Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Start your own thread and let us follow you through the year
Post Reply
Cheshire Chick
Longlasting Laner
Posts: 894
Joined: 12 Jan 2017, 11:51

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Love the picture of those two girls coming into your house. I know what you mean about accidently kicking them. Rose and Violet run up the garden with me and I have to watch very carefully that I don't step on them. It's amazing how their personalities come out. When I first got Rose and Vi they would not come near me and they were frightened of everything. Nowadays I can't do anything without them and when they are in their run, they constantly shout me and want me to be out with them. They seem to have got more attached to me since they lost Mary and they have both really found their voices!!

User avatar
kitla
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3752
Joined: 30 Oct 2009, 23:25
Gender: Female
Location: Northants

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by kitla »

oh dear, Giblet's coop is full of feathers, moulting straight after her long broody spell isnt really recommended! No wonder she's so hungry. I shall have to put more vits in her water.
I saw the rat bouncing into the run yesterday - he's rather big, probably full of chicken food, and unfortunately probably too big to catch in the cagetrap, time to have a chat with our neighbour where he comes from.
"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
User avatar
KarenE
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3460
Joined: 06 Apr 2013, 13:43
Gender: Female
Location: Northamptonshire

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by KarenE »

Poor little Gibby! A few more mealworms in her food pot I think )t'

I've had to put rat poison down, as has my neighbour. And our neighbours over the road had the council out to kill their rats but they are back already. It seems like it's a bumper year for rats this year {mr.angry}

Poor Gibby, I hope the rat leaves her in peace. Rather than a stripped curtain have you tried putting empty water bottles on sticks, and spinners? Loads of people on our allotments use water bottles on banboo canes to keep the birds of their crops. Don't know whether it works, but might be less scary for Giblet.
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
User avatar
sandy
Legendary Laner
Posts: 9915
Joined: 13 Oct 2008, 21:59
Gender: Female
Location: Bristol

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by sandy »

Kitty are you sure this isnt the rat you took for a trip in your car and has found its way back! So worrying for you, I know you hate the idea but I found poison ws the last resort but do try planting garlic in any holes.
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
kitla
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3752
Joined: 30 Oct 2009, 23:25
Gender: Female
Location: Northants

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by kitla »

This time it's not actually my rat Sandy. I think it lives in next door's compost heap, she thought it was the hedgehog that made the hole! I'll try the bottles Karen, I presume it's just empty bottles?
"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
User avatar
KarenE
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3460
Joined: 06 Apr 2013, 13:43
Gender: Female
Location: Northamptonshire

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by KarenE »

Yes, they take the lid off and put them upside down on the stick (say a bit of bamboo cane). I guess they rattle a bit in the wind and scare the birds off.
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
User avatar
kitla
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3752
Joined: 30 Oct 2009, 23:25
Gender: Female
Location: Northants

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by kitla »

hmm! having trouble getting sticks into the rock hard ground and limited to where to put them that wont get in Giblets way. Perhaps I could tie them up, I'll try a cd or 2 aswell. The sparrows hop through the bottom of her doorway, nothing I can put there or Gibby wont be able to get through! But I've been googling ideas & I may try a rubber snake, one that wobbles a bit! I just hope it doesnt terrify the other chooks!
"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
User avatar
KarenE
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3460
Joined: 06 Apr 2013, 13:43
Gender: Female
Location: Northamptonshire

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by KarenE »

A rubber snake! If it works, I'll try an few up at my new allotment! That will terrify the other allotmenteers of course {rofwl}
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
User avatar
kitla
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3752
Joined: 30 Oct 2009, 23:25
Gender: Female
Location: Northants

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by kitla »

Giblet's run is defended as best as possible! It looks like something from willy wonker, look closely, there's a rubber snake on the door, a wooden one near her food bowl
Image
Gibby doesnt mind........nor do the sparrows }hairout{

I filmed the rat activity on my trail camera. It must be the ugliest, meanest looking rat I've ever seen. angular face, bulbous nose, ragged ears, huge bent tail, reckon its an old male thats been in a few fights, and there's at least one smaller younger one too. They come to steal food throughout the day. I'd never be able to catch this one so we've borrowed a friends airgun & my son will try & kill it cleanly before we resort to poison.
Sigh! Yesterday I found a few redmite in the big coop, so I've done a cleanout & hopefully sorted that. This morning Daisys bedding was wet with infectious looking poops, she seems ok but Poppy was having a go at her yesterday, so perhaps she's hiding an infection. I've got 10 mins to decide to leave her be & see, or take her to the walk in vet knowing I wont be here next week to give her any meds (hols).
problems problems! always problems when we're about to go on hols!
"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
User avatar
kitla
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3752
Joined: 30 Oct 2009, 23:25
Gender: Female
Location: Northants

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by kitla »

I took her. Poor Daisy spent the whole time while waiting at the vets - trying to lay her egg! I covered the box with a towel & could hear her making relaxed "egg laying" sounds, but a couple of chiwawas kept having yapping fits & I think she sucked it back up again! Luckily the hen vet was in today so was super gentle with Daisy & reckoned her infection was mild enough for me to leave tylan in the water.
When we got home Poppy had laid her first egg since I got her, it was very tiny, but a good start! Nettle is also laying again for the first time since last summer. Beany and Giblet have also started again, so Hurray! we have eggs again at last.
"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
User avatar
kitla
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3752
Joined: 30 Oct 2009, 23:25
Gender: Female
Location: Northants

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by kitla »

Back from our holiday! Giblet is pleased to see me back, my kindly neighbour that looks after them for me gets a bit confused about Giblet's food bowls & sometimes puts them in the wrong place, then puts an extra bowl in the middle of the run, just right to trip up a little blind hen. I guess the food was being eaten though, as when I shut Gibby in 4 baby rats ran out from under her coop!! They were pretty young but rather chubby & I couldnt help laughing when a couple squeezed through the wire of the run - it was like a tom & jerry cartoon, while Mojo was bouncing round trying to catch them, they pushed through the hole but their fat tummies got stuck then popped through all of a sudden. There's no nest under there, they were just hiding there. I've got the cage trap out again but I'll have to get them soon before they start multiplying, so sadly we'll probably end up having to use poison. Got to find out exactly where they're living first.
"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
User avatar
kitla
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3752
Joined: 30 Oct 2009, 23:25
Gender: Female
Location: Northants

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by kitla »

Poppy, amazon warrior hen, has decided to apply for top hen position - without permission! I caught her dragging Beany off her nest a couple of times, egged on by Daisy. Along came Bonny who gave her a good telling off, jumping up & down to show how big she was. Poppy fought back but eventually gave in. Beany is broody again so I expect that's what started it, but we've been finding Misspiggy's eggs in the garden, often dropped on the lawn, so she may have been harrassed on the nest aswell. Naughty Poppy!
"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
User avatar
kitla
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3752
Joined: 30 Oct 2009, 23:25
Gender: Female
Location: Northants

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by kitla »

Oh poor Poppy, I think I may have injured her. Yesterday evening I was busy looking for the rat & talking to a friend over the fence when MissP & Poppy came out of the coop hoping for extra treats, I didnt notice Poppy & she got tangled in my feet somehow. I didnt take any notice as they went to bed while I chatted, but this morning she is limping badly on one leg & now sitting quietly under the tree with some water. Everything else I give her the others eat. I suppose metacam is all I can give her but what I have is a year & half out of date so probably not fully effective. Looks like another vet visit then! probably best as she does seem to be in alot of pain.
"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
Cheshire Chick
Longlasting Laner
Posts: 894
Joined: 12 Jan 2017, 11:51

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Oh poor Poppy. It is so easily down though. My girls run after me up and down the garden and I have to watch every step for fear of treading on them. They really do get under your feet sometimes and gardening with a spade is just not an option when they are out and about. Hope Poppy goes on OK - perhaps she has just bruised her leg.
User avatar
HenPen
Longlasting Laner
Posts: 903
Joined: 27 Jul 2013, 13:38

Re: Blind Giblet & friends at Chickenopolous

Post by HenPen »

Poor Poppy - they do get under foot, don't they? As CC says, I hope it is just bruised

Post Reply