October 2006

1 Well, Aggie & Tat started the month well but Titfer's laying is very erratic.  She did sit in the nest today, but no egg  :-(
2 Titfer hasn't laid for 5 days, but she looks bright & chirpy.....
3 Plans have been drawn up for an improved hen house in the kennels.  Then, we can expand with two more bantams.
4 Busy in the garden at 5pm meant that the chicks treat tray was late.  As soon as I stepped out of the veg garden they followed me everywhere until I fed them.  So funny!
5 3 eggs!
6 Our hens are becoming little explorers and have taken to scratching around and sitting in my pot garden!
7 Two babes under firThe babes have now adopted one of Aggie's old favourite spots, under the fir tree.

Bright red combs is a sign of a healthy chick, so they're both looking good.

8 The hen house conversion might start next Sunday......
9 We've got the hens (especially Tat) into a very bad habit of coming to the door and begging for treats.  I didn't really need proof that they're not too bright but I got it - I put some layers mash (their staple diet, always available in their feeder in the run) in an old ashtray and put it down for them.  They ate it like it was the best treat in the world!
10 Three chicks under firThree chicks under the fir today.

Earlier, when we were sitting out at the table, Tat jumped up between us for a tickle.  She's very tame & friendly just now.

11 Tat nearly got burnt today when she jumped up on the table and nearly knocked our freshly brewed coffee over herself.  I really didn't think she would jump up when there were obstacles in view, but what do I know.  She can be one very determined chicken if she thinks there might be some titbits on offer.
12 Tat in houseNaughty Tat came up the step into our lobby this morning.  She is getting very daring.  I told her if she poohed on the carpet she was dead meat, then I chased her out in case she did!

In the meantime, Aggie was prowling in the car port.  Strange, as the chickens never go in there (or so we thought).  There are 4 bags of dry hay in there, which I collected for use in the chicken nest when our paddock was cut earlier in the year.  Then I read that only straw (not hay) should be used, so the bags have just stood there. 
Aggie seemed to be looking up at them and then she jumped onto the table and onto the top of one of the bags.  I went to get my camera to get a pic, but by the time I returned Crow said she made a short announcement and then got down.  aggie egg in hay bagWell, we knew she hadn't just laid an egg as that takes some time, not just 30 seconds.  Anyway, I went over to the hay bags and what did I find?  Yes, an egg she must have laid the day before, when I know she didn't lay in the nest.  It was almost as if she was just bringing it to our attention, and saying "I laid this egg, and you haven't collected it!!  Having done that ,she then went off to the proper nest to lay today's egg.  Incredible!!

15 The new chicken house was built today!  This gives them twice as much space.  Just needs a couple of finishing touches.....
16 Started to introduce the chicks to their new larger run by repositioning the current nest and putting tonight's treat tray and carrot tops in the new area.  Aggie was first to find the treat tray, I had to show Titfer & Tat the way through.
17 I got my quarterly Battery Hen Welfare Trust newsletter yesterday and it spurred me on to enquire about the re-homing of rescued battery hens....... There may be some available in our area at the beginning of November.
In the meantime, Aggie found the repositioned nest and had a look inside but laid her egg in the hay bag in the car port again, tat laid in the repositioned nest and Titfer & Tat played tag with a tasty morsel of some kind.
18 Some final tweaks to the new hen house and it's ready for use when the chick-friendly preservative dries.  Boy, will we have some confused hens tomorrow.
19 An eggless day  :-((   but the girls seem happy enough, although Titfer was in and out of the nest and sat for quite a while without success.
20 New hen houseThe new chicken house is all set up with it's ramp/ladder up to the new nest boxes, but no-one been curious or adventurous enough yet.....  The old  nest will come out as soon as we get the chicks to use the new one!

I tried to tempt the chicks up the ladder with some corn, but no luck.  They tend to be a little afraid of anything new in close proximity.
21 Tat made a visit into our lobby again today, but I was being naughty, sitting in there talking to her.  She's at the door every time we appear to see if she can trick us into giving her a treat.  Has Halloween come early?
22 Perhaps I'm going to have to sit in the new nest to get Tat to try it out?
Titfer laid her second egg of the month, so we had 3 eggs today!
23 Hens explore new house for the first timeUp early(ish) this morning to get chicks into new hen house for laying.  Oops, not early enough, Tat has already laid.

Did manage to tempt them in to explore with some corn.....

So the difficult task goes to Aggie - the old nest is blocked off and she has to find her way back to the new one when she's ready to lay.  We've left the doors open so it's less intimidating (hopefully)....

Foiled again - Aggie didn't try to lay.
24 Clever chicks!!!  When I went out this morning, Titfer & Tat were both in the new nest, making it comfortable.  Then when I looked closer, both Aggie & Tat had already laid in the rightmost nest box, even though the old nest was still available.  here are three nest boxes but the rightmost one has a window.  Perhaps they like the view?
That means we can remove the old nest today, seemed almost too easy!
25 We removed the old nest, made a better ladder and closed up the new house yesterday, so they have to climb the ladder and go in through the doorway.  Too much to expect?
Of course not!  By ten o'clock this morning both Aggie & Tat had laid (both in the rightmost nest again) and all three had been up & down the ladder and in & out of the new house more than once.  And to top that, Titfer laid in the new nest later!
26 Aggie had a senior moment when she seemed to forget where the new nest was.  She searched around the car port, where she has laid in the hay bags and where the old empty "kennel" nest is sitting.  Then she went into the run and up the perches and looked through the window into the nest, all the time squawking and making a fuss.  Finally she found the ladder and remembered her way.  She is getting on a bit, you know!
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Aggie on ladder Titfer really does like the new nest.  She laid again!  Shocked by this, neither Aggie nor Tat laid.

Must make a decision soon - bantams or rescues? bantams or rescues? bantams or rescues? What do you think?  Drop me an email to let me know.

I just love seeing the chicks walk quite regally up and down their new penthouse ladder.

300 eggs in six months.  I think an average of 50 eggs per month from 3 hens is pretty good.  It's certainly enough to keep us going and provide freebies for friends too.

Scores on the doors this month:  Tat 29, Aggie 25, Titfer 4
eggs this month
eggs since 1 May 2006