Starting my diaryRe: Starting my diaryThat's awful, they're all in the "enriched cages" now aren't they? Just shows what a farce that is, obviously makes little difference. Sounds like you're going to need lots of patience with these poor 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
Re: Starting my diaryYes, it really is upsetting - there's nothing enriched about the conditions millions of chooks live in.
Yes, Sandy, it was BHWT - I also thought they should have clipped claws - especially as we had all been given time slots to arrive at - it wasn't a mad free for all. All half hour time slots, so there should have been time to do that and check them over. I will put some photos up soon. I tried a half grape though the wire fence, but they were so terrified, they were clamouring over themselves to get away. time for the good things: they are all eating/drinking they have been taking themselves to bed (even on the first night) Re: Starting my diaryI hope they've settled a bit since your last post. I am sure they will come to see how lucky they are with their new home. It sounds like they have had an awful time, poor girls - but now they will be living the high life.
Re: Starting my diaryHi , give them some fish car food for the feathers ./Mealworms as well .
Do not worry about giving to much as over weight will be the last of their worries for a while . Take some pictures now and again in a few weeks /month , they will not look the same . Colours will come back in the open air , feathers grow back and the characters will blossom. Bob
Re: Starting my diaryThey have settled in ok, but they are still petrified of everything. There is only the one who will come to me, but still wont take anything I offer her.
This morning, one of them was just standing around and closing her eyes. I tried a couple of times on Photobucket to upload some photos, but it wouldn't copy the link - I then received an email from them saying they had blocked my account because of excessive usage! The only place I have posted anything through them is here - and I don't think Ive been excessive. Anyone know what that's about...
Re: Starting my diaryHi Hilly. I think Photobucket are now making a charge for posting photo's (read this on Ilona's blog - "Life after Money". Also think Richard has made some notes about alternative ways to post photo's. I am not technically minded so can't elaborate on any of this - took me long enough to suss out photobucket (and that was with the help of my son, so I'm going to have no chance). Really glad that your new girls are settling in.
Re: Starting my diaryThanks for the info.
Well last night was an emotional, worrying time. The one that was standing hunched, wouldn't come off the next box at all. OH got them up this morning, and I expected some horrid news - but no, they were all up. I found a softie in the coop. Also last night, one of them started scratching the ground when I let them out, so I left them to it. When I checked on them again, she was limping! Not too difficult to catch her, considering she was petrified of us, but no injury could be seen. Im guessing she may have just sprained herself. She was still limping this morning.
Re: Starting my diaryHi Hilly
Ex batts will be pretty depleted of calcium so try adding a bit of limestone flour to their pellets or mash and make it into a porridge. That will help with softies and also the softie may be the result of the stress of the move and readjustment. Also if she is moving into a moult softies can be the first sign. Some exbatts are cursed witht hem so keep an eye on her to see if it's a regular thing with her or not. With the limper, check her in a day or so just to make sure she hasn't developed bumblefoot, which they can get from wounds or damage to the foot and can sometimes come out of the cages with it (doesn't sound like she has). You can tell it by the small black scab that forms on the foot. But she's probably just been overzealous in her scratching. 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
Re: Starting my diaryThing is when you get the next lot of girls , these girls will teach them very quickly what to do , when to do it and how to twist you round their claws .
Bob Re: Starting my diaryLovely to be reading about your lovely new girls Hilly They are such a worry when newly arrived but as you know they usually develop into right little raptors as soon as their little bodies adjust to their new wonderful full chickeny life. Lets hope the limp is due to a sprain, quite a few of my girls in the past have limped for no apparent reason
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/
Re: Starting my diaryWhat a difference a week makes!
The are all now under-foot (more than the original girls) and will take pretty much anything I give to them. They are absolute nuts for mealworms and grapes. Ive taught 2 of them to jump up onto my arm (in turn) to receive a grape and then I let them off at ground level. As soon as I open the back door, they all start pacing and shouting - its brilliant! Ive also let them into the main garden and out of their pen (just before dusk) so they can find their way back. Because they are following me, Ive walked with them down the bottom of the garden - whilst the old girls are put in. There are squabbles when they meet - so whilst they gain their strength, I try to keep them as far away as possible.
Re: Starting my diarySounds great Hilly - so glad they are settling in well. You sound as if you are getting them well trained already.
Re: Starting my diaryYeehaw, see living with you has completly turned their lives around, soon they will be definete divas
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/
Re: Starting my diaryMatty's comb has turned purple.
Tracy and Spook are doing brilliantly - they were out in the main garden last night in the sunshine, with the old girls for abit although they were abit freaked out when birds flew over. Queenie (bluebell) has started standing around with a mucky bum - she is one of the original and somewhere near 4 years old. She was Point-of-Lay June 2014. When I start to really worry about her, she perks herself up and runs around!
Re: Starting my diaryHope Queenie goes on OK. These little creatures can go up and down so quickly. One minute they can be fine and the next they can look as if they are on death's door. I really do think they are complicated little things and no matter how long we have kept chickens there always seems to be so much more to learn. That's the beauty of this forum so we can share our experiences and knowledge. You could try a dose of Epsom Salts diluted in some water. I have found that if it is nothing serious, this can really buck them up. At the end of the day it will not do any harm. Good luck.
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