By Halves' Chicken Diary!

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By Halves
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

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By Halves wrote:As yet unnamed is more a silvery grey colour than a midnight, but those two ideas next to each other give me half an idea of a line to think along.


...and the moon-related name that I think suits her best is...


...dun dun dun...


...Phoebe :-D



Oh yes, I wanted to put something about their personalities so far:

Angel, who was named by my DD2 likes eating a lot. She always seems to be nibbling away at something, rather like my DD2.

Rainbow, who was named by my son when he saw how many colours there are in black feathers when they're caught by the sun, is very vocal. She keeps up a running commentary on everything she's doing, rather like DS himself.

Phoebe, the one I was allowed to name, hasn't done anything much of any note. I'm hoping that doesn't imply anything about me {rofwl}

So far it seems that Rainbow is top hen and Angel is bottom. Phoebe is happy to hang out with either of them, roosting next to Angel on the first night after having ganged up with Rainbow earlier to stand at the pophole glaring at Angel when she wanted to go in. She obviously knew her place as she just went back to pecking around for some more of the corn I'd let the kids scatter for them. Perhaps she's eating a lot now because she always had to go last previously when there were more flock members.

I wonder if they're roosting indoors tonight. It's about the time I'd usually be going round checking on sleeping kids and the cat before turning in if I was at home so I bet the popping out in the night to check on the girls will become a regular thing too {rofwl}
~ Annie

Two little kids, one big one and two grandchildren
Spongebob the cat on steroids and Gus who doesn't like him; silly Kittles and sensible Rags
lovely bantam girl Phoebe
and retired working girls: Florence, Miss McCluck and Mrs Brown

RIP little Rainbow and beautiful Angel xxx

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KarenE
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

Post by KarenE »

Hi

Lovely names, and I bet they've settled down really well. Getting 3 new all at once is the best way - enjoy it, because it'll never happen again ;) I bet you'll love having them

Any adventures to report yet?

I would definitely agree with the garden shredder - we bought a 2nd hand one years ago and that's what we use for woodchip in the girls' run, as we've always got loads of branches etc to dispose of. Purely for gardening purposes, I'd also never be without an incinerator now too as it saves loads of trips to the tip - plus ash is good for dustbaths, helps keep the mites etc at bay. Your girls do have a dustbath area don't they?
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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By Halves
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

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Today I've been trying to get a proper close up look at them which was fun! They are not happy about being handled, which I suppose is a general problem with not having them from chicks. I started off trying to tempt them to me with a little scratch in one hand and my arm poking in through the door but I reckon that could take weeks to get anywhere as they were just huddling up in the far corner with Rainbow alarm calling every time I twitched and a couple of times trying to make a run for it through the gap in the door.

As that hadn't worked I then went with the sneaky method of waiting until one went into the coop and then dropping the pophole door and fishing her out to look at. First to fall into that trap was Phoebe and a little later Angel. I'd noticed Phoebe arrived with a mud ball on one of her toes which hadn't shifted like the ones the other girls had so I was able to get that off for her and I had a good look through both their feathers which were nice and clean with no sign of any lice or anything. I haven't managed to detain Rainbow yet. I think she's going to be the awkward one!

Tonight they are all in the coop. That was a bit of a do as well because I put some scratch in there to try and tempt them all in and Rainbow discovered it and wouldn't let the other two in }hairout{ Eventually I had to shut her in and fish the others out of the run and walk round and put them in the coop. I shall go and check on them before turning in and see if they are on the perch...

While checking them I was trying to think of how to set up a dustbath for them that would stay dry enough and I think it will have to be inside the coop because with the slant of the ark walls anything with a roof would take up the whole run. I reckon a second cat litter tray on the opposite side to the one that's being a nestbox will do the trick. Just as well the pound shop had litter trays or the cat would be going without. The pound shop also had mealworms. The girls haven't tried them yet.
~ Annie

Two little kids, one big one and two grandchildren
Spongebob the cat on steroids and Gus who doesn't like him; silly Kittles and sensible Rags
lovely bantam girl Phoebe
and retired working girls: Florence, Miss McCluck and Mrs Brown

RIP little Rainbow and beautiful Angel xxx
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By Halves
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

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Not on the perch. Rainbow was perched on the side of the litter tray nestbox which I wouldn't think would be very comfortable and the other two were on the floor but after all the palaver earlier I didn't move them.

It was funny earlier when I was trying to get them to go in the coop and they were trying to find somewhere in the run to sleep (I'd moved the perching branches). Angel was trying to sneak under Phoebe's wing to cuddle up. I presume they're all chronologically the same age but Angel is very much the "youngest" and Rainbow the "oldest", in fact her comb has changed a lot just since Friday.
~ Annie

Two little kids, one big one and two grandchildren
Spongebob the cat on steroids and Gus who doesn't like him; silly Kittles and sensible Rags
lovely bantam girl Phoebe
and retired working girls: Florence, Miss McCluck and Mrs Brown

RIP little Rainbow and beautiful Angel xxx
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By Halves
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

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Rotten little madam Rainbow was at it again this morning, sitting in the coop door while the other two were huddled in the rain. I think I'm going to have to make them some sort of porch so there's some shelter in the run if this is going to keep happening. Angel was sneezing this evening so all the standing around in the wet can't be doing her any good. I've made a thread for advice on that one.

They now have a litter tray dustbath that just has soil in it so far. It was a bit of a job finding any that was even dry-ish in the garden but the walls of the kids' old plastic wendy house are still leaning up against the far wall and there was a little dry patch under there. I sifted out the little bits of coal and checked it for sharp things so I hope it's OK temporarily and they like it when it's dried out properly. Not much chance of acquiring wood ash at the moment so I'll get some herbal powder or something to put in with it next time I order things.

Went out as it was getting dark thinking I'd have to catch the girls and post them into the coop again but they were all in there already settling for the night, albeit perched around the edge of the dustbath. Hooray!
~ Annie

Two little kids, one big one and two grandchildren
Spongebob the cat on steroids and Gus who doesn't like him; silly Kittles and sensible Rags
lovely bantam girl Phoebe
and retired working girls: Florence, Miss McCluck and Mrs Brown

RIP little Rainbow and beautiful Angel xxx
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KarenE
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

Post by KarenE »

Don't worry about their dustbath, they'll chuck it all over everywhere when they're dustbathing anyway! Sand is also good for dustbaths (I think people use play sand). If you've got some lice and mite powder or DE, just chuck a bit of that in to keep the scuttlies away.

Rainbow is asserting her authority - does she appear to be going for top hen? Once she's secured her place she'll probably relax her rottenness and start magnanimously letting the others in. They are absolute horrors!

Don't stress about where the girls are sleeping - you'll be wasting your time trying to get them to perch. Chickens are surprisingly single minded. So let them sleep where they want, and if they want to perch they will. Mine had their daddy build them a custom perching tree and turned their beaks up at it, preferring instead to perch on the side of their fruit boxes (I use cardboard fruit trays from the supermarkets for mine, I just compost them when they've wrecked them) or to snuggle in the straw. Can't say I blame them!

Keep a close eye on Angel. It may be a cold she's picked up, but if it gets into her air sac it can be extremely serious. If she's no better in a day or so, or if she starts swelling around the face, rasping and crackling and breathing noisily, gaping or having a runny nose then you may need some antibiotics from the vets. It's really easy to treat - tylan in the water - but it is a potentially very serious condition and also can be pretty contagious if it's something more than a cold so if she doesn't pick up in a day or so get her to the vets.
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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By Halves
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

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Rainbow started sneezing too :(

Luckily my vet's receptionist, after saying they couldn't treat them at all, thought of another local vet who might and even rang them for me! I was able to get an appointment with them this evening and I was asked to take all three girls along.

So I had to brave the scary getting all the girls out of the ark and into the catbasket without losing any of them thing. Amusingly, as I got hold of Angel and lifted her up Rainbow tried to do a runner and dashed straight out of the coop, couldn't get round me and in her panic dashed straight in through the catbasket door {rofwl} so that was one less to catch. I had to take them on the bus so I draped a square of fabric over it to keep them calm and nobody asked who was in there!

The vet was lovely and showed me all the things that I need to know how to check which was very helpful. He also trimmed Rainbow's claws which I'd noticed were rather long and making her toes twist sideways a bit and he weighed the girls:
Rainbow is 475g and is a tiny bit on the plump side
Phoebe is 410g and a little bit skinny
and Angel is just 310g but a good medium build.

Came home with denagard to put in their water and I can soak their pellets in it as well to make sure they're getting enough of it. I just read that it has a nasty taste so I'll try to remember to put some garlic or herbs in the food with it too.
~ Annie

Two little kids, one big one and two grandchildren
Spongebob the cat on steroids and Gus who doesn't like him; silly Kittles and sensible Rags
lovely bantam girl Phoebe
and retired working girls: Florence, Miss McCluck and Mrs Brown

RIP little Rainbow and beautiful Angel xxx
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KarenE
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

Post by KarenE »

Hi Annie

Glad to hear you got some advice on your girls, I hope they enjoyed their trip on the bus! I haven't used denaguard myself (it's usually tylan that my vets prescribe) but it should clear it right up, it's usually pretty easy to treat if you get it early enough. )t'
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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By Halves
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

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Hehe, they were so lovely and cosy in a straw nest in the back of the cat basket that they were probably a bit miffed to get back home and be turfed out of it {rofwl}

Because I knew it had their medicine in I watched them eating their breakfast today. As the denagard is supposed to taste horrid I put a clove of garlic chopped up in one bowl and 1/2 tsp of mixed herbs (all the herbs in it are reputed to have a "tonic" effect for chickens) in the other and they really gobbled it up. Rainbow is definitely asserting herself as top hen and Angel is her bottom hen victim as Angel wasn't allowed to go near the bowl Rainbow was eating from and every now and then Rainbow would go over and chase her away from the second bowl and she'd have to go back to the first. Phoebe is fine with both of them and often seems to find herself positioned between the other two being a living barrier.

Noticed Phoebe sneezing a couple of times this afternoon but Angel's sneezing seemed a bit less frequent and Rainbow's doesn't seem to have got any worse. I was told to give the denagard for 7 days so I'm glad it's being easy to make sure they get it. I was a bit worried when he first said put it in their water as they never seem to drink any as there's been so much rain in their food! I may have to put the bowls in the coop when it's wet as there aren't two dry places in the run and I'm not sure the one bit I've tried to shelter has done much good as there was water in the grit bowl again.

I think they've got the idea of going into the coop at night properly now and Angel and Phoebe were even on the perch this evening although Rainbow was back on the edge of the dustbath tray. I wouldn't have thought it would be very comfortable for her feet :? No sign of them using the dustbath for its proper purpose yet though!
~ Annie

Two little kids, one big one and two grandchildren
Spongebob the cat on steroids and Gus who doesn't like him; silly Kittles and sensible Rags
lovely bantam girl Phoebe
and retired working girls: Florence, Miss McCluck and Mrs Brown

RIP little Rainbow and beautiful Angel xxx
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By Halves
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

Post by By Halves »

It's been a week so I think we'd better have some photos!

Here are the girls first thing on their first morning after they'd roosted outside all night
Image

Rainbow guarding the door to the coop. "Your name's not down, you're not coming in..."
Image

"Hmmm," thinks Angel, "I like what he's holding but I don't really want to get any closer."
Image

"Food on my head? You don't say!"
Image

DD2 getting to know her new pet. (Please excuse my dodgy gardening jacket!)
Image

"I have no interest in tiny chickens whatsoever. No, not me."
Image
~ Annie

Two little kids, one big one and two grandchildren
Spongebob the cat on steroids and Gus who doesn't like him; silly Kittles and sensible Rags
lovely bantam girl Phoebe
and retired working girls: Florence, Miss McCluck and Mrs Brown

RIP little Rainbow and beautiful Angel xxx
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KarenE
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

Post by KarenE »

Angel looks a bit unsure in that photo - of your daughter or of your jacket, who can say! :-D

They are lovely girls, and they look like they're settling in a treat.

I think your cat (spongebob?) may be protesting too much there...
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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Mo
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

Post by Mo »

Are you sure Angel isn't an Owl? Pretty.
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
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By Halves
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

Post by By Halves »

Angel's beard does look very owl-like in that photo doesn't it! It's the beards that gave me the first clue when looking up their breed, which, annoyingly, the guy's OH has now informed me she can't remember either :( They do look very like Barbu De Watermael but it's quite possible there's another breed that looks similar that I haven't turned up yet.

There was noticeably less sneezing going on today so hopefully their medicine is starting to do the trick. I left their supper bowls in the coop as I'm not at home tonight and they're not supposed to drink rainwater instead of medicine. Hope they can manoeuvre enough in there to get at them!
~ Annie

Two little kids, one big one and two grandchildren
Spongebob the cat on steroids and Gus who doesn't like him; silly Kittles and sensible Rags
lovely bantam girl Phoebe
and retired working girls: Florence, Miss McCluck and Mrs Brown

RIP little Rainbow and beautiful Angel xxx
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

Post by sandy »

Gorgeous photos )like(
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/
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By Halves
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Re: By Halves' Chicken Diary!

Post by By Halves »

I didn't notice any sneezing this morning but when the rain started this evening Rainbow made the other two stand out in it for a bit and Angel started sneezing again }hairout{ Only two more days on the denagard so I'm not sure if the course is going to get rid of it completely.

On a more positive note Rainbow was using the dust bath. She was making a sound I hadn't heard before, like a phone ringing but with a chickeny accent, very odd! I don't know if the others have been allowed a turn yet or if Rainbow thinks it's her personal boudoir. She's still perching on the edge of it at night while the other two are snuggled together on the perch which must be much more comfy on their feet.
~ Annie

Two little kids, one big one and two grandchildren
Spongebob the cat on steroids and Gus who doesn't like him; silly Kittles and sensible Rags
lovely bantam girl Phoebe
and retired working girls: Florence, Miss McCluck and Mrs Brown

RIP little Rainbow and beautiful Angel xxx

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