Hopefully getting a couple more tonight

[chris]

VC's coop is the wrong way around - It's just stuck in the corner temp whilst the intros are taking place Difficult to tell, measurement wise there's enough perch space now, (I've had both sets of three in there, and both lots have perched on one perch with room to spare so I'm confident it's ok - they've 11" of perch space each, which is an inch less than they have currently...) but once I've seen all of them in there, if it's cramped I'll either extend the coop out and re-roof, or cut the legs of mine lower and store this one for use in the back garden or create an extension similar to a nest box

Have bought some more timber to extend the run out as well now, so I'll be able to create two sections in there if need be.

My wife took the news of the new arrivals quite well Haven't told her about my idea to extend the run out though hehe

[chris]

Mine too, though she was a bit of a thug. She has a nice new home now, with a cockeral called Yanto, who won't take any messing.

I fancy a daisy and a black maran, I must resist...........only £22..........I think it would be good for littleun to have a couple more pets.

I have a daisy/magpie/reverse sussex/whatever else they're called - big birds. Very docile though, friendliest of my original lot - would happily sit whilst being stroked/poked by a toddler

I know I do too..........

Perhaps when I come back from holiday.

I have a green egg layer, and a white egg layer. I need a brown and a dark brown layer. Its simples.

The blue wheaton marans look pretty.

STOP....

Indeed, that's the bird I wanted - he said he can't keep them, as soon as he has them, they're out the door, even as day olds.. He said he very rarely gets POLs, so I'd give him a bell and ask if he can keep a couple back on his next hatch?

That cotswold legbar is extremely flighty. I've clipped one wing, but she managed to fly around 5' in the air!

[chris]

They're lovely Chris - and the coop looks fantastic - far more tasteful than my paintwork!!
Seren looks pleased too!!

She loves it.. has a few times said thank you <vc's name> for my new chicken house.

She has been inside it a few times too, whilst I was painting/fixing it up heh

[VirginVegGrower]

Looks superb Chris, as do the littlies, including Seren.

[Hilary B]

Just how far off the ground is it? Would another 3" be posible(one housebrick under each leg) to make sure the gap underneath is big enough to deter long-tailed unwelcome visitors?
I can get slightly obsessive about not providing them with hidey-holes around the chooks, after a neighbour who set up the chicken-house over a perfect Roland-lodging-house (the place where a couple of defunct cars had been buried, owing to lack of removal-options)....

[Mikey]

Dude I am seriously jealous now....I must resist for the time being, well at least until we are back from hols.

I'm not sure whether the cotswold is by nature a very scared bird, mine crows like a good un.

She's just started her moult, if I get a bigger house I have enough garden for them for another 6 at least!!

When I picked mine up from Steve I was still a novice so he gathered them up for me, this time I'll be definitely picking out my own, one's that don't go ahhhhhhhh, here he comes run.......

Your lovely clutch will have settled in nicely by the time they are ready to lay, I do like the look of your maran....

[chris]

Just how far off the ground is it? Would another 3" be posible(one housebrick under each leg) to make sure the gap underneath is big enough to deter long-tailed unwelcome visitors?
I can get slightly obsessive about not providing them with hidey-holes around the chooks, after a neighbour who set up the chicken-house over a perfect Roland-lodging-house (the place where a couple of defunct cars had been buried, owing to lack of removal-options)....

5" currently..

My run (when door closed) is rodent proof. I went to great length in both time and expense to ensure that

[chris]

Dude I am seriously jealous now....I must resist for the time being, well at least until we are back from hols.

I'm not sure whether the cotswold is by nature a very scared bird, mine crows like a good un.

She's just started her moult, if I get a bigger house I have enough garden for them for another 6 at least!!

When I picked mine up from Steve I was still a novice so he gathered them up for me, this time I'll be definitely picking out my own, one's that don't go ahhhhhhhh, here he comes run.......

Your lovely clutch will have settled in nicely by the time they are ready to lay, I do like the look of your maran....

Hehe, yeah - he was alright. I picked up a few birds, even put some back from different pens again - checked the distance between the pelvic bones, and chose the ones that didn't go mad when I walked in the run and their bones were wider than the others (hoping to be in lay sooner).

This marans is a hybrid, so won't lay a very dark egg, but he's informed me it'll be darker than 'normal' eggs. TBH, she looks a lot like my black rock hybrid. The difference in size is astonishing though - you don't notice how large chickens are really when you keep them, unless you get new in/hatch them.

All the birds were bright eyed and alert, pens were clean (though some didn't have access to go outside, which I forgot to ask abut - perhaps quick sellers? He said he had 40 bluebells in, that morning and when I got there about 16:00 there were about 7 or so left).

I'd definitely use him again, very pleased.

They are very flighty though!

Don't want to let them out yet until they've calmed down a bit, though had them out with me in the garden with them last night just to meet the others outside of the run too. Bit odd seeing you hens fluff up like images of cockfighting that you see, but the little uns make a quick exit when they see that they're a bit too much for the old gals

[elizajay]

My wife took the news of the new arrivals quite well Haven't told her about my idea to extend the run out though hehe[/QUOTE]

Or presumably the plan to hatch?!?!

[VirginVegGrower]

I thought Marans were pure breed Chris? What's the difference between a Cotswold Legbar and a Cream Legbar?

[jessmorris]

Nice looking birds!

[chris]

My wife took the news of the new arrivals quite well Haven't told her about my idea to extend the run out though hehe

Or presumably the plan to hatch?!?![/QUOTE]

Ha. She knows I'd like to hatch but doesn't agree with 'wasting a life by dispatching any boys' - which, is fair - so I haven't. (have been close though )

I thought Marans were pure breed Chris? What's the difference between a Cotswold Legbar and a Cream Legbar?

The marans I have is a cross of a black maran and something else (forgot what he said) - basically to have a bird laying dark eggs with more egg production. Likewise for the Cotswold Legbar - it was bred by some place to sell blue eggs to supermarkets I believe? All the cotswold legbars looked different in the run. Some like normal warrens, with an odd fleck here and there, others with full on mops on their heads!

Nice looking birds!

Thanks!

They were all in the same coop last night, newbies slept in the nestbox, no issues over night. Went out at day break and have just come in now - noticed that the marans is a bit rattly, so will keep my eye on her. The cotswold legbar is definitely bottom of the pecking order, she's always crouched down, turns tail towards the others and hides her head. Couple of nicks on her face from some antics last night, but nothing major. The marans picks on her something rotten - I assume trying to establish the pecking order within the new lot, whilst my old lot are obviously showing them all who's boss.

I've decided to lock them all in the coop, as last night the cotswold legbar flew up to my boundary fence, then onto the run roof. Managed to get her down, and have (despite not wanting to) clipped half of her other wing. She still is very flightly though. More food and water placed, and have just decided to let them get on with it - the sooner they sort themselves out the better - I'll start letting the newbies out then That cotswold legbar is really nice, if I stroke her neck, and around her ears (as more domesticated birds would preen each other to show affection) - she is asleep - instantly! So funny It's a shame she's the underdog.

The marans flew up onto my shoulder to get away from the others when I was in the run - I'm covered in scratches now! She seems to "bark" a bit too, unless it's a cough (throat is clear - I've had a look).

So yep, that's the story so far. I forgot the one thing I said I'd do though, being too excited - I was going to put them in the new coop, and attach a temp run to keep them separate from my old lot for a week to keep my eye on them and check that they didn't bring any nasties to the existing lot.

[polo]

Sounds like you are having fun! They look lovely x

[chris]

Well, the little legbar hybrid has another tale to tell now. She's got a broken beak, from what I assume is trying to get away from the others, whilst her beak was in the mesh. Going to pop to the shops later and pickup some super glue. It's only the tip, but I've moved it, and I can see it's moving separately from the rest of her upper beak. Didn't seem to mind me doing it, but I know that's easy for me to say. She's eating and drinking fine, but is having a rough time!



What happened to my friendly originals? Crazy seeing them aggressive - they used to be fine being handled, but now won't let me near them heh.

Anyway, on a more happy note my daughter has really fallen for her, and likewise back!



If you look closely at her beak in the above picture, you can see the line where it's now broken, so not sure if this was a weak spot, or it was broken but not completely before I noticed/had her.

One of the others had made her way into the coop last night, and was on the same perch as my three other originals, which was nice to see despite them not fighting at night normally (in generally), at least she wasn't turfed off that perch as she has been before.

[veggiechicken]

Sorry to hear about your poor chook, Chris.
That's a fantastic photo of your daughter - definitely one for the family album.