My attempt to keep chickens.

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bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi she is not stupid , She only goes in the water with Donald when she fancy it.
Two pools for them one each . She does not seem over stressed at the moment , will be keeping an eye on her though. I have been offered a place at a rescue centre that will take them .If it gets rough they will be rehomed .
FM and the swollen belly sister are getting along well and are out the front lawn all day watching the passer byes . rest of the flock settled down to summer life . Long may it last .
I think the hen with F M has the chance to eat and drink without being bullied and her comb has much improved . Maybe a visit to vets to see if any thing can be done for her . experience tells me that they cannot do much and is a expense that can be spent on better out comes . I thought it maybe EYP but more likely tumour etc.
Rabbit had me running around the garden last night at 10.00pm did nit want attention or locking up.
Keep safe and well.
Bob

bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , all good my side . Ducks where noisy and wanting out this morning , I think I left the hose pipe running in the pond when I left for work so the ducks will have a very large puddle to play in.
Bob
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sandy
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by sandy »

Bob do you ever stop yike*
I will definetely have to talk to you very soon
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 »

Hi all , all good and not much to say , FM and Freezer are still roosting in the kitchen and front lawn during the day .
Ducks awake at 4.30 am but quite till I let them out or when they think they should be .
No casualties during the hot weather .
Keep well and safe .
looking after my own well being at moment which has been taking uo my time .
Bob
Cheshire Chick
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Hope you are feeling better Bob and yes do look after yourself. You have a lot of creatures that need your love and attention so hope you get back to tip top condition very soon. Take care of yourself.
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sandy
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by sandy »

Bob as CC says look after yourself, at least no sprains or bruises with no biking?
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 »

Hi all , well as always ,Shutdown has been and gone , back to normal , I do not think so .
Flock all well , ducks follow me everywhere , want sweet corn now all the time .
Though egg noddle went down well , peas have been eaten .
Plenty of eggs and gave SHMBO 30 eggs in a week .

Things that will possibly effect the animals in the garden / house etc.
I got a call at home from a chap from work (Sat ) , giving me a heads up that there is a possibility of me moving from the job I have been on 15-20 years to a job I have done only as a card board cut out in a window …..
Well this is a three way move for many reasons . It is a promotion a higher grade .
Have told my Union rep that I want it all in writing and first in line for pay off ( pension will be larger , pay out will be larger and basically every thing will be larger ) . Shift pattern is the same , but will have to work longer , the word work turns me off straight away . They work Sat , Sat night , Sun and Sun night shifts as overtime .
I was planning to do this job for a year then leave for the last 10 years .
Trouble is the pension pot is well above the gov`n`m`t fresh hold so my reasoning to do it went away. Don't need the money as such .
Well after all the above it means possibly that I will not get home to see flock etc and be at home for Polo during the day .
May have to do a job , terrible after 20 years of dodging the horrible thing .
So Stay where I am and leave at Xmas , Move and get stuck at work for another year .
I could get plenty of mileage out of all this with my Mad ness (doctor ) Manager/s disagreements . They wanting /needing my help good position to be very unpopular all round .Great fun and not done this for many years .
So watch this space for more developments.
Blackberries are soft , my house got flooded , the ducks where swimming in the run at midnight Sat evening /Sunday morning . Hens dry in coop `s .
Rabbit escaped again and was seen running under the cars in the street , I took the wire gate down when it flooded and went out with dog .
Corn in the garage soaked , Freezer blow the plug sockets in house , Just a normal sort of weekend (for the flood plains of Salisbury ) .
Many stories to tell but the above have been the main ones.
Try and write more when I get the chance .
Going home after a night shift , Tonight I will write more on the flock .
Stay safe its coming back again , France , Belgium , Holland 22 miles away .
Bob
Think of the chicken virus a couple of years ago .
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

A terrible day .
A fox killed my Fridge Magnet and wounded another hen in my house .
Upsetting .
I have put my flock in lock down till further notice .
I think it must have been really hungry to come into the house to catch the hens .
They come in from the rain from the front lawn and were making their way to the kitchen .
What can one do other than keep a lock down for the time being and stand on guard all the time in the garden .
Totally unexpected .
Bob
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KarenE
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by KarenE »

I replied to the rainbow bridge post by accident - Bob I am so sorry to hear this totally unexpected and shocking news! Nobody could have expected a fox brazen or desperate enough to actually come into the house! Poor FM, and poor you. Yes I think lockdown for the flock is the best idea for now, you know it will probably be back given half a chance. Would Polo secure the house? {hug} {hug} {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 the fox was out the front garden at 5.00am this morning , Neighbour saw it on camera at 8.00am looking at the side gate .
Hens have been out most of the day when I have been at home .
Looked up at 16.30 pm tonight .
The 2 hens in kitchen have been out with flock . Both are back in kitchen tonight .
Keeping an eye on the poorly hen .
Bob
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kitla
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by kitla »

good grief Bob how awful for you. Urban foxes are so much more brazen than rural ones. You must feel like you cant let your guard down for a minute. How are the survivors now?
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
--Immanuel Kant
Cheshire Chick
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by Cheshire Chick »

Terrible news Bob - what an absolutely awful shock for you and the poor hens. Can't believe the fox actually came into your house. I definitely think that lock down is the only way to go at the moment with the fox still hanging about. What a worry for you. Hope the injured hen survives. This chicken keeping business can be a nightmare at times, but we all do have good times with them to. Keep your chin up and I am sorry for your loss.
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well the hen that was attacked died on Sat morning in my ams again . She was very poorly purple comb and fluid in crop and did not have a chance to visit the vet .
She was in kitchen because she was poorly but seemed to be recovering well , dut I think the fox and loss of her friend was to much .
The last of the three has been out with flock but not getting on well and wants to stay in the kitchen .
So has been out and in over night .
Looks like she will be staying in kitchen for a while.
Rest of flock seem well and 6-12 eggs a day .
Lots are moulting and looking rough as they do .
blue bell still broody and the only one persistent doing it .
Litalen (Beardie ) sits on eggs as much as she can as well as laying a little egg which is given to SHMBO as special .
Wet for ducks today .
Well another hen leaves the flock which is getting smaller every month .
Keep well and safe .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi the third kitchen hen has been hiding away from the flock so she is back in the kitchen . Seems she is happy hanging around the house animals , cats and dogs .
She wants to go out the front door . Not allowed as the run is taken down .Neighbours will miss them .
Goes to show some hens are not flock birds or liked by the rest . Wonder why I get attached to them ?
Well I am at a happy time waiting for the next dose of exitment , still have plenty old hens to watch .
Keep well and safe .
Bob
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: My attempt to keep chickens.

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi all , well the third chicken does not want to go with flock . She runs away from the door when I open it , hangs about the front door to go out on the grass , sits on a mat near to the fat Staff , cats and me .
She gets the choice of treats . Moulting and feathers all over the house .
Ducks are clearing my fish pond of green slime weed and the pond weed is reducing . While they eat the weed leaving the fish only .
Not left unsupervised for sure .
Flock seem happy , often prelude to things to come .
Blue bell . still broody .
They are out in garden but well watched , freedom of movement against a lock up for safety .
Hard one to make but they seem happier free than locked up .
Not sure what I should do on day shift next week .
Thank you Sandy , mask is good .
Keep safe and well .
Bob

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