There’s no doubt about it, they are growing fast. Their curiosity is developing and they love investigating anything new in their cage.
I’ve given them a perch and they are now adept at jumping up on it and even taking a flying leap from the perch to the top of the heater.
One advantage of them getting taller is that I can raise their food and water dispensers so they can’t poo in them so easily.
They have also acquired some older sisters.
Yes, the lady who had promised to get me some ‘poules pondeuses’ finally came round and apologised for taking so long. It would have been most ungrateful to say I no longer wanted them so we quickly prepared the henhouse, bought some ‘grown up’ chicken feed and installed four black hens in the back garden.
Since Monday they have produced seven eggs, bless their little hearts, but it is not going to be easy to learn which is which. Daisy is quickly identifiable because her comb either hasn’t developed or has been pecked off but it’s going to be hard to see distinguishing features on the others. They all have shiny black feathers flecked with copper coloured ones and, so far, no-one appears to be either a bully or hen-pecked.
Perhaps they should have different coloured leg bands?
May 13, 2010 at 11:26 pm |
It sounds like you are getting really hooked on becoming a chicken farmer!
I would like to rear some chickens here but the local Council have forbidden ordinary residents in the Borough from keeping them. Goats, sheep, pigs, in fact any livestock apart from rabbits are not allowed unless you have a small-holding or a farm.
They say it is because of the smell; but I have a shower every morning and I’m sure the animals wouldn’t mind the smell even if I didn’t!
May 14, 2010 at 7:25 am |
Hi Keith, nice to ‘see’ you. Hope all your problems with the blog are now resolved.
You should move to Belgium where, in one town, they have given two chickens to residents with enough space so that they can reduce food waste. However, people have to promise they won’t eat them for at least two years!
May 14, 2010 at 10:35 am |
Do you talk to them?
May 14, 2010 at 7:25 pm |
Yes, Pat, and I always say thank for the eggs and tell the hens what clever girls they are.
May 14, 2010 at 7:40 pm |
Little chicks are so cute – too bad they grow so fast. When we bought this house there was a small chicken coop in the backyard as the son’s owners had chickens as a 4H project. We kept them for years while our daughters were little. We bought some bantams because they were small. The chicken manure, once dried, is very good as a rose fertilizer – don’t use much though, just a couple of tablespoons mixed with the other fertilizer, for roses or other plants. We finally ended up with 4 roosters and one hen, so we gave them all away. Thanks for visiting my blog.
May 15, 2010 at 7:18 pm |
Yes, I’ve heard chicken manure is good for the garden so I’m going to put the soiled litter in the composter.
May 15, 2010 at 10:21 am |
And I’m sure they will be able to hang out in the yard with the cats soon.
May 15, 2010 at 7:17 pm |
I don’t think the cats would dare attack a fully grown chicken but they’re very interested in the little ones at present.
May 17, 2010 at 5:29 am |
I want some!!! But it’s a bit like where Keith lives around here.
May 18, 2010 at 9:27 am |
Sorry to hear that, Helen. I must think myself lucky when I go out to let the hens out and there are cows in the field next door. Although we are surrounded by houses they are some way away and so it doesn’t spoil the country feel.