[greenmountain]

Hi Everyone, I've just joined, from the mountains outside Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I am experimenting with lots of "clean" vegetables and we also grow corn to feed the chickens  , which produce the most coveted eggs for miles around ! I do find that "production" is vary variable, which the locals always put down to the season ("they never lay in Lent"), the weather ("it's been raining too much"), the moon ("they act up during the third full moon of the year") or any other excuse that they can dream up! A steepish learning curve, but the girls seem happy and healthy so I'll struggle on. Need to invest in some good books, but I wonder if Brazilian hens behave the same as British ones! Anyway, looking forward to learning lots from all you pros out there...thanks in advance.

[sandy]

OooooooooooooooooooH, sounds a fantastic place to live, did you move there or do  you come from there?

[greenmountain]

Hi Sandy, I was born here, but have lived outside Brazil (UK,US) as well. Been back for 9 years now and hope to stay! I'm loving my project and one day will live on it full time - at the moment I'm still a city girl and a weekend farmer, so things happen a bit slowly and there is a bit of resistance from the local caretakers to any new-fangled ideas I try to introduce...slowly does it. Took me a year to get them to stop spraying ghastly chemicals all over my veg, and to teach basic composting, but now they're hooked!

[sandy]

Back to basics,how things used to be, welcome!!!

[doganjo]

Welcome to the forum, greenmountain!  How did you find us?
Sandy and I live in Clackmannan, Central Scotland - about 5 minutes from each other.  We both have hens and they are as unpredictable as yours I think.  I think some breeds are better layers than others and it also depends on moulting, lack of light in winter and probably many other things.  I had 6 ex battery hens till a few hours ago, and three light Sussex till the day before yesterday.  I have one less of each now :-( They are in an enclosure with a four foot fence and had taken to jumping up onto it and down onto the ground on this side. Unfortunately I hadn't noticed and my German Wire-haired Pointer got them, first one the other day, then the second today.  I have added chicken wire onto the top so hope that will stop them coming over into the garden. You'll like the forum - lots of knowledge and friendly peopel

[greenmountain]

Well, believe it or not, I found TAS by googling a recipe for Broccoli and Stilton soup (loads of broccoli in the garden and a lump of Stilton in the freezer left over from Christmas - can't get it here!), and came up with TAS's recipe...and on from there. The wonders of the web! So sorry about your chooks - I have five dogs but luckily one generation has passed down to the other that they are hors concours, so apart from the odd chase now and again just to show who's boss, they leave the chickens alone. I've rather left the chicken/eggs side of things to the lady who worked there when I bought the place a few years ago, so it's all a bit hit and miss, but will now start concentrating on optimizing egg production, within reasonable limits. Thanks for the support. Will keep checking the poultry community too.

[doganjo]

It's only my German that I have the problem with - they are bred to kill in Germany.  My three Brittanys have soft mouths and although they have regularly 'retrieved' ducks and chickens and even argued over them, so far they haven't killed any.  They are all shooting dogs so they shouldn't do.  But hester is 12 and I don't think i'll change her now so the birds had better just stay put.

[Rosemary]

Hi and welcome. It's great to have folk from overseas on the forums. Look forward to hearing more from you!

[Hilarysmum]

Hi and welcome from Brittany.  My chickens sound pretty much like yours. 

[sheila]

 Welcome to the site. My chickens are crackers! by that I mean idiots! Two are broody and have hatched three  out of a dozen eggs and now can't decide who owns what? It sounds lovely where you are and I hope to hear a lot about your chicken adventures.

[Farmer]

Hi Greenmountain...welcome to the forum...great to have someone from so far away...best of luck

Farmer
 

[Tullywood Farm]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
kindest regards
Joe

[carole]

Hi and welcome from us in France

Carole