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Author Topic: Chooks arriving tomorrow  (Read 2845 times)

egbert

  • Joined Jan 2010
Chooks arriving tomorrow
« on: April 10, 2010, 09:23:25 am »
Hi

I am very excited now as we get our 4 ex-bats tomorrow, and hopefully our 2 bantams at the same time - I want to introduce them to their new home at the same time so they have less sense of territory.

Just some questions if you could help me though -

Ive been reading your posts about red-mites and louse powders etc - do you put these in the nesting boxes regularly as a preventative (like worming the cat) or do you use them as required to clear out the pests as a treatment?

What are you doing with all the chicken poo - they sell it in garden centers and I know its a good fertiliser, but presume it needs to rot down a bit like other manures? Should I get a compost bin to put the waste from cleaning out the nest boxes and hut floor - what do you all do?

Thanks - i am sure I will have more questions when they arrive!

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
    • Facebook
Re: Chooks arriving tomorrow
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2010, 09:37:00 am »
Hi Egbert

how exciting!! I remember how I felt before we had our first few chickens, I don't think I slept the night before  ;D
I keep a pile of shavings/chook poo and leave it to rot down for about a year before using it. I believe it is too strong when it is fresh but could be wrong?
It is also meant to be brilliant to grow mushroom spores from but so far its not worked for me!
I've not long started using red mite powder - touch wood we've never had a problem with red mite but I thought I was being too blase and bought some, I give the boxes a sprinkle and check the hens regularly.

I saw some ex-batts at the cotswolds farm park yesterday that they have rescued and it reduced me to tears. we've not taken any in yet but hope to in the future, those poor girls were so feather bare and their combs so pale - you are doing a really lovely thing and I look forward to hearing about how it all goes
Lisa   
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

egbert

  • Joined Jan 2010
Re: Chooks arriving tomorrow
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2010, 09:43:16 am »
I am hoping the ex-bats we get are not too mangled - I did ask the man at the rescue place to try to pick us some of the healthier ones if possible. Partly because we are new to chickens and I wouldnt want to get some that need extra care and get it wrong, and also as I am trying to teach my 4 yr old about animals and pet care and I dont think scary looking hens is going to encourage her - hence getting the bantams as well so she can see that we need to make the poorly hens better to look like the prettier ones.

Reading back through some of these posts and I am now worried that the hen house we have - bought off the internet - is a cheaper one that will be too cold in winter. It is easy to clean and has ventilation - I checked all the requirements before we bought it on size, nesting boxes, perch heights etc . . .

Looks like some of you add apple cider to the water to prevent worms and use VermX as well. Are both necessary? I like the idea of using the cider, it seems more natural (drunk chickens anyone?).

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
    • Facebook
Re: Chooks arriving tomorrow
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2010, 11:01:21 am »
I use apple cider vinegar daily and also worm twice a year with flubenvet. If any of my girls look under the weather then I will use aloe vera juice in their water as a pick-me-up and have used grapefruit seed extract for one with a nasty cold (with almst immediate benefit  :o  )
my 3 year old helps me with our chickens and yesterday when she saw the ex-batts she said "I dont' like them..." and looked quite scared so I can see your thinking there, I think you have made the right choice with getting some bantams too.
what is it about your house that is worrying you? can you shut the ventilation holes? when all the chickens are huddled in at night you will probalby find that they are really warm. I remember being told on here to remember that our girls have "a duvet on them" already so don't get too cold although direct draughts might not be good.
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

Wizard

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • North East Lincolnshire
Re: Chooks arriving tomorrow
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2010, 12:47:53 pm »
egbert dont worry as Mr Winner says.The large flocks of free range birds go out at sun up lots of them stay out when it rains Like dogs some hens love it.I did see last time I was in the Walled Garden Mick had built a sort of Hawaiian Shed just 4 poles and a straw roof the Black Rock X's love it and they sit under when its sunny as well.Don't fuss them. :D :farmer:
« Last Edit: April 10, 2010, 12:53:59 pm by Wizard »
Don't do today what can be put off until tomorrow because today will be yesterday tomorrow

Annie22

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Hoddles Creek
Re: Chooks arriving tomorrow
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2010, 02:53:50 pm »
Excited for you.  It's good the comparison you are giving your daughter.  I feel for the breeder chickens that produced my flock.  When I first looked to purchase they looked fine.  When I went and picked my day olds the breeders were almost bald and looked really depressed. 

egbert

  • Joined Jan 2010
Re: Chooks arriving tomorrow
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2010, 05:17:55 pm »
Well Cinderella and Beauty have arrived - Beast and the 3 ugly sisters arrive tomorrow. (I am sure we will change their names when we see the poor things).

We picked up two lovely looking hens today - I believe they are Copper Stars, I cant remember what he told me. Black with lovely copper feathering around the necks, and their black backs look green in the sunshine. One is at POL with its comb just perky and red, the other he said was a week or so away, its comb is still pink and quite small. They are shut away in the house at the moment to get used to their new home, but I will get some pics tomorrow. I did intend to get bantams, but the seller said the ex-bats would pick on them as they were smaller. There are lovely looking birds anyway.

The seller also told me that ex-bats can often have been pushed to produce so many eggs that they are used up by the time we get them, although they should only be a year old according to the rescue center - does anyone know if this is true. Much as I feel for them, I do want laying hens and dont have the room to provide an OAP center for abused hens? He said they may live to 5 but will probably only lay eggs for another 6 months - so something else to worry me.

My only concern about their house really is that is was cheap and cheap is usually more expensive in the long run. I guess we will learn the hard way if it starts to disintegrate over the winter.

Another question if you dont mind, when we pick up the ex-bats tomorrow, should I put them and the Copper Stars in the house together for a day, or let the Copper Stars out in the run and just the ex-bats in the house to get used to it. Just concerned that the 1st time they will all meet will be bedtime and there will be bedlam, although locking them into a confined house for a full on bust up . . .

Thanks for all your advice guys


doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
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Re: Chooks arriving tomorrow
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2010, 06:00:42 pm »
Well, I had ex batts before I moved down here and I'd had them about 4 years so they must have been about 5 or 6 - they don't always execute them at a year old, sometimes it's earlier, sometimes later.  Mine were still laying, and as far as I know 2 years later they are still at it, as my friend up the road took them.  I must admit I haven't seen any agression in mine.  I had a couple of bantys for a wee while, but they flew over the fence into the jaws of my waiting German, Hes(s)ter! ::)  The hens never touched them.  Now as for my light sussex - I wouldn't trust her on a dark night ;) ;D ;D She comes at me like her brother, Jamie!  Wings flapping, jumping at me and the dogs claws flashing!
Best time for tehm to meet is after bedtime.  Put them in with the others when they have gone to roost, they'll not remember in the morning who is who. Might be  wee bit of squabbling sorting out the pecking order.  Good luck!
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

egbert

  • Joined Jan 2010
Re: Chooks arriving tomorrow
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2010, 07:38:25 pm »
Thanks - Ill put them all to bed together then.

Now I just have to try to rein in the daft names they are being given - when I said that the 3 kids (not all mine) could name them, I should have added that I have presidential veto!

Wizard

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • North East Lincolnshire
Re: Chooks arriving tomorrow
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2010, 08:41:28 am »
This sounds egbert you are expecting names not to be repeated on here. I am likely to continue on telling a story after writing to you and then Rosemary discretely grumbles at me ::) :farmer:
Don't do today what can be put off until tomorrow because today will be yesterday tomorrow

 

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