Getting my Hens

Discuss, share and chat about all things relating to keeping Chickens including health issues
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chookies
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Getting my Hens

Post by chookies »

I've finally got the date for my girls! )c( the 4th of June and I just can't wait!!!
I had my name down to rescue 4 battery Hens but when I got the email they said they won't be battery hens they will come from a barn unit so not as weak as the batts but they have never been outside and will have feathers missing.
We have the run panels coming on Monday so my hubby will be very busy building and getting everything ready for them.
Has anyone here rescued barn hens?
I'm so excited but at the same time nervous, I've never had chickens before, I'm researching like made and have become friends with a bird lady who has a bird shop, she has had chickens all her life and has been giving me advice etc and I can get most bits from her.
Ali

bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: Getting my Hens

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi , You have made me excited as well for you .
The girls you get will soon get charactors of their own . Cage ,barn , `free ` range , much the same , when get them, it is fredom and long lives .
Good for you .
Keep a diary , you can learn from the past writings and look back on time spent .
bob
chookies
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Re: Getting my Hens

Post by chookies »

Thanks Bob , I'm just hoping I get everything right, the lady from the bird shop has reassured they are very easy to keep.
She has chickens in her shop at the moment and they are all so funny, one is very chatty so I'm guessing she is the boss and probably not saying very nice things to me {rofwl}
I just can't wait to get them out from where they are, and give them that second chance they deserve.
I'm also worried about Mr Fox as I've read some very sad posts on here.
We have high fences and excess into our garden is very hard to get into but just to be sure we are putting up extra trellis to make it even harder.
The coop and run will be on the decking so it will be drilled down so Mr Fox can't tunnel under. We are putting pond liner in the bottom or the run then topped with soil and grass. The lady told be they won't be able to bite through the wire but to make sure I secure the run and coop door as Mr Fox will bang against it to get in.
We had an aviary quite a few years back which my husband built and we had quails but we never had any problems also our neighbour had chickens and they were fine.
I've only ever seen one fox where we live but he was so ill I called the rspca to help him and I haven't seen him since.
I've just read so much that that is my main worry.
My hubby thinks it will be secure enough and we have 5 cats and a dog , we have a dog flap so he can go in and out as he please's and although he is such a lovely natured dog he will bark if a cat we don't know comes near our garden lol so I'm hoping he will be a deterrent >fi< >fi< I won't let them out unless I'm there keeping an eye on them, which I am there most of the time anyway.
Ali
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KarenE
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Re: Getting my Hens

Post by KarenE »

The chooks will be fine, they will just need to be guided to where their food and water is in the day, and where they are to sleep at night. You may have to put them to bed for the first few nights but after that they will get the hang of things. They may or may not perch, so maybe have some nesting boxes available for them too. They will do what they want after a while. When you first bring them home, put them in the coop, leave the door open and leave them to find their way in and out. They will come out in their own time so don't force them, but don't put food & water in there.

As for the fox, your dog may be a good deterrent and to make sure, you could squirt his widdle around the fences of your garden as apparently it is a good deterrent. Higher than the foxes head height as the fox will thing it's a massive dog! Also think about roofing your run - it will stop the fox climbing in from the top and will keep the rain off which you will be glad about! Galvanised wire is stronger than normal chicken wire so use that.

Don't worry too much. They are easy enough to keep most of the time. The main thing is to spend ages enjoying them, and keep a diary as Bob says. It's against the law to not keep a diary and not post photos - the TL police will come and get you if you don't :-D
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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kitla
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Re: Getting my Hens

Post by kitla »

Try and imagine what your 4 little hens are doing now, squashed in that smelly barn with nothing to do. Unaware that in a few weeks their lives will be transformed, lucky chookies. I'm looking forwards to hearing about their adventures.
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
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Mo
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Re: Getting my Hens

Post by Mo »

I agree with Karen about the first day. It will be you waiting impatiently for them to come out and start enjoying themselves. Let them take their time.
Don't know if you are going to let them free-range (optimistic term for what turns out to be 'wreck the garden'). If so wait for maybe a week. then when they really know where home and bed is lopen the door a little while before bedtime. They might not come out, and as they will be thinking 'bed' they won't go far, so won't get lost. As they learn their way back you can increase the time.

Yes we have had some fox stories lately.
Those of us who have been here longer also remember dog stories. People who would swear that their dog was 'good' with the hens - until the day when instinct took over faster than the owner could react to. The dog might not mean any harm but the hen died anyway. So we advise a barrier between hens and dogs.
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
chookmike
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Re: Getting my Hens

Post by chookmike »

You sound like you are ready to go so enjoy your hens through the summer and endure the early starts through the cold months.

Foxes worry all owners. Our neighbours were always telling us of foxes next to our garden but we were never attacked. Male urine is supposed to help so (how can I put this...) Mr Chookie may be able to assist (and at the right height) of an evening. Obviously this entails drinking copious amounts of liquid - best flavoured with malt and hops in my experience.

Good luck!

Mike
Grannyof4
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Re: Getting my Hens

Post by Grannyof4 »

My only concern with where you are keeping the chickens is it could get very boggy as the pond liner will stop any water draining away. Chickens will excavate as well, so I doubt the grass will last very long. Foxes will climb so trellis might be very tempting.
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: Getting my Hens

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi dogs .I am afraid to say , dogs will act on instict .My dog has killed two chickens not I call deliberately . Food was the cause .Chickens raid the food and the dog stops them .Once I learnt the bad lesson , I act as careful as if she was a fox...
Foxes . Main stories are mainly that the owners have not locked up, left doors open and not secured the fencing .It is something that happens and all wish not me.
Begining is easy as you are on the watch and double check and wake up and out in dressing gowns late at night checking.
As they are all the same colours and that they change feather colours on mouting , I would recommend a ring /coloured or numbered so as you will be able to tell the difference and no which is missing amnd where she maybe .
Get some basic meds in small quantity .Bugs etc so when they arrive , which they will you can deal with straight away . Maybe best to treat first befor e they arrive (bugs)
Get to know their poo .condition ,weights are good as if lossing weight a good sign to treat them .
Check crop in morning empty /eating filling it .Night full digesting when they sleep.
keep clean the sleeping area as where the bugs turn up.
Watch for the lowest in pecking order ,as the one to spoil and make sure she gets enough.
Plenty of eating /drinking containers so all can feed .
Plenty more advise will be at hand ,do not be concerned about asking questions ,they may seem silly but normally not , anyway a good laugh does us all good.

Last thing watch your feet ,the devils get under them once they recognise food in your hand.

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