Lisa and The Lunatics!

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LisaB

Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by LisaB »

So I thought it was about time I started a Chicken Diary.

I'm going to start from the begging and put all the important times over the past two years in different posts, so it might be a bit long!


I started chicken keeping in 2011.
I didn't want chickens for eggs, I just wanted to give some ex-battery hens a happy life, so I joined this wonderful forum and all you lovely laners set me straight on everything I needed and I soon reserved 3 girls with Fresh Start for Hens.

The coop and run was sorted in a matter of weeks, thanks to my Dad, and we were all ready for our hens.

Image

I picked up my girls, Rosie, Aubrey and Pippa on May 22nd 2011 (from the lovely Al).

I never ever expected to become so attached to a chicken, but they were just the most interesting creatures. It only took about an hour for Aubrey to come out the coop, who was soon followed by Pippa.

(Pip & Aubrey)
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(Pip & Aubrey)
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Rosie took a little longer, but they had a great time exploring their new run

(Rosie, Pip & Aubrey)
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It only took a few days for them to start taking treats from my hand and taking themselves off to bed, and learning how to be a real chicken.





Sadly, Aubrey was very prone to softies and two months later she fell ill with EYP and passed away, two months after that Rosie suffered the same and had to be PTS {cry}

This left me with just Pip......

LisaB

Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by LisaB »

The day Rosie passed away I quickly got in contact with Al to see if he had any ex-battery hens still needing homes, and thankfully he did. The same day I was off to Durham to collect Roxy and Ivy.

(Ivy)
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(Roxy)
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The introductions went great, no hassle and they were soon a happy little trio.



Not long after, the dreaded red mite took up residence in the girls coop. I used diatom, and cleaned vigorously but it just wasn’t enough. I found it way too gross and hard to deal with to try anything else so ended up throwing out the coop, extending the girls run and giving them a new plastic shed as a coop.

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This was a good move as I had already planned for more girls….
LisaB

Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by LisaB »

On October 16th 2011 I collected 6 more ex-battery hens.

(Nancy, Freya, Thea, Poppy, Daphne, Maria)
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(Nancy, Poppy, someone’s bottom, Freya)
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(Poppy & Freya)
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(Thea)
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(Freya)
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(Maria)
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(Daphne)
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Introductions went pretty well. After two days I started introducing, Roxy was a bit nasty so I separated her off on her own for two days, after that things settled down very quickly…
LisaB

Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by LisaB »

7 days later harmony was all around and the new girls had improved a lot, redder combs, more feathers, acting like real chickens.

(Freya)
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(Daphne)
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(Poppy)
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(Thea)
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(Maria)
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(Nancy)
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(Pip – my first original girl left at this point)
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sandy
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Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by sandy »

Aw Lisa what a lovely photos, Pip and Aubrey look so delightful in the photo where they are peering out under their floppy combs {hug}
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/
LisaB

Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by LisaB »

Things went pretty smoothly for the next year, bit of bullying, a few softies, but luckily everyone had at least a year of freedom, so here’s a few pictures I took last year

The run changed quite a bit with the addition of some 1p Christmas trees.
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(Daphne, Ivy & Freya at the back)
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(Freya & Ivy)
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(Poppy – the difference is amazing)
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(Roxy & Thea)
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Things were pretty peaceful, then came Marilyn….
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sandy
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Joined: 13 Oct 2008, 21:59
Gender: Female
Location: Bristol

Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by sandy »

You just pipped me at the post with more lovely photos )t' Bless them they must have been so happy to have found such a lovely home after their ordeal
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/
LisaB

Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by LisaB »

In Oct 2012 my Dad told me someone he knew needed a new home for a chicken, me being me, said yes of course I’ll give her a home! So came Marilyn…


Image


At first Marilyn was a lovely bird, very chirpy and soon started laying lovely eggs. She integrated into the flock pretty easily, but then things look a turn for the worst.

Freya and Poppy suddenly became ill, both had crop problems, one sour and one impacted. After vet visits and my best efforts, they sadly passed away in the same week.

Things went okay until January, when Roxy fell ill with impacted crop. As Roxy wasn’t eating and Maria wasn’t doing so well in the bad weather (she was moulting at the time) I decided to bring Maria inside, this really encouraged Roxy to eat and I thought we were on the right track. Sadly, after a few days Roxy suddenly passed away. Maria wasn’t doing so good inside on her own so I put her back outside, but she became worse and I realised she had sour crop. Sadly, I lost her too.


Around this time Marilyn started being really quite aggressive towards me and some of the chickens (especially Ivy). Every chance she got she would peck my hands as hard as she could, leaving nasty bruises and even drawing blood. As well as this she would also shout whenever she caught sight of me! I tried carrying her around, squirting her with water, keeping her out of my space, but nothing seemed to work. I made the hard decision to rehome her and thankfully Aceface said she would love to give her a home, so off Marilyn went to Sheffield and is doing fantastic, I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome (Read Aceface’s Diary for Marilyn updates :-D )


A week later, Pip, my oldest girl fell ill. She seemed to have a bit of a blockage in her crop but when I took her to the vets they discovered she had EYP, and had to be PTS {cry}

Not long after this, I opened the coop to find Thea sitting in the corner, comb very purple and not well at all. I rushed to get ready and sort some inside accommodation for her but by the time I went outside she had passed away under a tree 

I’d had a really, really rotten few months chicken keeping and was sure I was going to give up after my last three girls had gone, but things got better…
LisaB

Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by LisaB »

I really enjoyed only having a small flock of chickens. So much easier, could give each one more attention, and spend a lot more time with them.

But, I noticed Ivy was getting very chunky and her abdomen was full with fluid. I received some medicine from the vet, but sadly it didn’t work and on Wednesday she also had to be PTS {cry}

Nancy also became very ill, I thought we were going to lose her, after racking my brain of what it could be and not having a clue, I thought she might of just been getting old, UNTIL I saw her “gaping” yesterday. I suddenly though “OH POO, I HAVEN’T WORMED THEM!”. I’m pleased to report Nancy is doing fantastic and is back to her cheeky self, jumping in the woodshavings draw whilst I’m trying to clean…. :-D
Definitely will not forget about worming in the future!

I’m feeling much better about chicken keeping, so much so I plan to get two more chickens and chicks (a Faverolles hen, a white Araucana hen, and two Cream Legbar chicks!).

So, my next step is introducing the new hens to Nancy and Daphne and getting the chicks settled, I will have lots more to add in two weeks!...
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sandy
Legendary Laner
Posts: 9915
Joined: 13 Oct 2008, 21:59
Gender: Female
Location: Bristol

Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by sandy »

And more lovely photos )t' This is turning into a lovely story, cant wait for Marilyn
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/
LisaB

Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by LisaB »

Hehe thank you Sandy :D
I've spent the last hour looking through all the photos and putting it together on word ready to copy and paste. I'm all done for now :) It's been lovely (but a bit sad) looking at photos i've not seen for months.
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aceface
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Joined: 17 Mar 2012, 23:08
Gender: Female
Location: between here and there

Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by aceface »

lovely diary lisa looking forward to the updates and freya was a lovely little girl and what bedraggled little girls they were when you first had them and such beauties in a few weeks these girls never cease to amaze me {hug}
[center]HELPING THE LITTLE BROWN GIRLS OF THIS WORLD FIND FOREVER HOMES
Humble chicken maid to a happy little flock
Frankii Whippers leading the way with Dorey,Prila(aka Mrs Brown),Ann-a-Lou Greta, Delphine my adorable silkie,my twin girls Lana and Boudica (aka The Jedward Twins ) ,Augustine Eizabeth(aka Pippy), Rheima, Marnie and Fleur aka little miss chatterbox[/center]


Still loving and missing Skinnie Minnie and Queenie xx

Marlene you taught me how to live and laugh again xx


Isabella my darling top hen ,you stole my heart xx

Porscha my sweet little girl ,you left so suddenly xx
LisaB

Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by LisaB »

Thank you {hug}
Freya was always the most nervous one, but I had such a soft spot for her. She was so sweet, she never grew her feathers back properly either {hug}
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sandy
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Posts: 9915
Joined: 13 Oct 2008, 21:59
Gender: Female
Location: Bristol

Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by sandy »

Lisa it is just great that you havent lost heart {hug} I remember your sad posts but those girls did have a free life and a smashing home even if Marilyn didn't appreciate it
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/
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Linda S
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Joined: 06 Apr 2012, 22:55
Gender: Female
Location: west yorkshire

Re: Lisa and The Lunatics!

Post by Linda S »

Am loving your diary Lisa glad you joined us {hug} Your tatty little waifs turned into beautiful young ladies :-D Lindaxx
And then there was one, Again!!!!
Jemima
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Little Angels Free For Ever
Honey,Lizzi,Peggy-Mitchel,April,Hope,Faith,Blondie, Sorrel,Scarlet, Penny, Gabby, Rosie, Chick-a-Dee
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Remembering Our Beautiful Foster Boys we are so sorry that we couldn't keep you
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