakali »

Lovely pics Bev. I think being owned by hens is always going to be bitter sweet. They always go too soon {hug}
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aceface
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Post by aceface »

lovely pics bev )t'
[center]HELPING THE LITTLE BROWN GIRLS OF THIS WORLD FIND FOREVER HOMES
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Frankii Whippers leading the way with Dorey,Prila(aka Mrs Brown),Ann-a-Lou Greta, Delphine my adorable silkie,my twin girls Lana and Boudica (aka The Jedward Twins ) ,Augustine Eizabeth(aka Pippy), Rheima, Marnie and Fleur aka little miss chatterbox[/center]


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Re: Benny-Bev's chooky adventures!

Post by julieann »

Your run is lovely, it is good to hear how people started with thier chooks. What is evident is noone seems to stick with thier original set up, usually ending up with a bigger set up and more girls!
Julie x
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sandy
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Post by sandy »

Bev what a well organised and beautifully photgraphed history and a lovely story {hug}
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morbidia
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Re: Benny-Bev's chooky adventures!

Post by morbidia »

I loved your story of how you got started with hens, you have certainly had some ups and downs,its so sad when you lose one I never realised how attached I would become , your run looks lovely they are very lucky girls :-D
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Post by HensAloud »

I really enjoyed following your picture story Bev, lovely. :-D
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Re: Benny-Bev's chooky adventures!

Post by sarabee »

lovely description of your ups and downs and the photos are great too (no Benny?).

I'm sure we will read about additions some time this year )t'
Sara

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Night night Rhoda xx

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