The Poultry Keeper

HeatherBB · Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 154 Location: Chelmsford

As I am still struggling to link my camera and PC up (mainly cos I haven't had time to read the instructions!! Rolling Eyes

) I thought I would let all know now summayahs chicks are. Primrose (blue baby orp) is now BIGGER than her broody mum Cinnamon (bovans nera), although she still has her soft fluffy chick feathers, and has long stopped being mums shadow!! Hyacinth (white orp) is the dirtiest white bird you've ever seen!! Laughing

the other day after getting wet in the rain - she decided to have a dirt bath under some old conifers!! - she emerged from the hedge - not a pretty sight, however happy!! strangely, honey (wheatan maran) and primrose snuggle up together at night on a lower perch opposite the other 8 birds who consider themselves in the penthouse on the highest perch (I thought that top pecking order hen usually demanded top perch??). Have just given them some porridge as a brekkie treat and you should see them run!! - it constantly makes me chuckle!! 3 are laying now so just waiting to see what kind of eggs primrose will produce. the garden is looking like a war zone - I think I may need to lay a few paths as my constant walking to and fro has ruined the grass. All of my old birds have accepted the new ones and they all get on so well. My only sadness is that I have 1 odd wellsummer bantam cockerel, and as I also have a LF wellsummer cockerel - the big boy wont let the little lad any where near him, so, as the girls tend to flock around him, the little boy remains distanced and lonely. I'm seeking a bit of advice to remedy this. would getting some small bantam girls solve this the garden is big enough for them to free range or will they also join the rest of the flock? I didn't want to start dividing it by fencing off separate areas. or should I find him a new home?? Crying or Very sad

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

hello Heather and thank you so much for letting me know how they are ~ it's lovely to hear they have been accepted by the others. I guess Honey got tired of being top hen ~ especially when she had your group to contend with ~ but nice that she and primrose get on together.
I know what you mean about the garden, gave up all hope of mine on the gate to and from the girls' run.
Sorry I don't know the answer to your question about the bantam boy. Maybe you should get him some bantam girls and keep them separate from the others for a little while, so that they can make their own group, before putting them all together.
Hopefully someone with expertise in this will be along soon.
thanks again, I really appreciate it