Got my hens!!!!

Dannii · « **on:** June 22, 2008, 22:05 »

Hi!

I just popped into the poultry centre today to pick up equipment ready for the hens arrival on tuesday but they said I could take a house that was already finished being built so I ended up getting everything today - also my original 3 hens changed to 4 :o) It has started already hasn't it :o) I had a lovely large bill at the end of £387!! (not including the building of the enclosure!) but I love them already!!

My son was soooo sweet with them (he will be 3 next week) and he is stroking them and telling them that they are at their new house and finding snails for them (although they have no clue what to do with them!)

Only negative thing that happened is that as advised I put my dog (bichon frise) on a lead as he was barking and driving us all crazy and took him into the enclosure ip icked up a hen to let him sniff it and he NIPPED IT!!!! she had a tiny bit of blood on the red thing near her nose (is it called a gissel?!) do I need to do anything to treat her or will she heal fine? I obviously removed the dog straight away and he got a severe telling off and locked in the house. My thoughts from how I should handle the situation from now on is leave thew hens in their enclosure for a week or so until they are settled then when they feel happy I hope when they are let out they will peck the little person any time he comes near, then he will give up?! - any other thoughts would be gratefully received!!!

The hybrids I have got are all 17 weeks old and are 1x bovan black, 1 x silver nick white, 2 x goldline brown - although I think these are 2 different types, I will double check in the week with them - one is brown/ginger with cream tail feathers and chest feathers and one is more brown/ginger all over with a darker tail I think!!

Anyway!!! That is my enormous post over with! Obviously pics will follow - however I have NO idea how to put them on here!! Any help regarding already injured chook would be greatly received- also any advice as to what to do with my VERY NAUGHTY dog would be equally well received!!

Dannii

Vember · « **Reply #1 on:** June 22, 2008, 22:14 »

You might find the dog was reacting because everything is so new, maybe a bit jealous? I find if i'm pottering in the garden with my hens the dogs are more intrested in the poop

We have however got a 4 month old Blue Mearle Collie who loves to try and chase, I just say No very loudly and she stops dead, I do find myself doing that alot though

Really pleased for you that you got your new hens and that dog aside things are going ok.
I would leave the injured one till morning and if the others start trying to peck at her injury then it might be best to try and get some purple spray for it.

Can't wait for Photo's

Vember

kimT · « **Reply #2 on:** June 22, 2008, 22:39 »

Love to see some pic's.

Poolfield2 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 22, 2008, 22:46 »

We told you that you can never have enough chooks, wonder how many you will have by this time next year?

I wanted 3 when I started and now I have 6 adults, 7 babies and a friend who is moving jobs later in the year may want me to foster 12 more. (don't tell him indoors the last bit)

Brambles · « **Reply #4 on:** June 22, 2008, 22:54 »

Hi Dannii. I have a springer spaniel, he chases ANY large bird. If he can he will catch a pheasant when we walk in the woods and he will kill it immediately. I have tried for years to stop this, he is totally obedient in every other way. I would not risk him with my hens, so my girls are safely penned in their own area of our garden.

dawnsmith · « **Reply #5 on:** June 23, 2008, 07:38 »

Well done on the trolly-dash. It must have been realy fun

We were down there yesterday - found the dreaded red mite in the coop! Followed the advice from the good people here (and there!), and not a single crawley this morning!

We had problems with our border collie chasing the chooks when we first got them. We got fed up with hearing ourselves saying 'no Millie!' She calmed down soon enough though, and we have no problems leaving her in the garden with the chooks now. As Vember said, the horrible creature now follows the chooks only to eat their poo!!

Enjoy your chooks

Porffor · « **Reply #6 on:** June 23, 2008, 08:20 »

Congrats on getting all you need.. and chooks too!

I have two terriers who were barking and boncing around outside the run when i first brought the chooks home. They were fine wiht me in the garden and telling them off, and it all soon calmed down. The chooks don't actually seemed bothered the barking to be honest, they don't do it now much at all. I caught one barking at a chook yesterday.. because she had some bread and he wanted it!

he's that sort of dog..

You could get some wound powder or purple spray from your feed store (used for horses) it'd be handy to have in the cupboard.

OH and my chooks have no idea what to do with a snail either.. but LOVE worms.. suck them up like spaghetti!

blossom1044 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 23, 2008, 10:06 »

Excellent Dannii you'll loose hours.

Get that spray though as it is very good and ever so useful.

Our Labrador likes to chase the chooks up and down the pen, but a stern no and he stops. Leave it a few days with chooks in the pen and dog outside before you next introduce. We're going to leave it a week, so as the chickens are calmed down and zebeedee calms down - yep that's his name - a bouncing drakes head labrador - all 100lb of him. He's a whimp and a big softie really. If the chicken came near him he'd run away. He used to with the others when they were free ranging. Though chickens being chickens they do taunt him. They stand and give him the eye!

Our other dog is a cocker spaniel who is mad and scaty. He's called Merlin as he wiz's around all over the place. He's not remotely interested in the chickens unless it is their food! He used to knock the last chockens feed over and eat it. He's a terribly greedy dog. He only starts barking when Zeb gets excited. He prefers the rabbit and rats. No we don't have rats as pets yuck, but I think Merlin thinks he's a jack russel as he loves to dig out their nests to get them. :evil: Luckily we don't have any at moment, but any in the garden get a good barking, chased and he's caught one once. Frightened the life out of me to see this rat in his mouth. It wasn't dead either. It was trying to wriggle and bite Merlin, but it didn't get away. He wouldn't let go. DH had to prize the rat out of Merlins mouth and then killed it. Yuck. Merlin went straight to the vets and luckily escaped without any injurys though he had to antibiotics. Now take the dog on a shoot and he'll run away from the birds - show him a rabbit or rat hole and he'll dig them out! He's supposed to be a pure breed working cocker spaniel! Daft as a brush if you ask me!

I am rambling

Sorry for grosing everyone out.

bockhamptoners · « **Reply #8 on:** June 23, 2008, 10:14 »

we are nearly finished making the hen house and are really looking forward to getting the girls! we too have a big lab but i know she wont bother with the chickens but we do have a JRT and she has caught rats before and i do worry about her and the chickens. after reading this post it has only confirmed that we will have to introduce cats and dogs slowly.

FCG · « **Reply #9 on:** June 23, 2008, 10:31 »

I had a terrible experience once, i was walking down outside the neighbours who keeps chickens and a JRT and a JRT cross by the looks of things had tunneled in and where in a killing rage... so be careful if they have the ratting instinct ingrained in her.

Bear · « **Reply #10 on:** June 23, 2008, 14:29 »

Quote from: "Dannii"

Hi!

I just popped into the poultry centre today to pick up equipment ready for the hens arrival on tuesday but they said I could take a house that was already finished being built so I ended up getting everything today - also my original 3 hens changed to 4 :o) It has started already hasn't it :o) I had a lovely large bill at the end of £387!! (not including the building of the enclosure!) but I love them already!!

...

Dannii

Nice one Dannii. I'm very jealous, our chooks won't be arriving until September now.

sounds like a big well done to the prople at Thorne's too.

mdueal · « **Reply #11 on:** June 23, 2008, 16:27 »

Our eldest spaniel is not problem at all with them - the youngest doesnt bother with the silkies and sultan but loves to chase the sebrights given half a chance as they are flappy and he must think it is a game. Also our dogs are well trained gun dogs so they are used being made to leave and wait even though there are tempting things around them!
We have only had one problem with a dog and that was next doors disgusting little terrier who ripped one of our chickens to pieces in front of me - still waiting for proper apology and offer of replacement - I guess its never coming!!

mumsy · « **Reply #12 on:** June 23, 2008, 20:40 »

Terriers were originally bred for catching/chasing................Labs, retrievers etc for retrieving, so usually ok with livestock. I have a westie & a dachshund, would never let them near the chooks. They love watching them through the fence though & its great when Rosie pecks their noses

They got used to them quite quickly but at first they were always barking at them. They do get fed up when the girls are out in the garden & they are the ones fenced off from them

So take it slowly...........cats are generally ok with chooks tho, reading other peoples posts on here.

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Got my hens!!!!

Dannii

Got my hens!!!!

Vember

Got my hens!!!!

kimT

Got my hens!!!!

Poolfield2

Got my hens!!!!

Brambles

Got my hens!!!!

dawnsmith

Got my hens!!!!

Porffor

Got my hens!!!!

blossom1044

Got my hens!!!!

bockhamptoners

Got my hens!!!!

FCG

Got my hens!!!!

Bear

Re: Got my hens!!!!

mdueal

Got my hens!!!!

mumsy

Got my hens!!!!

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