# Does anyone keep chickens?



## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

I would love to talk to anyone who keeps chickens! i got my first girls (sage and onion) in October but sadly, Mr.Fox ate them for his christmas dinner  
We now have 2 newbies who we have had a week, thay are rescue battery hens and are in a bit of a bad way...Am hoping they will perk up and gain confidence (aswell as a few feathers!) they are great layers so far but they seem a bit sad unlike my crazy girls who used to run like crazy down the garden to greet me (cos they knew i would have food for them!) It is so lovely keeping chickens, makes you feel a bit like a farmer and at one with nature! and the poo is great for the garden!  
pobby xx


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

I think Liz (Magpie) has a couple of chickens. I've considered keeping them but worry about what would happen in the winter as I couldn't being them in as I have cats


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi Sailaice
thanks for the reply! I can highly recommend keeping chickens. We have an eglu which is a modern funky hen house with a run and a kind of pod that they sleep in at night. It is double insulated so cosy in the winter and cool in the summer. They are a bit pricey at £400 but you can get all sorts of hen houses. they are pretty hardy outdoor types so dont need to be brought in at all..We have a cat and pretty much all the cats around have popped in at one time or another for a little nose at the chickens, they dont tend to bother them and if they get too close a peck on the nose normally sorts them out!
I find it really therapeutic tending to them and they produce really tasty eggs..
go on! get some!!
love pobby x


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

oooo I'll need to convince hubby   Can you let them out of the eglu and do they escape if so? How did Mr Fox get the last ones?


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Pooby there is nothing like fresh eggs. I have 4 chickens. 2 reds and 2 buff orpingtons. And they are all fat lol. I brought them off ebay last summer. They were selling the shed with free chickens but they had 5 chickens in a little coop deff not big enough. Anyway unfortunately 3 died because they were infested with red mite   It took me weeks of scrubbing and constant cleaning ( and expensive lotions ) to get rid of them and im hoping that i wont get them this summer. I brought some more to go with them and lost another 1 so now we have 4.  The reds are so friendly they even try and come in the house  . The puppy is always playing with them. And at the moment they have gone into egg over drive and im getting more than i can eat so i give them to my mum or neighbours.  They have such cheeky personalities. Today one of them sat on the fence while i was sorting out there feed and as soon as i moved she nose dived into the food bag  . 
I love most animals and although i dont have a huge garden or house i have around 30 ish. Most of which are birds of some sort or other  
Its nice that there is someone like me who love chickens
Luv sally x x


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hello all!

Thanks for telling about this thread Sailaice!

Pobby, I have two chickens in an eglu too. I love them soooo much! Sorry to hear that the fox got your last two  , I'm sure your news girls will pick up with the love and attention you give them! Our two are very cheeky, we call them the cheeky girls. They are very good layers and have very distinctive personalities.

Sally - 30ish animals! Do you have any ducks? We are thinking of digging a pond in our paddock and getting some ducks.

Liz
x


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

OOh lovely, great to hear some of you share my love of chickens! Really great to meet you!
Sailaice, we do let the hens out of the eglu cos I find the run a bit small but we are in the process of extending the run..They dont escape because they cant fly. Luckily we have a good size garden so they have plenty of room to scratch around. They make their own way back to the eglu at dusk to roost. Unfortunately, back in Dec we went out to a concert. Somehow we got a bit lax and both thought the other had closed the run door of the eglu.It was the first time we ever forgot. When we got home the fox had snuck into the eglu and taken them both. We were really distraught and felt so guilty because we really let them down    Liz is right they are such little characters. As soon as sage and onion heard the gate door they would race down the garden and start jumping up because they knew I always had a nice treat for them..they were the greediest chickens! These 2 are nothing like in comparison but am sure that will change! Sage used to jump up and sit on my outstretched arm...they are fab!
Liz, what colour is your eglu? I love the pink ones but I bought it for my DP for his birthday so I bought a red one cos he supports Arsenal! I have actually started to put straw on the roosting bars now on paper because I think it is cosier for them and they seemt to like it..Does your dominant girl sleep in the laying box? silly question i know but with my other 2 the boss lady always slept in the egg box and its the same with these 2..interestingly it is Ugly Betty who is practically featherless who is the boss out of these 2 and keeps dear little Mildred in check!
I could waffle on forever about them so hope I wont bore you too much! Everyone at works thinks I'm mad!
Sally, I am very envious that you have 4! That is so great..really like the pics. I dont eat that many eggs so am starting to give them away. I would love to have a small holding eventually as really like the idea of keeping a few goats and a pig! I must admit I would like a bigger chicken house but the eglus are pretty low maintenance.
well hoping I get to speak to you again soon..
pobby x


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Sally just noticed that you will be having treatment same time as me...I should start flare protocol on 15th! Lets hope our girls great egg production rubs off on us!  
Liz, you are having twins! that's amazing...hope it is all going well for you! x


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Wow Liz IUI twins thats great   
I would love ducks but my garden isnt big enough. I have got rabbits, chickens and an avairy in there already   I would love a couple of pigmy goats but there is no room left   Would love to win the lotto and run a small farm or animal sanctuary. I love my animals. My brother moans at me when ever i get a new one   I just cant help myself.
Oh an my chickens are called .......... Chicken lickin ( red one and dominant ) , fighter ( red and coz when we got her she had feathers missing and her comb was half pulled off her head scruffy lookin and kept fighting wiv chicken lickin ), clara ( fat buff orpington ) and Maude ( another buff )

Luv sally x x


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## shupa (Jul 14, 2004)

Morning chicken girls... can I join you? I have got Floyd, Patsy and Eddie who live in a blue eglu. DH bought them for me last year for a wedding anniversary pressie, and I love having them! I used to have the eglu on the lawn, but they could trash it very fast and I ended up putting them on a bark chip base. I don't let them out as our fences are not secure, also we back onto a park and often have foxes coming in to the garden. I have just seen in Tchibo they have a small animal run for sale, and I am tempted to buy it so I can let them out on the grass for a munch in safety for a short while each day. 

Jo x


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Morning all!

Here is a pic of my chickens!










Buttercup is the one with the light feathers round her neck and the other one is Blossom. They are a Rhode Island Red and Light Sussex cross.

Welcome Jo! Love your chickens names! They are great pets aren't they! The wood chip base is a good idea to get them off the lawn. We used to have them in the garden, and they did wreck the lawn so the eglu is now in our paddock - where it can be moved frequently and the grass isn't as neat at the garden, so it doesn't matter so much! Fab to see that you had a natural BFP - hope your feeling well!

Sally, my DH would have loads of animals if I let him, but I know that I would be looking after them! Up until now we have been traveling a lot for business so I didn't think it was fair to take on lots of animals, and now that we have twins on the way, priorities have changed somewhat!

Pobby, we have an orange Eglu - nice and bright I thought! Yes Buttercup sleeps in the laying box and always has! I line the bottom of the eglu with paper - makes it easy to tip into the compost. I put hay in the laying box, but it soon gets pooey!

I used to eat eggs most days plus my Mum lived with us for 18 months, so we used up most of the eggs most of the time. Mum moved out recently and I haven't been eating them so much as I can't have soft eggs while I'm pg & so I'm giving more away now. My piano teacher ended up with a load the other week!

Sally and Pobby good luck with your upcoming treatments!    that they work for you!

Liz
x


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

I might look into getting an eglu if i have trouble with red mite again because they live in wood   My girls need there wings clipping again because they are flapping over the enclosuer and into the garden which i dont mind but one of my rabbits wasnt very impressed when she managed to open his hutch and get in with him   . We have wood chippings down where the swins are and they love scratching in it of finding a bit of mud where they can dig a hole and lie in. I love watching them sun bathe  

What do you feed your chickens on? I give mine layers pellet and mixed corn but i also give them potato peelings and any veg i have left and they love spaghetti. I will cook a pan load for them. They go mad for it coz they think its worms   I will sometimes go out and dig up the garden for them to scratch around in and find there own worms or kids will goon the park and come back with a bucket full of them.


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hi Sally,

I feed mine layers pellets too mixed with grit. I give them uncooked porridge oats in the mornings (they LOVE Waitrose jumbo oats), grapes and leftover bread & rice. Mine love cooked pasta too, and I cook it for them far too often!

I love the idea of one of your chickens getting in with the rabbit! Cute!! (although as you say I'm sure the bunny didn't think so!)

Liz
x


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

OOh this is lovely talk!! 
Nice to meet you Jo! congratulations on your BFP! I love your chicks names too...Cant believe they are selling runs in that coffe shop place! a bit random but a great idea as Im sure your girls would love a little run around in the grass. We have been working extremely hard to get our garden in reasonable condition as it had been neglected for years..The grass is just starting to look nice but now it is getting ruined again! we are thinking of putting them  on bark because I let them out for quite a few hours a day so they could have a munch on the grass aswell..Wish I was clever and knew how to download some pics. My girls are in a bit of a state at the moment (especially Betty as you can see) Battery farming is so horrific, I dont know how the farmers sleep at night. I got them from an organizaton called Battery hen welfare trust who rescue a couple of hundred every few months. They are getting better slowly. Compared to my last pair though they are very cautious about what they eat. I am feeding them on layers mash which is what they are used to and Betty has discovered a taste for grapes so thats good. They love corn but not much else at the mo,,,my last 2 loved a bowl of warm weetabix and raisins, or porridge, rice, pasta you name it they would eat it....except peas!  
Liz I love your pic they are beautiful! Thanks for the tip about putting paper at the bottom of the eglu thats a good idea! Really wish i had got a pink eglu!
Sally,I think your idea of an animal sanctuary is great...pygmy goats? yes please! when I was about 13 I talked my dad into getting me some goats...he agreed! yippee! He obviously thought betyter of it cos a few days later said I could have my ears pierced instead! and I went for it! what a con...have never forgiven him!    
Well chick lovers, great to hear from you all...will talk soon
pobby xx 
p.s isnt it nice that the days are longer so the girls can stay up later?!!


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to say 'Happy Easter!' and I hope your all out in the sunshine (as are your chickens!)

Liz
x


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi there! happy easter everyone...my girls have had a lovely day in the sun today..Funny, I had to put some sunblock on bettys head cos she's as bald as a coot and I didnt want her to suffer sunstroke! luckily she didnt mind my fussing but i felt a bit silly!
We have been digging today so they haver had a worm feast!

hope the weather stays lovely for you all wherever you are!
pobby xx


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## BBpiglet7 (Dec 16, 2006)

Hello Everyone - this is a nice thread  

I used to keep half a dozen hens when I lived in Cheshire before I moved back down south to Dorking, and plan to have a couple with a couple of ducks again very soon. I have the house all ready and DH is making me a large enclosure - about 8m square, with a bark base, and I plan to let them out into the garden to forage too. I only thought about having ducks because my big brother has a couple of Khaki Campbells (until Mrs Duck wandered off and left poor Mr Duck heartbroken   ) and said they're so easy to keep, and something I didn't realise, is that these ducks don't actually need water to swim on, only to drink obviously, as I'm a bit wary of building a pond, what with our twins on the way   I may build a small shallow one close to the house, ours not theirs  , and have DH put a sturdy mesh lid over it so I can take it off when the ducks want to play in the water, and I can keep an eye on it easily in the future when the children are playing in the garden. I haven't finally decided yet.

I need to move our compost heap to where the small veg patch is going to be before putting the hen house in to position, but unfortunately, my m/s has been horrendous and I have been off work and stuck in the house/bathroom for the past 6 weeks and haven't achieved anything   Never mind, it will wear off when its good and ready, I hope, then I can get stuck in  

My MIL has recently got about 16 ex battery girls who are all doing brilliantly, growing feathers and combs, scratching about and laying like crazy - its heartwarming to see the difference in them  

The battery hen welfare trust have a lovely newsletter that they send if you want it with great stories of rescued birds doing well - I expect you get it Pobby?

Hope you all, and your girls, have a very happy easter.

love another Liz


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Hi everyone. Is there a web site for them battery hens? I would love to have a look if there is.
Pobby Im glad im not the only one who digs a patch for them to scratch for worms


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## BBpiglet7 (Dec 16, 2006)

Hi Sallyann

The site you're looking for is www.thehenshouse.co.uk, sorry, I don't know how to put links in here, but be sure to put the 's' in the middle, or just search for the battery hens welfare trust.


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Thanks hun that is the link. Will take a look now


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Whooo im getting a couple of new chicks   They are being specially hatched for me. A couple of slikies and i cant wait yay

Luv sally x x


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Great News Sally!!

Blossom has been so naughty and has got up into one of my window boxes and has turfed out all the plants and most of the soil -grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! We are going to experiment with different lengths of bamboo cane at the edge of the pots to try and stop her landing on it. Any other ideas?

Liz
x

Oh - meant to add - hello to the 'other Liz'! Congrats on the twins! (We have the same ticker!)


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Liz ( magpie ) is it worth getting her own window box on the floor? She will have her own to dig in then and might leave yours alone   Or just clip her wings she wont be able to flap up then.
Im so excited about getting my silkies. They will go in the avairy till old enough to look after them selfs because my 2 red girls will fight them for dominance.  . But sssssshhhhhhh i havent told dh    But he wont noitce because it took him 3 weeks to notice i had 4 new cockatiels  

luv sally x x


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi ladies

hope you have all had a lovely easter? Hi to Liz...how lovely that you are getting some ducks..they are so cute. you will have to send us some pics. good idea bout making  a little pond that they dont need to use all the time.Thanks for the tip about the news letter, i must get signed up for it.
Sally, in my ignorance, what are silkies? does it just mean baby chickens? That sounds great, I cant believe your DH didnt notice that you had 4 new cockatiels! thats funny!   when are you getting them?
Magpie, is Blossom behaving herself today? They are such characters arent they? Mildred has been making a right carry on today, squaking at the top of her lungs, no idea why...maybe she is competing with the seagulls! They are coming on leaps and bounds and have started to do a bit of running round the garden which is great...such lovely weather they are having a fine time. No obvious improvement with their feathers though.
So we have 2 Liz's who are having twins?! Thats a bit spooky..it must have been something to do with the great eggs you have been eating!
well I hope you all enjoy the rest of your bank hol...I have worked all weekend but am off today, yippee!
love pobby xx


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Pobby silkies are a breed of chicken they have silky feathers and are great for kids. Put it in google and get the images up. The ones we are having are black. The person im getting them off is putting the eggs in the incubator today so in about 8 weeks. Im sooooo excited


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Morning!

Sally, the chickens have plenty of places to dig - all the other pots and the entire garden and a paddock! She gets up on the window boxes to tap on the windows when I'm in the kitchen to get my attention. I haven't clipped her wings this season, but even when they were clipped they could still get up there because are low windows. Of course while she is there she decides to make a mischief of herself! The bamboo is in place so we'll see what she makes of it!

Pobby, glad your girls are a bit more perky, I'm sure the feathers will follow soon. I hope you have a great relaxing day off. 

Liz
x


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Liz she sounds just like chicken licken. I havent clipped my girls either yet. Although dh keeps on at me for them running round the garden. But do i care   They are MY girls 

x x


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

The silkies sound lovely sally! I will definately google them...I can really imagine that if we ever move into the country i will get lots of different types of chucks and I could sell the eggs and give up work!!  
Liz funny that your girl pecks on the window to get your attention! (not funny that she is wrecking your plants though!) Mildred is defiantely turning out to be the nosey one she is following me around quite a bit now
so cute!
Well easter is all over, back to reality tommorow!  
hope the weather stays nice though!
love pobby x


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Morning girls
I have a quick question for you..have noticed that our eggs seem to have a coating of white small spots on them, it looks like dust and at firat i thought somehow red mite dust had got onto them but it is definately stuck to the egg shell...I wondered if any of you knew what it could be? Is it some sort of deficiency in their diet? Feed them layers mash and scraps but dont feed them grit as they free range a lot and there is a lot of tiny stones around the people at omlet said we wouldnt need to add it to their diet. Any ideas? 
hope youre all well and it is not too traumatic getting back to the routine after the lovely easter weekend!
love pobby xx


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## CurryChicken (Feb 13, 2007)

Hi Girls

As the original chicken, thought I best join the thread 

I breed rare breeds of chicken, I have Partridge Cochins, Black Silkies (I am the Sally's Supplier) and Buff Orpingtons. I also have what are called the odd bods that don't fit into any of my breed pens. My number one hen is Curry, she is my foster mummy for all the chicks I hatch, she is blind but that doesn't seem to bother her one bit, she likes playing hide and seek with my Dad at bedtime. The game is to find the strangest place to go to sleep. She is also best friends with my German shepherd.

Liz, for Blossom try clipping one wing it sometimes works better than clipping both because it unbalances the hen.

Pobby not sure on the egg thing

Love

Currychicken
xxxxxxxxxxxx


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi Curry chicken
lovely to meet you! Am very impressed that you breed lots of lovely hens, it sounds fantastic!
Good luck with testing! I love your ticker!

look forward to hearing more about your chickens soon!
love pobby x


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## BBpiglet7 (Dec 16, 2006)

Hello to everyone  

As there are 2 Liz's and we're both twinnies, I'll call myself Piglet for ease if that helps? Great ticker, Liz! 

I may not post very regularly as I have horrendous m/s and have been off work for the past 6 weeks but have to return on Monday which I'm dreading   When I feel bad I like to read the posts but don't always want to write anything myself, so please excuse me.

Curry - your girls sound lovely. I used to have both gold and silver laced wyandottes (sp) which are very pretty birds. I like the ones that look like they're wearing fluffy trousers too but can't remember what they're called as I never had those! 

When I eventually get sorted I expect I'll have to get chicks and ducklings at the same time so they grow up together, as I don't want any squabbles! 

Pobby - have you though about adding oyster shell to your girls diet which is good for making new shells, or, if you can be bothered, squashed thoroughly cleaned egg shells? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't do the same as grit because they use some of its calcium which isn't in grit?? If you ever get an egg with a soft shell, they need extra oyster shell - either in with the pellets or in a hopper as it won't be good with mash if you feed it wet. 

Liz - hope you get Blossom sorted as its frustrating when they ruin good plants despite your best efforts. Which plants have you got in there? Is it possible you could empty it, then replant them through some chicken wire so Blossom can't root about in that particular place? It won't stop her eating the green stuff though if she does that too - little monkey! 

love Piglet


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Hi Girls  

Sorry to gatecrash   I have loved reading this thread! I am actually considering getting an eglu but the cube one with the run. 

Love Saila xx


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hi all!!

Welcome Curry Chicken! Wow you have lots of chickens! Re Blossom - we have tried just clipping one of her wings - doesn't seem to help either - she can still get up there. I've started to call her cheeky beaky.

The girls have been kept out of the garden today. We are having an extention built at the side of the house so the garden in chaos and the builders have taken the side gate down! Blossom and Buttercup are going to have to make do with the paddock for a few weeks - but at least my garden will get a chance to recover!

Liz
x


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

when i clip wings i only do one its funny when they flap in circles  
I also give my girls oyster shells get it from the local pet shop its only a couple of £
Chicken licken and fighter are naughty i went into the aviary to feed my cockatiels and the both came on top of the wendy house and started eating it through the cage like a pair of weather vaines lol

x x


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Thanks for the tip about the oyster shells girls, i shall let you know if it helps the white spots!
what a lovely sight for me today, I went into the garden and Betty was lying on her side in the dirt,I spotted next doors cat close by licking her lips and i thought she must be mortally wounded but then I realized she was having a dust bath! I have never seen this before and found it so lovely to watch, she was rolling around the floor like a cat and looked in total ecstasy! to think she would be in a tin of Kitty kat now if she hadnt come to live with us! 
Saila, that is great that you are thinking of getting an eglu! What is the cube one? Do omlet sell them? 
isnt the weather fab today? I read it is to be 80 degrees soon!
pobby x


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

This is the eglu I am thinking of getting 

http://www.omlet.co.uk/products_services/products_services.php?view=Eglu%20Cube

I'm not getting ten chickens though


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Pobby mine do that all the time. They dig holes in the mud to lie in too. I think its great they lie on there sides with 1 wing in the air flat out  
Them eglu things are dead expensive £600 bugger that i will stick the the chicken shed we have got


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Sailaice!

You have started something now - I have just shown my DH the cube - he wants one!!! 

big £££££££'s though! We will think about it....... ohhhhh lots more chickens - fab!

Liz
x


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

It is expensive!! I am still begging my DH will probably get one in the summer next year


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## CurryChicken (Feb 13, 2007)

Just thought I'd let you girlies know, I'm sat in the garden with Curry and her babies enjoying the sun  

I have uploaded a picture in the gallery if you want a look.

Babies are just learning that they have to follow Curry, can't remember if I've told you but she's blind.

Love to all

Currychicken
xxxxxxxxxxxx


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

OMG that piccy is sooo cute I want one!!


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Oh my god, sailaice! That cube thing is brilliant!!! I want one I want one!! Think I may try and talk DP into selling our eglu on E-bay and buying one of those instead as I would like a couple more girls and just think it look so funky!
How is the 2ww Curry? I PM'd you..am going to look at the updated pic in gallery now!
pobs xx


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Morning all!

CurryChicken - the pics are great! I bet is wonderful to watch them walking round the garden!

Pobby - ditto, cube fever has taken over in this house!

 Sailaice!

Well the girls have been kept out of the garden for a few days now. I'd forgotton how nice it is not to be sweeping up poo off the patio! I miss seeing them from the window though. They are as happy as larry in the paddock, I'm thinking it may become a regular thing when the babes are small - we'll see....

Liz
x


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

pobby said:


> Think I may try and talk DP into selling our eglu on E-bay and buying one of those instead as I would like a couple more girls and just think it look so funky!


Let me know if you put it on ebay!! I might get it for now and the cube next year


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## CurryChicken (Feb 13, 2007)

Hiya

Sta in the garden again with Curry and the babies, can't leave them alone as the local cats would have a field day.

Pobby - got your Pm thanks great to know there are so many people out there rooting for us

Sallyanne1 - you eggs are cooking away nicely  

Love to all the chicken lovers out there

Currychicken


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Liz i love your bump   I went swimming with my sister yesterday and she is 31 weeks and huge i loved it. I was huge with my first 3 and i warned dh when we had IUI that i would get big and i didnt    So im hoping that with ICSI we get twins so i can be big and fat 

My girls love the sun. So much they have gone into overtime with laying  
went to dh's grandma's the other day and she has got 12 ex battery chickens. She has always owned them and when mr fox had hers she got rescue ones that cost her £4 each   But i dont think she should have them because although they look really healthy compaired to when they first arrived the kids said thay had no water or food and it was hot and they kept asking how many eggs they had laid and she just kept saying oh i dont know i dont look  . I think that she waits till dh's brothers go down and let them feed. Because i did ask her if she wanted me to do it and she said no leave it  

My bil (sisters b/f) nearly dropped me in it about my new babies. I sort of dropped it in a couple if days before after seeing dh's grandmas chickens that i would like 2 more. Well went to my mums and bil said oh i hear you are getting 2 new chickens. Lucky i was quick off the mark and denied it   Dh shouted not unless 2 die    He really isnt an animal man they are all mine   But once i get them he cant say no because they are for the kids   And i hae come home with allsorts including rats which he hates and he has never made me get rid coz he knows he cant.  

Luv sally x x


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## binkyboots (Sep 16, 2006)

ooh! chickens... I'm so excited to see how many ff'ers have these around! (maybe it's the egg connection, rofl) we just moved from a house with a nice garden (but bad neighbours) to a house with a tiny garden, but great neighbours, my chicken keeping dreams seem to be thwarted at every stage!

but maybe I can pick your brains, how much space would I need for a couple of bantams? I have an old (retired) rabbit hutch which has a nice close in bit and a door with wire mesh... our garden is gravel with lots of pots and things, a bamboo plants and a good secure fence.  if I let them roam during the day would a small garden like mine be sufficient? it's about the size of four supermarket car parking spaces (lol, nice and exact) not including some steps and a summer house.


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## BBpiglet7 (Dec 16, 2006)

Hello Binky

I'm not sure about the rabbit hutch as the girls will like to perch and there may not be the height? 1 may be alright in there as MIL babied a poorly hen in a hutch but that was only as a temporary measure. As for the garden, the size sounds fine, but, without wishing to put you right off, the girls will scratch up everything and anything, including all your tubs   The girls won't mind the gravel as long as you give them greens to eat which I'm sure you will, but they'll chuck the gravel about everywhere to get to the ground underneath.

I'm sorry to pour cold water on things, but I'd hate for you to get the bantams and only then discover their monkey behaviour  

What do you others think? 

I might have to be booted off here, as I'm now thinking along the line of just ducks and no hens............I do still love hens but I love ducks too and if I put a rubber glove on their heads, would you notice if I told you they were a new breed called Marigolds?  

Sally - shame about your DH grandmas hens   My son had dumbo rats as pets and they were so cute. He'd leave the cage open and she'd go for a walk around his room ( got out and into my room once , ate my Monsoon flipflop and [email protected] on the carpet   ) then go back into the cage to bed - better behaved than him  

Hi to Pobby, Saila, Magpie, and Curry


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

hello all of you chicken and marigold lovers!
I cant get over the weather!!  hasnt it been fab?! hope you have all been having a lovely time....curry, i bet watching the new babys has taken your mind off things a bit?
Any decisions on the new egluu saila? I tried sweetly to talk DP into the super cube but he's hearing none of it!! Sally you did make me laugh how you sneak various animals into your house and DP cant object! bless ya! v sad to hear about DH's grandmas chucks...i would be so worried about them, especially in this weather with no water   
Binky my Dp kept his first chicken in a rabbit hutch but dont think it was ideal..would you consider an eglu?
Well my girls are improving every day, really getting so much more confident and have started to jump up for their grapes...mildred is a noisy lady she squaks at the top of her lungs for no reason, think she thinks she is a seagull! 
anyway ladies, lovely to hear all your chicken news...
enjoy the weather, lets hope it lasts!

love pobby xx


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Omlet-Eglu-with-run-and-winter-shade_W0QQitemZ250105113210QQihZ015QQcategoryZ46292QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This one is quite cheap and not far from me either


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Oh i couldnt put my girls in that it looks to confined. I think i will stick to mine coz i dont like the insides of them they dont look very comfy. 

BBpiglet i have got a dumbo rat we did have 2 but 1 died   Love my animals


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

sallyanne1 said:


> Oh i couldnt put my girls in that it looks to confined. I think i will stick to mine coz i dont like the insides of them they dont look very comfy.


I don't think it's that bad for only 2 chickens  I prefer the cube one though


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi Saila
I guess it is what you get used to but I can assure you my girls are happy as pigs in muck in their eglu! I must admit, i wouldnt want them to live purely in the run but they get a lot of time running around the garden. the eglus are very easy to clean and hygeinic and you can move them around the garden. You could definately fit 3 hens inside but I think its nicer to just have the two...Also My DP has made an extension to the run so they have quite a bit of room.
hope everyone is well! 
pobby x


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

I could do with  something easy to clean mine is a nightmare   And such heavy work too leaning in with a spade. Dh is thinking of putting a top on our run coz the girls are always in the garden which doesnt bother me but he doesnt like it  
And oh so so funny today. My sister came to visit and she smokes which i only allow in the kitchen with the door open   so she is standing at the door and all of a sudden she let out a shreek and shouted " YOUR NOT COMING IN !!"  She shoved the door to and ran. So i asked her if it was a wasp or bee. NO IT WAS MY GIRLS COMING TO SAY HELLO     She said oh if they had come in i would have been on the kitchen side.   How can someone be so scared of them   dd ( 3   ) put them back in there pen


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Hi Girls 

Hows the chickens?


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hi Saila & everyone else!

Our girls are fine. They are still being kept out of the garden as the extention continues. They have made themselves a nice dusty area in the shade for dust baths in the paddock and they don't even try to get into the garden now - amazing how they get used to change so quickly!

How are all of you and your chickens? Also how are you Saila?

Liz
x


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

hello there everyone..this thread has been quiet, i guess that everyone has been busy enjoying the sun adn i think a fair few of us are having tx etc just now! How is the cold Saila and the synarel? first time tonight it didnt hurt only to discover the bottle was empty so had to do it again! 
my girls are doing so well im so happy about it..Betty who i was really worried about is like a new girl, she follokws me around and when she hears me coming she runs down the garden..the other thing that im very pleased about is that they are sprouting new feathers! me and DP thought it was funny as we had never really thought how a feather grew but they are like little straw tyubes with small feather sprouting out of the end! so she wont be bald for much longer which will make her v happy no doubt!
my 2 have also been enjoying huge dust baths something I have never seen befor and it really fascinates me! I love watching them as they look as thought ey are in 7th heaven..! My cat obviously thinks it is a good idea as he has started to copy them!
How are the baby chicks curry?? and how are you doing? 
hope to hear form you all soon
love Pobby xx


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

sorry for all the mistakes..i can spell honest! but feeling tired and typing too quickly! x


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Pobby ~ The synarel is awful but I'm getting there   Hope lots of feather have grown back for her!!

Magpie ~ Wow not long until your twinnies are born!! I can't wait until I know the sexes the suspense is killing me  Hope your girls are enjoying the paddock. Where do you live? I want a paddock  

I'm no further forward on the chicken front so I am a bit of a fraud still hanging about   Won't be long till I have them


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hi Saila,

Yup not long to go until the twins are here! Look out for the birth announcement in about 3 months time!

We live in West Kent - right on the edge or Surrey and Sussex. We weren't looking for a paddock when we were looking to move, the house just happened to have one! We are very sad and have paddock and garden cams (it was nice to check up on it all when we were traveling a lot!) the website is - http://jandliz.co.uk/Webcams.html if you want to take a look!

Liz
x


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Saila 
you are not a fraud! you can be on here if you never get chickens! glad your getting a bit better with the synarel...took mine for the last time tonight! trigger tonight and EC friday! hope they are lovely eggs like my girls!
will write more soon
hope youre all well girls xx


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Pobby that is such good news! Good luck for ec I have everything crossed!!

Magpie Any houses up for sale near you??


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## BBpiglet7 (Dec 16, 2006)

Hello all

Sorry this is rather to late but I wanted to wish Pobby good luck for ec, which you'll have had by now  

Hope all went well and you have some good news to tell us


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## BBpiglet7 (Dec 16, 2006)

Pobby -      I'm so so sorry hun - after I did my last post I saw your on Peer support.

I'm so disappointed for you      I'm thinking of you both today - look after each other and I do hope you find some answers to help you.


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

thanks so much hun
your support means a lot...v difficult time but we will have our family somehow some day! for now will just have to concentrate on my chickens! x


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hi all,

Pobby, I read your post too - sorry to hear your news. I hope that your clinic adjust things for your next cycle (maybe different drugs?).

Thinking of you  

Liz
x


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Hi Pobby I too read your news and am so sorry sweetie! There is still that one and I have everything crossed for you


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Morning all!

Pobby, hope your resting up after your et! 

How are the rest of you? Whats happening on the tx front?

Well my girlies aren't a 100% at the mo. I wondering if the have had a scare? Buttercup is back to her old self, but she wasn't eating terribly well. Blossom is still under the weather. She is egg bound and she has had a bad belly   but she is drinking lots of water, and she eat some grapes yesterday and she has just had some cooked pasta, so I think she is on the mend.

Hope you (and your chooks) are well,

Liz
x


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi girls
thankyou for your kindness...pleased to report we go to ET yesterday and it was fine...what a rollercoaster ride! now have to try and relax for 2 wks! 
sorry to hear your girls have been under the weather Liz...sounds strange, you would know if they had colds.
i have taken to making my girls plates of spaggeti and also noodles which they love (thanks for the tip!) they are so funny..bless em.
How is everyone elses girls and yourselves of course? 
love pobby xx


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## BBpiglet7 (Dec 16, 2006)

Pobby - please forgive me but I have no brain - are you now on your 2ww with a beanie on board?  

Liz - my MIL lost one of her girls who was egg bound - what do you do about it when it happens? Is Lactulose any good?       Sorry to hear your girls are out of sorts and I hope they all recover very soon  


Hello to everyone and I hope you're all well and enjoying the weather


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hi all,

My girls are much better today  . Blossom is back to her old self! She hasn't laid, but I'm sure she will soon!

Hope your all well,

Liz
x


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## Ribeena (May 1, 2007)

Hi,
I am new to FF but have just noticed the chicken chats!
We have enjoyed keeping chickens in our garden for 15 years and would really recommend it!

Unfortunately we lost ours for the first time to a predator on Easter Monday and I do miss them - we do live in the country and we do see foxes but they have never caused a problem, we kept them in a run and also have two large dogs.  
After researching we think it must have been a stoat! The chicken wire was chewed through, quite a small hole, the eggs were all gone and they had been laying well - we think it happened during the day/dusk.  None were eaten or taken away two died of fright and two decapitated, apparently stoats go for the back of the neck when killing.
Don't want to be depressing but before this incident I had only really worried about Freddy fox!
I just thought I would let all you chicken lovers know.  Forarmed is forwarned and all that!

Next time (having strengthened wire etc) we thought we might try to rescue some battery hens does anyone know where to get them!


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hello and welcome Ribeena!

Sorry to hear that you lost your chickens   how sad. On the rescue battery chicken front you want to speak to Pobby (she posts on this thread) as she has ex battery chickens.

Liz
x


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Hello Girls!!

How are the chooks doing?

Pobby great news about et! Take it easy babe


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi ladies!
welcome to our chuck thread Ribeena! am so sorry to hear about your chickens..its so sad, a fox got our girls just before christmas and I was heartbroken! 
Yes we now have 2 ex-batteries..we got them from the battery hen welfare trust..(if you google it you should be able to get details, if not PM me and I shall find you a web address) basically there is people dotted around the country and every few months they collect a few hundred hens from the farmers that would otherwise be turned into cat food    my two are adorable and very cheeky now...they look as scrawny as hell still but growing new fluffy feathers..they are coming on a treat! 
Liz, glad your girls are feeling better...how is everyone else? saila, when is your birthday? I want you to get your eglu!!

love pobby xx


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

My birthday is in August but I'm not waiting that long


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## Ribeena (May 1, 2007)

Pobby,

thanks for the info,
Your two girls look great - we have had all different makes and sizes but all our hens over the years have been such characters!  I will definitly have a look and try to track down the battery hen rescue, I would love to give some a nice new home!  
I think I wiil research electronic sound and electric fence deterants first, and give all our hen things a good spruce up!

Wishing you lots of luck for your 2ww - I think hen watching can be amusing and relaxing! So yours as well as eggs could provide you with two of the things that I have seen recommended!  

Ribeena


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi there
we have been thinking of investing on one of those sonic wave fox detterents...has anyone got one or got any ideas which ones are the best? I dont want it to scare dogs or anything, just foxes! Thanks for your good wishes Ribeena!
talk soon
love pobby xx


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## BBpiglet7 (Dec 16, 2006)

Hello All and your girls  

Pobby - sorry, no idea about fox deterents but just wanted to wish you the very best of luck for you 2ww   When do you test hun? 

Hi Ribeena - check out www.thehenshouse.co.uk for the battery hen welfare trust. Its heartwarming to see them gradually grow feathers , scratch, take dust baths about and learn to be hens!

Magpie - glad that Blossom is better now  

 to everyone and have a great weekend


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Hi Girlies  

Hope the chooks are all ok!!

How is curry chicken these days?


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Where are you all?  

I want an eglu and haven't the money to buy one yet


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

sorry saila
we are all being a little slack arent we??   
hope everyone is well...my girls are not enjoying the weather too much...they were funny yesterday it started tipping down, i was watching them from the bedroom window and they just stood there getting soaked for about 15 mins like statues...think they were a little mystified!
bless em...
what are we going to do about your eglu saila? I thik we should organize a whip round,  I need you to get one!! 
seriously, can you just put a little bit away weekly and ask DH for a (BIG) contribution?? (spoken fron the worlds worst saver!)
we will think of a way,
how are you all girls...hows everyones chickens?
love pobby xx


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Has everyone been on to the gallery and seen my babies im getting of curry chicken. They are sooo cute and guess what. They hatched the same day i had ET   Its another good omen for me


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

I saw some pics of them a few weeks back, i thought they were the ones you were getting? has there been more babies? they are so cute! when will you get them?
pobby xx


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Oh send me the link!! I can't see them


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## BBpiglet7 (Dec 16, 2006)

Hi All

A sort of update on my  'marigold' hens 

My brother has a pair of Khaki Campbell ducks and SIL was telling me on the phone the other day that Mr Duck keeps running after Mrs Duck with his willy waving about - she thought it was a tapeworm at first   and apparently its like a corkscrew     I'm waiting for her to tell me that he tripped over it being too eager, and clonked himself on the beak   Poor Mrs Duck  

Anyway, you never know, there may be some ducklings soon   

Have any of you got cockerels? They can be mean to the hens and rip their backs to shreds  

That's why you get 'coq' au vin, and not 'hen' au vin  

Hope everyone is fine and dandy


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

I want ducklings!


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5&pos=0 Theres the link hun think i might call them dee and reg


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

OMG they are as cute as can be!!

Can we have some piccys of ducklings please?


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## BBpiglet7 (Dec 16, 2006)

Here you are Saila - Khaki Campbell ducklings and adults

Hope everyone is doing great on this "great for ducks" type weather day


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hi all!!

BBpiglet! I love the pictures, we really want to get ducks and it makes me get them now!

Liz
x


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## BBpiglet7 (Dec 16, 2006)

Yes they're cute aren't they?  

Sallyanne - I saw the pics of the chicks and they're adorable   How old are they now and at what age will you have them, or did you take them as day olds? Wishing you loads of luck for your test hun   

Hope everyone is fine tonight


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## rosiebadgirl (Jan 8, 2007)

i keep chickens.

we rescued 3 battery hens a few years ago after we saw so many walking about freely in thailand. as soon as we got back from the trip we asked around our village and within days had been put on to about 50 battery hens which had been dumped down a country lane. apparently it's too much trouble to even kill them when they're past their best so they just put out for foxes to deal with.

we only had room for three sadly but they're still with us now bless them and they lay every day 'because they want to'! they even managed to squeeze out one little egg between them on christmas day this year, although we repeatedly tell them there's no pressure.

they are called tatty, beaky and rhodie. tatty is blind in one eye from being pecked in the battery farm. beaky has had half her beak cut off - possibly by tatty in a revenge attack. and rhodie, well she is a rhode island red, so not sure how she ended up in a battery farm. she is the posh bird and sadly is at the bottom of the pecking order out of the three. the other two are from the wrong side of the track and don't put up with rhodie's penelope pitstop ways.

there are pictures of them on myspace if anyone's interested. the link is somewhere under my bubble counter i think...

rosiebadgirl 

xx


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Found it


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Girls, very sad news I'm afraid..... 
My girls were killed by rancid fox yesterday morning.  
Couldnt have come at a worse time as had my BFN on friday so it was an extra-special kick in the teeth.
I feel very bad but dont know what to do to combat the situation. We were super vigilant about locking them away at night but DP had let them into the garden in the morning as we do every day and it happened in broad daylight. both gone with just a bunch of feathers to prove it was a fox.
We could carry on having chicks and keep them locked in the eglu run all day, (it is extended) but I still find it to small, they were battery hens and they were happy as Larry during their 8 short weeks of freedom. Has anyone got any ideas on how i could do this differently as currentley we dont think we can take the upset anymore. Any ideas how to make a big pen or any other thougts on how to keep foxes out??
Hope the rest of you are well...LOVE the ducks! they are SOOOOOOO cute!
Nice to see you over here Rosie!
Good luck for tommorow Sally!
love Pobby xxx


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

OMG Pobby I am so so sorry sweetheart!! That rancid fox   

Get some more chickens don't be put off. That extended run will of been heaven to battery chickens just let them out when you are in the garden. I can't believe he took both of them.

I am so sorry about your BFN also. Will you try again babe?   

Thinking of you lots xx


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

PObby hun im so sorry    Its so unusual for a fox to come in broad day light  

I should be gettin my chicks next week when they are 4 weeks old yay


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## caz nox (Mar 9, 2005)

Hello all, 

I have talked about chicken and ducks for years and finally moving to a house with a huge garden so thinking more and more now. 

What I want to ask is - has anyone hatched any out from free range eggs shop bought in an incubator?? 

I am still trying to figure out what house to buy them too! 

Or is it easier to keep ducks 

Cheers my dears!


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Caz go onto cheeky chickens in boy and girl and have a word with Currychicken. She does eggs to hatch and because i dont have a broody hen or an incubator she as hatched 2 for me   . There is a pic of them im the pets gallery. 
I hope you dont mean free range from Asda     
I have got a wooden chicken house and its great although those eglu things look good but they are expensive.
I have had ducks and chickens and i think chickens are less smelly  . I would love ducks though but dh wont let me   Might have to play on the BFN thing to get my own way  

Luv sally x x


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Hey sally...it aint over till the fat lady sings!  , i know what you mean though, i thought of trying for a dog but cant do it with the flat etc!
Thinking of you hun and really hope you get good news tommorow   
Caz, have a look at the Omlet website who make the eglu...it is a fab chicken house, sal is right, expensive but worth the money and they are super easy to clean and fox proof...(she says having lost 4 chickens to a fox  ) but that isnt the eglus fault it is our fault for letting them free range.
Sally do yours free range during the day?
Saila, thanks for your thoughts hun..we are leaning to the idea of DE in spain at the mo which has lifted my spirits to think there may still be the chance of a pregnancy..cant really afford to keep chasing my eggs emotionally or financially! 
Hope the rest of you and your feathered friends are well!
love pobby xx


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Pobby mine are out all day long they go in on there own when it starts to get dusk. They arent ment to be as free range as they are coz they escape and run round the garden. Once the post man left the gate open and chicken licken wen for a walk down the road. She soon came back when i started calling he for food  

As for me its a


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Sallyanne ~ I am so sorry sweetie


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Morning all,

Oh dear, sad to see that the news on this thread over last couple of days  

Pobby, so sorry about your girls   I really don't know what to suggest if nasty foxes are around during the day. But I remember seeing on River Cottage (I love that show!) that Hugh put human hair (I think he got it from the barbers) into some tights and hung them round the area to fool the foxes into thinking that there were people around all the time. It might be a thought. Also I'm so sorry to hear about your BFN -  

Sally, sending you lots of   sorry to hear about your BFN too  

Saila, good luck for your scan today hunny     

 to Ribeena, BBpiglet and Rosie, Caz Nox & CurryChicken!

Liz
x


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## BBpiglet7 (Dec 16, 2006)

Hi All 

Salyanne -  I'm so sorry hun. Love the chicken story - you have her well trained  

Pobby - what a rotten thing to have hapened   I wonder if the hair idea from Magpie works, or perhaps a sweaty tshirt, but that wouldn't look too nice. Do get some more girls though - are you getting the newsletters from the battery hens welfare trust? Have you popped on to the donor threads to pick up some info from those who've gone abroad? It may be useful? 

Saila - hows things with you? 

 to everyone


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## Ribeena (May 1, 2007)

Pobby,
Really sorry to hear about your girls - it's so upsetting - as you know we lost ours on Easter Monday after not losing a single chuck to preditors in 16 years of keeping.
After our girls were pointlessly slaughtered (not even taken for food) I was so angry.  I spent a long time looking on the internet trying to find out what could have done it as I couldn't see that it was a fox - I came to the conclusion that it must have been a stoat/s.
Anyway to the point - I don't know which site/sites it was on but I saw several adverts for fox/preditor deterants - they were high frequency sound emitting devices from what I remember they cost approx £30 - £35, which I thought would be a small price to pay compared to the devastation of losing our girls, I wish I had known about them before - I think you attached them to a fence or hen pen.  Sorry I can't be more specific - I decided to revisit the issue when we eventually look for some more hens.  So if you did some searches on poultry predators I'm sure you would find them and perhaps other options.  Oh I am not sure - maybe dogs wouldn't like the noise?
A couple of things I did read that offer protection, is allowing dogs to go where the hens are - the foxes are unluckly to venture where they can smell dogs - Also to get your man to wee, yes WEE! around where you keep your hens - as the smell of human urine is also a deterant - might want to send him out at night when no one can see I suppose!

Hope this helps
ribeena


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hiya,

How are you all & your chooks? 

Pobby, are you going to get some more chickens?

Our girls are fine but Blossom still hasn't been laying - or if she has it's not in the normal place. DH is going to mow the paddock some time soon (the ride on mower is a bit to bouncy for me at the mo!) and I'm wondering if he'll come across a pile of eggs somewhere! 

Hope you all well and hope you all have a good bank holiday weekend  

Liz
x


----------



## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Hey im getting my babies tomorrow      I will get a pic of them and show you as soon as they are settled in. I cant wait im really excited. 

How is everyone else? Pobby hun how are you?
Hope everyone is ok

Luv sally x x


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Hi Girlies!!

Have you got your babies yet Sally-Anne?

Magpie ~ Get a cockeral and you can have little chicks  

Pobby ~


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

yes i have got my babies and they are soooo small    . Bless her curry chicken drove half way to meet me to drop them off  . One is called tinker and the other is called baby. As soon as i figure out how to put pics on my new laptop i will post some of them. They dont like being handled much at the mo but baby had a nice love of me earlier i found a sopt on him/her that it loved and was closing its eyes on me bless it. They are so happy in the aviary too. Even dh smiled when he saw then   

Luv sally x x


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

I went away for the weekend and my friend who was looking after my animals rang me on sat morning to tell me that chicken licken was dead     Dont know why but im gutted she was my fav and the first one i got


----------



## pem (Jan 10, 2007)

Hi everyone!!

Just poppin on to pick all of our brains!!! We are having 3 little chooks delivered on saturday from omlet and i was wanting to ask if you let your girls free range during the day. I work from home, live in an urbanish area and will be able to see the girls for the majority of the day!! Really i am worried about the fox risk. I am weighing up the cost of the fox v letting the girls have agood rummage about!!

Any help really appreciated!!!

We are V.Excited about our girls arrival!!

Thanks

Emma


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi girls sorry i have dropped off the radar in recent times, sal sorry to hear about chicken Licken    how are the babies getting on? have you posted any cute pics yet?? 
How is everyone else getting on?
Hi Em...I was sooooo excited when we got our chickens delivered from Omlet, johannes delivered ours and he was really friendly and goes through everything with you.
I have had 4 chickens so far. I made the decision to let them free range as to be honest i think the run from omlet is too small and it would make me feel guilty. Sadly that decision has led to all 4 getting killed. the first time we were silly and forgot to close the run door after we had gone out one evening. The second time a fox came into the garden in the morning and got them. the second pair we had were ex battery hens. i was really upset both times and for that reason we havent got anymore at the moment. our area is teeming with foxes. for weeks they will be left alone but just when you think its safe they will do a sneaky and get them (little buggers) obviously i am not trying to put you off! as keeping chickens is awesome. the only thing i can suggest is buying the run extension from omlet. if you can spend time with them in the garden or you can keep an eye on them from the kitchen im sure a few hours free ranging a day would be adequate, it is just what you feel comfortable with.
i comfort myself with the fact that my last girls had had such a horrible life as battery hens and at least we gave them 8 happy weeks of total freedom. As much as i dont like foxes, it is nature and the death would have been quick! 
Wishing you loads of luck with them! post some pics! 
Pobby xx  

p.s just a tip, we put bricks round the base of the eglu as I believe foxes can flip up the sides if it is on uneven ground


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

sorry am being thick, didnt read your post properley...see you work from home..in that case i think they should be fine to free range! leave windows open and nip out to them frequently, foxes are very timid usually and wont go in there if they think people are around!


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## LoisLane (Apr 26, 2007)

Hello Ladies

What a great post, I would like to join you.  I have an eglu and 2 chickens, love them!  Mine are called Trinny and Susannah, Susannah being the larger of the two and more dominant  .  We have a pub/restaurant and b&b, the youngsters that stay with us love getting the eggs out for their breakfast.  

I got mine for Christmas 2006, DH was going to buy me fancy ones from the rare breeds centre, but I wanted layers so we have 2 Black Rocks.

Mine free range in the winter, but during the summer I keep them in to avoid poo all over the pub garden.  We did put up a 3ft pen around all sides of their home, but the little buggers can climb onto the top of their run and jump for the top of the fence.  Very funny to watch as they quite often miss    We clip their wings as well so its a real effort for them!

Louj x


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## pem (Jan 10, 2007)

Hiyah Girls!!

Thanks for all your advice. Pobby, that is awful about your chooks, I would have been heartbroken, you are right though, your girls would have have had such a happy time after you rescued them, what a lovely thing to do!! ooh, i hate battery farmers....grrrrrr   .

Trinny and Susannah are fab names Lou, i bet your guests do love the chickens, i ahve built a big penned in area with a 3 foot fence so hopefully there will be no escapes.....   . We have also ordered some pegs to kkep the pen down, just one more thing to keep Mr Fox at bay!

We are sooooo excited, can't wait to se their sparkly little eyes and have chicken cuddles!!!!

How may eggs do you get from your girls

I will post pics when they arrive!! 

Hope you all and your girls are well!!

Emma!!


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Emma mine just run around the garden  

Pobby i havent managed to get any pics yet cant figure out how to put them on here   But they are getting really big now bless them. I went to the pet shop the day and saw some white silkies i really wanted them but thought i best not coz dh would kill me


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hello all!

Welcome Pem & Lou! I hope your chooks arrived over the weekend Pem. We have 2 chickens in our eglu and we love it! We leave our girls running around our paddock during the day. They can't get out and I try and make sure I pop my head out there to ward off any nasty foxes at least once a day. I think it helps that two sides of our paddock have gardens running along side them, so there are often people out and about. 

Hello everyone else! Long time no chat.

Liz
x


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hello all,

How are you all? And how are your chicks?

Ours have been malting, and haven't been laying or a while  . I'm hoping that they will be back to normal soon. I think it hasn't helped that since the twins arrived they haven't had as much attention as usual. They are growing nice new feathers though and are looking very smart!

Hope your all well,

Liz
x


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hello all,

Buttercup died over the weekend :-( She was 2 and a half and died of old age. DH took her to the vets on Saturday and they said she was having heart failure. They decided to put her down, but she died on the way to the room for the injection. So pleased that she went quickly, she had been a bit off colour for only a couple of days.

Blossom is still going, but stopped laying a few months ago (like Buttercup) so we are guessing that she will go sometime over the winter.

We might get some more chicks next summer.

Hope your all well, (and your chooks!)

Liz
x


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## pem (Jan 10, 2007)

Hi there,

Just wanted to say I am sooo sorry for your little chicken licken, we are now so attached to ours I think i would be really sad if anything happened to them. They are fantastic and excellent layers, an egg a day from each of them!!

Emma


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Oh Liz I am so sorry about Buttercup   Hope Blossom is still ok  

We are hoping to get an Eglu next year, I can wait for some free range chickens


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Still haven't got an eglu...  

Not sure when it will be now either as we are renovating! I really want some chickens too!  

How are everyones feathered friends?

xxx


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## LoisLane (Apr 26, 2007)

Hi Ladies

Just to let you know I have put my mark 2, Pink Omlet Eglu on ebay tonight. If anyone is interested, the item number is 180221670712!

Any questions feel free to ask, ta.

Louj x


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

I would of loved it   Devon is too far away for me  

xxxx


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## pem (Jan 10, 2007)

Hi saila,

If you really want an eglu, people regulary sell them on ebay and on the omlet website forums/messageboards for quite a lot less than they sell them new.

I would highly recomend them, easy to keep clean and my girls love theirs, we have 3 Gingernut Rangers and they lay about 20 eggs a week between them!!

Emma


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

I will have to keep me eyes peeled! WIll you also let me know if you hear anything?

I have looked on Ebay a few times and they seem to go for the same price almost as new!

xxx


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## LoisLane (Apr 26, 2007)

Hi Saila  

The new price is 360, I've been watching for a week or two and they've been about 250 - 275, which is a good saving.  Just make sure if you find one that it has been cleaned well, the only thing that can really go are the roosting bars and the sun shades.  Apart from that they are pretty hardy, they just get weathered a bit, so wouldn't be that much difference after a month or two between old and new x x x

Louj x


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## pem (Jan 10, 2007)

will keep a look out!! they do weather really well, we have had ours about 8 months and all is still as it was when we bought it ( bar a few poostains on the roosting bars!!!) . They are amazing things to keep, so friendly and 'chatty'!!!


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

I'm gonna keep looking  

I'll probably buy a new one it's having the money now we are mega renovating  

xxxx


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## pruflo (May 3, 2005)

Hi all, Sorry I haven't read all nine pages of posts but probably will do if I decide to go ahead.

I have a couple of logisitcal questions if anyone could answer them - I am wondering if you have problems with rats ?? (my Dad is trying to convince me they will be a major issue...)

We also have dogs and cats - do these prove problematic??

Last one for now - do you know who we contact to find out if we are allowed to keep them - I've tried the local council website but cant seem to find anything - we do live quite rurally with a long garden so I dont think it will be an issue but any advice would be appreciated.

One more and then I'll go - what do you do with them when you go on holiday ??

Cheers

Kate


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## pem (Jan 10, 2007)

Hi Kate,

A few quick answers for you..

I have NO problems with rats at all and I live about 20m from a canal, cats and dogs should help with that.

no problems with my cats (I have 4) or my neighbours cats and dogs (about 20 cats and a couple of dogs) they show interest in eachother at first but get used to eachother like other animals!!

I was naughty and never asked permission (i live on an estate!!!) but did ask the neighbours and they were all fine. Check your deeds to your house if you have them, any specific exclusions are usually there, the only problem is usually a cockerel...6am cockadoodledoos are not appreciated by the neighbours!!!!

My sister and her brood looks after mine when I go on holiday!!

Hope you get some, they are brill, I love my girlywirlys, they are perched on top of the eglu right now looking at me!!!

Emma


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi Kate
i can only echo what Emma said..(unfortunately I dont have chickens right now) when i did, we didnt have any problems with vermin though I would be careful that you clean up any food scraps that the girls dont eat (although that won't be much!  ) I found that it could attract flies..obviously food scraps on the garden could also be a draw for rats and mice....
You don't need permission from the council r.e chucks, maybe if you had loads but not for a few. Again, if you get a cockerel you may loose a few friends!
I never actually got to the point of going away with our girls as the b***** fox got em before we had the chance    but I'm sure youcould find someone, they are pretty low maintenance...if you are getting an eglu, just leave them in the run with the bedroom door open so they can get out whenever they like in the morning..the runs are fox proof so foxy shouldnt get them but i would pop in some more straw to keep them warm...
all the cats including my own never bothered the chickens..very curious only and caught a few having a small lie-down inthe run of the eglu!  
hope you have great fun with your chickens!!
Pobby x


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hello!

Haven't been on for ages & need to read through the last posts at some point, but wanted to get you up to speed with our Chook situation now.

My last post was about Buttercup dying of old age, well Blossom went too a few weeks later - but was got by mister foxy. Only hope that her heart went as soon as she was got.

We decided not to get anymore chickens for a while as I am rather busy with our twins at the moment. Anyhow DH was chatting with some of our neighbours and between them we have decided to start a cooperative. They use our land & hen house, we share feed costs & all keep an eye on them, but (and a big but) is that they clean them out! We will share the eggs and everyone is happy. So the chickens arrived 10 days ago - Trevor (think it should be trevorette?), Mable and Gladys. They are warrens & are beautiful girls. Still miss Blossom and Buttercup!

Hope your all well & so are your chickens!

Liz
x
(will try and read the posts that I have missed!)


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Wonderful news!! I have an allotment and we can keep chickens on there!! Yaaaay! I am so excited!!!

xxxxx


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## pruflo (May 3, 2005)

Hi all,

Cheers for the replies - I will be showing them to DH - LOL - he is the only spanner in the works at the mo. 

Salia - we are trying to get an allotment at the moment - it is partly to try and stop some nasty building but I do like the idea of growing my own stuff - I just need to get over my fear of worms first (I know mad.......).

I have been on the eglu site - may have to have one seeing as though I just won £1200 at work...........

Cheers again

Kate


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Brilliant news Pruflo! Hope you have your chick-a-dees soon

I didn't get my allotment!   My friend ended up pulling out so no chickens for me just yet I am so gutted  

xxxxx


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## elsielouise (May 4, 2008)

I've got an eglu and some 'rescue' ex battery hens. LOVE my hens. I know this is an old thread but Mavis, Edna and Vera all needed a mention!


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

I really want an eglu but we are renovating at the mo and I still haven't got the money for one  

Do you let your chooks free-range?

xxxx


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## elsielouise (May 4, 2008)

We don't let them completely free range in the garden as also have 2 rescue greyhounds and a JRT who chase ANYTHING so we have made them a 10 x10m large electric fenced hen pen and the eglu is in that, it's as big as a garden of their own really. There's only 3 of them in there so they have plenty of space.

They do amuse me my hens though less so at 5am this morning whrn I could here them clucking wanting to get up. Made oH go down and let them out      which he did. Love my OH


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

My Dh is good like that bless him

Are they quite loud?? I thought they could just come in and go out of the eglu as they pleased?  

xxx


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## pobby (Jun 2, 2005)

hi chicken lovers!
Saila, you lock them in their pod at night with an eglu so you have to get up at sunrise to let them out or else they will get a bit hot and bothered shut in! (and will let you know!   ) you could leave the door of the pod open in the summer though as they wont get cold!
really hope you can get some soon...we still dont have it...way too dangerous now, the foxes are so brave, they are in the garden all the time and dont seem overly nervous of us!
pobby xx


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## pem (Jan 10, 2007)

Hey fellow chicken lovers,

My three girls have an eglu and they have their own 'free ranging space', I lock them in the run at night cus of the naughty foxes but they have a fenced in space for the day or else they would eat all my veggies and flowers. they do make a fair racket at times though if I am not up early enough to let them out of their pen...little b*gg*rs !

Emma, and the chooks, Maggie, Cathy and Fergie


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Emma i have put all mine together for the first time about a week ago. I got 2 baby silkies off currychicken last yr and they were in my avairy but we built a new enclosure for them so put them all together. It was funny to see the head chook beating up poor mr cockeral   but they all get on great now.
Mr chook woke me up at 5am today though


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## Magpie (May 19, 2005)

Hello all,

I hope you are all well - and our chooks as well of course. We have 7 chickens now that we share with our neighbours. It's a bit of a cooperative as they bought 5 of the chickens and we bought the other 4. They are on our land, but the neighbours can see them from their garden, it works out well & we share the eggs. 

Liz
x


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

I still haven't got an eglu   Going to ask everyone to club together this year and get me one off Ebay!  

xxxxx


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## button butterfly (Feb 9, 2009)

Hi Girls

One of the members directed me to here - joined last week and as you can see in my blog I have 6 hens (a christmas present from the in-laws!).  Not named them as yet as they are very alike so must study them in detail!!  I have an old pig hut for them (husband a farmer and used to have pigs hence the hut) - have ventured out and bought omlet glug and feeding things to hang from our chicken wire.....anyone got any of these feeders/glugs? I should've maybe asked this prior to ordering but I will do anything for my girls!!


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## Maybemummy (Mar 12, 2007)

Hi Button  just in case you don't know if the are coming into lay you need to give them calcium in the drinking water every 3-4 weeks for a couple of days.

Hi all I have 5 girls in a 30m by 10m long pen with a  nice 6 hen Fortesham Cottage House which they seem to like.  They were free range but the foxes came at 10am one morning and killed all but one from my first group.  This way they can range but are safe.

The girls are Peggy, Clarey, Lillian, Babs and Bianca.  I love my chooks they are so entertaining 

Siobhan x


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Oh I am so jealous girls! I feel like I will never get chickens!!

xxx


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## Libeth (Jul 17, 2007)

Hi everyone
Hope you dont mind me joining this thread.  We got 4 ex battery hens in Feb this year - Gertie, Jen, Babs and Liv and they are right characters!  Gertie and Jen particularly like to come in the house and they all chase my labrador!  Have just spent this afternoon trying to find Gertie and Liv since they escaped from our garden - what a nightmare but got them home now!  Wasnt too impressed when I saw one of them walking across the main road!!


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## button butterfly (Feb 9, 2009)

Hiya libeth 

I got my chickens at christmas as a pressie - was worried about killing them within the first few weeks and boy I know I shouldnt have bothered.  They are very nosey!!!  I need to clip their wings as they keep flying out of their pen, I have a large garden and I dont mind them wandering around it but I do mind it when they start laying eggs everywhere but in their boxes ha ha ha!  I only have names for a few as they are so alike I really cant tell them apart - bossy boots, Lazy bones and Loner, the other three look so alike so have called them the 3 degrees!   

Button


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Oh I am so jealous!! The only way I could have hens is in an eglu and we've just never had the money for one!! Hopefully one day I will have some untill them I am an honory hen keeper  

There are some good chicken threads on the Grow Your Own forum!


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## button butterfly (Feb 9, 2009)

hiya Saila

One day will have chickens if you really set your heart on them - eglus are expensive you could maybe come across a sendhand one on ebay..you never know.  The chickens have had their wings clipped and they can still escape their pen.  It is quite nice watching them have sand baths next to my TV room window they are soooo cute.  They starting running towards my car when I drive round the side of the house (like kids to an ice cream van).  

Such a nice day up here and away to walk my dog - hopefully the chickens wont follow!!!!

Bye for now 

Button


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## Maybemummy (Mar 12, 2007)

Hi all  hope you are all fine and well on the chicken lovers thread.  My five girls, Peggy, Babs, Bianca, Lillian and Clarey are still doing fine in their large enclosure.  The weeds have grown and I was keeping them strimmed down then I saw the girls chillin under a dock leaf so I left a few - proper back to the ancestors jungle hens.

Clarey is broody at the mo and is sitting on six hatching eggs - she is very dilligent so i have to lift her off to eat and drink in this hot weather.  The trouble is that her sitting has attracted the red mites which the poultry shield and diatom normally keep in check.  So big effort to spray the run tomorrow.

I've recently bought some geese Napoleon and Josephine  who are sebastebol geese - curly feathered pamtomine geese. 

They are all lovely I'm really into my poultry and they are so cute to watch.

Magpie are your webcams wired or wireless? they sound great.

Siobhan x


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## Honeywitch (Dec 16, 2008)

Chickens are lovely - we had three hybrids called Henny Penny (yeah, I know!  ) a white amber star, Hattie a Heritage Skyline and Miss Marple, a Maran Cuivre. They were fantastic layers and really nosey - came in thru the catflap when it snowed!  

Sadly they were foxed three months ago . We are going to get more, but I am waiting for my DP to build a more secure run.


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## helenie (Mar 18, 2009)

Hello,
we got "our" 3 chickens this week.

Actually, they not really ours, but a friend's, who is moving house, so if she can find somewhere to keep them near her new home, she will want them back, but for now they are happily settled in the corner of our allotment. Kind of temporary, but probably fairly long term.

They are originally rescues, from a battery farm, but my friend has had them nearly a year, so they are healthy now and very happy chickens.

We have also borrowed her "Omlet", which seems very good - I'm sure the foxes have been to look at it, but not managed to get anywhere.

At the moment, two of them are laying normal eggs, and the other lays eggs without shells, so at treat time, we seperate her away from the others, and give her food mixed with extra dolomite and vitamin D.

I'm really surprised that they are so tame - we let them out a little bit, while we are there, and they scuffle about where we are weeding, and then when we want to put them back in, we just pick them up and put them back - I thought there would be more chasing necessary for this job, but so far so good.

anyway, hooray for chickens

xxx
h


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