Tweet
Prepare for a long post!
I took my bike to the allotment today as it was such a lovely day and had my schedule of gardening jobs all planned.
I'd been there about an hour when my neighbour asked when I was getting some hens. I gave him the stock answer that it was a case of me getting my finger out and actually doing it. "Terry's got some hens for sale" says he.
Terry is two plots away from me. Off I goes to see him. "Yep" he says " I came to the lottie especially as some chap was coming to buy them. I want £2 each for them and he offered me £1.50 each so I told him to get knotted!!!
Even though I didn't intend getting this many chooks to start with, I said "Ill give you two quid each for them Terry" and the deal was done.!!!
He had 13 chooks and wanted to sell them all together 10 Goldline, 1 Blackrock and two whites.
At the last minute he decided to keep the Blackrock and whites so for 20 quid the 10 Goldline were mine. (Still haven't paid him yet as I had no cash on me!)
There was only one problem, even though my chook run is finished and hopefully fox proof, the chicken shed IS'NT and it's also full of crap.
Anyway I put the 10 chooks in the run for to make a start on attacking the weeds which they seemed to love.
At this point I have to relate a litle bit of known history. Another allotment neighbour originally purchased these chooks at about this time of year, last year. They were point of lay and after a few weeks started laying. He soon got sick of them though, preferring pure breads, so he sold them to Terry.
Although terry is a nice bloke his area for hens is very shaded and never sees sunlight. He laso feeds his hens sparingly with dry layers mash. He also has ducks and these attract vermin in the form of rats.
Consequently, since they finished molting they have laid no eggs even though they are big strong birds.
The timescale would make them roughly one and a half years old so theoretically they should be laying.
I think that because of the lack of food, possibly the wrong food (intend using layers pellets) the darkeness of area and the proximity of rats the poor buggers are a bit stressed out and that is why they aren't laying?
Anyway, I managed to finish the hut! I added three nesting boxes filled with straw. I've put wood chippings on the floor. They now have a roosting bar made from 2" X 2" timber. I made a ramp up to the pophole and suspended a huge feeder 6" from the floor. I borrowed some layers pellets and laid a trail up the ramp to the pophole.
It worked a treat and the suspended metal feeder was going 'ting,ting' as they pecked the food from it. They seemed to be starving!
They have a water bucket in the run and also a bucket in the coop.
Whilst watching them I got really worried when I saw two of them lying on there backs in the run! As I watched I realised they had dug a shallow pit and were just dust bathing, presumably to get rid of mites, phew!!!
I've already named one 'Fat arse' and will no doubt find some names for tuthers as time goes on.
I was also told to feed them with mixed grain so thought about using half mixed grain along with half layers pellets? Does this sound feasible?
To be honest, if they NEVER lay another egg I'll not get too stressed about it, but it would be nice to get a few once they get settled in.
I did warn you it was going to be a long post!
I took my bike to the allotment today as it was such a lovely day and had my schedule of gardening jobs all planned.
I'd been there about an hour when my neighbour asked when I was getting some hens. I gave him the stock answer that it was a case of me getting my finger out and actually doing it. "Terry's got some hens for sale" says he.
Terry is two plots away from me. Off I goes to see him. "Yep" he says " I came to the lottie especially as some chap was coming to buy them. I want £2 each for them and he offered me £1.50 each so I told him to get knotted!!!
Even though I didn't intend getting this many chooks to start with, I said "Ill give you two quid each for them Terry" and the deal was done.!!!
He had 13 chooks and wanted to sell them all together 10 Goldline, 1 Blackrock and two whites.
At the last minute he decided to keep the Blackrock and whites so for 20 quid the 10 Goldline were mine. (Still haven't paid him yet as I had no cash on me!)
There was only one problem, even though my chook run is finished and hopefully fox proof, the chicken shed IS'NT and it's also full of crap.
Anyway I put the 10 chooks in the run for to make a start on attacking the weeds which they seemed to love.
At this point I have to relate a litle bit of known history. Another allotment neighbour originally purchased these chooks at about this time of year, last year. They were point of lay and after a few weeks started laying. He soon got sick of them though, preferring pure breads, so he sold them to Terry.
Although terry is a nice bloke his area for hens is very shaded and never sees sunlight. He laso feeds his hens sparingly with dry layers mash. He also has ducks and these attract vermin in the form of rats.
Consequently, since they finished molting they have laid no eggs even though they are big strong birds.
The timescale would make them roughly one and a half years old so theoretically they should be laying.
I think that because of the lack of food, possibly the wrong food (intend using layers pellets) the darkeness of area and the proximity of rats the poor buggers are a bit stressed out and that is why they aren't laying?
Anyway, I managed to finish the hut! I added three nesting boxes filled with straw. I've put wood chippings on the floor. They now have a roosting bar made from 2" X 2" timber. I made a ramp up to the pophole and suspended a huge feeder 6" from the floor. I borrowed some layers pellets and laid a trail up the ramp to the pophole.
It worked a treat and the suspended metal feeder was going 'ting,ting' as they pecked the food from it. They seemed to be starving!
They have a water bucket in the run and also a bucket in the coop.
Whilst watching them I got really worried when I saw two of them lying on there backs in the run! As I watched I realised they had dug a shallow pit and were just dust bathing, presumably to get rid of mites, phew!!!
I've already named one 'Fat arse' and will no doubt find some names for tuthers as time goes on.
I was also told to feed them with mixed grain so thought about using half mixed grain along with half layers pellets? Does this sound feasible?
To be honest, if they NEVER lay another egg I'll not get too stressed about it, but it would be nice to get a few once they get settled in.
I did warn you it was going to be a long post!
The green stuff shouldn't be a problem as I seem to feed half the allotments chickens with it at present! It'll be nice to give it to my own for a change. My compost heap may loose out a bit, but I'd rather it went through a chook before becoming manure anyway!
I'll look out for that........... hopefully it will spice up there life and put them in the mood for egg laying!
Comment