Tense times this evening as our established hens discovered new girls in the henhouse. Powerz Dragon-slayer is our small White Leghorn but she's top dog and will stand at the gate taunting Monty until he comes close enough for her to peck his nose! So she chased the new girls out of the coop which wasn't the plan as I was hoping everybody would just go to bed. Betty (Speckledy Sussex) was very perturbed and also had a peck at the intruders but she was also chased out of the coop by Powerz. Anyway after a lot of clucking and squawking (and about an hour) all four went inside and I left Powerz and the newbies in the nestbox (where none are actually supposed to sleep) and poor Betty out on the perches.
So - introducing our new Amber hen who has already laid us a pretty pink egg - she was chatting to me when I went to the supplier and I couldn't resist her - she really is a lovely girl. On the right is a Chestnut Blacktail who should lay us nice dark eggs (hopefully) - she's a little more nervous but also going to be a great addition I think. Neither are the breed I actually went for - serves me right for not writing the names down - they are supposed to have some that lay really really dark eggs - but I think I've made pretty choices anyway! I'm following the Nigel school of naming (he calls our others Blacky and Whitey) and calling these two Amber and Chestnut!
Really interesting Judith....they will sort themselves out....will be interesting to see what becomes of the pecking order!
These are beautiful birds...love the Amber colourings ...she is. Very pretty. I haven't heard of either of these breeds so will be interesting to see what you think when they settle in. Welcome to 365 Amber & Chestnut...I'm sure we will see lots of them!
Our hens are well past their best but can't bear to get rid......moulting time at the moment!
Cross tonight as I think it's looking like a no show for B& B! I am going to ring them if they aren't here by 8pm!
@happypat nooo - and you've cut the grass! I haven't seen these anywhere either. Nice man and quite close to home so a good find. He's sold me some granulated calcium to cure the soft egg issue as well. They look a lot healthier than my moulting girls!
Hopefully it will be ok - the chap said to leave them in the run tomorrow to fight it out (within reason) - the new ones are very accommodating so hopefully they should all settle - poor Betty is very confused!
Interesting color on the left hen..... Hey, They'll sort themselves out eventually. A hen house is not a back yard thing our neighborhood home owners association would take lightly to. Haha!
@motherjane I've rung them but no answer ........they were supposed to,arrive around 4ish but knowing me I will have said I'll expect you when I see you & forgotten! I will be surprised if they don't come!
@happypat yes I liked him - he said pet shops don't sell it because it's too cheap - they'd rather sell expensive tonic. He said the hens only have capacity for limited grit as it all stays in the gizzard but the granules actually get into the system - we'll see if it works! He also said eating mice is an attempt to get more protein - revolting though... I cleaned it out specially! They sleep in the nest box despite my best efforts so I clean that out everyday anyway.
@aglennc well we have a long garden but the neighbours at the back must hear a lot of squawking! They say they like it and I take them fresh eggs to keep them sweet. Apparently there's been a discussion in the newspaper about cockerels in the city - I wouldn't get one of them!
@judithg even better! Can you shut the hens out of the nest boxes? Mind you if you can it means getting up early to open them....there again you would only have to wait till they all got perched. Ours have a perch they can stand on before the go in the nest box & it clips up to shut the boxes up. Cathys neighbours are lovely & they getton really well but the havd a bit of a thing about the hens..say they encourage rats! Could have a point...they still have their hens.
@happypat no - I tried a board and they flew over the top of the divider - little devils. I'm not sure there's room for 4 in there though so they may have to take turns. I spent ages lifting them on to perches every night but gave up when the weather got cold. I think they do encourage rats - I was taking to my neighbour from the back while I was weeding at the front (she was walking their dogs) and she was saying they'd seen a tail disappearing under the fence - and then one ran across the road behind her! Definitely not our hens fault! When the cat slunk up behind me we both jumped out of our skins! BUT we keep bait boxes out and stocked up and that seems to keep them under control - there are rats in the gardens anyway!
They are beautiful. Always a pecking order but they will sort themselves out. If all else fails I have a sweet little cockerel who will stop the squabbling!
I love the light fluffy feathers. I never realised until fairly recently that there were so many different types of chickens, As we walk we pass a garden where they're are quite a few chickens kept by the village post mistress. I manage to get some shots of them the other day and they are all sorts of sizes and colours.
These are beautiful birds...love the Amber colourings ...she is. Very pretty. I haven't heard of either of these breeds so will be interesting to see what you think when they settle in. Welcome to 365 Amber & Chestnut...I'm sure we will see lots of them!
Our hens are well past their best but can't bear to get rid......moulting time at the moment!
Cross tonight as I think it's looking like a no show for B& B! I am going to ring them if they aren't here by 8pm!
as for rats I reckon they are everywhere anyway. Just need some decent poison so they don't get out of hand.