Thanks for re-sizing them - couldn't work out how to do it in photobucket. Its amazing that Rosie (13 year old lab) puts up with Olive. She actually leaves a little food at the end for her to finish off! We have another, much younger labrador who also tries to groom the girls. He's the only male ani...

I'm resizing these - hopefully before Richard gets back




I did it!!!

I'm so sorry to hear about Stella too. It really is rotten to find one dead.

I was getting 4 eggs a day (Frankie was an excellent layer) but now she's gone, 3. Betty Boop and Olive Oyl haven't produced an egg for ages and ages, probably 8-10 weeks. Betty lays white eggs and all the others lay brown. In fact they're laying more eggs now than they did in the late summer when I...

Talking of keeping the cold at bay - without an electrical source - What are you all doing to insulate your coops? As I have an Ark, it's very long (enough for 10 birds), triangular (obviously), with a perch running through it and nesting boxes either end. Although this area is quite long, it's also...

Thank you everyone for your kindness. Meantime, I am trying not to be paranoid! When I let the girls out this morning only 4 came out , but quickly found Elna happily laying and rather cross at the interuption!

I didnt know combs could freeze am off to buy vaseline! I keep their water in the ark and have a garlic glove and cork in it, not that it made any difference last night - water frozen solid! Although it was absolutely freezing last night!

I know it sounds soppy but she was a really, really lovely chook and I shall miss her. I am pleased that at least I found her for all the reasons mentioned above. She wasn't very old - about 9 months old and I know that I gave her a very happy home and happy, stress free life. Still, it was a shock ...

I've found her :cry: I went to clean the ark and when I took off the sloping top she was wedged up against it frozen solid. It looks like she fallen off her perch, i.e. just dropped dead, poor thing. I'm embarrassed to say she must have died the night before last, and I didn't even notice she was go...

No joy :cry: I've had a search party out both at dusk and first thing this morning. I hoped that she would be waiting for her breakfast but no sign of her. I also walked the hedgrows to see if I could hear her - I thought she may be stuck somewhere. Checked the barns but nothing. I have sort of resi...

She's just disappeared :cry: The girls got out of the garden today, I have no idea how and although I rounded up 5 of them very quickly, Frankie is nowhere to be seen. Nor can I find any evidence of a sudden or violent demise. We're surrounded by fields here with deep hedgerow. I'm hoping she'll fin...

Hi, as a newbie to chooks (6 months - doesnt time fly!) I also have found these forums invaluable. I feed layers pellets in the morning, by filling the tray of their feeder - there's always some left over which they nibble during the day and a cup of corn thrown into the grass in the early afternoon...

I usually let the chickens out as soon as I'm up - so I potter down in my big white fluffly dressing gown, and wellies (green) and if it's raining I slip on my seen better decades, (old and scrumpy but I love it) barbour type coat (brown) and brown hat. I like the layered approach! Summer, hmmm I ha...

Personally, I hate shooting and killing and wouldn't participate myself. However, the pheasant and ducks are bred to be shot. They seem to have a very nice life, with freedom to roam, fed nicely etc., etc., And, I reckon they have a 50/50 chance of making it through the season (and avoiding mr fox)....

I am worried about this, I have to say. Although I'm in East Sussex, my house sits between two smallish lakes and beside a shooting estate, stuffed full of pheasant at this time of year. My girls are free range and other that a very small run that's part of the Ark, I don't have a proper run for the...