My attempt to keep chickens.

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bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi first sad , sad news , my long lasting , special to all , Karen and children , neighbors and friends , Pom Pom , died Sunday morning , in her sleep .
She will be deeply missed.
Last night armed with many boxes , and circling the holiday home for 30 minutes due to road dug up . (Probably a chicken plan to stay their) . I retrieved my flock.
I finally got them in their new redesigned , re built Des. Res. coops and runs.
They have already put in snagging list .
5.20 am this morning the boys wanted out of the locked up coops.
The new feeders with RAT prof lids and water buckets in place .
They watched as I put the cabbage and feed into the feeders .
Being clever they worked out how to open .
Within minutes they where dirt bathing and some must have the German ancestry in them as put their mark in the ground and objected to anyone sitting in it.
SHMBO said LEVEL out the ground , so last Saturday I spent hours with a rake , leveling and de-stoning it .
Before I left for work it was like the moon surface.
Well looking forward to going home and having some time with my flock .
Cost of moving was 3 hens . Simone that never went , Hybrid sister and POM POM.
Costly.
More as week continues and stories of the rebuild.
Bob
Thank you for the thoughts over last month , it has been trying and now hope all resolved as the darker mornings and evenings are coming (till next year ) .
Bob

Gwenoakes
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by Gwenoakes »

Wow, Bob you have had an up and down time. Sorry to hear about your losses. {hug}
I have not been on this thread for so long. I hope everything goes well for the 14th and your girls get back safely.
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

This morning they where all trying to play music with the feeders lids .Up Down Up Down . Bang , bang ,bang -bang , lovely tune . Scramble must have been the conductor and someone taped the tin at the wrong time. Lost her temper and jumped on the lid , shutting it on her neck. Music stopped and they went and scratched about for a while.
nice sunny morning /midday for a relaxing dirt bathe .Whole 20 kilo of worming pellets , plus a small bin full supplied by boarders . Very good of them . Gave their daughter a tip for caring well for the flock .
When I finish work I will be happy to see them again.
Dog walk and then when dark lock away in coops . NO MORE FRESH AIR sleeping at night .
Must try and keep the boys active till late at night so they sleep in till gone 5.00 am .
First 6 eggs sold in a month at work . 1,000 more half dozen`s and I will be in profit.......
Bob
Gwenoakes
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by Gwenoakes »

I had quite forgotten just how funny you can word things, Bob. {rofwl}
Cheshire Chick
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Firstly, glad that you have got your flock back home Bob and secondly, how sorry I was to hear of the loss of Pom Pom. Would really love to see some photo's of the new Des Res if it is at all possible. Hope everyone's settled back at home now. Enjoy your flock.
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Not a good day at Flock of Penelope and Red.
Desmond and Jack are being re homed tonight .
Going back to the boarding by the sea.
Cannot keep them at home.
They will have new girl friends and fresh air and lots of boys and hens to be with.
Have offered to part exchange them for 4 hens and money(Cost of the hens.
Will miss them so much .
They are paying the price for the rest of the flock.
Have been so lucky today to get them re-homed or it was going to be a short flight over the bridge .
Rest of the flock are well and settling down with the new feeders .
Will add Jacks hens to the rest of the flock shortly so as all in one run and easier to manage.
Not the end of the world but has been a pressure day for sure .
At least I will have the opportunity to see the lads , if the are allowed to hatch their eggs then have asked for a hen from each .
At least then they will have some presence still in my garden.
More tomorrow when they are re homed .
Not a happy Bobby.
The neighbor in question has a lot coming their way , as now no one can complain about my hens and I can start giving a lot back that has been stored up .
40 foot trees will be the start not touched since I moved in . State of their garden etc etc........
I DO NOT PULL A PUNCH .
Bob
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KarenE
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by KarenE »

Bob I don't fancy being your neighbour right now )de:

So sorry to hear you are having to rehome Jack and Desmond. At least you know where they are going, and that they'll be safe and happy.

Also very sorry to hear about Pom Pom. it's always sad when an original oldie passes on, someone who has a real link to our older or even first flocks. It feels like the end of an era {hug}
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
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi would love to be in the field today when my boys are let loose with the hens and boys . Right bust ups and feathers flying . No wire between them.
Can go and see them and say hello quite often as go their visiting people .
Exchange is not robbery , so paid for 4 hens , 2 blue bells , white (legs) and a black rock .
A bit of color in the flock .
Over slept this morning , hens noise calling for the boys .
New hens in with Jacks 5 , so they will have fun. white hen first in firing line with the older ones.All just starting laying . So some good has come from all this .
I did notice a lot of neighbors dashing to their cars out side my house this morning (over slept as well)
So far 12 eggs sold , 12 given away to SHMBO.
Have to work on the chaps at work as they are getting eggs elsewhere .
Get the eggs first though. Flock moulting.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well the hens are now really hand bagging it with each other. Amazing now no boys to watch over them . Pecking order has gone mad.
It will settle down . No damage being done to each other but terror tactics against each other is continuous.
New hens in the big flock , now want to go back . White hen has settled in the other 3 found sleeping on the logs last night. Bundled them in the Buckingham Palace coop with the other hens. Hybrid came out to be nosy . I am having thoughts on re designing the coop hole as I shut it from inside .
Need to do it on the outside in run . Not going to be easy as the wrong side of the panel . Time I get the flock in the coop , go round to the coop doors through run , they get out again.
Then have to check the run and take hens through the run and drop into the coop by the door.
This morning I got up even later after a late night .
6.30 am got to work .
Flock want to get into the garden , but so far except for Scramble that made a dash for , got there and did not know what to do and then came back into the run.
They stand at the gate watching me in the kitchen . I hide and they go about their business , then I pop up and they dash back again to the gate.
wishing it was all back to normal but it is not the same.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi , well I let the flock out in the garden to stretch their legs.Did not take long for every green bit grown to disappear. Craters , leveling of lumps .
I have many combs pecked and bloodied fighting and topensanals .
it is a new game of dodge the beak.
Eggs a dozen a day which is pretty good .
Back Monday.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi what a laugh , it is good to have my flock back again .
Sat night I had a late night out at a wedding reception . Got home at 12.40 am .
Went to check the flock . The coop poop whole was shut . Half the flock inside comfortable , rest in run .Sitting around the door opening .
Well torch on run , tried pushing the sleepy hens through the hole once I had raised the sliding door.
In went 2 out came one , in went three out came 2 , not necessarily the same hens.
Well at 1.30 in the morning with the light shining on the run like daylight , the hens was scratching around looking for food , playing music with the feeders and generally telling the world was good.
I turned the light off and gave up at 2.00am as a joke .
I thought the flock would be sleeping all day as up all night , no chance . They even destroyed the garden green bits when I stopped for coffee break from house work.
Sunday again I was out at another wedding . and back at 12 midnight , did not bother locking them up as the run was open .
SHMBO said I was wrong as foxes would worry them to death, still remembers Cuddles in the coop on her own .
They have been out in the run when Desmond was there so should not be a problem .
As I have done alterations and wiring , I wanted to make sure 100 per cent safe and peace of mind .
2 and half dozen eggs sold today , plus lots over the weekend. So a bit of cash flows again the right way .
New blue bell hens , are named Esmerlda and M R LEE . Hunch back Notre dame , and my name (MALEE ) not sure how that one is spelt.
ES is friendly hen and sits under my arm and quite happily looks around the garden . A lap sitter for sure with out treats which is good thing .
Next project is to find a white silkie -(Pom Pom replacement if ever possible .) SHMBO has signed up for her and full price / cost expenses she is not going to argue over , Number of flock is now a secret again .
Bob
Hope all are well.
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , latest report from the BOY`s.
Desmond has been stopping out in the field . Up to last night he has been rounded up from perching and hiding in the bushes like he does , Nature lover you might say .
Last night he could not be found .
When the coops was searched he had put himself to bed . Slow learner but settled in now it would seem.
One eye Jack another story .Thinks he runs the field , fighting with the other lads . So he is in the sin bin for his trouble . separated from the rest .
Maybe that is his future , I don't know.
I rep[lied to the E mails , ` That's my Boys ` .
My flock are settling down ,plenty of eggs . The new flock hens are stop outs and do not want to go in the coop. Leaving them to it as safe ?
happy days , still not used to laying in gone 5.00 am when the alarm goes off .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all ,working in garden last evening so let the flock out , jacs hens wandered out and ran back in guarding their food . Stop outs all night are M R LEE and the Black rock .Perch on branches together . Cannot be convinced to go in with the bully hens . After being in a hut so long fresh air is a treat I suppose .
5.00 am the flock are at the gate waiting for me. Make a noise when they see me .
Feeders are good and plenty of feed in them .Cabbage this morning and a few extra pellets in feeders. Clean water as a hot day(full) bucket type we lid and a gap with a edge on one side . Very good .Still they manage to kick ddirt in the mouth but not to the point they can not drink .
15 -17 eggs a day .
Wormed and looking pretty good . Many topenanal keeping control of the rest . they handbag it . My 2 ring light blue old hen is still doing well . Slower and does not get in the rush for food , gets enough . Settles for a sit in the sun .
Scramble is very vocal especially when she wants a nest box and some hen is in it.
Esmeralda is a friendly hen and watches me all the time .
Enjoy the good weather .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi a good tidy up and dump runs yesterday . Girls let out late evening as wanting out all day. SHMBO was very stern (teacher like) not wanting any help de-weeding etc.
I built a door , mark two. As no boys ,have no need to separate the original coop from the PALACE , .was going to re sight the outside door , but on advise going to put a wood bar support and hang the door , removing wire I have only just put up .
Job for next week . More hand bags for sure but maybe easier to work on . Always shut it if not a good idea.
Esmeralda is still friendly , all new hens at the bottom of the pecking order , youngsters so plenty of time .Goldie and Litalen are behaving like about to go broody attacking all the hens even Eagle got a taste of a beak from Goldie a fraction of her size.
17 eggs a day SHMBO had 22 yesterday . Orders from work continuing Rolls back 2 sacks sat.
The new feeders have fallen apart . need better nuts and bolts on swivel arms.
Saving food -pellets and corn as no wastage . water buckets started good ,till I put grass cuttings in the run. They kick the dirt , grass into the mouth and no water present.
Put a couple of large trays with 3 inches of water in them . Surprising to see some of the hens wading in it to keep cool (or get grass and food floating on the surface.
looking forward to going to Southend . was going to visit the boys . May put of till midweek as the bosses are out doing the burger stalls .
No updates so presume all well , (if locked up for the flocks good ) .
back working Monday Bank Holiday.
thank you again Sandy , should not do it , cost more in postage .
Will try and get down to visit you soon , Bring you some ` BOXES`of unmentionables.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well all good at present , only cloud on the my mind , is my very old hen 2 ring light blue She is molting feathers formed . Not eating as much as I would like , lost weight . She is still sleeping up high up in the nest boxes .
Still pottering around and showing her age .
Spoil her as much as I can though not showing a lot of interest in food. Poor little darling .

Bob

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