[Pigginshelly]

On Friday I went to feed the chickens. I thought - she looks like she is loosing weight, a bit scrabby as well (must be the moult), oh she looks the same. Oh well that one looks ok. Hang on, thats four brown ones - I only have two! My ten hens have suddenly become twelve.    I went across to our neighbour to see if they had theirs. Nope, they had not come a visiting! I have asked around, our customers generally think they have been "dumped". That someone had them Spring and Summer, now they have stopped laying for winter they are now "broke" and have left them with us. We have had some publicity in the local paper which mentioned the chickens and pigs.

There was a little pecking from the established flock yesterday but all seemed settled today with all the girls eating together. They even look in better condition than they did on Friday. I just wondered if there were any other problems I should be looking out for.

Shelly

[doganjo]

Beasties
Coughs and sneezes and wheezes 

[Pigginshelly]

Hi Annie

Had a good check of them for Beasties. Seem to be clear.

They are very very tame, so we were concerned that they were someone's pet, but there is no one around us apart from across the road and they still have theirs.

Will keep an eye on them.

Shelly 

[jameslindsay]

Isn't it sad that people can decide to get rid of an animal once it's usefullness is over? At lease these people didn't just abandon them in the middle of nowhere and they had the decency to leave them where they would be well looked after. Good for you Shelly  .

[doganjo]

Yes, I agree, James, definitely better than dumping half a dozen puppies in a suitcase.   Keep us posted and let us see photos of them.

[herdsman]

probably found out they make a mess in a small pen now its started raining and dont like the mud!

[little blue]

Poor chucks, glad they've found a good home with you.

was reading the other day that, by law, if you house and care for a 'found' dog, you never own it and it can be returned to its 'original owners' at any time (I assume they have to have evidence of it being their dog?)

[doganjo]

Poor chucks, glad they've found a good home with you.

was reading the other day that, by law, if you house and care for a 'found' dog, you never own it and it can be returned to its 'original owners' at any time (I assume they have to have evidence of it being their dog?)

Not sure if that contravenes the 'possession is nine tenths of the law' rule, does it?

[Rosemary]

Not sure that is true. We found a Jack Russell and were told by the police to get a certificate from the Dog Warden and after 7 days if it wasn't recalimed, she'd be ours. Unfortunately, the owner did claim her the following day. 

But if what you say was true, dog and cat shelters would be in trouble, wouldn't they?

[Pigginshelly]

They seem to be settled in now. Going up to bed with the others, no encouragement needed from us, eating well within the flock, but seem to prefer the company of the pigs, but that's ok, we have a hen that thinks it is a pig anyway. One of the customers from a local village keeps free range chickens and he has said that every year he gets many dumped on him. Sometimes people phone him and ask if he wants them sometimes he goes to the farm and they are just there in a box. It amazes me, these are really tame chickens so have been part of someones life for a few months. I just wish they had called in and told us, but I suppose this way we all have something to talk about!!!

Will try to get some pictures this afternoon!

Shelly