The Poultry Keeper

susyrosyworzy · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 48

Hi - just been looking through the FAQ section, and was very very amused lmho at the thought of being able to sort out hens at bedtime - old ones here, new ones there, when all free ranging together. Well, at last I can at least manage to get my four (sister) hens to go bed all together by cunning, guile, several other people, long leafy branches etc, when they were once roosting up a tree and coming down into the neighbouring carpark in the morning. (I have to admit, seeing hens up a tree, looking defiant and nervous at the same time, was funny!). I only have the 4 at the moment, and if I get some more, trying to separate them on purpose would seem impossible - they run faster than me, and always in different directions.

When do hens start laying? Should I put hay in the nest box to encourage them? They are about 2 and a half months old now.

Why are they fussy eaters, dont much like chicken meal, picky over scraps, preferring spiders and insects. Yes, I know that's more natural, but at the rate they consume the insects there are going to be no more - a wasteland!

suse

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

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

hello suse and welcome to the forum. What girls have you got ~ are they pure breeds or hybrids? Hybrids usually come into lay much sooner than the pure breeds. I have hybridge that came in around 18 weeks and an orpington who finally decided to give it a go when she was 34 weeks old!

mojo · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 3:41 pm Post subject: hi

if you clip wings they tend not to fly so high,also be gratefull they are using natures larder less cost than the food merchant.best of luck.,mojo Cool

susyrosyworzy · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Posts: 48

Another joke - what breed! Heinz and a few other varieties. Frankly, their mother was no better than she should have been. She was a Rhode Island Red, and one of the fathers was a fine black cockerel,producing a cute speckledy hen. The other three have a white father, and I have one white hen, one white hen with a RIR head, and one whitish hen with a RIR collar and generally looks grubby. Hardly a fine flock, eh?

Knobby · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 3:53 pm Post subject:

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

mojo · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 3:55 pm Post subject: hi

if you luv THEM all is worthwhole.............mojo Cool

Deb_Moderator · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 3661

If they are healthy and happy....

It IS a fine flock! Wink

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

they sound just fine, and I would guess being hybrids (of their own sort) they will be strong and probably good egg layers. Can we see pictures of them ~ just love looking at chickens