[Porffor]

Just wondered how you are all getting on, and if you are seeing progress with your chooks?

My girls (after me watching from the window for 20 minutes) put themselves to bed last night, after waiting for me to come out! Honestly they walked up and down the fence line near our back door!
Scarlet went to bed first, but Shimmer took a whole 20 mins to give in.. Scarlet kept coming out and trying to entice Shimmer into bed!
She gave in at 9.20 so i went to tuck them in.. she came out and told me off - well chatted to me, I popped her in and that was that.

Well todays progress.. has seen them both feeding from my hand! Yes I was thrilled especially as Scarlet is more shy than Shimmer.

They also got top marks for realising that food was interesting... when I threw in some sweetcorn and beansprouts (saved from our stir-fry). lol That's the first food they've eaten since they arrived - other than pellets.

How are your girls settling?

[NormandyMary]

Mine never cease to amaze me, especially how interested they seem to be at anything we do in the garden. They just love human company. One thing that makes me wonder is, when I go to lock them up, I hear them chattering amongst themselves. I often wonder what they are saying. Are they complaining about the service, pleased to be living with us, happy they are so free range and have an endless supply of worms, or just wondering who can get away with a headache if Monty comes calling for a bit of rumpy pumpy.

[Porffor]

Or maybe they want Monty to come calling and are bickering who's turn it is!

Seriously, it is interesting. Mine were both nattering when I went out to them and when they heard me Scarlet came out and had a natter to me. popped her back in and locked them in, only when I shut their gate did they quieten down again! lol

They must know what they are saying, like horses.. Our smallest (childrens) pony left a field 4 months ago.. We met a horse from that field a few weeks back.. and as soon as he saw him (from a distance) he called.. and the horse responded. The other owner was really surprised as his horse isn't one for talking to other horses! lol I had to explain that they'd been friends.

[Fifitrix]

Hey Porfor,

Well done with the bedtime.  I found my chooks did that at first.  Milly would always come around to the back door to remind me that I hadn't put them to bed but Molly's a dirty stop out so there was no point trying to do it too early.  Actually the first night we got them they tried to roost in the trees and one of our neighbours who had no idea that we'd got hens came round and said 'you'll never guess what's in your tree'!!!  :shock:  :shock:  

Anyway, just a word of warning, we did that whole feeding out of our hand thing when we first got them and it was lovely.  They would come and stand on our laps and peck away like vultures.  But after a while it got a bit annoying and they'd kind of attack us the minute we walked out of the door.  So I wonder if we hadn't have done that whether they would be slightly less aggressive on the pecking us thing?  :roll:   Maybe not cos we haven't fed them from our hands for ages and they still jump into our laps to double check.  :roll:

The incubator is borrowed.  I got the bug bad from a friend who's got it even worse than me.  She's gone from 2 to 12 chickens in 6 months!  So I've got 6 eggs from Ebay in an incubator and am SOOOOOOOOO excited!  Due date is next Thursday/Friday.

[Porffor]

ooh i'll revise the feeding from hand then.. makes sense i guess.. we hand fed our pony when we first got him then had to stop when he started raiding pockets and nipping us. He doesn't do it now and knows he only gets a treat after 'work' and once he's in the field and we have left the field! he waits very patiently now.

Had to laugh at your neighbour! That's funny!
My next door neighbour (we're a semi) knows and has seen them as they are on the side of our mutual fence. She made me laugh today asking if i was playing music to the chickens... I had to let her know gently that it WAS the chickens making the 'music'

Ooh not long till the chick appear then! would love to have chicks hatch.. maybe one day! lol just don't tell my hubby! lol just not sure what we'd do if we got boys though...  :?

[Nats]

Hi Porffor,

I've had my chickens 3 weeks now and they're doing fine...

They've put themselves to bed every night since the first night (it's funny how each hen is different, isn't it!) and I love going down and closing the door behind them.

No eggs yet, either! One of them was about 19 weeks when we bought her, the other was a couple weeks younger...I keep checking everyday but nothing yet! Hopefully all of our chickens will start laying soon.

They seem happy enough...

x

[compostqueen]

I got mine at 19 weeks and the first one laid at 24 weeks, the other 2 days later and the third on at 27 weeks.

I love to hear their chatter  

[Porffor]

Sounds like they are all happy.

It is really funny watching and learning their characters. and even their noises! lol

Nice to know the varied age of laying. i'm sure (would lay money on it) that Shimmer will be first to lay, she just seems braver. or maybe the mumsy one will be scarlet, who knows! lol

I think they are 19 weeks or so.. from what I can remember - I was in a state of excitement remember! I know the girl in the feed store well so will have a natter when i'm down there next. She has two black rocks from the same breeder/supplier.

I'm in no rush for eggs, but check daily.. just in case! I don't honestly think the girls have been indoors during the day!  :roll:

[Fifitrix]

You can tell when they're ready to lay as they start to crouch when you go to pick them up.  (It's them being ready for a cock to mount them).  Oh dear we seem to be back to Sex Ed again.  :roll:

[Porffor]

oooh well now then, Shimmer did that yesterday! lol thought she was just showing she didn't mind my picking her up! but well if she was being a floosy we may see some eggs! lol

[DeadlyNightshade]

We better not let anyone hear us talking here or we'll be sent straight off to the mental home

I only have my six since 2 days, they're over a year and I got 6 eggs already. They are so funny but not that friendly with me yet.... I might get a bit more quality time with them at the weekend to get to know them individually (sofar I only know Helene, the dog victim )

[Porffor]

Absolutely!
hubby has just been laughing at my road runner chase.. girls went to bed, i went to close their door and they came out!  :roll: Scarlet decided to run circles around her coop.. with me in close persuit! lol She even did an assult course, up and over some logs and through her shelter! lol

Got her in the end though

[DeadlyNightshade]

I had to take a long stick to prevent them to go to places that I just had them got out of   Worked ok

But my farming friend (the one who provides lodging for all my stock )stood watching them for a while with me, too

[peggyprice]

Week 1:  Four pretty hens, all settled in.  Dorothy starts eating own eggs.
Week 2:  Princess Layer develops unidentified neurological condition, has to go to great hen house in the sky.
Week 3:  Clara and Sunshine arrive.  Bullied & feather pecked by Dorothy.  Who is still eating own eggs.
Week 4:  Dorothy stops eating own eggs - stops laying them altogether.  Celia stops laying altogether as well.
Week 5:  Lice.  Possibly cause of failure in egg production.  Possibly not.  Who knows?  Chickens won't tell me.  :evil:

Only things left to worry about for novice chicken keeper:  foxes and worms.  Possibly both at the same time.  :shock:

Total number of eggs to date:  59. From 5 and a bit hens.  Average of 2 and a bit eggs per hen per week. Cost of feed to date:  £12.  Cost of everything else:  don't want to go there.  Cost per egg:  lots more than would be from the supermarket.  Humph :!:  :!:  :!:

Compost bin filling up well though.

 

[peggyprice]

PS  And they do put themselves to bed at night.  Don't offer me any of the cocoa though  :evil: