Library Chick's Chicks

[KarenE]

Your DH may be less delighted when they move on from the grass and scratch up your lawn, borders and anything else they can get their beaks into Seriously though, they'll love an extended run. I've put branches and things in mine for them and they love to perch on them. They've also dug themselves a dustbathing area in one part of the run so they obviously like to zone their space! Make it as big as you can and take my advice and make it walk-in, as it makes cleaning so much easier.

Chicken keeping does get harder in the winter - the wet and snow = mud unless you've got a well covered run, and the worst is the early nights so you hardly see the girls at all.

Glad you're enjoying them!

[Librarychick]

Well I can't believe that its been a month since my last post - so much for my weekly update - LOL. I'm still committed but its just so much harder in the winter. My two girls Bluebell and Ginger are doing well. Still an egg a day and eggs on toast is now my teenage DDs favourite meal . Despite the weather (although there have been some beautiful weekends with lots of winter sun), I am proud that I have managed to scrub the hen house down once a week and keep the coop clean. Being fully covered and walk-in really helps. The "free-range" extension is underway but on hold for the time being due to many other commitments but the hens have loads of room in the covered run for now. I tend to move them onto the grass (in a portable run) so that they don't get in the way when I'm doing the big clean and they love scratching around and the change in scene. They are really not keen on the layers pellets if they think there is any chance of getting anything else. Ginger is by far the worst - always looking for treats. They love tuna which I've given a couple of times but I try mostly to give the pellets. They of course would rather have corn. Certainly they both still lay an egg each in the nest boxes - sometimes one in each box and sometimes both together so hopefully the feeding is ok. Bluebell is a lovely hen and really quite docile. They both quite like being picked up. But oh my goodness, Ginger is a terrible pecker. She pecks my gloves, ankles etc at every opportunity. Luckily they seem to get on very well together and put themselves to bed very night. I'm at the Library a lot and with the dark days, don't get to see them when I get home. Just mornings when I give them fresh water and food, check the grit and their run. Do a poo pick and add a bit of fresh straw in the next boxes. And of course - collect those lovely eggs. I've got a couple of chicken-related items on my Christmas list. Can't believe only a couple of weeks to go. But it will be good to be able to spend much more time in the garden during the vacation.
All good wishes from Librarychick, Bluebell & Ginger xx

[sandy]

I bet you will end up with more than a few chicken related items at christmas, I had to ban people from buying me henny mugs

[Librarychick]

Merry Christmas from Librarychick Bluebell & Ginger.

[sandy]

Happy New Year you three So what chickeny things did you get for ?

[Librarychick]

Happy New Year you three So what chickeny things did you get for ?

Happy Busy New start to the Year, Sandy. A blue ceramic egg tray. Two little pottery hens!

[Librarychick]

P.S. And a Haynes Chicken Keeping Manual

[Librarychick]

How time flies. I'm so happy that the mornings are getting lighter. More time to look after Bluebell and Ginger before work and soon there will be time to see them in the evenings too. They are both doing really well. They lay an egg each a day more or less without fail. Although Ginger did stop laying for several days in a row. I was getting a bit worried. Thought maybe she was going to moult. There were one or two more feathers in the run whereas there is usually scarcely a feather from either chicken. I gave them some apple cut into small pieces and they gobbled it up. Next day they both laid their eggs and everything has been back to normal since. So I have had them since August last year and they have not moulted. Is that normal? Also (and I feel a bit guilty) I have not wormed them. I keep reading in other diaries about worming. I check mine closely and their poo but no sign of worms and, apart from the few days off laying with Ginge, - lovely eggs. Over the winter I gave them a very occasional treat of some tinned tuna but mostly they just have the layers pellets and some corn. We have had a really mild winter down here. Hardly any (almost no) snow. It was a lovely sunny day on Tuesday so I put them out on the grass and they had a great time scratching all the moss up and eating some of the crocuses that were left peeping through the grass. The blackbirds have eaten all the yellow crocuses and there are only purple ones in the lawn now. Bluebell and Ginger have matured into lovely hens both very well feathered all over and they are quite tame and don't mind being picked up. Ginger is a pecker though. She pecks my hands and feet if she gets the chance which is really annoying and rather than eating what is given she always waits to see if there is "anything else" which invariably there isn't. She doesn't seem to peck or bully Bluebell just me. We had so many eggs in the tray this week, we all had omelette for dinner on Wednesday a real treat. So that's all for now.
Best Wishes
Librarychick Bluebell and Ginger

[KarenE]

Hi Library Chick (and girls)

It's quite normal for egg laying to be erratic or non existant over winter, as they generally aren't getting enough sunlight and in the wild they wouldn't be raising a brood. So I wouldn't worry about it.

Worming - most people worm about 3 or 4 times a year so if you haven't done it, then spring might be a good time. It's best to be safe than sorry, and a worm burden can affect egg production too as of course they aren't getting all the nutrients they need from food to lay eggs.

As for moulting - I can't remember how old your girls are. If you got them at point of lay they may not be ready for a moult yet.

[Librarychick]

Thanks for the reply again Karen. Yes they were Point-of-Lay in August and starting laying Aug/Sept. So when should I expect moult? As for worming, what would you recommend?
Many Thanks. libchik & the girls

[KarenE]

Hi

For worming, flubenvet - you can get it online, or you can buy layers pellets with it already in (marriages I think?) which might be easier. You're supposed to feed them nothing but treated pellets for the week.

Moulting, I'm not sure to be honest but I got my 2 point of lays around the same time and they haven't moulted yet. I'm sort of expecting it later in the summer/autumn but I could be wrong! Probably googling would tell us for sure ;)

[Librarychick]

Hi. Thanks Karen.

[Librarychick]

What a beautiful sunny couple of days and with the mornings so much lighter, looking after the chickens is becoming so much easier again. I love the still in the early mornings. My two lovely chicks Bluebell and Ginger are still doing really well. Although Ginger is certainly the naughty one of the pair. Never happy with the food - always looking for a treat. So much so that last week as I was backing out of the coop with one of their metal bowls (stupidly also I had the two eggs from the nest box in the bowl), suddenly Ginger lunged from the top of the hen house and landed on the bowl knocking it right out of my hands. Both eggs flew out of the bowl and broke on the path. Rather annoying to say the least. I have been in the kitchen cooking nearly every day over the Easter weekend. It is a bit of therapy following a recent bereavement. It continues to be a joy when a recipe ( e.g. the tiramisu we had for Easter Sunday dessert) calls for eggs and there they are - so fresh and homely.
Tomorrow if it is fair I plan a thorough "Spring" clean of the the hen house and run.
Easter Wishes
Librarychick, Bluebell and Ginger x

[sandy]

Well you know Ginger was either wondering why you were stealing her eggs or were there treats in the bowl! I gave my girls a spring clean too over Easter but I cannot bake to save my life but I find my girls good therapy, hope all is well with you

[Librarychick]

Enjoying some days away from the library. The girls have had their free ranging area extended and are out all day every day scratching around. Our new puppy arrived last week - Charlie is so sweet but so much work too. He loves going up to the fence to see Bluebell and Ginger. They are very curious about each other. We are trying to introduce them gradually (and to the rabbits) so they will be socialised. The hens aren't phased at all my the dog - he is a lot more timid.
Best wishes Librarychick, Bluebell and Ginger