Old chickens, new house

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John

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Re: Old chickens, new house
« Reply #30 on: February 17, 2019, 17:45 »
The treadle feeder is due to arrive then too, so would be good if that’s in place when they move in
I'd think so too or the hens will be hungry. Distressed gentlehens - luxury house but nothing for tea :)
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snowdrops

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Re: Old chickens, new house
« Reply #31 on: February 17, 2019, 18:45 »
My daughter has a feed hopper that she fills via a pipe up through the roof of the pen but I don’t want to do that, it gets damp from time to time & im sure the local vermin must be helping themselves from time to time. She has got a plastic feeder that she hangs up so I will be using that until the treadle feeder arrives if the chickens arrive first.
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John

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Re: Old chickens, new house
« Reply #32 on: February 18, 2019, 00:34 »
I did realise you'd have cunning plan  :D :D

It really is a 'grand design' - and without the drama of running out of money half way through!

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snowdrops

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Re: Old chickens, new house
« Reply #33 on: February 18, 2019, 03:30 »
I did realise you'd have cunning plan  :D :D

It really is a 'grand design' - and without the drama of running out of money half way through!

Haha, no thanks so sure about the running out of money, certainly cost more than I anticipated, you get to the point with these things that it’s a case of “ well it’s cost ### so far another £20 to finish it off isn’t going to make much difference “! Which is precisely what happened yesterday. Son was going to Wickes to get wood for a Wendy house & hubby asked him to pick up 4 lengths of lath to fasten the roof on, we got a phone call to say “it’s £20 for 8 lengths”. I’d initially thought the wood that our daughter had bought would be enough but then I wanted the pen bigger as they won’t get to free range.
I’m sure they’ll be very happy & so will I be ( you watch bet they cop their clogs this year & I have to buy new ones lol)

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John

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Re: Old chickens, new house
« Reply #34 on: February 18, 2019, 09:45 »
You could recoup the costs by selling guided tours!

Being serious, the cost of housing depends on how many hens and the lifespan of the coup. Some of the very cheap coups on Ebay will be lucky to last 3 years. A quality coup costs more to buy but should last at least 15 years. A rough calculation..
3 hen coup, £120. = £40 per hen which goes to £13.33 per hen per year.
6 hen quality coup, £600 = £100 per hen goes to £6.66 per hen per year.

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snowdrops

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Re: Old chickens, new house
« Reply #35 on: February 18, 2019, 10:56 »
Yes that’s true, hadn’t thought of it like that, whatever, I couldn’t  see them in a rubbish thing with no room to move about like the chap up the way

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snowdrops

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Re: Old chickens, new house
« Reply #36 on: February 25, 2019, 16:22 »
They’re coming today.... well tonight when they’ve gone to bed at their old digs, daughter tried to catch them today but couldn’t , so she came & we mixed up Hillfooters slurry & she painted that on all over the inside of the house & I finished the painting on the outside, then she laid 2 slabs 1 ontop of one another to raise the treadle feeder above the height of the chippings & then we filled that up & propped the lid open until they get used to it. Grit spread about & shaving in the house, golf balls in the nest box & hopefully eggs tomorrow.

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snowdrops

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Re: Old chickens, new house
« Reply #37 on: February 25, 2019, 16:24 »
Forgot to say the hens up the way in the tiny house & run are now in a walk in run as well so much relieved as they are lovely hens with beautiful markings as if they’ve had a line painted around each feather in black.

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snowdrops

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Re: Old chickens, new house
« Reply #38 on: February 25, 2019, 20:07 »
Operation chicken rehoming is accomplished. I got the call from our daughter that they had gone to ‘bed’ & set off the 1 mile to her house, to get caught in the rush hour traffic. Finally arriving & being dispatched down the garden to do the deed, I found I needed an extra pair of hands to hold the nest box lid up , so daughter came to help, I held the lid up & she wrenched them out as those that perch on the  lip of the nest box put up a bit of a fight lol. On our way, I collected hubby to help & protect me in the dark at the plot. With a bit of squeaking we got them in, all was fine until one fell of  the perch & decided to take a look out of the pophole 😱. We came out & left them to calm down & see if she found her way back in but after 5 minutes we were getting cold so with the help of a torch I managed to grab her & put her back in & held her on the perch until she got her balance, I hope they don’t move into the nest box but I had to leave it uncovered so they can get in there in the morning if needed. I suppose I’ll know if there’s no poop in there when I go to check on them.

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John

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Re: Old chickens, new house
« Reply #39 on: February 25, 2019, 23:14 »
They don't seem too bothered to awaken in a strange place - probably goes back to roosting in different trees every few days. Tomorrow they'll think they've taken over a palace :)

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John

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Re: Old chickens, new house
« Reply #40 on: February 25, 2019, 23:16 »
And don't forget - they love greens. So when you cut a cauli or get a bolted lettuce - turn it into eggs. Yum yum. :)

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snowdrops

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Re: Old chickens, new house
« Reply #41 on: February 26, 2019, 10:09 »
Thanks John, they seem fine this morning. We went down at 8 so I could open up the feeder for them until they get used to it. Hopefully by tomorrow they’ll be able to open it themselves once they know the food is in there. I assume they’ll find the water as the cups are bright red. I’ve left my gone over brassicas in readyness for them plus I’ve got a small area of chickweed I’ve got to weed so that will go in to & some frosted chicory & fennel so that’s them sorted for a few days lol. My daughter threw all her peelings in, including onions etc
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