Carol's Chickens

Each of my chickens sound different. Pepper is the only one with her grown up voice so far, Dotty still goes “cheep cheep”, but Pepper goes “boc boc”, all day long. Treacle makes a strange sound, sort of  “rrrrrrr”, and sometimes gives a little growl. Bluebell rarely makes any sound at all,  just an occasional single chirp!

Bluebell will now come right up to me the most often and is the only one of the chickens that doesn’t run off, if I lightly stroke her back. I pointed the camera and this was Bluebell running towards me, I had to snap quickly before she was on top of me!

Here comes Bluebell

We decided a while back to make a few changes to the chicken enclosure, the main improvement being to extend the dry area. We have contacted the guy who built it for us and he is really busy at the moment but will come and extend the roof area one day within the next two weeks.

Meanwhile we decided to get on with a few changes of our own.  We bought a potting cabinet for storing all chicken related items. This takes up the same floor space as the plastic box I was using, but as it is tall with plenty of shelves it holds so much more. This means I no longer need to go out of the gate and into the shed for things. This small change has made life easier for me.

This potting cabinet makes ideal storage for all my chicken related items

Every time I open the door to the cabinet all four girls come running over, as they have quickly realized that this is where the treats are kept. If they hear the rustle of the meal worm bag they are right under my feet waiting, not slow to catch on when it involves treats! We also decided to turn the coop sideways to allow easier access for cleaning. The end panel comes out, as does the nest box. Before we moved it, I was hemmed in by the fence and struggled to clean it out. I now have plenty of room and this simple action has also made life easier for me.

We have turned the coop sideways to make cleaning easier

The chickens were so funny when they came up to find the feeding station. It used to be on the left by the coop but we moved it to the right hand side to keep it within the dry area. All four chickens were looking for it on the left and trying to reach under the coop as if they thought it was hiding there. I tried rattling the feeder but they took no notice. Finally Bluebell discovered it and the rest quickly followed. I wondered if they would discover the way in to the coop as that has also changed, but again Bluebell found it first and they followed. Bluebell is bottom hen and gets pecked away by the others and yet it seems that she is the smartest hen.

The turf I put in the run had been completely pecked and looked dead, probably because I sat it on top of the wood chip. As they are half price at the moment (£1.99), I decided to buy another, cut it into squares and plant it in seed trays. It divided in to twelve trays and  I thought that I could put in one tray per day then bring it out to rejuvenate

The girls love the grass

This won’t last long

I have twelve trays of grass (one is in the run)

The two trays on the right have already had all the green pecked out by the girls

I only hope they do grow back as they look really brown. If not, it hasn’t cost much to do, but it would be nice to be able to keep the girls supplied with fresh grass as they love it.

The girls seem to be getting used to each other now and seem to be more integrated. They feed together, go to bed together with less argument and snooze together in the sun or the shade depending on how warm it is.

We all relax together

The new girls have also discovered the perch now. Unfortunately I didn’t manage to photo all four on the perch as Bluebell jumped down when I approached.

Treacle has found the perch

Pepper joins Treacle on the perch

Dotty joins them on the perch

Pepper’s crop has remained much improved and Dotty is not growing at the rate Poppy did, so I am now settling into believing she is not a roo. I am now really happy with my mixed flock and they seem to be settling happily too. I am really enjoying the experience and looking forward to a time when we start to get eggs.

Yesterday we decided to give the girls a treat and bought a piece of turf to put in their enclosure. The new girls had been used to being kept in grassy pens and a lot of the green plants I had put in for them, have now been completely pecked.

At first they were wary, then pecked at the edges but wouldn’t step on it. Then they suddenly got the hang of it and all started pecking at the grass together. For the first time they were in complete harmony, no squabbling! They were so engrossed that I was able to get close to photograph them.

We all want the same bit!

Grazing in harmony

Enough grass now!

Last night we had family with us and went out to eat, so the chickens were left to put themselves to bed and solve any disputes on their own. On our return we checked in on them and they were all in the coop and quiet. I think I can now feel confident that they can sort out their own bed time routine. They seem to be getting along together much better already.

I have managed to get a few better photos of the girls today.

Bluebells close up showing her little crest

Pepper perching in the apple tree

This used to be Poppy’s trick, now she has gone Pepper has decided it is now her trick.

Dotty

Treacle

Pepper

Treacle’s turn in the flower pot

Bluebell

Pepper in the flower pot and Dotty on the left

Treacle stands tall but Pepper stands taller in the flower pot

Pepper has been asserting herself as top hen and she and Treacle have done a bit of breast  to breast with ruffs up. There has no been no pecking though, so I think they are just sorting it out.

The dominiques are now growing in confidence and beginning to show the new girls their place, as later arrivals. They peck at and chase away Bluebell as she is the smallest (apart from Dotty), but they don’t dare to have a go at Treacle as she is the biggest. I am quite glad that Treacle is a bit bigger or the dominiques would probably intimidate them both. Bluebell doesn’t seem overly bothered and just keeps out of their way. As it was hot today, they all sat in the shade of the big shrub together, so I am not too worried.

I took photos of the new girls today, but they are not great as it’s very difficult to get close to them. Pepper and Dotty have been used to me putting a camera to them from the start and take no notice but the new girls move away making it difficult to get a close up. I did my best!

Treacle has a magnificent tail

Bluebell shares the shade

Treacle is coming

Bluebell has a crest

Treacle has copper neck feathers

Bluebell in the flower pot

After last night’s bed time routine, I decided to sit with chooks for about an hour before their bed time. I took a glass of  wine and my camera and decided to be top hen and watch over them.

Pepper has definitely decided she is now top hen. It’s quite funny because when we first bought them home she was top hen, but then Poppy turned out to be a roo and became top putting Pepper at the bottom, she became very docile. Now with Poppy gone, I think because they were here first, she is reclaiming her place as top hen.

Every time Bluebell tried to go in the coop, Pepper chased her out. A few times she went for her and I separated them, gently moving Pepper aside and telling her I am actually top hen here. Pepper would go in and come out again but not let Bluebell in. After a while they came to an impasse and seemed to all decide to snooze together outside the coop instead.

Let’s all snooze outside of the coop

Eventually Pepper and Dotty went in once more followed by Bluebell. This time Treacle wasn’t far behind and I felt once she was in they were less likely to turf someone out. Pepper came to the door a few times, but then decided she was beaten and settled. Once again, when all in they settled and twittered quietly away together. I decided to trust them tonight without using the crate.

When I sat and watched the chickens yesterday morning it soon became clear that Treacle, being the slightly larger bird was trying to take her place as top hen. While at the feeder she pecked at anyone who came near her. Bluebell didn’t take much notice but Pepper and Dotty would run for the cover of the shrub. I was a bit concerned that if they didn’t get a bit braver they would be kept from the feeder. However as they settled during the day, they became more confidant and all were feeding together.

Pepper and Dotty stayed very close together all day while the new girls wandered separately.  In the afternoon I offered a few sunflower hearts to try to get the new girls to come to me. At the farm they said not to give treats until they are fully grown but I thought I would just give a very small amount. It’s difficult without treats to get them to come to me. Pepper and Dotty run to me if I walk in, talk to them or hold my hand out but the new girls take no notice of me at all. When I offered the treats though, suddenly Pepper and Dotty defended their rights to them and the tables were turned, they were now keeping the new girls away.

When it came to bed time, I decided to hang out with them and make sure they settled together okay. I didn’t think there would be a problem as they had all shared the coop the night before.  Pepper and Dotty were first in but when the new girls tried to go in, they chased them out again. The new girls then sneaked in and when Pepper and Dotty tried to go in, they chased them them out. This was proving more difficult than I had thought it would be. My husband joined me and we watched this procedure take place several times.

We blocked their way back out to garden part of the run so that they would have to make up their minds about going in. Finally Pepper and Dotty went in followed by Bluebell and lastly Treacle. We decided to put the dog crate against the coop door until it closed, so that we could be sure no one had been forced out again. Once they were all in, they settled quietly. We went back at dusk when the automatic door had closed and removed the crate. All was quiet. I hope tonight they will go in together with less fuss. It is going to take a bit of time for them to get used to each other.

Yesterday we took our three chickens back to Dorset. It was not an easy job to catch them. I have picked them up before, when they are going in or coming out of the coop but loose in the pen was a different matter as they run under the big shrub out of reach.

We thought as they love raisins we could tempt them into the coop or dog crate with raisins, this worked on Poppy, but once the other two realised what was happening they were having none of it. We had to chase and corner them and it took nearly an hour.

After a cool summer it has just turned really hot and it’s two hours each way to Dorset, so I put some ice packs in pillowcases in the bottom of the dog crate and topped with pine shavings. I put a heavy bowl of water in so that it wouldn’t get tipped up and a dish of food. We left at 1.00pm and arrived at the farm at 3.00pm.

The guy at the farm was expecting us and looked at Poppy first. He agreed she was a roo and said he would look after him and breed from him in the future. He said he really didn’t think Dotty was a roo. Then he looked at Peppers crop and massaged it for a bit. He took her away to milk it, which means expelling the contents through her beak. When he bought her back her crop looked much better.

I asked if it was a good idea to add some bantams to my flock, but as they are really tiny he suggested I add two of his breeds that are the same age and size as mine. We were happy to be advised. He used a large net to catch them (so that’s how it’s done!).

We now have a chalkhill blue which will lay blue eggs and a longtown brown which will lay very dark brown eggs. Both breeds are docile, hardy and good layers. He said the journey home would be long enough for them to get acquainted and they travelled together with no squabbles which was pleasing. On the way home I thought about names and decided to stay with descriptive ones, I settled on Bluebell for the chalkhill blue and Treacle for the longtown brown.

We got back home at 6.00pm (two hours each way was pretty good) and decided to use the same tactic as when we bought our first two home. We put the dog crate against the coop door leaving them the coop and a small temporary run, with food and water inside and outside until dusk. The new girls went straight in the coop while the other two stayed out and Pepper was very vocal about being contained. It was only an hour until their bed time so we so we decide they would have to put up with it. I checked them a couple of times later and they were all in the coop and still no squabbling, so far so good.

New girls in the coop

This morning I went out to the girls at 5.00am as I knew pepper would not be happy if she couldn’t get out. Pepper and Dotty were in the crate while the new girls were still in the coop. Pepper was still protesting vocally and as I removed the crate they both ran out happily. I cleaned the crate and did my morning chores and half hour later decided it was time to force the new girls out. I reached in through the nest box and shoved them out. once out they happily explored. I spent an hour sitting with them, taking photos and making sure they were all okay together. Pepper and Dotty stayed close together while the new girls wandered separately. The new girls found the feeder and Treacle being slightly bigger soon showed she is top hen for now. She would give Bluebell a quick peck if she got to close but Bluebell was not put off, how ever when Pepper and Dotty tried to get to the feeder she would peck at them and they would scuttle away under the shrub. They are going to have to toughen up a bit. By the time I left them they had all four been round the feeder and water together, so I think they will soon get used to each other. It will be interesting to see how they go in tonight.

Bluebell, the chalkhill blue

Treacle, the longtown brown

Pepper with her crop looking better

I realise now that I thought Dotty was looking more upright like Poppy and therefore possibly also a roo (as well as having a more curved tail), but Pepper was much lower to the ground because of her crop problem. Pepper is now more upright than before.

Bluebell

Treacle

All four feeding and drinking together

I am feeling so much happier now. It was the right decision to go back to Dorset and I feel as if a great weight has been lifted from me. I am going to enjoy my extended flock.

I have rung around every vet within our area this morning. I only found two with chicken experts and both were on holiday for the week. None of the vets I spoke to had the experience to treat Pepper. I felt it could not wait until the weekend so we have shuffled our work tomorrow and will take all three back to the farm in Dorset so that they can treat Pepper and take a look at the roos.

If they don’t have more Dominiques, I am thinking that if we can sort out Pepper’s crop problem perhaps I could take three bantams as a mixed flock that would fit with Pepper,  as she will be quite a small hen and I don’t want her to end up alone or picked on if mixed with new hens. I was thinking possibly of bantam : sussex, cuckoo maran and wyndotte.

I feel very tearful and sad that I have had my little flock for a month and may have to leave at least two behind tomorrow. I am trying to remain positive and think at least I have cared for them for a month and watched them grow and change so much in that time. I have had that experience and given them a lovely time with me. Now maybe I can look ahead to to a possible new flock and hope it runs more smoothly next time.

We three stick together

I love this photo as it shows how together these three are. I feel very sad at the thought of splitting them up.

Poppy, our beautiful roo!

Poppy in the tree

Not the best photo but to just to show her latest trick of perching in the tree.

Poppy in the flower pot!

Dotty watches poppy in the flower pot!

I am so sad that these may be the last photos of them together. I have loved them so much in this month that we have shared together.

I can’t bear to think that sweet little Dotty is also a roo, but she is growing more like Poppy each day.

Poppy has a roo like tail

Poppy has long legs and the upright stance of a roo

Is dotty also getting a roo like tail?

Only time will tell.