My attempt to keep chickens.

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bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

I am having my holidays from Nov to Jan .
as I work a 3 day week , , I will do my rest shifts 2 days a week plus overtime if any weekends , so my be missing a few days a week .
as always I will try and keep up to date .
Plus I am getting extra stroppy at work so maybe people will be glad for me not to be around ,Ha Ha.
Flock are in flood conditions , wet and soggy . Put crates in the run so they can get out of the mud as well .
Hoping to get to see Desmond today with his feather parcel of food . If I do not get to see him today it will be another week before I can get there. Dark in the evenings now after work.
Non 2 ring light blue is still around amazingly for her age she still can push her way to the front of the que for treats when she fancy`s them.
have a good day .
Bob

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sandy
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by sandy »

ooh so you will be around for months literally then...if not on here
henpal 7 ?
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/
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

yes I will be a round for sure , yes I intend to fill up mt tummy again .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all , went home today , put out some washing on the line , let the flock out into the garden . They did not know either to stay in run or dig up the garden 50-50 split .
Spaggitti and sweet corn and rolls and corn/pellets in run or dryer dirt to dig up and a few worms .
Hour out and I put them back , Black and the white hen are runners and hard to catch . Always the same.
Goldie is feather claws dirty , The Simone`s is bare rear and re growing feathers . No way could she loose that many feathers and not get bald . White one has a complete dirty chest Eagle the bramha is clean and to posh to get dirty .
Scramble the naked neck hen is beautiful and cute . When I catch her which is when she lets me , to touch her skin and look into her eyes is magic. She is a posh hen with bad habits from the rescue hens.
I only had an hour with them but fun. Put some sand in the run to try and drain the water away a bit. Dark mornings and evenings reduce the time to inter act with them .
had a order of 12 a week eggs (wanted 24 ) as his daughter is a veggie and loves the eggs so much is giving him grief .
This maybe the order that pushes me into scratching around for eggs to keep everyone happy.
SHMBO will have to cut the free Bees out .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all ,well another wet day, Let the flock out again for a hour or so yesterday evening , probably do the same tonight.
Put some sand in run to help drainage , does not work much as builders sand and wet hard in one place . May after extracting stones out of the run for no other reason than thought it was a good idea , buy 10 bags of stones , coloured ones . trouble like me taking odd ones out they will disappear under ground . Could help the water drain .Not sure at cleaning the run it would help as I take it to work every so often. Have to have a think .
All good . The five hens that Jack had with him are in for a shock the weekend .
Hoping all are well and their flocks .
What I have got is a couple of upturned crates and lots of branches 2 inches thick and two hand made perches for the flock to climb on.
Egg orders have gone up now and the egg count down as well as laying later in the afternoon so delivery is next day.
1 short of what I needed today.
Chicken food is costing a lot less due to the new feeders I got . Long time for them to break even as 25 pounds each. water buckets do a good job and do not need filling as often .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all , well I let the flock out last night .I was in a hurry so I left it late . It was dark when I shut them in . Could not see any in the garden .
Well you can guess whats coming .
This am I went out to put the cabbage and pellets in the trays and I could hear a noise like the chickens do when asking for help /food or rescue ....
It was coming from the coop .
I was inside opposite the trap door .it was not coming from inside as sound to clear and near .
Bearing in mind this 5.45 am and still dark .
It was coming for sure from outside the run / coop .
I finished the trays and walked out with ears tuning in to where the noise was coming from.
By now there was hens coming out for early breakfast.
I shut the run up , moved towards the outside corner of coop and run area .
The noise of the hen was there in the corner .
I had to move quite a bit of stuff ,bags and boxes , but there she was sitting on a box all comfortable noisy calling to her friends in the coop . I picked her up in the dark I am pretty sure it ws MRLEE . (Maybe Esmeralda ) or the Two tone .
Most likely the naughty`s of the two blue belles as they say out longest .
She should be renamed as a cat with 8 lives as she used one up last night.
Well again I should not take for granted that they all go to sleep at dusk .
Today I will have a bit more spare time so they can come out in the garden under supervision only.
Meal worms to get them back in.
Tomorrow is going to be a special day for me .
I will be visiting a new friend on the FORUM . Know so much but never seen in real life .
Could this be you.
Are you expecting me . I do not always let people know I am coming .
what seemed a normal day out has turned into a real thriller , in time , space and speed and meetings and all sorts of surprises for me .
SHMBO even has asked to join in as did not want to be left out of it .
Sandy knows more want this means .
Maybe more on Sunday .
Working Sat am .
(Sorry stopped Brexit talks again ...... )
Sunday night shift .
Monday night shift , 2 weeks then Holiday . Not sure if I will be doing much work for two months but we will see.
Great time to enjoy flock , while unions / company , brexit , customs , bad weather throw themselves at the Jetty .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all, no peace for the wicked they say .
Been told I can do all the overtime I want to do in Nov and Dec. 2019 So it is a three days off at least a week which ain`t to bad as I can get back on the forum regularly.
well Thank you to the host I visited . All gone to a good home . The unmentionables are good .
Even got to see Desmond Sat and today . He has gone wild on me as he has had to think about taking a grape from my hand . It was raining and had a busy day so did not hang about.
Fireworks at the pier at Southend was good recommend it ,On next week as well .
My flock are well and apart from muddy and wet , cold and wanting out in the garden behaving .
The next question is who is going to be the next victim of a visit by me......
Don`t all rush . Missed your call Sandy , did ring back and will ring again when the chance happens later.
Bob
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , lovely day no rain .
Good to chat Sandy.
Lots of hens loosing feathers .
My white light Sussex has started now , Simone`s sister has stopped but her feathers slowly returning.
Cannot imagine Scramble moulting , she would make me laugh.
They better sort themselves out as winter is pretty close .
8 eggs which mean lots will follow .
Lots of flocks up to 6-8 in each with wing girls backing the Tophensanal . Older hens seem to hold the top places and do not fancy giving up the first at the treats.
Not been out in the garden as not around all the time.
Tomorrow , out in van and going to a funeral afternoon so a lot of dashing around.
Weekend I have got to get a small room empty and cleared . Plasterer is costing some work . Electrician to be arranged . All in the way to sell up and move when the time is right ….
Hope all are well and flocks good.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all , Today apart from dog walking , home all day and I will be spending lots of time with the flock . Clean them out as well.
I need to clean the flock coops out and fresh straw . Time spent in the coops is much longer so more mess. Pitch fork time again .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Went well yesterday , enjoyed myself so much taking the dog out and picking bramble berries , I was late for work.
So the flock will be getting quite a few this morning .
I have 8 bald hens are being `controlled` by two outsiders which dictate when they eat etc. I have put two bowls of food in and a water bowl , Maybe more needed .
To cold and wet for run walks .
Flock perching on anything to get out of the wet.
Canvas cover is going to have to go on much to my disagreement as will look klike a shanty town.
Have a large trailer sheet in garage .
Hope all are well and a good weekend as it is Friday .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all, Today I let the flock out in to the garden , They was out for quite along time.
They helped me with the weeding by replanting the ones I pulled up and piled .
I warn all do not work in the garden with chickens as it will make it even harder to do.
Cleaned the coop out with bald flock in there. Not happy and the Topenanal and wing hen had them moving around I through them out in the end .
I laid a scattering of sawdust and ordered 4 more bags -Monday and Tues 2 each day.
Dried the ground out . I turned over before so it could drain away the water . Even got the washing out , rained on it all . Pointless washing wet and sawdust soaked.Still not sure of a tarpullin as wind will blow it over the rainbow and the bridge .......
Well locked up early again as nights are dark and work called . Clocks go back 1 hour so not sure as the light hours , with nights again next week . holidays soon after i think the flock will have my full attention which they have not had for a while.
Desmond will have to wait till Monday again I think as busy weekend , work Sunday day shift .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well a good day yesterday , between knocking holes in ceiling , paper stripping etc , they was out in the garden and treats of melon , grapes , meal worms.
Open air , open spaces and open hearts that is what my freed hens have from me .
No amount of money of time could give me that .
Today due to the decorating and repairs being done to house , I reflected on the garden and all its contents .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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hi all , well it seems the underdogs in the chicken coop are now controlled completely by two of the Sisters .
They are told when to eat , sleep and drink .
May close the inner door for them for a while so as the norm can be brought back again.
Eating well and put two bags of sawdust in run this morning , it then started raining soon after .
Hope all are well and looking forward to the spooky night.
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

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Hi all , Chocks out in garden today . I planted some ONIONs near my pond, They had grown roots and top bit , so as huge and splitting , I thought I would plant in garden and see what happens . The chocks had kicked them feet away from where I put them in and the only way to get them to leave them alone was to dig a hole somewhere else in the garden to distract them . Worked but a couple went back quietly.
Bald hens getting the hang of getting out the way . 6 eggs a day if lucky now .
Cold weather. Another bag saw dust put in run . Straw needs changing every couple of days.
The hens that are up early are the same ones they are still rummaging after dark.
Last of brambles being picked .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well o1-to 06 white ring right leg caught and ringed yesterday.
Catching the hens that have lost and never ringed the sisters 10 plus Sam the vet visitor . I lost a sister when I boarded her in Aug .
Enjoying the flock during the day . good weather in a Tee shirt all day. Saw dust is being kicked into the water buckets .
Today I am going to put bricks and a slab to make higher of the ground . May even put a brick in front of the slab so as they can drink at a lower level . Onion are being replanted for me every day , Do not eat them just checking for worms in the ground .
Clean out today .
Bob

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