The Poultry Keeper

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

EGG!!

Yay! I am so excited as I didn't think the girls would lay for a while as they are all pretty young. I have no idea who layed it although I think it may have been Pheobe for two reasons...

1. Her comb is really red, much more so than the other two girls, she's also the oldest of the 3 hens (only by a matter of a week or so though).

2. I think she was trying to apologise for being a little madam yesterday when she escaped!

The egg is lovely! It's completely white (which I suppose should be a clue as to who layed it?) Any ideas would be appreciated Very Happy

I've now enclosed the run with fruit mesh (thanks summayah for the top tip!) and Pheobe is most annoyed. She flapped up to sit on the top bar of the run earlier and hit the fruit mesh with a real thump. Luckily, because the mesh has quite a lot of 'give' (although it's tacked firmly down the sides in case she tries to get underneath the edge) she just bounced off and landed back in the run.

I've fixed some high perches in the run as summayah explained she will probably want to get up high. She hasn't explored them yet but perhaps she will tomorrow.

She's a real character already, she makes me laugh all the time because she's just such a petulant little madam!

Rachel and Monica have formed a little coalition and hang out together, grooming each other and scratching about side by side. Rachel's eye still stays closed a lot of the time but it looks healthy and she does open it with no signs of pain. I think that perhaps she was Born that way. Maybe she has a 'lazy eye'!

Tonight was quite amusing. Pheobe had already taken herself off to bed when I went out to check on them at about 7.30pm. Monica and Rachel were pacing about in the pen and making a concerted effort to get onto the high perches I had put up for Pheobe but weren't getting anywhere fast!

Poor things seemed to have forgotten that there were some nice safe perches in the house for them to roost on so my little boy went into the pen, picked them up and put them in the door to the coop.

After we shut the door behind them we could hear some confused clucking and then a few flaps and a bit more clucking. When we had a quick peek through the window we could just make out all three of them snuggled together on the perches at the top of the house!

Perhaps they'll all remember where bed is tomorrow night!

Ah well, it's the end of my first two days with my girls and I am loving it Very Happy

Thanks to you all again for the advice and encouragement.

LL xx

Ps: I have some gallery space now if anyone wants to have a look at a few piccies.

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

Told you it just gets better... when are you getting some more?? Wink

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

NannyP · Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 9:34 pm Post subject:

Pleased to hear you got an egg, your guess must be right Very Happy

Hope it tastes good Very Happy

Nice to see your photos and great to hear how it's all going.
Laughing

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

well done with the egg ~ yes it will be from Phoebe, they lay white eggs. I'm pleased the netting worked for you to ~ yes it does have a lot of give, but they soon learn not to even bother trying.
As already asked, when are you getting more?

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

debcat · Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 10:05 pm Post subject:

congratulations on your egg Laughing

Once hubby taste how wonderful they are he won't mind so much how many you get Rolling Eyes

Hatching your own is amazing, really stressful but wonderful at the same time

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

The main thing LisaLou, once you have a number of chickens, is to keep them moving ~ that way no-one an ever really count them !

debcat · Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 10:41 pm Post subject:

Deb_Moderator · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 3661

Your enthusiasm and excitement are contagious! Laughing

Being that Phoebe is part Leghorn, she would be the first to lay...they start early. Wonderful news, glad you are having the time of your life. Bet you can't understand why you waited so long in the first place.

I am with everyone else...now that we have the new Breeds forum...how long is it going to take you to pick out your next batch? Wink

debcat · Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 1:50 am Post subject:

just looked at your pics,
see what you mean about her eye, it doesn't look sticky so maybe just one of those things Very Happy

lovely pics Laughing

Deb_Moderator · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 3661

Lisa, looking at your photos...very first one with house front straight on....

Is the top part by the roof open? Or is there a screen?

nigel · Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 6:32 am Post subject:

The first egg is always special. Looking at your pictures it won't be long till the others are laying too.

The starlight should lay a darker brown egg, so you should get a nice mixture of egg colour too.

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

Thanks for all your replies. It makes it so special to have people to share the exciting stuff with!

Deb, do you mean the triangular bit above the door? If so, it's covered by a fine strong mesh. Is that right thing to have? Very Happy

Edited: spelling... duh!

NannyP · Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 9:53 am Post subject:

Yes, I think that's what Deb meant, and I guess she was worrying that rats or small predators could get in if it was just open.
Very Happy