Hi everyone.....It's been a few weeks since I've logged on and all of you with experience said it would be OK and so far it has been! Nigella, Ina and Myrtle have all settled in and I'm in a routine, feeding, cleaning daily, dishing out the occassional treat and yes....talking to chickens!
Their new run arrived complete with waterproof roof and their house sits inside. They flap about inside quite hapilly and jump up on the roof of their house. The run is 9ft by 6ft by 6ft and I've put wood chippings (the right sort) on the floor. They dig for England in there and throw it about in ernest.
I tried "the suspended cabbage on a rope" diversion activity and they thoroughly enjoyed it....obliterating said cabbage in record time and I have learnt to watch my back when holding a corn on the cob....I think they might actually kill to get at them if push came to shove! I have suspended their water drinker so they don't bury it in chippings and it seems to keep the water cleaner. They are drinking well so I assume the height off of the floor (6 inches) isn't causing them any probs, and I've changed their feeder from a trough on the floor to a wall mounted one for the same reason. They are tucking into their layers as well as some corn and they love anything green......including clothing
Wondering however if we have "attack chickens". 2 in particular, Nigella and Ina will flap up at me when it's feeding time and when I put their water down they peck at me. They do the same when I refill their feeder...it doesn't hurt but it does make me jump. They all like anything that sparkles...rings watches etc and they "eye" me up like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock film...... Have read about coughs on this site as Ina has developed a weird cartoon like cough/hiccup :blink: It doesn't happen very often and she's not breathless, her eyes are bright and clear, no runny nose and she doesn't feel hotter than the others, she's eating OK and drinking too; but I'm keeping an eye on her.
Our very dear friends have become step parents who have had a couple of practice runs re looking after them so they are prepared when we go on our hols soon. I've e mailed them a link to the site in case they have questions whilst we're away (you never know!). They think I'm completely mad but then apparently they both bought (independantly of each other) organic....yes organic! greens for them as a treat. In fact 2 out of the 3 girls were laying consistently and then we went away for 2 nights and Myrtle started to lay for the first time! We're now getting 3 eggs most days. I can't believe how much they've all grown, especially Myrtle...who's almost twice as big as when we got her. When she arrived her comb was more of a stub and very pale...it's now bigger and pink
. Well I've bored you all with my update
...but views are welcome if there is anything in here that I can improve on or change. Oh... have also dusted for red mite and clipped wings...interesting first time around and my husband and I couldn't stop laughing but we managed
. Should I upload some photos or would that be toooooo boring?
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April 28, 2012, 12:58