About Me!

This comment was left by JudyM on my old blog, and I've copied it over here as I can't move the original.

"An entertaining read! I can identify with the relief to get away from commuting to London. I worked in Whitehall for - oh about a thousand years! Did your CDs work at entertaining your little chicks?"

Hi Judy, thanks for your comment. I tried to send you an email as it hadn’t appeared on the blog, but it got returned as undeliverable!

Yes, the CD’s do help keep them occupied, but not as much as the
lettuces and sweetcorn do!!!! They also love chickweed. Drives em
potty!!!! lol

But anything that hangs up just above their heads is good, as they peck at it rather than their mates!!!! Watch it if you hang it up by string though, as they chomp through it.

As the hardboard is 2ft off the ground, I just have a really thick cane or piece of wood hanging from one side to the other, with a butcher’s hook or similar hanging down and hang the lettuce from that. The CD’s did have thick string hung from the wood, but they’ve eaten their way through it all, so at the moment, I don’t have any CD’s hanging.

how sweet your chicks look ! We live in suburbia in an end of terrace two bed house with a double plot garden backing directly onto Upton heath ( Poole). We have 8, new, ex - batts from the cages ( Jill in Devon , Battery Hen Welfare trust)and 4 old girls, ex- battery barenrs from an egg packing plant at Winterbourne kingston. We also have 5 dogs (cavalier king charles spaniels ) and 4 guinea pigs and 3 goldfish. Yes - the pets keep us busy and take all our money. Admire your wbsite - my uncle lives in saltfleetby, nr louth. xxx Sue zzzz

Hi Sue, I don't know Saltfleetby, as we don't get up Louth way much, my friend on the allotment site I belong to comes from Louth, but now lives near Lowestoft, so he would probably know it well! Yes, animals keep you poor don't they? lol although Sooty the cat will only eat the dried GoCat with turkey, so she is easily pleased, and Penny the dog, varies a bit with what she likes, her favourite is PAL in jelly, but she also likes the Chubb Webbox thing which I think smells vile, but she loves it!!!! The chooks are the most expensive things to feed!!!!! I'm glad you like the blog, its only my way of keeping a diary of what happens in my little chook world, but I thought it might also be a way of advertising my chooks for sale too, and its cheaper than a website, especially as we don't have thousands for sale at any one time. Nice to hear more people are helping to rescue the ex battery girls. I've seen inside a battery farm, it was years ago when I worked for the National Farmers Union, but it wasn't a pretty site, and its lovely to see them getting used to being real chickens again isn't it????

Can't tell you how jealous i am.
I live in Cleethorpes in a terraced house but thankfully with a long back garden.
Used to have a few chooks and ducks a few years ago but the increase in urban foxes put paid to that.
I am now looking to get a more secure housing unit and keep 6 or so egg layers for the sheer joy of watching them. Even considered selling up lock stock and barrel and renting somewhere with more chick friendly accomodation space.
Captivating little critters are'nt they.

They are lovely to watch Shane, so industrious, and makes me feel like the pied piper when I take their corn down to them in the afternoon!

But they are always getting into scrapes and I have to rescue them! We've put barrier fencing from the run to the polytunnel to give them somewhere dry to dust bathe with all this rain, even the bigger temporary run is like a mud bath now! But they kept pecking the polythene, so I put stakes all round and more barrier fencing and now, they dig holes to bathe in and get underneath the barrier stuff, then they cant remember how they got in so can't get out again! I have to go down there several times a day to pull them out!!!

But its lovely having nice fresh eggs to eat, with no food miles and at least you know what they've been eating!!!!

Hi, Annie,
I love reading about your chx. We have just the three Warrens, lovely Laydees,all laying at present. We have a fairly large garden near Guildford and the Laydees run free (except at night), and even though my husband and daughter built them lovely big run! However, this lot love my spinach plants, and anything trying to grow except cabbage. The previous Laydees (sadly now deceased due to age and the ravages of foxy) only liked to dirt-bathe in my veg patch, not to eat all the goodies. So we'll get some proper fencing so we can grow stuff too. Keep on with the good work!

Hi Ellen, yes they are fascinating to watch aren't they? I'm surprised your old ladies didn't like eating your veg patch though! The other week when I went down to Kent to see my daughter, hubby left the gate open and little, and the young girls got out and ate all my spring cabbage plants!!!!

Must update the blog again, but MIL has been here since last Wednesday and I don't like leaving her alone for long!!!!

6-3-08. Hi.I brought 2 chickens of you 16 days ago and they both laid eggs today. my 2 little girls where really really pleased as they feed them everyday and check for eggs. egg size is good and looking forward to eating them when we all have enough. the chickens are so freindly and love tip bits be it grass clippings, pasta, egg shells,etc.

Hi Matthew, I am so pleased the chooks have started to lay eggs for you at long last! I think they are a bit late laying as its still winter really, and they need a good 14-16 hours of daylight to get into the egg laying habit!

And at lest now your little girls work is being rearded with lovely fresh laid eggs!!!!

Im really loving your 'chook chats'. Its a dream of mine to rear some and one day I will be joing your forum with my own tales.
Can you recommend some really useful reading to get me started please.

Jane

Hi Jane, to be honest with you, I have learnt more from the poultry pages on the allotment site that is on my 'Sites I like page' than anywhere else!

There is also a poultry forum, and you don't have to join to read the messages. But there are many many people on there who have only just stated to keep chickens, and thre are people on thre who have kept them for 40 odd years, so a wealth of information for free!

Please don't think I'm just plugging the site! lol I'm not, but it is a very friendly place, and I really feel at home there.

However, if you want to have a read of a book, one good one to start with is 'Starting With Chickens' by Katie Thear. Katie has ept poultry for a long time, and this is a good starter book for anyone. I got a copy from Ebay, and it is pretty comprehensive! But there is a wealth of info in books and on the internet for anyone wanting to keep chickens.

Although hubby and I have kept poultry for over 11 years on and off, I didn't think a year ago that I would now be raising chicks from day old and selling them as point of lays or oven ready!! But I am, and I do enjoy it, they all have their own little characters!!!!

Keeping ex batts is very rewarding, but can be heartrending when you first see them with no feathers and dull listless combs, and some don't live long, but at least they died living like a chicken should, not being killed at 18 months just because its eggs are no longer the correct size or colour!!!!

Good luck, I hope you do have a go!!!!!!

Just been wandering around your site and enjoyed the clear layout, what floor covering are you using in your brooder pen - this year we have many more chicks than before and am looking at giving them more space before they join the others outside.

At the moment they are in brooders (home made) and have cardboard bases covered in Kitchen towel to give them purchase and avoid damage to their legs

We too have retired from the rat race to grown veg and rear our own animals

Hi James, I'm pleased you like the blog! I started it off, but it was finely tuned by my friend John Harrison who is the owner of the Allotment site in my 'Sites I like' page. He's a webmaster and I feel has done me proud! made my blog more noticeable!!!!

I was worried about splayed leg too, so when we got the first day olds last September, I looked on the internet, and on an American site, this guy said he used sawdst or shavings on the floor, but as a young chick will eat whatever it finds at its feet, he covers the shavings with a clean old sheet for the first few days, until the chicks learn what is chick crumb. so I did that and this time also with the meat chicks. The chicks don't slide around on the sheet, and they don't eat the shavings either! OK, so it means I have to keep looking for old sheets, but after a few days, I think I left them about 4 days last time,this time was a week as I didn't have a lot of shavings, but then you take the sheet off, complete with poop, and the shavings underneath are still nice and clean!

How many chicks have you got this time then? We've only got 57 now, as I gave 6 to my friends in Scotland last week, and we lost 2, they sometimes panic and crush into a corner, although there are no corners in my brooder, but they still manae to crush each other at times, silly chicks!! Ours are 4 weeks old tomorrow, so it'll be weigh in time, and they are going over into the big chook house! It's all disinfected and poultryshielded ready for them.

Can you buy chicks not chickens and for how much…
thankyou

Hi Olivia, you can buy chicks, but they have to be kept nice and warm for 4 weeks! I don't know whereabouts you are, or what sort of chicks you are interested in or how many you want! We buy our chicks from a hatchery who usually only sell them in the 1,000's, but they do sell small numbers too, but you have to collect. They are at Eye Green near peterborough and small numbers of chicks are £1 each. But other breeders charge differing prices, some as much as £8!!!!!

Great site love it - I thought I was the only crazy one loving chickens like you but glad we are all the same. I have chickens and have had for many years - I had to give them up when I became pregnant some time ago but just recently started again and absolutely love it - fresh eggs everyday yum - anyway I have five at the moment some little bantams and am after couple more layers - you mentioned Eye Green can you tell me whereabouts please - but I would rather get them from yourself - do you have any for sale - I only live in West Pinchbeck - my mobile is 07957 579484 kind regards Debbie

Hi Debbie, sorry I've only just seen your note. I've been gardening all day! No, you are not the only crazy one!!!!! lol if you look on the allotment site I mention. A link is in my Sites I like page, you will see there are loads of us!! A typical one is 'Babe' who only wanted 2 chickens, and she loves Polands. Well, she's hooked now, she got her 2, then some more, then she re-homed some ex battery chickens, then she re-homed 4 from another lottie site member who sadly couldn't keep hers anymore, and I think she's got a few more now, and STILL looking!!!!!

And I thought I was nuts!!!!! lol Sadly, as you'll see if you read my what's for sale page. My latest babies which are Babcock B380 hybrids are only 15 days old yet, so won't be POL until 14th August. they are brown birds laying brown eggs, then on 16th June, we are getting 250 day old Amberlinks, but they won't be ready until mid October.

We get them as day olds from Joice and Hill Hatchery. they are down Green Road, Eye Green, phone number is 01733 221833, but they only sell day olds, they are purely a hatchery, not a rearing farm. Would love to save a couple of my new girls for you. If you don't find any elsewhere, come back to me in August. I'll put you down as a maybe, as I've got about 60 of the present 125 pre-booked so far!!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, I'm pleased you like it!! Ann

Hi. Found your blog by accident, I live in Peterborough and have been looking for Joice and Hill for quite some time but did'nt know thier name so I am very greatful to you.
Well I am very glad to join the nuts and look forward to becomming Nuttier!!!!
Regards Kate

Hi Kate, you are very welcome. When you call them, you will probably speak to Kate, they are all really nice people down there, and very helpful.

Hello Grannieannie, another chick nut here !! for the first time I have a new hatched chick with splayed legs. I have a flock of Lavender Bantams - now 40 +, 35 home reared, so am concerned as to how this is caused and is there a cure, the hatchery has an open weave plastic mat , any idea's. I hve also raised a collection of water fowl from manderins to greylag geese. Loved this site, regards Rosemary

Hi Rosemary! Lovely place you've got! I've put your webiste on my favourites, and will have a look later, when I'm not busy cleaning out chicken houses!!!

I haven't had any chicks with splayed legs yet, but I have a picture somewhere of where they put 2 long sticking plasters together, tick them together in teh middle, then wrap them around the chicks lower legs, hence 'hobbling' them together. if you know what I mean. Here is a link to Stonehead's blog where he explains how he does it.

I have another bit of info that says there is no cure, but I do know people who have done it and the chick, gains the strength back in it legs while its hobbled, okay it has to walk carefully or a bit, but hey, if it works its worth it!

apparently it happens when whatever you have on the floor is slippery, so I read on an American site that if you put shavings down on the floor, then cover it with an old clean sheet, the chicks don't slip and they also don't eat the shavings, as when they are young, they'll eat anything!!!

I get old sheets from auctions etc for a fwe pence each, then throw them away after. The chicks are only on the sheet for a few days, then you take the sheet up and you've still got clean shavings as all the poo is on the sheet!

http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2007/06/03/correcting-splayed-legs/

Have a go, it can't hurt and hopefully your little chick will be right as rain after a bit! Let me know how it gets on please!!!! Ann

hi,
i hope you can help, i have 9 chickens for a year now and about a week ago one of the chickens started pecking out feathers from the neck and chest areas of 7 of the others and eating them i have taken her out and hope a week away will do the trick. any comments will be apprreciated. many thanks kay

Hi Kay, oh I am so sorry I didn't see your comment before.. I've had some trouble with the blog, and often it doesn't notify me that I hae comments, so I only find out sometime after!

How are your chickens now? Hope they are okay and stopped pecking? They are little devils, this lastest lot we've got are really bad for pecking each other too, and nothing seems to work for long either!

hello grannieannie,

We are in our 50's and have taken a bit of early retirement, like moving to the isle of lewis where we have about an acre.

We are thinking about getting some chickens, might need a bit of advice.

Just for now, do chickens and ducks (we have 3 ducks) need to be wormed regularly, if so how often and what with ?

Hello Sam and Cheryl. I wasn't sure about ducks being wormed, so went onto the allotment site and was looking through it when I saw that your question has already been answered by my friend chickenlady!

I haven't kept ducks for ages and then only for Christmas, so wasn't sure if you could give them the same stuff, but yes, Flubenvet seems to be the most popular!

But now you have joined the allotment site, you will get all the help you need re chooks and ducks. some of the people on there have been keeping chickens for 40 years!!

We hang cabbages and broccoli in haylage nets (smaller holes than hay nets) and it seems to really enrich the lives of our battery hens, They also get sweetcorn and dried mealworms.
We found your blog by accident and are enjoying it. Thanks

Hi Lyn, nice to hear from you! Yes, our girls love hanging up cabbages and things too, depending on what's growing at the time. And we also sometimes buy them cabbages from the farm shop. They love the exercise don't they of jumping up and down!

I've just read quickly through your blog as I'm trying to help hubby with the fencing of the new breeding runs for our purebreeds. They are nto as large as we would like, but hubby is talking about extending them soon when we can.

I'm pleased you like the blog. I just get so behind with it at times. But I'm enjoying yours too, brings back memories of when we had the ex batts and in Essex we used to have ex free range too so I know what its like!

I'm putting your blog onto mine too, and good to know you are near if anyone wants any ex batts, I'll give them your details.

Keep up the good work that you all do!!!! Ann

Hi Grannieannie
We are in our early 50's and just moving into a three bedroom house with 2 acres of land! Spooky! Already proud mum and dad to some ex-bats, we have a long term plan of breeding some of the loveliest old and heavy breeds of chicken. A friend has a trio of Orpington Buffs for us, another breeds Lincolnshire Buffs, which have been severely endangered.
I have been following your blog with interest so thought I would write as we may be ready for some more chicks in September.
Our friends with a small holding have got us a DEFRA number sot hey can transport in some sheep to help us clear the land…we have suddenly turned into farmers!

We will let you know how we are doing, regards Alison and Chris Green

Id just like to say that your website is amazing. Being new to keeping chickens and looking for my first birds, I managed to come across a local breeder ( dave harrison) who couldnt supply me with the birds i wanted but put me onto someone in my local area who could. The more i read about keepers of chickens, the more I like the whole idea. Thanks for providing me with the info I needed to get started. Im so looking forward to the birds and eating my first home grown egg!!!!!

Hi Tracy, sorry, I've only just been notified of your comment! Silly computers! thank you for the compliment. I just wish I could remember to post more often. but I don't know where my day goes! I don't usually get on here until late evening to check my messages, then I get tired, so don't do half the things I should!!

I hope you find what you are looking for, and good luck with the chicken keeping! they are the best waste of time there is!!! I can stand and chat to mine for ages! Especially the turkeys as they are so intelligent.

My idea of this blog was that if it prevented just one person making some of the mistakes that I have over the past 2 years, it will be worth it, and hopefully some other people find it good too!!!

Hi Annie,
The chickens arrived and moved into their new home on friday and produced me one egg each on saturday. I was so excited!!!! Ive followed most of your tips on keeping the birds so lets hope that Cheeky, Nosey and Iffy continue to be happy, they are the best source of entertainment anyone could have. Thanks again

i need your help
my 3 chickens have laid every day for 2 weeks. now one of them is falling asleep on the spot im really worried for her……any advice grannie annie?

Hi tracy, I'm sorry to hear about your chickens. it could be a lot of things, but difficult to say without further diagnosis.

when you say she is falling asleep, is she just standing there, listless, head sunk in neck? What colour is her poop? if it is white? any blood in it? could be coccidiosis, if it is, try coxoid, or a course of anti biotics from your vet for 5 days, but with some of these you can eat the eggs for another 7 days either, check whether there is egg withdrawal period. make sure you keep their litter dry

or listless with greenish diarrhoea, gaping, could be worms, have they been wormed lately? the most popular wormer we know if Flubenvet which you add a little to their food.

Tell me any other symptoms and I'll see what I can find out.

Fingers crossed for her. (Oh she's not moulting is she? that can sap their energy levels!)

Take Care Ann