[Fat Hen]

Hi i'm new to chicken keeping, i've been reading posts on this site since I got my chicks just over a month ago.  Lots of useful and amusing info here.  I've fancied keeping chickens for a while now and when I found out there were some chickens going free to a good home then I took the plunge (the Yorkshire in me couldn't resist it owt for nowt tha knows) .  Used the excuse that they'd make good and different pets for my two young daughters.  So we got a buff Silkie, a black Silkie (although she's got a lot of brown in looks like partridge silkie) and a Sultan.  Presently in temporary accomadation in a rabbit hutch & 6' sq run.  I think the chicken keeping rules have gone out the window with these chucks.  They get fed treats from the breakfast table, my daughter lets them out of their run on a morning and they hang around the french windows at breakfast time like greedy labradors. They are really cheeky chucks they have destroyed a window box I had prepared for the front garden, and I caught them attacking my chilli plants just in time (now back safely ensconsed in greenhouse.  My daughters have fed them chips (chicken & chips) which they really enjoyed but their favourite snack/treat by far is meal worms as soon as they here the tub rattle they come running.  They also appear to like human company they'll sit in the hen house (rabbit hutch) until you start pottering around in the garden then they come out and follow you around.  They come in the house regularly jumping over our old german shepherd dog (one of two that we have) in the process.  No eggs as yet but not really surprised I believe silkies not good layers and daughters don't help.  The only thing i'm dissapointed about is that they don't appear to like slugs with which we are plagued.  Though they make up for this by keeping my grass short no need for lawnmower now.

[Aunt Sally]

Would you eat slugs rather than chips  :?:

Chickens really are fun and great pets.  Do try to get them onto a good diet or you will have lots of health problems with them  :!:   Only give them treats in the late afternoon.  They will have eaten plenty of chicken feed by then.  Watch of for foxes if there are ny round your way  

[Fat Hen]

Aunt Sally - most of the time the chickens do get a proper chicken diet organic layers available all time supplemented with a corn mix also oyster shell grit.  I try to encourage children to give things like cabbage & dandelions picked on way home from school.  Though they do get the odd bit of dry cereal at weekend/holidays.    The meal worms though i'm fighting a losing battle with as the kids (age 3 & 6) raid the stores.  There mainly kept so my other half can get them back in the pen when she goes out.  They generally have free run of the garden and are usually only tucked away safe in their pen if there is no-one in the house, it's raining and at night (we get some fowl looks when they're shut in).  

We have an awful lot of cats in our area and once saw a hen harrier  though i've not seen any foxes.

[Aunt Sally]

Sounds like you're treating them well.  Part of keeping family pets it to teach children how to care for them   Small treats late afternoon will help them bond, but too many will shorten their lives    , the pet's not the children's :?

Enjoy your chooks,  I think silkies are beautiful  :!:  Do post a picture if you can