The Poultry Keeper

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

It is just over a week since we went down to see Rob in the New Forest and got our 5 lovely girls, Margot the French Wheaten Maran, Gloria the Buff Orp, Mable the Blue Laced Wyandotte, Doris the Gold laced Wyandotte and Beryl the Buff Laced Wyandotte.

It has been a fantastic week, blighted only by Jackie's back problems which are still causing her major discomfort and because of this she has not been able to spend as much time with the girls as she desperately wanted to.

It has been interesting to see the girls settle, and we have been surprised at how quickly they have, Margot is the most nervous of the 5 around us humans but is now fine with the other 4, Gloria was the next most wary but she is mellowing everyday and is the most curious and adventurous of the 5 and as for the 3 Wyandottes, well they have been pretty friendly from day one and are now all happy to come up for a stroke and a pick up, particularly Beryl although Doris is ALWAYS there next to you whatever you are doing outside.

We had the dilemma of when we should let them out of the run, as Deb will confirm, so we let them out on the Sunday afternoon and since then they are let out to range from around 10am every day and we have had no problems getting them into their run near to dusk..... a good handful of mixed corn helps!! In fact they are so aware of this that they now all gather en masse near the back door near the time staring at me pleading with me to go and get the corn, as soon as I go out to the shed, they all scoot behind and then cluck away as I get it and follow me to the run where I give them what they want.

They are left to their own devices and as it is going dark they trundle into the house in no particular order and get themselves ready for bed. At the start Gloria and one other would sleep on the floor while 3 would sleep on the perches, now they all sleep on the perches, 4 on one and one on their own, the last 3 nights it has been a different one on their own... strange!!

They tend to drink out of the pond rather than the drinker, which I leave in the run and they haven't eaten as much layers pellets I thought they would but are eating a good amount, they are scoffing all day around the garden. We have kept treats to a minimum, although they will have your arm off for some grapes, they also like apple and corn on the cob. They ate quite a bit of grit and oyster shell first couple of days but don't seem to eat anything like as much of it now.

Their fave place is under a big budlia tree where they hide away in the shade and also in and under the rhubarb!

As for mornings, well I let them into the run around 7.15am and clean the poo out of the house, takes about 3 mins, and it is still lovely and clean, hempcore mixed with dust free wheat straw and diatom seems to work a treat, I can't see me having to clean it out thoroughly once a week if I keep doing as is.

All in all a great first week.... eggs practically every day from the 3 Wyans, nothing yet from the other 2, but from the glowing red there is now I think it may only be a matter of time!

Best thing we have done, no doubt. Still want 2 more but pretty chilled about when we get them, plenty of options, plenty of time.

Oh, there is some moulting going on, was when we got them and 2 of the Wyandottes are very bare round the botty area.... look a bit oven ready! Embarassed

Is this normal and I take it the feathers grow back all lovely!

Weekend off.... no commitments, lots of time to spend with the girls, can't wait.

I hope I haven't bored you all to death and can I say what a great, friendly and informative site this is, glad we stumbled across it, it has been a real help for newbies like us... Thanks all!! Wink

thewinkingtiger · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 936 Location: East Yorkshire, UK

Not bored at all!!! Thoroughly enjoyed your narrative on your first week - I could have read it for hours!!!
It sounds wonderful - and am so glad you are having such enjoyment from them! Hope Jackie is soon back to full health too so she can really get stuck in to loving every minute!!!

Deb_Moderator · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 3661

I felt like I was right there with you, enjoying all of the 'firsts'. It only gets better. Wink

Aussie Chick · Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 7:35 am Post subject:

Thanks for the good read. Even the OH read over my shoulder. Our girls like the budelia tree too.

NannyP · Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 10:02 am Post subject:

Thanks for the posting, it's lovely to hear all about them.
Mooulting is an interesting thing, and the first time mine did (Ratchett the Wellie) it looked bloody awful.

http://www.freewebs.com/nannyp/moulting.htm
You'll find a lovely photo of her in full moult here Very Happy

They really are quite clever hens, and I suspect that if you forgot their corn one day, after their vigil at the door, they wander back to the run and the coop. It seems instictive to head for the safety of the coop as the sun sets.

Keep telling us how it's going, we don't get bored Wink

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

thoroughly enjoyed your first week with you, looking forward to the next instalment

Fangs · Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 12:34 am Post subject:

looks like your enjoying yourself emmesnsly, and the girls to. fitted in perfectly as wel. Very Happy

Fangs

Lisa · Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 9:54 am Post subject:

Lovely to hear how about your first week. Looking forward to more tales from the coop!

LisaLou · Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 109 Location: Herts

That was really nice to read. I'm now at the end of my first weekend with my girls so it's good to hear what I have to look forward to for the next little while Smile