[FCG]

CompostQueen, roosting bar up marm! :salut:

If layers has some grit in it, i'll buy the combo oyster & grit for £3 (1.5kg). I plan to put in sand and recycle eggshell by roasting it to boot.

[too many girls]

hiMike, how are your girls today, they haven't blown away have they?

[FCG]

Hey too many girls. Well they are battling against the wind. They are still getting used to the area and venturing further and further away from their coop. They get blown around a bit but not over. Unfortunately no proper feeders or drinks as yet so they will knock dishes over.

Scoffing all the greens i pop in, so thats a good sign. They are showing good laying potential and have already got used to my presence as long as i'm outside the fence. Plus they have gotten used to my voice. Not got down how much feed i should be giving them each day so i expect they are scoffing themselves silly!

[poultrygeist]

Purely from memory, I think it's something like 100-150g pellets/day but could be wrong.

I think ours get through about 10kg/day each  :?  

Remember that the pellets contain all the trace elements, etc that they need so don't overdo the treats or they'll fill up on sweets and not want what's really good for them.
Although if they're free-ranging, they'll presumably pick up plenty from teh grass and bugs they eat, as well as the flowers and veg that they'll demolish given a chance.  

Rob  

[FCG]

They had a bowlful this morning and a bowlful at lunch. Oh and all the greenery they can scoff. But they are a bit strange, they prefer to knock the food out of the secured bowl and then peck it up. Is this normal?

[Vember]

o yes hens love to scrat about for their food
Mine constantley knock over dishes  

If you want to get them hand tame try getting some dried mealworms, a few of those in your hand and they'll love you forever

[poultrygeist]

Bear in mind they probably won't be used to a bowl and scratching on the ground and pecking is their natural behaviour.
When you get a feeder, if you put upon a brick or 2 so it's at the right height for them to lean forward and peck out of that, they'll get on fine.

We had ours on the ground to start with and they just stood in it and scratched and chucked it all over the palce rather than just peck out of it.

We now have a hanging feeder which is about 4" or so off the ground.

Likewise the drinker is on a 2 bricks side by side.

Rob  

[FCG]

I've never read that anywhere in my research, so thanks tons rob. Vember, i'll definitely get on the dried mealworm situation as i really want them tame i want to be able to read and have a chicken sat on me.

That's what put me initially on this route, a resturant with a very large garden used to keep free range chickens, ducks and geese. They where so tame they would wander about outside around people eating for scraps. I always tried catching one and once i had one and sat it down on me it would stay there, snoozing. Such a long time ago. Of course, they have all gone now.

[poultrygeist]

Muntjac's tip is to put some corn in your hand/pocket and wander round teh run/garden dropping bits as you go. That way they associate you with food. I tried it because they were flying up and attacking me when I went in the run. I think it did help.
Generally spend as much time with them as you can and you'll become one of them. There's lots of tips for when they get stroppy or won't let yo pick them up. I had loads of advice from Babe and others.

Rob  

[FCG]

Thanks, i'll probably have to coax some advice out of babe with cute pictures If you're reading this babe, chip in please!

I'll post a picture tomorrow of where i put the roosting bar. I'm not sure i put it in the right place as its near the vent at the top and their heads are level with said vent = draughty?

They havn't got the hang of using the upper tier yet.

[Vember]

If you want things to sit on you get a goose  



You wont get much reading done though  

Oh yeh an they do more than sit  :roll:

[Porffor]

like add a H maybe? great photo

Great news they are getting on well. hope you get the feeders sorted soon. I got some enamel big ones (5L each) from ebay if you want the link from the seller let me know they do 2.5L too and were good for delivery costs and speed of delivery.

[FCG]

I'll rather go with plastic thanks Purple, as i'm planning to give them cod liver oil added to the feed occasionally and Apple cider vinegar in the drink.

Seeing as i now have a debit card, as i cant abide credit cards or passbooks i'll go check out ebay.

Vember i really couldn't keep geese. Hoooonk honk honk equals neighbours dog purposely being put over the fence to sort it out...
Ducks however, i might be able to get away with.

[chickchick]

ohhh im dead envious, lovely chooks. hubby has finally finished our recycled coop just run to go now. and this week im going to keep nagging him until its done!!  

[FCG]

Before i buy what size feeder and drinker should i get?