Louise's Chicken Diary

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KarenE
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by KarenE »

Famous last words CC - everywhere is covered in snow today! Still, at least it all looks clean - for 5 minutes! I don't think you ned to cover everywhere with flags, you could leave the centre free for them to scratch.
Karen
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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

Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Rose & Violet's BIG announcement ........... We have two little sisters (but we're not overly impressed just at the moment).
Welcome Olive and Ivy. Picked these two little girls up yesterday morning. They are 17 weeks old and are Novo Brown hens. Spent yesterday in coop getting used to everything and this morning they are out and about (in their part of the run) exploring. Everything is so new to them. Thought we would be in for a noisy time, but overall, Rose and Vi have been so good and are getting on with their day (famous last words, hope the peace remains). Just noticed someone is having a dust bath - already. They didn't go up to bed last night. I have shown them their bedroom quarters, but they are still not sure. Think a little bit of practising is in order. Got to go now - lots of chicken watching to do. Wish me luck. I'm in love already!!
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

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Last night was Olive and Ivy's second night in their new home. I looked out of my window and saw 2 legs disappearing up the ramp to their bedroom so I thought Oh good they have gone to bed. Husband went down garden after I had gone to bed and said they were at the bottom again asleep in a corner. We really must do more practicing with this. I think I'll put them up tonight to see if they get the hang of it. They have been really enjoying doing normal chicken things like dust bathing and perching on the log and bricks in their run and digging and digging - mud and soil everywhere - but it's their area so it doesn't matter. Just glad that they seem happy enough with the set-up. Rose and Vi have been absolute stars - SO FAR - long may it continue. I really thought we'd be in for a noisy couple of weeks, but I must say they have been on their best behaviour. Don't know what it will be like when they are allowed to mingle together - but it's early days and I find I am not stressed out as I know they can see each other, but they are still separate.
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KarenE
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

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Hello Olive and Ivy )wav( If Violet and Rose are being good girls, and not creating a mad fuss as soon as they see or hear the new girls, you might be in for a lovely smooth and stress free introduction which is brilliant - enjoy it as it's quite rare! I've only had it once or twice

Just a thought though - if you saw little legs going up the ramp and they were Olive and Ivy's legs, perhaps Rose and Vi are being naughty under cover of darkness and not letting them in? See if you can tell tomorrow. If they are being perfect angels and not causing mischief, then I'm sure Olive and Ivy will get the hang of things quick 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
Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi Karen. Olive and Ivy have their own new ' des res' all to their selves, so they are away from Rose and Vi at night. Like you say, they should get the hang of it - I hope. Everything is all brand new to them at the moment. It's raining today and they have never felt rain before - don't think they are too impressed with it, but living here they will have to get used to that as well!! Hope all's well with everyone and their critters.
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

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Well I have definitely got proof that Olive and Ivy and going up to bed. Poo in the nest box AND I have found 4 little brown eggs!!! They are only meant to be 18 weeks old so I didn't think they would start laying until between 20 and 24 weeks. What a lovely surprise. My husband says it's because they must be happy - I REALLY hope so. These two little girls are SO friendly and chat away to me all the time. They are really inquisitive and not half as nervous as Rose and Violet were when we first got them. My husband was fixing extra locks on the coop over the weekend for extra safety and had his drill and tools in with them. They were exploring everything and weren't a bit scared. Rose and Vi run a mile if anything new comes into their run. Olive and Ivy have taken to jumping up on their coop run. Olive has had a couple of crash landings and so when she gets up there she doesn't want to risk crashing down again, so out I run to "save" her. Ivy has got it off to a fine art and jumps down onto the little table I have put in their run. So that's me up and down the garden saving Olive. Their characters are really coming out now which is so lovely to see. Olive is so friendly and Ivy is a little more nervous, but runs around and has really frisky moments. They are both real sweethearts and I love them dearly. They all played out in the garden at the weekend, under our supervision. They got a couple of head pecks from Rose and Vi, but nothing too drastic. My aim will be to let them mingle in the run eventually - not sure yet when I will be brave enough. It has really worked well though having a gate in the middle of run to separate the girls. Peace of mind for me.
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

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Had a lovely weekend with the girls. Everyone out in the garden doing chickeny things. Olive and Ivy are loving it. Must say Rose and Vi were on their best behaviour as well and not too much head pecking. It was great to see them all out together and then mayhem getting everyone in in their rightful homes - all good fun. Violet even had a sit on husband's knee and was enjoying a cuddle - don't know what's got into her, they have never been lap sitters before!!
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by stripeddonkey »

It's great when you get some quality time in the garden with the girls. Mine aren't lap sitters but do follow me around.
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

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Another nice weekend with the girls all out playing in the garden. While Rose and Vi are out, little Ivy and Olive go exploring into their coop. Good job that Rose and Vi are preoccupied as there would be trouble. Once they have had a good look around in the other side of the run they come out into the garden. Had a few head pecks and bless those little girls, they come running to me for protection. They are both such friendly, inquisitive little creatures - they are an absolute joy to have. Ivy laid her first little brown egg ever this morning. Olive has been laying for the last 2 weeks. I wondered where Ivy was and I peeped in the nest box and there she was. I looked in later when she came out and there was her first perfect little egg - clever girl.
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kitla
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by kitla »

A very special moment in a little hen's life! )c(
"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
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

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Well after a beautiful Spring like day yesterday and the girls out dust bathing in their runs, today it has gone back to cold, rainy and miserable. Getting a few leaks in Olive & Ivy's run area that seems to run into their coop. They are not very impressed and have decided the do not like the rain. They have stayed in most of this morning. Trouble is it looks like it might brighten up this afternoon, but because I have to go to work, they have to stay safe locked in their coops. Never mind with the lighter nights they will have a chance to play out again later. Still can't get over how lovely Olive and Ivy are - they are SO friendly and come running to me every time they see me - it's lovely!! Rose laid a softie the other day and looked a bit fed up with herself. She didn't lay yesterday or today so I am really hoping that she is taking a little break. She has laid every single day since she started. Anyway, thank goodness she is up and about and bright and perky this morning and having some conversations with Olive and Ivy through the gate. They sometimes look as if they are in deep conversation - I hope Rose and Vi are saying 'it's OK we have got used to you two now and we can be friends'. We'll see!!!
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

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Had a week off work last week and what a lovely week it was. The weather was kind to us for a change and we spent a lot of time doing garden jobs and to be honest sitting drinking wine in the garden with the cats and chickens. (Not that we let them have any of course). Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it and it was so nice to be able to spent more time with them. Rose has had a dirty bottom for a while, so with the weather being so warm we decided to give her a Spa bath. As she is usually off-hand I thought she would absolutely hate it. She sat in the sink like a very good girl and didn't mind the hair dryer at all. We even managed to chop off some of the feathers that had got matted. She went out in the garden in the sunshine like a new 'woman'.
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sandy
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by sandy »

Lovely to read about your girls CC )like( Funny these mucky bums arent they have quite a few who have them for no reason >coc< Hope Rose is a cleaner lady now…of course I love your girls names, such great choices well seeing as I had a Rose, Violet and Olive and have an Ivy now :-D
The Pink Ladies..Audrey,Ingrid-Bergman,Madeleline,Norma-Jean,Dora,Janice,Jo,Robyn,Chrissy and Joyce
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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/
Cheshire Chick
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

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Hi everyone - Hope all animals/flocks are well and enjoying the sunshine. It seems to be soft egg laying at the moment for Rose and Violet. Don't really know what that is all about. I could tell with Vi yesterday morning as she was very quiet (not like her at all) and I thought this must be a softie brewing. She laid egg without shell and then she was fine and back to her normal self. Today it has been Rose's turn. I have been using Limestone Flour on their food treats as this has proved to be good in the past for extra calcium. The main thing is that they are getting the eggs/yolks out - I am paranoid about EYP. Once they have laid their softies, they are fine (thank goodness). I worry so much about these girls!!! Anyway, hopefully this will just be a blip. Olive and Ivy are still absolute loves - such happy friendly girls who come racing up to their gate every time I go out into the garden (don't think it's got anything to do with treats do you?!!). Last weekend I had all four of them dustbathing in my border together, which was lovely to see as there is still a bit of pecking going on between them. I am going to start being brave soon and leaving the separating gate between their runs open so they can mingle. Found a nice lady to look after them all when we go away in September. The lady at the farm where they went last year is not boarding chickens at the moment, so I had to find alternative accommodation. She had a nice safe set-up in her garden so I am pleased I have got that sorted - for peace of mind. Looking forward to hopefully a nice weekend as we (husband and I) will be having a "hen party" in the garden with the girls. Ivy actually jumped up on husband's knee last weekend and then on to his shoulder - I think he was quite taken with the fact that she liked him. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.
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Re: Louise's Chicken Diary

Post by Cheshire Chick »

P.S. I am thinking about worming the girls soon (think they must be due). They are never keen on the Flubenvet pellets and Karen mentioned once about the powder and to put it onto grapes. Can't find the exact post - Karen - could you please tell me where you ordered the power from - might try that instead this time - thanks Karen.

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