[chickenlicken]

Hi all

Well our ladies seem to have settled in well so far, we bought them home on Sunday morning and everything has been going well..........but have a couple of questions!

I have noticed that the nest boxes are dirty in the morning and this evening found all 5 girls squeezed into the boxes, 1 in each and the other 3 perched along the sides, I read on here that it is best to discourage them roosting in their nest boxes so this evening I have moved them all and put a piece of cardboard across them so they can't get in, is that right??

Can anyone advise when to start feeding greens?  At the moment they are all in their run as we wanted to give them time to acclimatise before letting them into the garden.  I have given them some grass and brocolli and noticed some runny poo yesterday and wondered if it was that because they hadn't had before??
We are feeding layers pellets and a handful of corn late afternoon but not sure what else to give yet and how much??

Our Bluebelle has feathered feet, is there anything special we need to do for her?

One last question - should we have something in the run for the girls to jump on and off - ie. log, few bricks etc??

Sorry, very daft questions but want to do it right!!

Thanks
Tracey

[colliebird]

Hi all

Well our ladies seem to have settled in well so far, we bought them home on Sunday morning and everything has been going well..........but have a couple of questions!

I have noticed that the nest boxes are dirty in the morning and this evening found all 5 girls squeezed into the boxes, 1 in each and the other 3 perched along the sides, I read on here that it is best to discourage them roosting in their nest boxes so this evening I have moved them all and put a piece of cardboard across them so they can't get in, is that right??

Can anyone advise when to start feeding greens?  At the moment they are all in their run as we wanted to give them time to acclimatise before letting them into the garden.  I have given them some grass and brocolli and noticed some runny poo yesterday and wondered if it was that because they hadn't had before??
We are feeding layers pellets and a handful of corn late afternoon but not sure what else to give yet and how much??

Our Bluebelle has feathered feet, is there anything special we need to do for her?

One last question - should we have something in the run for the girls to jump on and off - ie. log, few bricks etc??

Sorry, very daft questions but want to do it right!!

Thanks
Tracey

There's no such thing as a daft question!!  Do you have enough roosting perches for your hens?  If there is only one, is it long enough?
Just as it's getting dusk is when they start to settle.  Take each one and place it on the roosting perch.  They should go up there by themselves after that. 
Maybe where you got them from they were allowed to sleep wherever they wanted/didn't have perches??

Hope this helps

Valerie

xx

[poultrygeist]

And as regards the run, yes, they like to have some things to perch on and explore.

Make sure there's plenty of ground area left for them but the extra perching allows them to get away from each other and express their natural behaviour by gaining some higher space.

Rob

[SnooziSuzi]

from what you have written it looks like you have researched well before getting your girls - Yay You!

My chooks like to have enough space to run and almost take off!! but on top of that I have an old trampoline frame (minus trampoline sheet - that would be just too silly!  ) and a ladder and they seem happy enough, if a bit noisy!

[chickenlicken]

Thanks all, we have two 3ft low perches but think you're right Valerie, they just are not used to perching.  I am keeping the nesting boxes blocked off for a few days to stop them using them for roosting as none ready to lay yet, is that ok?

Going to try wing clipping tomorrow as very anxious they will try and check the neighbours gardens out when we let them roam at the weekend 

Thanks for your replies, re-assuring to know you are all out there to answer the questions, apologies if they keep coming.

Off to try my girlies with some spaghetti from tonights dinner!!

Tracey

[FRUITFULL]

What great questions!all these little tips are to benifit the chookies welfare and i have just learnt from them!
Thanks Chickenlicken 
Its a bit like asking which way up to plant a chitting spud!But we dont know what we dont know without asking.

[smiler43]

Fruitful  -  We have 1 girl that like to sit in the nest box so we wait til they are all in bed then go in and pick her out and place her on the perch.  We keep doing it til she stops, then she's ok for a while, then we starts again!