My attempt to keep chickens.

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bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , heavy rain this morning , rough night sleep all added up to suffering day.
Bed early again tonight .
Let the Junior out with his mum`s pm and put them back when I get home.
Its a struggle , what takes minutes is taking me ages .
Bob

bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , all good this morning , flock let out at 6.00 am and boys let out in the run.
Junior has been named as scramble . Let the family out this afternoon .
Egg count is down due to molt and rest period. A couple of broody .
Bubbles still in doors and eating on her own . Eye sight is bad as I would expect .Still on Tylan .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi , yesterday a neighbors son named Junior , Scramble ... Seems reasonable name. Promised him the first egg it lays.....
Junior Scramble , is still free ranging in the boys coop,run and anywhere he feels like going , even with Goldie calling him .I think Scramble Junior will turn in to a big chicken as he is already eating bits of sweet corn.
Not sure when the chick feed is not need anymore . Plenty of it left and sure the flock will eat it if Scramble Junior does not.
Have to investigate how long it will be before I call him or a her .


rest out free ranging , few eggs every day . 4 so far .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , It is a bit sad when I stay in bed as long as I can (6.00 am ) and have to go to work and wake the boys up by letting them out to the runs and feed and water .
I have been lucky this week as supposed to be at work at 5.30 am , but do not want to wake the neighbors up.
Still early but not as bad as 3.00 am for sure .
all good . Bubbles was out for a time in the garden with the flock , but she still needs to be fed her own food as she would not get any .
she sound crockie today , so may give her some metacam and baytril .
Needs a good wash this weekend .
Scramble Junior is chirpy and has the freedom of the boys run , which is a really safe place because nothing can get him , like Indie the cat . She has a noise making collar ( most annoying when she jumps on the bed in the middle of the night ) . She still caught a sparrow which was flying in my front room when I came home yesterday afternoon. Caught it and it flew away fortunately. So the collar does not work all that well .
Well week end is coming .
Bob
Cheshire Chick
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hi Bob - Glad all is well over there in your chicken coops. Be interesting to know if Junior Scramble is a boy or girl. Would love to see some photo's of baby. Weekend is nearly here so hoping for some nice bright weather - have a lovely weekend.
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi Techno beats me and my old nokia phone is not up to it. Will try and get some taken and sent.
Junior Scramble is doing fine , safe at present under the eyes of the boys , more often in there coop then with his mum`s.
Trouble ahead....
Some one arrived when I was not in pm complaining about the `BOYS` 4.00 am. wake up calls.
Well on went the collars black improved (Except Desmond and one of the terrors and could not catch that one. ) Well 4.00 am I was awake this am as I can not hear them and did not believe they was awake .
Well I looked out the window as I heard Champ crow . Over the back some one had a light on and opened and shut the back door of his house .
Neighbors were off to work , returning from work . Dark still . Dressing gown on , out grabbed Champ , went for Desmond but missed a left hand grab and he was hiding .Left him as no way catch with champ . Noise would set them all off ,the girls included.
So I took Champ back to the back room . We settled down and he went back to sleep .
Trouble I have now is a very few people are not working early shifts etc and weekends .
Those that do wake /disturb my flock . They don`t mix . I cannot stop the dawn bird songs and sound proof the coops . 5.45 am I let the lot out and legged it to work by 6.00 am .
Have two options board them for a few weeks till the `HEAT ` dies down . Get rid of the boys or at least the terrors (not Jack) . MOVED BL---Y quick .....
Maybe a few bottles of bear will bribe the problem away.
Failing that I drink them and take it on the chin , loose the boys .
Last option to house just the boys boarding wise .
I wish I could say all well but it seems Night shift next week will mean I can not be there at 4.00 am to stop the start .
Champ / Desmond maybe my sleeping companion at work next week .....
Up dates Monday night.
Always something to keep me occupied .
A 24 hour bug is about so be careful out there , more people I have not been near are reporting sick...... Feel sorry for them as nought I can do but tell them they are in for a bad night .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well busy weekend . Have not heard anymore as yet from neighbor over the back ......
He knows my number.....
Well I have deep thoughts and after a good lay down . Thought back to the original set up before my second extension , third extension and the most recent fourth .
I had Parker , Lav and Champ. The internal wire was mostly still intact devideing the second from the first extension . Light bulb moment . Put the wire back re call the cockerel a dood1e Hall .
So doing a quick bodge After my 10 mile race Sunday . I moved the terrors into it , at dusk . I had to evict Joan , and Spec who where the only hens in it (what a waste .) . The boys had a wander . I tossed them in when they was not looking and shut the barn doors. A lot of effort to close as not used for a while left open .
They settled which was more than I could say for Joan . The spec went in the Cluckingham palace . Joan I caught after a lot of fuss on her part and put her in with Pom Pom . When I opened the door to her coop it was pretty full with her friends . Trust me to catch her with a sleep over night. Joan settled as I shut the sliding door so she had no choice . She is broody so done her a favor by getting her off her nest. Jack the eye ended up in the two Terrors coop , larger run. I went to bed .
This 4.00 am (Monday ) CHAMP kicked off and Desmond joined in . I grabbed Champ , caught Jack (Mistaken boy ) and ended up with the two of them on my lap . I woke up at 6 in out of sleep . CHAMP is my problem , he wakes the rest up. Night shift workers coming home and the day shift going out is the cause.
Bob
more to follow later .
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well looks like a routine now Jack and Champ sitting on my lap on the arm chair , keeping them quite as possable.
Scramble Junior getting over a foot of the ground in one leap , Moe and Goldie are letting him wander about more on his/her own . Getting around the garden , even comes to the back door for treats.
well after a message from BHWT have ordered 5 hens as space due to the loss of my flock of late . Have said I can take 10 at the most if they need homes.
Yesterday evening , I was about to go to work and looked out the back door and a single hen was looking at me . It was the one that does not want to go in with the rest when called . Well moaning at her and at least had the sense to come and ask to be put away , I put her in the run with the others . Well I came home this morning and running around the garden was another hen . No idea where she was hiding at all. She was lucky no FOX visit .
My cunning plan is to put the new girls that have not been with Champ and Desmond in with Jack . Hoping that this will keep him quiet in the morning as no need to call the other hens. (Does not work for Champ though )
if I get some more I will split the other two terrors and put some in with them . Jacks old home and the run they are in at the moment . Maybe the new hens in for a surprise.
Well my head is pounding waiting for more complaints.
My van has been hit twice in 48 hours -1 a hit and run..... the other was another van straight into the back at a traffic lights. repairs in about a couple of weeks and at some cost to me . have to stock up with chicken gear I suppose as van not about for a week no doubt .
Back on my bike .....
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , I got home this morning , I turned my radio off in van , coasted up the drive , lights off , walked on tip toes in doors (all quite ) . No lights on up the stairs , stripped (not a pretty thought before bed , got in bed . Guess what soon as my head hit the pillar the boys started........
Their timing perfect.
I fell asleep and got up at 7.30 am . Let them all loose. well a bit of a lay in (as long as they did not start at 4.00 am and stop as tired .
Little Scramble Junior is full of life and exploring further away from his mum`s. they are now dust bathing and generally relaxed . Apart from a few hens that get pecked because they can.
Going to be interesting to see what the hens think of Jack and the terrors .
If I can share them out among them it maybe be a result. Not sure the hens will appreciate it though. I am sure they will be looked after once they settle in .
Going to lock them up and put the sheets down . No moon and cloudy night so maybe they will be quiet in the morning.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , another lay in this am .
House cleaning and general tidy up .
Put a piece of square guttering up in the run hanging from wire .
Lots of heads pecking at the food . Make another a bit lower down for the short girls .
All good Scramble Junior doing well .
Interesting times a head , agreed that if someone whats my house they can have it for the right price . Next step is to find a place to move to . rent / buy.
Not far away -Rent anywhere if I buy . Work related.
Bob(Or not if I do retire.)
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , rescued another 5 hens Saturday.
I have put them with One Eye Jack to look after.
It seems to have gone well . He has shown them what to eat and keeps them safe from Champ`s envious eyes.
He does have a problem sleeping in the door way of the coop and the hens that want to come in cannot get through the door . I sort it out . They are also laying eggs on the run floor , in the nest boxes and still getting used to the fresh air. Did not get any extras so the 2 terrors are still on there own .
Have gone to my last drastic plan and put canvas sheeting over the Cluckingham Palace coop to make it even darker , but not sound proof.
I got out of bed 5.50 am this am , not saying they was not awake , just I did not or choose not to hear them . Late for work of course.
I have put my house up for sale as long as the right price is offered.
Looking for a place to move to / rent / bit of land etc. Not found anything so far .
May even retire when a suitable package is offered . So interesting times ahead .
Bob
Am I jumping or am I being pushed by my flock of hens .....
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , last night Jack had all his hens in the coop . All I had to do was shut his sliding door. I am pleased with him as he sits at the door way guarding them . He makes sure they know where the food is (Takes it from my hand and distributes it ). He has his special hen . She in returns pecks his feathers and makes him presentable.
The hens are , bare chested one , no underwear one , Topless one , a feathered one and a complete naked hen.
Got another lay in this morning , got up at 5.50 am (late ) but who cares , I don`t ) .
I actual disturbed them . Let them out at 6.10 am as light enough .
Bubbles is not well . I have put her back on tylan and Metacam. She ate about 50 sweet corn by hand , she is blind . So is a fixture in the kitchen , no trouble just
needs help.
Extra sheeting and neighbors shift pattern has made it better in the morning .
6 eggs from new girls so 1 pound off 25 pounds I paid for them . 144 eggs girls and you are free of the needing to lay.
Scramble Junior is bigger and more lively .
Rest of the flock are as good as expecting , Evil eye sight failing , Rocky still full crop as she always had massage now and again to help her . Pom Pom is beating all around her , just stopping being broody .
Hybrids from the last lot I rescued are still objecting to go to roost with the others .
So a flock of 38+1 - 5 boys 33 gens , 1 Junior .
So a lot happier , long may it last (till summer anyway. Getting the flock used to a lock up (winter bird flu alerts - cannot see it not happening ).
Bob
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kitla
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by kitla »

crikey, Jack should be renamed Hugh! +f+
"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
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi well it was good while it lasted .
This morning the wake up call at 4.00 am . Champ taken in doors and they all settled again . He snores (lucky him) eventually got moving at 5.30 am . Locked up flock in their runs as raining and still dark . Let them out later .
8 eggs from new girls 142 more to go.
Scramble Junior is growing .
Bubbles is not to good . Her right eye seems to have shrunk . Left eye is open but weak .
She will spend the rest of her life in the house . She is getting med`s and food and water .
Happy as I can be at the moment.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , 4.00 am no wake up call ,fell back to sleep , 5.50 am woke up for the dogs. Still quite . I even left the terrors out in the run on perches . Well done boys. Let them out before work in the garden. New girls looking happy .Well done Jack. Bubbles eye (right ) is coming back to normal . Eye is swollen similar to the left . She seems happy enough on top of the dog cage in the kitchen , gets off now and again.
Next hen on the need to watch and spoil is Evil . She is /has lost most of her sight. She slept in the run , put her in the Pom Pom coop for the night . Found her perched on the water trough a bit wet .
Scramble Junior growing every day . Due to find her own way in life as 4 weeks old .
9 eggs today another 4 from the new girls 1/15 th of paying the costs.
Harley`s leg has got the big lump on her front leg -vet appointment .
Bob

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