[Langers]

Hi,

I'm a new member who needs some advice.

We have just collected our new hens having never kept them before.
We have a buff sussex, wellsummer and a creme legbar.
My understanding is that they are approximately 8 weeks old although I suspect the creme legbar might be a bit younger as she is much smaller than the other two.

They all seem very happy and they are all eating well and regularly but neither my wife or I have seen any of them drinking yet? Should we be concerned about this?

Also, the little one seems a little bit hunched? alyhough she is happily joining in with the other and having a good scratch around. She certainly isn't stood on her own. Is this typical for a younger bird?

[Rubellite]

What have you offered them their water in?
Maybe it's not the sort of drinker that they are used to.
Chickens usually take a day or two to settle in. When they realise that your arrival means treats and food, they'll soon look more lively, no doubt. 

[Vember]

Hi Langers

Welcome to the forum

Is there any chance you could pop a photo of the legbar on here? If she is younger then she may have only just come off heat and may be feeling a bit chilly
Did they all come from the same breeder did they mention anything about when they came off heat?

What are you feeding them on?

Sarah

[Langers]

For the water we have a traditional galvanised feeder. I know that they weren't drinking from one of these in the run at the breeders. the water was just in a large deep dish.

Yes they did all come from the same breeder. He told me that they had been outside for two weeks. I'll try and get a picture of the Legbar tomorrow.

We are feeding them on a growers pellet/mash combination that the breeder gave us.

[karlooben]

i would think they would still need chick crumb at that age ?

[Langers]

That might be my error. It could have been a growers pellet and crumb mix. Would that sound right?

Still trying to get to grips with all these new phrases and product names! It's like a new language!

[Vember]

Normally they would come off chick crumbs at 6/7 weeks then on to growers so yes that's more than likely the right mix Langers



Sarah

[Langers]

Just read something on the poultry pages which says that 'chickens will not eat the food if they cannot drink'.

Is this true? Perhaps they are just drinking when we are not there? Do they actually drink a lot of water?

[Vember]

Not massive amounts and they do seem to prefer puddles

[snowflake]

besides putting a dish of water in the run, try to sprinkle a few chick crumbs on the water
of the galvanised so when they go and have a peck they will find water. I do this for young chicks just a few sprinkled on the top to show them. hope this makes sence.

[meterman]

 The Cream legbar is a slightly lighter breed than the other 2 so will always look smaller.

[Lydia-Maria]

Hi,sprinkling a few crumbs onto the water is a good idea.I got my first hens on sunday,ex-battery.They didn't work out their drinker initially(sunday)but did today which was a relief for me,I was sorting out a cup feeder to put on the side of their run  .
My drinker holds 1.5 litres,they drunk 2/3 of that today.

[beulah59]

I fill a large dog bowl with water each morning (and a drop of Apple Cider Vinegar ACV) and my four ex-batts (with us a week now!) get through most of it in a day ...

[Langers]

I moved the drinker last night and put it nearer to their feeder and it seems to have worked. All three were having a good drink this morning when I left for work.

The creme legbar is still hunched all the time. She's joining in with the others and having a good scratch around and drinking and eating plenty etc. and she occasionally trys to snuggle up to the other two bigger hens. Could she be cold? Is there anything we can do to help or is this just part of the hardening up process?

The two bigger hens seem to have mastered the ladder up and down to the hen house but I've only seen the legbar going down so far. Had to manually lift them all up last night as they started nodding off under the house. Will the legbar work out how to get up there in her own time? I'm a bit concerned that if she is cold she cant get up there on her own yet to keep warm?

[Sarah Mitchell]

Hi Langers.  The chickens will get the hang of going to bed but you may have to help them for a few days!  The little one may be feeling the cold or she might be a bit under the weather... or she might indeed be a bit young.  In my experience Cream Legbars usually grow at least as quickly as sussex and other large fowl and she should really be the same size as your other chickens.

You may want to consider bringing her inside into a warm area to see if she perks up - if she does she may be just that bit too young to be outside and you may need to keep her in for another week or so.  You may also need to just check her over for signs of illness.

Hope this helps - fingers crossed!