February 8, 2010 at 7:01 pm
· Filed under All about Eggs
When I found a broken, thin shelled egg in the ark this morning, I thought it was probably Yoda’s offering for today … but later in the day, DH found a Yoda wrinkly special in the Hen House run nest box … so who else is laying thin shelled eggs? And who laid the tiny 41g egg, even smaller than yesterday’s 45g? It looks like a Light Sussex … besides those three we had four eggs today … so that’s seven for the day, after having only four yesterday.
I spent some time this morning picking up each hen and having a chat – if they are used to being handled, it’s easier when you need to check them over or if they’re unwell etc. The Aunties and the Cook Chooks were fine … but catching the Virtues is something else! I cornered Verity, but she wasn’t happy being held, whereas the others were all reasonably content for a while. But I never did catch Charity … she took refuge in the nest box and stayed there for her customary, lengthy midday siesta!
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February 7, 2010 at 4:22 pm
· Filed under All Things Chicken, All about Eggs
DH went out to the hens this morning … now he knows what I meant when I said ‘Yolande was insistent on leaving the run‘ as she did the same today … he dutifully let her out and she went straight across to the Hen House run and into the nest box to lay an egg … all done and dusted in a matter of minutes, a rather large and very wrinkly egg 
We found the remnants of an egg in there yesterday, too … just a very thin shell … so I take it that also was Yoda’s offering, but I don’t know who ate the innards of it. Could be a hen, could be a cat … unless we catch them red-handed one day, we’ll never know for sure.
We used a good few eggs yesterday in some cooking … and I sold two boxes of six today at church … so even with eight hens we’re not overwhelmed with eggs. Over a period of 5 months, we’ve had 519 eggs, that’s over £100 worth at 20p an egg. Obviously with eight hens we’re getting more eggs now, but I’m also selling half a dozen here and there which also helps with the running costs. I don’t suppose we’ll ever repay our setting up costs, but now we’re up and running, the hens more than repay their keep.
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February 6, 2010 at 10:49 am
· Filed under All Things Chicken
Pecking Order
Times Higher Ed article Jan 4th 2010
Couldn’t have said it better myself! 
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February 5, 2010 at 3:15 pm
· Filed under All Things Chicken
It’s only February, but we’ve had a lovely, mild sunny day today, so it was time to give the coop a good ’spring’ clean. DH has had the ‘flu and is still in the pathetic phase, but he kept me company, sitting on the swing in the garden, while I pulled everything out of the loft, washed the vinyl down, sprayed with Jeyes and Diatom and replaced newspaper and nest boxes (cardboard veg trays from the supermarket filled with shredded paper and straw with a top dressing of Diatom).
While this was all going on, I had shut the hens in the Hen Garden to keep them out from under my feet in the run … but they didn’t like it! They patrolled the wire fence, chuntering and complaining all the while. I left them there while I raked over the woodchip and laid some Stalosan. When I ran out of Stalosan, I went to the garage to refill my sprinkler, and by the time I came back they were inspecting every corner of the run and ark … there was no getting them out again, so I carried on sprinkling Stalosan on hens and woodchip alike.
They have finally discovered the joys of the pecking blocks, thanks to the Cook Chooks’ persistence … one is now in pieces on the floor being fought over by the ex-batts, while the Virtues have laid claim to the other and are slowly demolishing it. I’m glad the Cooks had the opportunity to get ahead for a day or two, as they’re not getting a look in now!
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February 4, 2010 at 9:36 am
· Filed under All Things Chicken, All about Eggs
It couldn’t last … the Virtues have restored order and although Clarissa may disagree, she now knows her place in the pecking order
Strange thing this morning … I was cleaning out the ark and Yolande was insistent on leaving the run … kept pacing up and down the wire and trying to dodge through the door. Wouldn’t take no for an answer, so I let her out, on her own, and she made straight for the nest box in the run! I made sure she had access to food and water, and left her there … 10mins later she was out in the Hen Garden, pecking around perfectly happy … and there was a Yoda egg in the little nest box! It’s her usual, grainy pale egg with a slightly crumpled shell – can’t remember the last time we had one, buy why ever did she want so much to go and lay it in the covered cat carrier we use as a temporary nest box? It can’t simply have been that I was cleaning out the ark … she wasn’t interested in laying in there at all.
Goodness, they are complex little creatures, aren’t they?
I made a couple of pecking blocks last week … flour, water and egg paste, mixed with grains, mealworms, oats etc and baked slowly to dry out. I hung them in the dugout but they’ve been ignored for the best part of a week … it’s the Cook Chooks that finally discovered them, and are making a meal of them. The Virtues chase them off out of principle, but they can’t see what the fuss is about! I’m working hard at giving the Cook Chooks equal opportunities … rather than giving them their morning porridge in a bowl, I make it rather less moist so it’s more like a dough mix, and scatter lumps of it round the run. The Virtues would get dizzy trying to run round and protect them all … so the Cook Chooks simply have to stay one step ahead to get a fair piece of the pudding The Aunties are above chasing the Cook Chooks just for the sake of it, and only take a nip out of them if they intrude too closely to something already under an Auntie’s beak.
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February 2, 2010 at 7:02 pm
· Filed under All Things Chicken
I noticed her pecking one of the Virtues today … who now moves out of her way when challenged. She won’t get past the ex-batts though!
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February 1, 2010 at 2:25 pm
· Filed under All about Eggs, Hen Health, Personal
I had thought that the Vicks had helped the feather pecking – but clearly not as this morning I watched Clarissa peck and eat a feather from Delia … I was helpless to stop her as I was in the house. Within minutes, however, my delivery from Regency Poultry arrived with a can of Ukadex on board!
I’ve read all about Ukadex and how terrible it smells, so I sent DH to put his waterproofs on, while I kitted myself up with a waterproof (DH also has waterproof trousers, I don’t … ) and garden gloves and went out to talk to the hens while I waited for DH. The Cook Chooks appear to really like human company, as they come to you as soon as you join them, and stay round your feet whatever you’re doing. Or perhaps they’re just trying to curry favour, or seek protection, from someone they regard as top of the pecking order? In any case, it was a matter of moments to scoop them up and spray them … so I was done and dusted before DH even managed to get his trousers on!
I have read forum and blog entries that talk about the smell, and how you have to change everything you are wearing and have a shower to wash it away etc … so I was prepared for the worst. But I really don’t think it’s that bad! It reminds me of burnt meths or tar … yes, it’s strong, but not repulsive … but let’s hope it does the job. Generally, apart from the bald patches and where I used the Vicks, Delia and Nigella are starting to gleam like Clarissa. I noticed recently, however, that Bobby in particular is looking a little scruffy … DH had a good look at her today, and her front is completely bare – I can only assume she is moulting, as is Bridget.
So their good laying record may go on hold for a while as they grow new feathers. I learned today that it’s little Delia – smallest hen, fewest feathers – who is laying the larger of the Rhode Rock eggs with a speckled end. I’m glad to report that the RRs are all laying in the ark, now, too. I don’t think we’ve had an egg from Yolande for a few days now, but she seems well.
The Hen Garden doesn’t get a lot of sun. At one point this morning, we had seven of the girls all squished up into the one spot of sunshine they could find, which is when they finally discovered the branches I cut and put in the run a couple of weeks ago … they are piled up against the cherry tree so the first we knew of it was when DH spotted one of the Virtues half way up the tree where the trunk divides in two. They didn’t get any higher, and I didn’t see how the LS got down again, but they all then took it in turns to explore their new climbing frame!
I left the hens in DH’s care Saturday and spent the day in London … DD1 had a summer camp reunion so I had a day to myself to spend as I liked. In the end, I spent it walking the River Thames and getting to know the bridges … I took a couple of hundred photos, so if you’d like to see a few, click on the picture below.
- Westminster Bridge from the South Bank of the Thames
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January 29, 2010 at 4:55 pm
· Filed under All Things Chicken, All about Eggs
The Rhode Rocks were left at the bottom of the ramp last evening … again, DH put two in with no bother, but the third refused to stay put … so it was another early morning for me to let the ramp down. I’ve strung up a torch in there for this evening … we’ll see if it makes any difference. In general, the Cook Chooks are learning fast … spaghetti for treats today, thrown strand by strand (!), created mayhem … with hens chasing each other for a piece, or dropping one piece to pick up another … the ex-batts were too distracted to peck anyone else rather than at the pasta, so there was no bullying despite the intense competition!
One RR laid in the ark again today … and one in the nest box in the small run. Bridget and Booby were their usual early and efficient selves laying together in a matter of moments. Charity took rather longer, but didn’t outstay her welcome, and Verity obviously laid when I wasn’t looking. So I wonder if Yoda will start brewing another softie, and which of the RR isn’t laying, or which two are laying alternate days?!
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January 28, 2010 at 4:55 pm
· Filed under All Things Chicken
Last night, we separated the hens before bedtime, waited until the established girls were in the ark, then popped the new girls in with them – two were fine, but Clarissa kept trying to escape, so DH simply pulled up the ramp and left them to get on with it.
When I lowered the ramp this morning it was quite early, and they were all still asleep! All but one came down eventually … little Delia didn’t seem to be able to work out how to get off the perch, or perhaps she was simply enjoying the peace and quiet. There were a few squabbles, but I let them out into the Hen Garden quite early and they all settled down soon enough. After a while, I realised Charity had been in the nest box for rather a long time … I found her sitting on three eggs, none of them her own! I don’t know if she’s intending to go broody, but I left her a while longer and then hoiked her out once she’d laid.
The Cook Chooks have learned to come running when they see me with the white enamel bowl … already! Much earlier than the Virtues who took a few weeks to put two and two together So it’s fairly easy to get them all in the run if we have to go out … we’ve put them all together tonight – we’ll see if the Rhode Rocks can find their way to bed, otherwise we’ll put them in tonight and use a torch tomorrow.
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January 27, 2010 at 11:32 am
· Filed under All Things Chicken, Hen Pictures
All you need is love!
DH is ill in bed and it’s cold out … I simply wanted to get it over and done with! So mid-morning, I opened the doors to both runs and let them get on with it. Bobby is a belligerent bird … but once she’d made her feelings known, she settled down. So with the position of top hen sorted, it was left to the others to agree terms as to the rest of the hierarchy. The Virtues needed a few reminders from the Aunties, and while they were discussing terms, Clarissa saw her moment and challenged Verity. It was hard to tell who won the initial skirmish, but a while later they came face to face over a scattering of corn and Clarissa graciously gave way … so that’s the pecking order done and dusted then!
- Putting the Cook Chooks in their place involves taking over their premises
Yoda (I think) checking out the alternative nest box
- Closely followed by …
- … Verity
- Just checking!
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January 26, 2010 at 7:12 pm
· Filed under All Things Chicken, All about Eggs
The old girls have a fair sized run (4×4m) and I feel so sorry for the Cook Chooks, cooped up in their small run – they are desperate to get out – so the old girls have had rather less time out and about than usual and the Cook Chooks have had some time in the Hen Garden. They were all out together today for a short time … Bobby intends to continue as top hen, and went round pecking all the other hens on the head (bar Bridget and Yoda). I had a walking stick with me, so every time she pecked someone, I poked her, until she was so fed up she took herself off to the run with her sidekick Bridget. I know they have to fight it out at some stage, but I don’t think there’s any harm in reminding them I am top hen myself!
I saw Clarissa take a peck at one of her sister hens … so the Vicks isn’t the complete answer, but I don’t think she managed to get a grip on a feather! Each time she tried, I scooped her up and tucked her under my arm for a few moments … all the Cook Chooks are fairly easy to catch as they like to be round my feet … ahhhh!
We had eight good eggs today – goodness, if they keep this up I shall have to find some new customers.
We were out most of the afternoon, so none of the hens had much time in the garden today … we’ll continue with turn and turn about for a few days more, as and when we can, and hopefully the weather will stay dry for a few days yet, so when we do them let them out together, one of us can be out there with them keeping an eye on proceedings. Perhaps the Ukadex will have arrived by then – I might just spray the whole lot of them in one go – that’ll teach them who’s boss!
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January 24, 2010 at 5:40 pm
· Filed under All about Eggs, The Cooks
We had three eggs from the Cook Chooks, three eggs in the nest box, a softie and a broken egg … the egg skelter is filling up nicely!
The Cook Chooks have been with us three days, and have been desperate to get out of their run ever since they arrived. So instead of working in the garden this afternoon, we put the hens in their run and let the Rhode Rocks out into the hen garden … and they headed straight for the only bit of grass they could see!
Introducing the Cook Chooks ... Delia, Nigella and Clarissa
Unfortunately, they couldn’t reach it, as it’s between the netting of the run and the wind netting! It didn’t stop them trying, and having just moved the ark and dugout around inside the run, the others had a go from the other side of the fence, too …
Digging their way out?
I knew that Delia had some feathers missing … now having had a better look at them, I realise Nigella is short of a few, too …
Delia (closest to the camera) with Nigella
yet Clarissa has a fine set of glossy feathers … guess who’s top hen?
Clarissa
I have some Featherite, but I’ve tried it before and it’s useless to prevent feather pecking (I watched as Clarissa pecked and ate some of Delia’s feathers while the spray was still wet!) and I can’t find anyone who has Ukadex in stock, but I’ve read that you can use Vicks VapoRub … so that’s tomorrow’s job in the garden!
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January 23, 2010 at 5:36 pm
· Filed under All Things Chicken, All about Eggs, The garden
The shower curtain really didn’t work … so for a while we thought we’d simply put them in the ark and let them fight it out … but I suspect feathers may fly when they do eventually get together – Verity and Charity in particular are determined to put the newbies in their place … even through the wire of the run!
- Charity measures up the opposition (Nigella) …
In the end, we decided to put the wooden box arrangement actually in the run … it does mean they have less space, but it’s protected by the corrugated plastic roofing and at night we’re putting a tarpaulin across, too, to cut out the light from the neighbour’s garden and a security light from the house at the back – it seemed to be confusing the Cooks to have bright lights around them at night.
They are desperate to be out … but are not so unhappy they’re not laying – we had three eggs from the Cook Chooks today! Fairly tasteless just now, but they’ll get better. Only two eggs from the others, Charity and an ex-batt … perhaps their noses are out of joint?
We did a lot more to the raised beds today, and DH raked the rest of the straw out of the run. It’s looking much tidier, but I’m hoping the grass improves in the Spring!
- From this angle you can see just how uneven the raised beds are!
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January 22, 2010 at 4:37 pm
· Filed under All about Eggs, Hen Pictures, The Cooks, The garden
- Clarissa & Nigella
- Delia is the odd one out …
and a few pics of the others …
- No Comment!
- ‘Who are you laughing at?!’
- Catching some rays …
and just to show that it’s not always ‘birds of a feather’ …
- Verity & Yoda in the dustbin
and finally,
- Yoda digs up some sunshine!
We had two eggs from the Cook Chooks on their first day – good girls! Clarissa (blue leg ring) is clearly top hen, and faced up to some hassle from Verity through the wire … we’ll need to watch the quite carefully when they meet. Delia (no leg ring) is clearly bottom hen, usually on her own while the other two dig or feed or preen together. Nigella has Yoda’s yellow leg ring … I can’t really see Nigella wearing yellow, but it was a case of first come, first served! I’m not sure who it is who makes the most horrible racket from time to time … it’s a bit like having a goose in the garden. I hope whoever it is will settle down eventually – Verity was quite loud to start with, but I hardly hear her now.
So if all else fails, we can identify each of the hens from their leg rings … ex batts Bridget in blue, Roberta in Red and Yoda without, Light Sussex Charity in yellow and Verity in red, and Rhode Rock Nigella in yellow, Clarissa in blue (from Patience) and Delia without. We may be able to tell which type of hen laid which egg – the Light Sussex eggs are quite pale and the Rhode Rocks are brown – but I doubt we’ll be able to tell exactly which hen laid which egg.
And we did some more work on the raised beds while we had a break in the weather … I’ve been aiming to level if not fill a bed a day, and today DH put in some time to finish filling two beds and level another, so that’s now six beds in place, although only two of them are filled and ready to plant. But that’s fine … I have in mind to plant broad beans in one and peas in the other (once we have some netting I can protect them with) and everything else can wait until spring/Easter (fitting in around when we may be away). I love it when a plan comes together!
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January 22, 2010 at 12:46 pm
· Filed under All Things Chicken
Three days in and the hens are staying on their side of the fence. In fact, when I accidentally let Verity out earlier today, she was desperate to get back in but couldn’t work out how! She is the one hen who doesn’t like me very much, and won’t come near to be picked up, so it was a bit of a chase up the garden path (literally) until I had her cornered. I simply popped her over the fence, but I may have given the game away that it’s not that high, really! I wonder if the fact that the wire netting is green is helping since they can’t see a clear ‘edge’ to be able to judge how high to jump?
The Virtues in particular are intrigued by the Cook Chooks … perhaps the smell is familiar as they came from the same farm? We’ve already had two eggs from the newbies … little brown eggs that should be quite easy to tell apart from the Virtues offerings. The Aunties’ eggs are larger, though … but I don’t sell them on as the shells are often thin as are the whites from time to time. I shan’t sell the Cooks’ eggs for a while either … haven’t tried one yet, but I expect the yolks are pale and tasteless. Still, they’ll do to cook with …
The mud is getting deeper, so I’ve been in and excavated some of the woodchip that was left on the pile after we’d filled the run. Enough to cover the path although it will soon get messed up. I could do with another load of woodchip, and I’ve been in touch with two or three tree surgeons, but no-one has any work on until the weather is a bit less seasonal.
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January 21, 2010 at 5:31 pm
· Filed under The Cooks
It took a while to get organised this morning … somewhere for them to roost/sleep, a nest box, feeders and water. We used the box and perch from the greenhouse but put it on a base of bricks next to the small run and wrapped a shower curtain round it to provide some weatherproofing … it’s well sheltered under a tree and next to a wall, but it’s not painted or anything. So I hope they’ll be warm enough … I suppose they may all squeeze into the nest box though!
We got to the farm just before the rain started … but it was still as muddy as last time! We decided on Rhode Rocks … a really dark, almost black feathered hybrid, so they should lay through the winter months (since we’re getting them for their eggs). Some of them had been quite badly pecked in the barn … one of ours has a bald patch near her tail … she also has the smallest comb. One of the others simply came up to me and crouched, so I scooped her up and popped her in the carrier … I take it she’s already laying. The other has a well developed comb, but wasn’t going to crouch and be caught, so Paul the breeder grabbed her by the legs.
We decided names before we chose them … they are ‘The Cooks’ – Delia, Nigella and Clarissa! We’ll sort out who’s who when we can get some leg rings to fit. As we took them out of the carriers at home, we clipped their wings, put them in the run and left them to settle. The girls (as in our daughters) didn’t even notice … so they’re in for a surprise at some stage! The Aunties and Virtues, however, had a grandstand view … it will be interesting to watch them free ranging round the small run tomorrow …
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January 20, 2010 at 1:54 pm
· Filed under All Things Chicken
I’d just built up a supply of eggs when I used some and someone asked me for half a dozen and the egg skelter is almost empty again … so as we’re in the vicinity tomorrow, I’ve made a call to the breeder I had the Light Sussex from and we’re paying them a visit!
We’re not going to be able to keep them in the greenhouse this time round, so it’s in the coop after dark and hope for the best … at least I’ll be around on Friday and Saturday to oversee any squabbles.
And that really will be enough hens! No more!
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January 19, 2010 at 1:01 pm
· Filed under All Things Chicken
The girls have been quite content to stay in their garden … they are making themselves perfectly at home …
Charity dustbathing in the Hen House
… and she wasn’t coming out for treats, either!
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January 17, 2010 at 2:05 pm
· Filed under All Things Chicken, The garden
Today is the first day the hens have been confined to one area of the garden … no escapees so far, but it’s only been about 3 hours!
It’s not very secure so we’ll continue to keep them in the run for a good part of the morning, to make sure they lay in the nest box as well as that they eat a good proportion of layers pellets before foraging for themselves. We may eventually create a more permanent and slightly higher fence of some kind, but this will do as a short term experimental measure. I think they have enough space to continue to find good things to eat – but we’ll put in a few stones/logs to turn over from time to time as a refuge/feeding station for bugs!
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January 16, 2010 at 4:06 pm
· Filed under All Things Chicken, The garden
… we finally fenced in an area of the garden for the hens exclusive use during the growing season …
I’m not convinced that the fencing we have is at all adequate, but it’s a start … even if we decide later on that we need to replace it with something taller. The fenced off area is 8×5m, which with the 4×4m run gives them over 50 square metres of space, should just about do for 5 hens!! We won’t be able to see them very well from the house however … and no hens flocking to the back door as it opens a crack to see if the way is clear to get to the compost bin without drawing attention to yourself! The ‘chicken yard’ is fairly flat, with some grass, some soil and woodchip and a pile of old logs. So there’s plenty of digging for them to do. I hope the wall is high enough too … it’s 5ft along one side, overgrown by a 30ft tall conifer in the neighbour’s garden. We’ve cut back the fig tree, although I take it that will start to grow again soon, and again, I hope they can’t use the stump to leap over the wall into the back lane. DH put an old dining room chair out there for them to perch on, but they haven’t discovered it yet … they were too taken up with all the bugs that were hiding under a pile of cuttings he’d just moved elsewhere.
Photos to follow – the monsoon started just as we’d finished …
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