We have got our girls

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Spreckly
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We have got our girls

Post by Spreckly »

We collected our three girls from my auntie's daughter's farm yesterday teatime. We had been to a vintage rally, so the caravan was bumping away on the back, and the car was full to the hilt with gear. We had asked for three, been told we were getting four, but only three came home with us, so I didn't press the point, as the cost is a donation to charity.

Lottie, Lizzie and Lily came home in a cardboard box. We took them straight down to their new home, opened the box, gave them a little corn and water, and shut them in for the night.


We have been down this morning to let them out. They had managed to reach the top shelf in the hut, and christened it in a big way!

They are now happily scratching in their run, fertilising it like mad, and making happy noises.

Our dog is most interested in them, but so far, hasn't barked or frightened them.

I can't as yet tell the difference between them, though one has less tail feathers than the other two. They have all their feathers, to our surprise, as they have been semi-batts all their lives.

Their combs are pink, not brightly coloured, and they were happy to peck around fairly near us.

Can't wait to look at them again!

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manda
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by manda »

Here's to happy hens with a long life of doing chickeny things.....I know it's been said before but I'll say it again ...just be cautious with the dog and chooks...it wouldn't even have to bite them to kill them - they can easily die of shock but they are such delicate bods really (even though their hardiness can amaze me too) that even a small nip from a pooch can kill....better safe than sorry )t' :-D
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Living our version of the Good Life with 4 dogs, 6 cats, a cow, a few sheep, Angora Goats and ???? chooks.
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Spreckly
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by Spreckly »

Thanks, Manda. We are keeping them strictly apart! For all their sakes!

Just going to check on them.....
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Luna
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by Luna »

Forgot doing anything today other than chicken watching! We got our first 2 girls on Thursday and I'm constantly drawn to the back of the garden to sit & watch them. Already I see them as my stress busters. Enjoy your girls (love the names) & keep us informed .... )t'
Jo x
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secret squirrel
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by secret squirrel »

Glad your girls have arrived safely. Yes, the dogs and the chooks live parallel lives and nair the twain shall meet.
We also found it hard to tell the difference between our hens so I put coloured leg rings on them. They just clip on and you can get a pack of multi-colours from Pets at home or you will be able to find them on line somewhere. They are very cheap, pardon the pun.

With the weather so hot, just keep an eye out and make sure your girls have plenty of water. We have a standard 'water hopper' and also a shallow trough, which they like to paddle in.
lorna {hug}
I`m not a teacher for nothing, you know!! If I was clever, I`d be dangerous.
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Spreckly
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by Spreckly »

We nearly only had two girls an hour ago. Despite pea netting, and wire mesh, one of the little dears got out. I heard a cackling, and hoping it was an egg, went to see, only finding two girls in the run.

One had flown onto the outside shelter, and from there winged her way to the workshop roof, and onto the garage. My OH got a ladder out, and I frantically shook corn for her, but finally she flew over my head (part of my worse nightmare, as a very small child, my aunt's hen flew right in my face), and we guided her, with the aid of a dust sheet back to the run.

I think the scissors will have to come out, something I didn't want to have to do.

OH is putting more security in, and has already said he didn't want them in the first place. Not off to a good start, can only get better.

They are really sweet, and the tip about coloured leg rings is, I think the only way we will tell them apart.
Benny&Co
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by Benny&Co »

Happy new home to your girls Spreckly and I love your names )t' :-D

Any pictures yet?

I find a shake of the mealworm tin always gets my girls to go where I need them to go, ie not in my vegetables! :-D
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Spreckly
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by Spreckly »

Just clipped a wing on each hen. Cleaned up the poo, and to our amazement, there were two eggs.

We have let the girls out again, and keeping a check on them to see if the extra safety precautions have worked!

No photos yet.
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secret squirrel
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by secret squirrel »

Instead of pea netting, I would suggest you save up and used aviary mesh, which is much more secure as it is rigid.
I used to have pea netting and used to peg it all round with clothes pegs so that it was taught. The downside is that its not fox proof.
A more expensive method is electric fencing.
lorna {hug}
I`m not a teacher for nothing, you know!! If I was clever, I`d be dangerous.
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Spreckly
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by Spreckly »

Thanks for the advice re aviary netting.

I have two questions. As we now have two newly laid eggs, can we eat them? They were laying at my cousins, but OH has read somewhere that you have to wait a day or two before eating. I hope not, scrambled egg was on the menu for lunch!

Also, I see that some of you are Learner Lanes, Legendary Laners, and other titles. What are the categories, and how long is one in each? Just wondering!
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milli
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by milli »

Hi Spreckly, glad your girls are home and settling in ok. You don't have to wait to eat your eggs, they are just a bit more difficult to peel if hardboiled when fresh. Enjoy! How high is your fencing around the girls I ask because I think probably about 6' high is a good guide and not so worrying about the girls flying over, but I think in some cases 1 or 2 of the laners have had girls determined to get over the fence. Ours is 6' high and none of our girls have ever tried to get over the top. Thankfully. Good luck with your chicken keeping, you will soon become as obsessed as the rest of us )t'
15 ex batty girls, 2 rescue jack russels and one very naughty Shih Tzu puppy who rules the household!!!
Mercedes
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by Mercedes »

They sound lovely girls :-D

It is hard to tell the difference when they are all the same breed. We bought some of the leg rings, but only one of them still hers on her, the others all seemed to have dropped off and one managed to edge it's way right up one of our girl's leg and was stuck. You'll probably start noticing differences with them after awhile though. We tell ours apart because one has a perfect bright red comb, another has a brown neck and the other is more mottled, but from a distance they all look the same :?

Look forward to seeing pictures of them :-D
Lyn
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secret squirrel
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by secret squirrel »

Yes you can eat them straight away. People say funny things sometimes.

Have them for tea. )t'

Why do we have different titles? As you post, you will go through the categories the more you post.
Some folks have been on here for a while but some like me just like to yak to others. The Lane has a fantastic community spirit unlike many other forums. We can have a minute by minute conversation and often instant answers to questions, which is often very helpful.
The only time you wont find so many on line are during the wee small hours, but sometimes even then you will find someone like Manda to help you, because she lives in New Zealand and she is a fount of wisdom when it comes to chickens.
Then there is Lynne who lives in Nova Scotia.

We are an international bunch. Ha
lorna {hug}
I`m not a teacher for nothing, you know!! If I was clever, I`d be dangerous.
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wendy
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by wendy »

Be careful wing clipping doesn't always solve the problem, as if a hen can get out a fox can get in. After clipping you now have a hen that cannot flap out of the way of a predator.
More often they go up onto and over, rather than a straight up flight. So make sure there isn't anything for them to have assisted jumps, which is what they mostly do. As said put a lid on the run and that will solve the problem.
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Spreckly
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Re: We have got our girls

Post by Spreckly »

Just to answer a previous question. Our fence is six feet high.

Another query, though I see someone has asked it this morning. We now have a photo of two of our girls in the run, it is now in photobucket, but we do not know how to get it onto this site.

There was a thread a short while ago about how to do this, but I cannot find it.

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