Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
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Mustang
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Get my first girls tomorrow...I'm getting a couple of rescue chickens tomorrow! Will pick up 2 from chicken rescue. Am really rather excited ... my first ever chooks 
I picked up a load of layers pellets today. Have got loads of water and feed dispensers to use. And bedding for the coop.
Anyone give me any advice?
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dpack
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they might take a while to settle and learn to scrat etc but they will.
ex bats can be in poor condition so extra rations such as dried peas ,plenty of access to greens ,worms beetles etc .
keep em penned until they think of home as home ,usually once they have slept overnight they will think of that place as home
beware foxes etc at all times
avoid rats by being tidy with food stores etc
read a lot,watch em,enjoy.
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Mustang
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I was planning on getting 2, but came home with 3. They came from a factory near Coventry, apparently. They are settling down nicely, wandering around their pen trying to figure out what all the new sights and sounds are. Condition-wise, they aren't as bad as I expected but I guess a few weeks in their new home will give them a chance to grow into what they should be.
My cats are fascinated by them. They are the biggest bird they've ever seen. The birds got protective as well, when they spotted one coming, by puffing themselves and going up on tiptoe to make themselves look bigger. Then they all ran at the cat, which prompt turned around and scarpered. The cats cant get into the pen, so they are (both) safe.
And 1 hour after getting home, one of them laid an egg 
I have already moved a chair into their pen as I forsee I could spend a load of time in there watching them.
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dpack
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the mission creep started early  three is better than two
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Mustang
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Mission creep? Yeah, doesn't it just.
Sae with the bees. Made 2 hives, planned to use 1 and keep the other as backup. A few weeks later, both hives AND Nuc full, so have just built a third hive for Nuc-colony.
Definitely mission creep.
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dpack
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Nicky cigreen
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yay for new chickens!
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DorsetScott
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They're awesome.
Got mine a couple of weeks ago, sure I used to achieve more in the garden before I started watching them
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gythagirl
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I love watching our ex-batts scratching for bugs and sunbathing 
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wellington womble
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They are so entertaining. About the same work as a cat, and similar pet benefits. Possibly less cuddles, but you get compost and eggs.
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Barefoot Andrew
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My cats are fascinated by them. They are the biggest bird they've ever seen. |
They are so entertaining. About the same work as a cat, and similar pet benefits. Possibly less cuddles, but you get compost and eggs. |
Oh I don't know - ours get picked up and cuddled often enough. Although they're not always reet impressed about it.
A.
wellington womble
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You don't get one purring on your lap while you knit though. And they are not housetrainable. Still entertaining though.
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Mustang
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Today, they were out and about when I got back home. One was trying to climb everything. Flapping and trying to fly up. But their wings are simply feather ribs right now, so no joy. I put a tree in there that I cut up a while ago, and they investigated quickly. I put 'climber' on one of the top branches. She flapped a lot when I picked her up, but then figured out that she had a great view from the low branch, and calmed down. Her balance wasn't great but she was enjoying herself.
And they gave me another egg.
Cats still intruiged with them, esp one, Kitten, who reaches through the wire to touch them (not aggressively though).
One is being a bit dominant over the others, chasing one in particular, but I guess that'll sort itself out soon.
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Mustang
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Chook creep indeed.
I've now got a couple of Bresse Gauloise hens as well
12 and 14 weeks old, and are sooo heavy compared to the rescues.
I was clearing an area of garden from an invasive plant today, between thunderstorms. All the chooks were incredibly inquisitive, getting in the way between me and the plants! They also follow me around the garden, and a couple even made their way into the lounge today.
Fascinating animals. Glad I've got them.
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Mutton
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Oh yes, if you are trying to do heavy digging and really wanging the spade into the ground, you do need to clear the chickens out the way first. We've not yet injured one, but boy do they have to examine every hole, every spadeful and leap on the worms. If you have a cockerel, then they are there too, encouraging the girls to come over and join in if they hadn't already.
Dust baths - they do love dust baths and if you have garden shrubs with space underneath that is dry-ish, they will happily dust bath there and excavate the roots in the process. We have put a square of concrete blocks and filled it with dry sandy soil inside their house (an old outbuilding) for them to dust bathe in.
They also learn fast where food is involved. Feed them out of a certain bucket twice and they will all rush over for the bucket. Be very careful what you let them learn
Also - do NOT teach them cat flaps.
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Shan
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Well done, you sound like you have it all in hand.
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Mustang
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The cat flap are microchip-controlled, so no way they can get in through that. In the past few days, they've become even bolder. They now chase the cats around teh garden. My big male cat is particularly scared of them 
The ex-batts feathers are starting to re-grow, and the 2 new girls have now been accepted as part of the 'flock' by the others.
They do learn fast, don't they. If I go into their pen, Number 1 comes rushing over and expects some mixed grain treats.
And somehow, I don't really know how, an Rcom suro 20 incubator ended up in my shopping basket on ebay today. I guess that means a few eggs may also come my way.....
Just chilling out in the garden now, with one cat hiding in a large flowerpot in the middle of the lawn, surrounded by grass-eating chooks. They haven't noticed her yet....
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