Julie's chicken keeping diary

Start your own thread and let us follow you through the year
User avatar
julie62
Legendary Laner
Posts: 2025
Joined: 16 Apr 2011, 00:54
Gender: Female
Location: Salford, Manchester

Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by julie62 »

I got my first chickens in June 2011 - three ex bats of which one, Purple, is still with me and going strong (she's always been top hen) despite the fact she prolapsed the day after I first got my chickens! At the time I thought what the heck have I done, but since then things have got easier and I love keeping chickens.

Image
This is them when they first arrived in June 2011.

Image
And a few weeks later getting used to the good life.

Of my three original girls I lost Red and No3 last year but they had a good year with me. Purple is called purple cos she was purple for months from anti peck spray, Red had a beautiful red head and No 3 was always at the bottom of the pecking order until I got my new girls and she enjoyed a few months lording it over them!

Last year I added Bud and Lou a speckledy and bluebelle and they are lovely placid girls who lay beautiful eggs virtually everyday - introducing them was hard work but I got there in the end.
Image

I will maybe add a couple more in the spring.

I will write more about their housing etc in another post but that will do for today!
Julie

“cockerels may crow but it's the hen that lays the egg."

User avatar
jackian
Legendary Laner
Posts: 1520
Joined: 11 Jan 2012, 12:00
Gender: Female
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by jackian »

I had my first girls in June 11 as well ,in fact the 17th ...What a lot I have learnt . I can not believe from the person who was writing on here panicing at every move i am now giving advice. )t'
Lovely photos of your girls and I would love a speckldy..working on it.
4 lovely girls~~ Clover, the oldie and top chick Bonnie second in command .new girls Bluebell and Blossom.
2 lovely new girls 19-01-2015~~ Chelsea and Ruby.
Eva , Florry , Poppy ,Annie and Rosie R.I.P
The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.” - unknown
User avatar
Annie
Project Hedgehog Leader
Posts: 10383
Joined: 01 Aug 2010, 15:45
Gender: Female
Location: lennoxtown North of Glasgow

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by Annie »

If you add in the Spring wil you go for ex batts or do you have your eye on a special lady?
It will be alright in the end , if its not alright, it isn't the end .
Quote from the proprietor of the The best exotic Marigold Hotel for the elderly and beautiful
User avatar
julie62
Legendary Laner
Posts: 2025
Joined: 16 Apr 2011, 00:54
Gender: Female
Location: Salford, Manchester

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by julie62 »

I think I will go for some hens from the lady I got the new girls from they have been such healthy girls- maybe a Warren as I do love them and she has araucanas as well and some other purebreds - not quite sure yet.
Julie

“cockerels may crow but it's the hen that lays the egg."
User avatar
sandy
Legendary Laner
Posts: 9915
Joined: 13 Oct 2008, 21:59
Gender: Female
Location: Bristol

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by sandy »

They look gorgeous, I love their very fashionable home )t'
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/
User avatar
julie62
Legendary Laner
Posts: 2025
Joined: 16 Apr 2011, 00:54
Gender: Female
Location: Salford, Manchester

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by julie62 »

I took a few up to date pictures of them today (January 6th) as they were playing out before bedtime and they've had so little chance to play out recently with the weather and the dark nights. They wouldn't go to bed today - apologies if the photos are a bit dark but it was dusk.

My lovely fat purple - she's been moulting all over the place but she still looks well - not laid an egg for a year and much healthier for it now all the softies have stopped.
Image

Bud and Lou - got great big combs now they're all grown up
Image

All together for once!
Image
Julie

“cockerels may crow but it's the hen that lays the egg."
User avatar
julie62
Legendary Laner
Posts: 2025
Joined: 16 Apr 2011, 00:54
Gender: Female
Location: Salford, Manchester

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by julie62 »

By the way Purple is the chicken on the right on the first post when I first got the chickens - what a difference 18 months make eh?
Julie

“cockerels may crow but it's the hen that lays the egg."
User avatar
Luna
Longlasting Laner
Posts: 522
Joined: 03 Jun 2011, 10:50
Gender: Female
Location: Middlesex

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by Luna »

It's incredible how Purple has changed in those 18 months you've had her..... Given care, attention, freedom and the time to be chickens they can put behind their miserable previous existences and become beautiful, affectionate ladies. {hug}

She's got some beautiful friends in Bud and Lou too.
Jo x
"The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience."
Atticus Finch in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee
morbidia
Lively Laner
Posts: 269
Joined: 24 Sep 2012, 17:35
Gender: Female

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by morbidia »

What gorgeous girls. Purple looks like my Esme who is also a batty girl, she has just moulted and now looks like a proper chicken for the first time in her life. I got my batty girls in July 2011, I had 4 to start with but lost two just before and just after their first year of freedom, I am so glad I was able to give them that year out of those cages though
I also love your house and run, mine is so boring but when I get my new shed I am going to go all out to make it look fun :-D
User avatar
sandy
Legendary Laner
Posts: 9915
Joined: 13 Oct 2008, 21:59
Gender: Female
Location: Bristol

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by sandy »

Its great for Purple that her egg laying machinery has turned off, so many end up with softies etc in older age dont they.
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/
User avatar
s33xpt
Lively Laner
Posts: 346
Joined: 24 Jun 2012, 13:01
Gender: Female
Location: Huddersfield, W Yorks

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by s33xpt »

Just love your pic of all 3 together, it looks like it should be an advert for free range happy chickens )t'
sharing my home with Kasa the Kelpie Dog, Trouble & Chaos the cats, 8 ex batts and an ever suffering animal suffocated OH
User avatar
aceface
Legendary Laner
Posts: 4325
Joined: 17 Mar 2012, 23:08
Gender: Female
Location: between here and there

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by aceface »

lovely little trio they look lovely together {hug}
[center]HELPING THE LITTLE BROWN GIRLS OF THIS WORLD FIND FOREVER HOMES
Humble chicken maid to a happy little flock
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]


Still loving and missing Skinnie Minnie and Queenie xx

Marlene you taught me how to live and laugh again xx


Isabella my darling top hen ,you stole my heart xx

Porscha my sweet little girl ,you left so suddenly xx
User avatar
julie62
Legendary Laner
Posts: 2025
Joined: 16 Apr 2011, 00:54
Gender: Female
Location: Salford, Manchester

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by julie62 »

Well, a day off work today and the sun was shining so the chickens have had a play out and thoroughly enjoyed themselves for once .. they're as sick of this weather as we are.

They did make me laugh tonight, I put some pots in their run full of weeds just before bedtime and they were having a high old time picking through all the weeds. Suddenly one of them looked up and it was just like she'd looked at her watch and gone "flippin' heck is that the time" and set off at a run for the henhouse. The other two then chased after her and they all ran off to bed in five seconds flat.

I do enjoy their antics - cant wait for the warmer weather and the longer days - I know their run is big enough but I do enjoy sharing the garden with them. :-D
Julie

“cockerels may crow but it's the hen that lays the egg."
User avatar
julie62
Legendary Laner
Posts: 2025
Joined: 16 Apr 2011, 00:54
Gender: Female
Location: Salford, Manchester

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by julie62 »

I've ordered a couple of ex-bats from the Fresh Start for Hens re-homing at the end of March. My little chicken house and run is sitting empty - I was in a bit of a dilemma about whether to get two new young hens in the spring, but the two young girls I got last year are still laying really well so I reckon this year I'll give a home to two ex-bats and then I can always get two youngsters next year. I'm sure I'll get enough eggs for our little household.

They can live in the little house while they build up their strength and get used to the big wide world and then over the spring/summer I can introduce them to their three neighbours in the big run and house. Be interested to see how long it takes me this time - it took months last summer - I think I was too soft when scuffles broke out - I hated seeing the little uns getting bullied.

I've only got one of my original little brown hens ex-bats that I got back in 2011 and I've got to admit she's my favourite - so friendly and sweet - I'm really looking forward to nursing a couple more back to health and teaching them about the big wide world and all the lovely things there are to eat and dig up :-D
Julie

“cockerels may crow but it's the hen that lays the egg."
User avatar
sandy
Legendary Laner
Posts: 9915
Joined: 13 Oct 2008, 21:59
Gender: Female
Location: Bristol

Re: Julie's chicken keeping diary

Post by sandy »

Oh Julie how exciting bet you cant wait )t'
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/

Post Reply