[NormandyMary]

I bought 3 new hens on Wednesday, and am having problems getting one of them inside the henhouse. They roam free in the garden which is quite large, and trot off to their house at night. The first night, I had to go out and physically lift them in, all but one who kept running away. It was pouring with rain so after half an hour I gave up.  I went out later to try and get her but couldnt find her. Last night, one of the newbies went into the house by herself, and I managed to get the other two and plonk them in. Tonight, when I went to do roll call, all but one newbie were in situ. I hunted for the other one but couldnt find heragain. Will the others teach her, or will I have to try and do it?

[babe]

make your torch light red if you can, it keeps them calm.

sometimes they need you to just show them the way for a while, she'll get there eventually.

ive spent many evenings rounding up newbies and putting them to bed.

its a nice excuse to give them a cuddle

[Stree]

I have 4 new hens as well, amberlinks and although well behaved are getting adventurous and one has ended up next door twice, over a 5 foot fence. The other night I also  found two huddled under the hawthorn hedge in an out of the way place, and another one was nowhere to be found..........although I did find her in the end in the old henhouse cosied up with the resident mother hen. That was nice to see because she had been resentful of the new chickens and most unfriendly.........Even though previously she had two cockerels all to herself !
Saying that, tonight same amberlink was not in the coop so guessed she was in the old henhouse again so peeped in and..... There she was cuddled up with  Henry the brown cockerel!. So that that relationship sorted..
If your birds are not flying out of the garden then as was said by Babe its just them getting used to a routine, and as for mine I think wing clipping is in order so will have to learn how to do that.

[babe]

I have 4 new hens as well, amberlinks and although well behaved are getting adventurous and one has ended up next door twice, over a 5 foot fence. The other night I also  found two huddled under the hawthorn hedge in an out of the way place, and another one was nowhere to be found..........although I did find her in the end in the old henhouse cosied up with the resident mother hen. That was nice to see because she had been resentful of the new chickens and most unfriendly.........Even though previously she had two cockerels all to herself !
Saying that, tonight same amberlink was not in the coop so guessed she was in the old henhouse again so peeped in and..... There she was cuddled up with  Henry the brown cockerel!. So that that relationship sorted..
If your birds are not flying out of the garden then as was said by Babe its just them getting used to a routine, and as for mine I think wing clipping is in order so will have to learn how to do that.

there may be a bit in the help topics about wing clipping.

it really is easy, i do it on my own. but if a bit unsure get someone to hold chook for you.

one wing sharp pair of scissors and just snip the flight feathers. careful not to go too far and cut into the bllod vessels.

[GrannieAnnie]

It is easy Stree, but saying that, some of the chooks I've found out of their run have been clipped!!!!!  so they must have a secret tunnel!!!!    


Try this site!

http://www.poultryhelp.com/wingclipping.html

[babe]

It is easy Stree, but saying that, some of the chooks I've found out of their run have been clipped!!!!!  so they must have a secret tunnel!!!!    


Try this site!

http://www.poultryhelp.com/wingclipping.html

they are hiding grannie...cos you keep selling them and they want to stay

[Stree]

I think my hens are very clever and have built a small well camouflaged helicopter.....

[NormandyMary]

I think my hens are very clever and have built a small well camouflaged helicopter.....

They obviously have the DVD of Chicken Run LOL!

P.S. Had 7 eggs today, mostly tiddlers, so Im pleased as punch!

[general greivous]

My chooks put themselves away every night (lucky me) Sometimes they hide up the plum tree ha HOMING CHICKENS aha I can round them up with a stick in one hand, other arm out stretched if i need to put them in early, it works. Chooks ARE trainable!Keep at it, you'll find yr way x

[general greivous]

Normandy Mary thats Fab Any eggs would be good in this coupe tut!!

[NormandyMary]

Did roll call a couple of hours ago and all 12 chooks were present and correct. Brilliant clever little girls!!!

[Lost in France]

My girls go to bed on their own (as late as they can!), but..keep changing which henhouse they sleep in! Never quite know who's going to be where each morning...maybe it's Buster selecting his hareem for the night??

I'd really rather those that refuse to perch stayed together and NOT underneath those that do..obvious reasons!! The plan was to have the perchers in one house and the snugglers in the other, but they have different ideas! The big girls (actually all very tiny but ..the grown-ups!), have always roosted bar the last arrival whose young never have so, in theory we have a house for each but....!

Do others find that their girls do this?  

Judi

[NormandyMary]

My older girls go into bed a bit earlier to nab pole position re the nesting boxes. The new ones huddle together underneath on straw, even though there are enough nesting boxes for all. 6 eggs so far today, so thats 13 in 2 days. Not bad eh? I will be able to start selling a few soon, otherwise our cholestral levels will soar!!!!

[Lost in France]

Well done on the egg front NormanyMary! Cholesterol...what's that...best just not to ever have it tested! We never have so we continue to live in ignorance...so nothing to worry about!!

Judi