chickens.... help

Food, Nutrition and Agriculture
Yorkshire Andy
Posts: 8732
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: chickens.... help

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Cheers :)

Had a busy day managed to get a bale of straw
IMG_20180922_184558562.jpg
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
Yorkshire Andy
Posts: 8732
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: chickens.... help

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Well 5 birds and 3 regular layers now next step is to find who isnt laying...... And possibly address that issue no point in feeding a none productive mouth..... :shock:

Got them on layers pellets. Mixed some oister shells in with the feed...

Grit tub in their shed with grit and shells....

Got them necking water with cider vinegar...

Tried poultry tonic in the water they didn't touch it at all .... ( = Dehydrated birds)

Got most of the shed painted last night to help shrug off the rain ..

They are all looking much healthier in terms of feathers

Every few days they get a slack handful of porrage oats scattered in the straw outside keeps them occupied for a good while and the odd cored apple from the tree..


Need to build a couple of little perches in the run and introduce some "toys" to keep them entertained
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
jansman
Posts: 13621
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: chickens.... help

Post by jansman »

Birds not laying at this time of year Andy,is more often than not ,down to weaker light levels.Come Spring they tend to start again.
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

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Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

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Yorkshire Andy
Posts: 8732
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: chickens.... help

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Thanks had the thought of adding a solar light to the shed with a photocell and timer :tinfoil


I shall put the axe back in the shed for now ;)
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
jansman
Posts: 13621
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: chickens.... help

Post by jansman »

Yes,give them until Spring.If they don't start laying by June,it's time to offload passengers.But an axe...!

That is something else about livestock keeping.Once in awhile ,stock has to be culled.Humanely.Pity you are not nearer,and I could show you the quick,clean way.

The solar light sounds a good idea by the way.
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.
Yorkshire Andy
Posts: 8732
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: chickens.... help

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

The axe bit was in jest a childhood of loony tunes and Elmer fudd ;)
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That said my mum was saying it was the way my grandad used to do it back in the day post ww2 when rationing was still in force him and his neighbour had chickens and rabbits to top up their meat ration.....

Been show years ago how to dispatch them by swiftly pulling their neck having first tucked their head under their wing for 30 seconds or so by an old farmer to sever the spinal cord .. if the time comes I might pay him a visit to brush up...

Last thing I want to do is have them suffer.
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
jansman
Posts: 13621
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:16 pm

Re: chickens.... help

Post by jansman »

Nothing wrong with the axe method mate- it’s swift! It’s just so ( bloody) messy. :lol: Nice you are getting on well with them. Lovely , gentle creatures, unless you are another hen!
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.
Yorkshire Andy
Posts: 8732
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: chickens.... help

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Let them out today whilst digging the other half of the allotment this little terror nearly got the spade treatment the other 4 kept a good 4 ft+ away bar "iron balls" who wanted first dibs
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If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
Yorkshire Andy
Posts: 8732
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: chickens.... help

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Made them a swing ball set :D
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Managed to get the coup painted outside and I'm managing to keep the inside clean next spring im off in with the jeys fluid and pressure washer
IMG_20181028_080126285.jpg
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If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
Clarebelle
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2018 5:37 pm

Re: chickens.... help

Post by Clarebelle »

I have kept chickens and ducks for four years now. We keep a cockeral/drake and each year the offspring go in the freezer.
I always had a real problem with the killing part, mainly because I didn't feel like I could garuntee a quick and painless end, this made me nervous so my other half would do the killing but he doesn't get involved on the smallholding usualy and he hated doing this. So I bought a poultry stunner from Germany via Amazon, I had used a big one for pigs/sheep before, it was £40 including postage.
The price put me off for a long time but now I have it I wish i had bought it years ago. It is very good, quick, easy and a lot less stressful for me and the birds. After using the stunner I then use the broomstick method of breaking the neck.

Its probably not worth it if you only have a few hens but if anyone plans to raise chicks etc. I would recommend it.