Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => Chicken Chat => Topic started by: nerdle on June 02, 2013, 10:01
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Well after my livestock market purchase I could see the the two girls I bought would never be tame so sold them and yesterday purchased three pekin 8 week chicks from a breeder up the road from me. I will take his advice about keeping them in for the first week then allow them onto the lawn on dry days after that.
They are SO adorable (pics to follow really soon) and not having chick feeder gear I put their growers mash into a shallow dish where they proceeded to jump in a dustbathe! It's now in sturdy shallow jam jars so they can't climb in. Should I provide a dustbath in a tray for them - they looked so happy having a good clean!!!??
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might be easier having a high sided movable pen which you put put on the soil. If sunny like today, I would have outside day and inside night.
What will you do if you have a cockerel?
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Hello again
The breeder scrutinised each one and is pretty confident they are girls.
I'm so in love - this is what I wanted in the first place really. Names so far: Whity, Chocky and Lavvy!
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I'm glad you finally got what you were after and it's all worked out well.
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Lovely chicks nerdle, their combs do look pale so fingers crossed they are all girls. :)
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Couldn't resist letting them out today - they seem so happy to explore and scratch the ground.
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glad your all sorted out now .... look forward to reading updates on them :)
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Thank you - hoping they grow to be pretty happy girls.
Just occurs to me... I'm leaving their food out all the time (in the coop) - which will attract mice soon so must do something. Should I take food away at night? Or put them in a hamster cage with it at night (mice will still be attracted).... Also - afraid of leaving then unsupervised in the garden - would a magpie take them?
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Mice can get through the tiniest of holes. Could you hang the feeder so they can't get at the food (the mice that is)? Magpies shouldn't be a problem but a female sparrowhawk will kill pigeons.
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Good idea - will browse internet. Have had a Sparrowhawk here before eating its kill on my lawn. Might have to make a temp covered run for them then. Just witnessed first communal sunny dustbathe - heavenly!
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They are cute, the same age as my pekins where when I got them :)
I think mine were better trained though as they did not dust bath in their food bowl :lol:
They are still cute, I really love my pekins as I'm sure you will yours.
Hannah :)
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They are lovely - well worth the wait :).
Re leaving the food out all the time, as well as mice another problem I have found is slugs which go for the food and also spoil some of whats left with their slimy trails. I always try and bring all the food in at night now, unless I am away.
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Cute isn't the word! How am I supposed to work during this lovely warm and dry week and these little chickadees exploring the garden? Hanging feeders with me soon. They sleep in an open shoe box (with one low side) and I change their kitchen roll 'mattress' each day!
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Two more....
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You can always make a little roost bar for them out of some doweling. That way they will keep their feathers cleaner.