The Poultry Keeper

lfreebs · Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Norfolk

After a long absence am back with more questions I'm afraid ! After all the worrying about when we should put Hetty and/or chicks in with the other three girls, at seven weeks old Hetty took her chicks into the main run and refused to move ! So, grabbing the opportunity we put the broody/chicks' coop in the main run. Hetty slept with them for one night and then returned to the hen coop and a week later she was laying - easy peazy !

Hetty valiantly protected her chicks for a week or more, then one day just left them to look after themselves. Dotty no 4 hen in pecking order chases the chicks quite a lot but have not had any serious trouble.

Whoever said the cream legbar with a spot on its head was a male, was correct, well done ! But he is quite small (they are about 11 weeks), smaller than the Welsummer pullet. Can you get CLB bantams ?

The larger of the two Rhode Island Reds still shows no cockerel tendencies, but he is growing a comb which the other one isn't. Doesn't have any cockerel-type tail feathers like the CLB. Can anybody help, because I think I should be separating the cockerels and letting my neighbour have them, but am not sure about the RIR.

All four hens are eating the Growers' Pellets, not the Layers' Pellets, is this okay and if not how can I get them to go back onto their pellets? The Growers are obviously more tasty ! They also prefer the chicks grit to their grit and oyster shell ! Ah well the grass is always greener !

One problem though is the quality of Hetty's eggs. The whites, when cooked solid aren't a smooth consistancy, neither in the mouth nor between the fingers. In a soft under-cooked boiled egg rather than having a clear white it is a chalky colour. Could somebody please tell me why this is happening and is it okay to eat them ? She must be eating some of her layers' pellets as the yolks are lovely and orange.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Lynda

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1178 Location: Cornwall

I've eaten chalky whites and they didnt upset me, are they rubbery when cooked or do they feel funny in your mouth?

lfreebs · Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Norfolk

No they don't feel rubbery. On the contrary they taste sort of pastey, not smooth, difficulty to describe maybe the texture of ricotta cheese, if you know what I mean. As I said, the slightly undercooked soft-boiled egg showed a milky albumen, instead of clear albumen. Most peculiar. Thought it might be because she is eating growers pellets instead of layers, but they are all doing that and the other eggs seem okay.

Thanks for the suggestion though.... I haven't had an upset tummy yet, so they must be okay !