Author Topic: New to hens (Read 4804 times)

noodlenoo · « **on:** August 28, 2011, 03:33:15 pm »

Hi all,
This is my first post !!

I have been thinking of getting chickens for a while, my parents kept them when i was younger, and since moving in to my own home i have been looking in to them..... So yesterday i recived a phone call from a friend advicing they know someone who needed rid of there 2 year old chickens, this weekend. due to a sudden move from there rented home.

I took my dad and collected the chickens and coop, they were kept at the end of the garden in the coop and run plus an additional run which was far to large to be moved. The chickens look to have a very bad pecking issue and had the violet spray all over there bald bodies.

I were are being fed of layer pellets and corn mix,which i have been to buy today from a local farm .(a small bag was given to us at the time of collection about 2 days worth) I have also bought a feeder as they were being fed out of what can only be descibed as a dog bowl.

I have set up the coop in the garden and have instructed the BF to build a large coop for them over this bank holiday, to allow the chickens to have a larger (day time) area plus we area going to let them wonder the garden supervised once our dog is use to them a little bit more.

After reading alot on here and seaking to my parents we think that the pecking may be due to bordom so i have placed an old CD ( tide at the end so it can swing)in the run they have now (apparantly they like that) and i have also given them a ball with a hole in which when the roll it around deposits treats ( currently has meal worms and sweetcorn in).

I have ordered some grit with oyster shells in aswell.

Is there any thing else anybody can recomend

it is so horrible to watch an listern to i cant belive this hasn't been addressed before.

(i say chickens because im unsure of the breed at the moment)

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #1 on:** August 28, 2011, 03:47:56 pm »

Welcome as a new the chicken owner

and on the TAS forum.

Firstly - if your new hens are bold now probably only means that they are moulting, being 2 years old. They might not be laying for another few months. It takes up a lot of energy and protein to grow new feathers. Try prorridge in milk, they will love you for it. If you give them plenty of protein now , that will help and also reduce any pecking issues they might have (I am not convinced that they do unless you watched them peck at each other). If they get more space outdoors that will usually resolve by itself.
Any questions, just fire away, folks on here will almost always be there with advice!

miccon63 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 28, 2011, 03:53:04 pm »

yes welcome to the site
where are you about in the country

noodlenoo · « **Reply #3 on:** August 28, 2011, 04:06:49 pm »

Thank you

I've witnessed the white hen pecking the black one and the gray and red.

there is only the 4 of them and one the white one pecks at the others that i have seen.

The white has a bald bum
The black has a bald chest and bum
The gray chest and bum
and finaly the red which has a patch on its neck and chest and bum

Im in manchester

Thank you for your help im sure ill ask a lot more questions.

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #4 on:** August 28, 2011, 04:25:40 pm »

can you put pictures up? Maybe one close-up? Did you have a chance to check them over? Bald bum can mean lice - they peck at each others' bums to eat them and they rip their own feathers out as it's itchy...Pecking at the others' bums might not be malicious. If the white one is still pecking at the others (heads) after a few days you can seperate her for a day. That tends to change the dynamics. I am confident that it will sort itself out once they have more space in the garden.

noodlenoo · « **Reply #5 on:** August 28, 2011, 04:36:15 pm »

i will try and put pics up tomorrow , of the sore bums and check them for lice (or the dad will)

I just feel so sorry for them at the moment so red n sore and this pink spray doenst make the situation look any better lol.

llamakevin · « **Reply #6 on:** August 28, 2011, 06:22:42 pm »

The first - or should I say second - year I had chooks, the moulting bit really worried me. I soon learnt though that it was quite natural. The pecking doesn't stop but it happens every now and then now, and has settled down, so I hope it is just a settling in period.

Welcome too!

little blue · « **Reply #7 on:** August 28, 2011, 07:13:54 pm »

welcome!

Rosemary · « **Reply #8 on:** August 28, 2011, 07:24:01 pm »

Hi and welcome from Carnoustie

There are three common things might cause problems with chooks - red mite, lice and worms. I'd recommend worming them and dusting for lice (and mites) with Diatom or some other proprietary powder (everyone has their favourite). Might also be worth putting a supplement in their food - lots available. Also check the house and give it a good clean and spray or dust.

Other good treats are sunflowers tha have gone to seed, tied up to peck at; corn cobs; cabbages or cauliflower outer leaves or Brussel sprouts or kale. Tie the leaves up though or they'll just tramp them into the ground and make a mushy mess.

I'm sure they'll be fine with a bit of TLC and reward you with lots of lovely eggs.

noodlenoo · « **Reply #9 on:** August 28, 2011, 08:15:09 pm »

I cleaned the house when we were rebuilding it panel by panel.

I also got some spice today it says to give them one tsp in there food so will try that.

so task for tomorrow build a bigger coop, take photos, inspect for lice, buy lice treatment n put in coop just incase. Respray the pecking spray.
SLEEP

Ive being thinking about the bigger coop should i finish the bottom with n L shape like the bottom of the omlet runs?

you see i said the questions would start.

Any tips on fox prevention would be welcomed

thank you all for a warm welcome

Miss Piggy · « **Reply #10 on:** August 28, 2011, 09:26:56 pm »

Hi and welcome from West Wales. It sounds like you have thought of most things. I think you are doing incredibly well for a new poultry owner. Relax and enjoy them, I think they are going to be well cared for by the sound of it and are lucky to have found you.

noodlenoo · « **Reply #11 on:** August 29, 2011, 06:31:35 pm »

Thank you, I've taken the pics but need to upload them on to the pc n I've lost the lead

Silly question but how Long can you keep the eggs ??

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #12 on:** August 29, 2011, 07:08:55 pm »

officially 3 weeks from the day they have been laid but if you use them yourself they do keep much longer. Do the glass of water test - if they float they are BAD, if they stand up in the water I break them into a bowl before I use them just to be sure
Can you pop the memory card into a card reader to upload the pics?